I have a Pella fiberglass entry door, installed 6 years ago. I would disagree that using gel stain is the best way to go, in fact I wouldn't recommend that at all. It looked beautiful when I finished but required varnish every 6 months. Even then it failed miserably this spring. Don't do that, there is a better way. Fortunately, or not, my door delaminated this past month. Fortunately because I was about to strip it and start over again. As it is, Pella provided me a free replacement slab since it is warranted for 10 year. This time I'm using Sikkens Cetol Door and Window stain which does not use a polyurethene varnish topcoat. I found out about it from my neighbor who had the same problems as I with a gel stained/varnished entry door - chipping and peeling varnish. He redid his four years ago with this Sikkens stain and it looks great even now, with no further attention. Sikkens does recommend reapplying one coat after 3 or 4 years but that beats varnishing every six months plus it doesn't chip away like spar varnish. Use Sikkens Door and Window stain instead of gel stain and varnish, seriously. It comes in four or five colors but you won't find it at HD or Lowes - go to their web site and find a paint dealer in your area. Here is a link that might be useful: Sikkens Door and Window stain

Jeld wen is a common brand in my area. A lot of my clients have installed them with no problems. What is the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC)? You should look for shgc less than .40 This info is on a sticker from National Fenstration Rating Council (www.nfrc.org) and will list U-factor, visible light and climate location. Best of luck & make sure that the windows are flashed correctly!

Unless your house is stucco or masonry, you should have at least 4" of wood trim outside of your windows, whether they are wood or clad anyhow. This wood trim would need occasional repainting, yet not necessarily once year year! We have Jenn-weld white vinyl clad tilt-sash double hung windows that are white clad on the exterior, and wood on the interior. I love the fact that the exterior of the windows will never need maintenance other than washing. We've been in our house for 18 years and have only had to re-paint our wood trim outside these windows once, and that was only because I changed the trim from white to Charleston green. It's that 4", (or more), wood trim that is noticed more than the actual window material, and I feel that the zero maintenance factor is a big seller. I don't know where you live that repainting EACH year would be necessary - you must get some extreme weather conditions!! We live in the south, and used top quality latex paint on all our exterior trim, and have only needed to repaint once in 18 years. It still looks as fresh and clean as the first year it was applied.

Unlike Michael, I am not amazed that your architect would spec single glazed divided lite windows. I have occasion to meet and discuss window and door performance with architects and builders and other folks in the industry and I am no longer surprised by anything I hear or see or read. There are many, probably most, architects who fully understand energy and basic building codes, there are others who don't fully understand them. Some of those want to learn the new codes and some of them seem of the opinion that the only idea that matters is their own "creativity" and be damned to anything that interferes with that. I am sure any of our GC friends who visit these sites have met that type all too often! Like Michael I agree that while some folks may prefer the aesthetic considerations of single pane windows, the energy performance - the pure waste of the indulgence - I believe is unconsionable. Has anyone bought gas in the past few days? That price is only going to go up in the future. All that of course does not affect a decision to buy all wood windows or clad windows. That is a personal choice and there are many options available both ways. There are some very nice replacement windows - all wood - that have excellent energy performance numbers. I also agree with corgilvr that in an older home windows are simply one avenue of energy waste. Money spent on improved insulation and weatherization is often a better investment than replacing windows...an energy audit will tell you what has to be improved. But, IF a person is replacing windows, then there is absolutely no reason at all forgoing with a window that has the energy performance considerations of the turn-of-the century rather than a window that will maximize energy performance in today's world - and keeping as close to the original aesthetics as is possible - a compromise between efficiency and looks. Good luck!