Apogee Architectural Metals is bringing two workhorse aluminum systems to GlassBuild America 2026 in Las Vegas—the EFCO 2700 Series window with U-factors as low as 0.31, and Tubelite's Standard Wide Stile Entrance with a tie-rod lifetime warranty. Together, the pairing signals where the consolidated EFCO/Tubelite/Wausau portfolio is pointing spec writers heading into a tougher energy code cycle.
Apogee Architectural Metals just previewed the two systems it will headline at GlassBuild America 2026 in Las Vegas—and the pairing tells you a lot about where the consolidated EFCO/Tubelite/Wausau/Alumicor portfolio is being pointed. One is a thermally broken commercial window engineered for energy-code compliance. The other is a heavy-traffic aluminum entrance designed for fast install and a long service life. Both are squarely aimed at the spec writer trying to thread the needle between performance, schedule, and budget.
EFCO 2700: A Thermal Window for the Multifamily and Mid-Rise Stack
The headline number on the EFCO 2700 Series is a fixed-window U-factor as low as 0.31, with frame condensation resistance as high as 54 CRFf. Designed for energy-efficient, commercial and multifamily buildings, the EFCO 2700 Series high thermal performance aluminum-framed windows are engineered for project specifications and a variety of architectural styles, offered in fixed, projected and casement window configurations, with thermally broken framing and sash with an insulating thermal barrier. Fixed windows can achieve U-factors as low as 0.31 and frame condensation resistance as high as 54 CRFf.
That's not vacuum-IGU territory, but it's the kind of number that clears most current IECC prescriptive paths for commercial fenestration in moderate-to-cold climate zones—without forcing the design team into a triple-glazed unit or a deeper, more expensive frame.
A few details that matter to specifiers:
- EFCO 2700 windows are approved through the National Fenestration Rating Council's Component Modeling Approach (CMA) Product Certification Program. That CMA path is increasingly what code officials want to see on commercial submittals, since it certifies the actual project configuration rather than a generic NFRC label.
- An environmental product declaration (EPD per ISO 14025 and 21930) is available to assist building teams with their sustainable project goals. For LEED v5 projects—where embodied carbon is moving from optional documentation to scoring criteria—that EPD is no longer a nice-to-have.
- The extensive accessory line creates a customized appearance with a standard window product, with options including integral window blinds, subframes, mullions, screens, sills and other hardware, and durable anodized and painted finishes provide long-lasting protection and a wide range of color choices.
The practical implication: for the K-12, multifamily, and senior-living projects that have been dominating non-residential pipelines, the 2700 is positioned as a code-compliant default rather than a premium upgrade.
Tubelite Wide Stile: The Heavy-Duty Door Gets a Lifetime Warranty
The Tubelite Standard Wide Stile Entrance is the other half of the booth story, and it's pitched at the segment that breaks doors—retail, hospitality, education, and any building where the front entry sees thousands of cycles a week.
Tubelite Standard Wide Stile Entrance Systems achieve performance for commercial buildings with light to heavy traffic, such as in retail centers and hospitality facilities. The entrances are manufactured with extruded aluminum and sturdy steel tie-rod construction for quick installation, continuous use and a long service life. A single Tubelite Wide Stile door spans 4 by 8 feet with 5-inch-wide vertical stiles and top rail, and a 6-1/2-inch bottom rail is standard, with a 10-inch bottom rail for ADA compliance also available.
A few specifics that matter on the install side:
- Blade-style glass stops and built-in glass jacks simplify door and frame alignment during installation, and the doors' tie-rod construction is backed with a lifetime warranty and lets installation professionals easily modify, disassemble or resize them at the jobsite. A lifetime warranty on the tie-rod construction is unusual in this category, and it shifts some long-tail risk off the GC and the owner.
- These Standard Wide Stile entrance systems integrate with Tubelite storefront and curtain wall. That single-source compatibility is the whole point of the Apogee Architectural Metals consolidation—one detailing language across the storefront, curtain wall, and entrance package.
- Stock doors and frames are anodized in clear, dark bronze or black finishes, and are available for quick delivery, with dual finishing options allowing for different colors on the interior and exterior. The quick-ship stock program is a direct response to the GC pain point of door lead times blowing up tenant-improvement schedules.
Why the Pairing Matters
Both products are being shown together for a reason. At the end of their long lifespan on the building, these finished aluminum entrance systems can be recycled into new products. EPDs on the window side, recyclability on the door side, CMA certification, and a unified detailing kit—this is Apogee positioning the EFCO/Tubelite stack as the spec-writer-friendly middle of the market, between premium custom and commodity import.
For architects, GCs, and building envelope consultants writing 08 41 00 and 08 50 00 sections in the back half of 2026, the takeaway is straightforward: the consolidated Apogee Architectural Metals portfolio is now a single-source option for commercial window, entrance, storefront, and curtain wall—with documented EPDs, CMA-certified thermal performance, and a tie-rod warranty that holds up to abuse. Expect to see both products on display at GlassBuild America in Las Vegas this September.