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Permalink Reply by nathan on December 12, 2017 at 8:53

It was a decision to stop estate wide communal heating, I think it was in the 70's or 80's, that has exacerbated the problem of condensation, the estate communal heating was integral to the design of the estate.

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Permalink Reply by nathan on December 12, 2017 at 9:17

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Permalink Reply by nathan on December 12, 2017 at 9:18

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Permalink Reply by Tim Godsmark on December 14, 2017 at 8:34

To be fair double glazing was unknown when the Estate was built and didn’t become common practice until the 1980s. The metal frames are similar in size to W20 steel window sections (Crittall  type windows)  that were widely used at the time and are similarly challenged.

The architects knew that this would happen and provided channels at the sill with weepholes to the outside for the collected condensation to drain away. Technology has progressed .

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Permalink Reply by nathan on December 14, 2017 at 9:02

In this video at 16:56 you will hear them state that  "north and east facing windows are double glazed", The Barbican estate was built between 1965 and 1976, they also state at 16:29, "the living areas are unusually spacious with electric underfloor heating throughout". 
There are no such drainage holes, channels or weep holes in the windows in Crescent House, completed in 1962 the last block to be built on the GL site.

At 17:17 they state, "there is soundproofing throughout of course".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPlJsoVq8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPlJsoVq8k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLPlJsoVq8k

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