Visitor traffic at LX Hausys' flagship showroom LX Z:IN Flagship rose more than 20 percent in May compared with April. The building materials industry expects demand for high-insulation products to climb as this summer shapes up to be one of the hottest on record. [LX Hausys]
Visitor traffic at LX Hausys' flagship showroom LX Z:IN Flagship rose more than 20 percent in May compared with April. The building materials industry expects demand for high-insulation products to climb as this summer shapes up to be one of the hottest on record. [LX Hausys]

LX Z:IN Flagship foot traffic up 20% in May

Energy efficiency rating 1 windows, including ViewFrame, draw attention

Green remodeling interest subsidy revival eases cost burden

Interest in high-insulation, high-performance windows is rising as early summer heat converges with the approaching monsoon season and typhoon risks. Demand from consumers looking to cut cooling costs — combined with replacement demand ahead of heavy rain and strong winds — is pushing window makers to accelerate their summer marketing campaigns.

Visitor traffic at LX Hausys' flagship showroom LX Z:IN Flagship climbed more than 20 percent in May from April, according to industry sources Thursday. The increase is attributed to daytime temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius from early June, along with the impact of Typhoon Jangmi, the sixth named storm of the season, which has driven more consumers to seek out high-insulation interior products.

The LX Z:IN Flagship showroom carries a range of window products, including the LX Z:IN ViewFrame and LX Z:IN System Window. The ViewFrame features a multi-chamber design that divides the interior of the frame and sash into multiple compartments to boost insulation. It carries an energy efficiency rating of 1 — the top tier — and adopts a bezel-less frame design that minimizes visible framing, enhancing openness and views.

Windows are directly tied to summer cooling costs. Aging windows are widely cited as a factor that allows outside heat to seep in while letting cooled indoor air escape. As window performance deteriorates, cooling efficiency can fall accordingly, making insulation a key criterion for replacement decisions during summers marked by repeated heat waves.

Government support programs are also stimulating replacement demand. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport this year revived its green remodeling interest subsidy program after a three-year hiatus. The program subsidizes loan interest on remodeling projects that improve the energy performance of existing buildings through better insulation, window replacement and aging equipment upgrades. For residential properties, apartment complexes can receive support on loans of up to 30 million won (about $19,800), while single-family homes are eligible for up to 100 million won, with a repayment period of up to 60 months.

LX Hausys is running a promotion through the LX Z:IN brand website from this month through late July, offering customers who spend 7 million won or more on ViewFrame windows a turning door valued at 800,000 won. The company is also expanding a door-to-door window replacement campaign that visits apartment complexes nationwide. It plans to visit more than 150 complexes across the country during May and June to explain how residents can use the green remodeling program to replace aging windows.

Rivals are also moving into the high-performance window market. Hyundai L&C recently unveiled a coastal window under its L-Safe window brand, designed with enhanced water-tightness and wind-pressure resistance to address increasingly frequent typhoons and localized heavy downpours. The product line targets demand from coastal areas and high-rise residential facilities that face direct exposure to wind and rain.

Window makers are leading with high-insulation, high-performance products not only to capture seasonal demand but also because energy cost pressures and the desire to improve residential performance are growing at the same time. Unlike wallpaper or flooring, windows carry a relatively high replacement cost, yet they are considered a core building material that affects heating and cooling efficiency, condensation, noise and water-tightness.

"Fatigue from the heat waves and monsoon rains that return every year is driving steady growth in demand for high-insulation windows as a way to create a comfortable living space year-round," an industry official said. "Consumer interest in replacing aging windows to reduce cooling costs ahead of this summer is also expected to grow."


hong@heraldcorp.com