Because of your knowledge of engineering materials, a friend has asked for your assistance in evaluating various materials that are used for household window frames. He is in the process of designing a new home and wants the windows to be energy efficient and durable, and also to require low maintenance. Various suppliers have recommended wood, aluminum, and vinyl windows, each claiming their product to be superior. For each of these materials, identify its primary assets and significant limitations with regard to window-frame construction. Assume that the material will see both interior and exterior exposure. Consider ease of fabrication, strength, thermal expansion and contraction, response to moisture and humidity, durability, rigidity, ability to be finished in a variety of colors, properties at low and high extremes of temperature, and any other factors that you deem important.
Based on your performance evaluations, combined with cost, which material would you recommend for your particular location? Might your recommendation change if the location of the home were in the dry Southwest (Arizona)? New England? Alaska? Hawaii? Could you imagine some means of combining materials to produce a window that would be superior to any of the single materials?