Ballistic frames are engineered to stop bullets, but the same properties that make them strong also make them efficient conductors, channeling heat or cold directly into your building.
This drives up energy costs as you try to offset temperature spikes or drops. It can also cause condensation build-up, contributing to mold and deterioration.
With our new thermally broken frames, you can specify for both ballistic performance and thermal performance in the same system.
Several states have adopted energy code requirements to address thermal bridging, or the transfer of heat or cold from exterior windows and doors. These codes may affect how architects specify bullet-resistant framing systems. While thermal frames won’t guarantee compliance, they are an important step as part of a larger energy efficiency initiative.
Here are a few examples:
The International Energy Conservation Code sets requirements for energy-efficient buildings that some states have adopted. This includes requirements to reduce energy loss through increased insulation and requiring a continuous air barrier that is verified by a registered design professional or agency. The code includes requirements for building design systems, such as HVAC, lighting, water heating, and the building envelope, to meet specific energy performance criteria that complies with the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE 90.1)
Several states have adopted this code or variations of it, including Washington, Oregon, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Hawaii.
Colorado requires local jurisdictions to adopt the IECC when they are updating their own building regulations.
The 2025 Energy Conservation Code requires commercial buildings to have a building envelope certificate completed by a third party that includes U-factors (a measure of heat transfer) and solar heat gain coefficients of fenestrations, as well as “results from any building thermal envelope air leakage testing performed on the building.” Buildings must meet specific criteria outlined in this code.
The Stretch & Specialized Code, based on the IECC, was updated in 2025 to raise the bar on building envelope requirements. This includes thermal bridging through metal frames, fenestration, and U-factors. Architects must provide calculations on how they will address thermal bridging as part of their construction documents for buildings over 20,000 square feet. The code also requires fenestration performance to be documented with labels from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) or with calculations performed by a registered design professional.
The U.S. Department of Energy has established its own guidance for new federal buildings and those undergoing major renovations, including courthouses, hospitals, office buildings, and military housing.
Federal commercial buildings must meet energy efficiency standards outlined in 10 CFR 433. This initially includes complying with ASHRAE 90.1 standards for energy consumption as a baseline and then reducing consumption by 30% below that baseline. Because U-factors and thermal bridging both contribute to a building’s energy consumption, thermally broken frames are becoming more in demand for these buildings.
Architects designing buildings to meet LEED requirements need to consider energy performance, as all new projects seeking certification will need to meet higher standards in this area.
LEED measures the overall energy performance of a building, which includes heating and cooling and how the building’s exterior systems prevent energy loss.
Schools and universities, healthcare facilities, government buildings, and corporate campuses often seek LEED certification for new construction or renovations as part of a broader sustainability initiative. For instance, Kaiser Permanente made LEED certification for new construction a major initiative that helped it achieve net-zero carbon emissions in 2020.
They may also be required to obtain it. Washington D.C.’s Green Building Act requires public schools to achieve LEED Gold certification or higher, and New York City’s Local Law 86 requires all municipal construction over $2 million to earn LEED Silver and schools and hospitals to earn LEED Certified.
When a specifier calls for ballistic glazing on an exterior application without addressing the frame's thermal properties, they may be creating a tension between the project's security requirements and its energy goals. In colder climates, this tension is most visible.
But in hot climates, the same conductivity that allows cold to enter in winter allows heat to enter in summer, raising cooling loads and working against the building's mechanical systems.
A thermally broken frame inserts a non-conductive barrier, such as a reinforced polymer or polyamide strip, between the interior and exterior sections of the aluminum frame. The barrier interrupts the thermal pathway, preventing heat or cold from traveling through the frame from one side of the building envelope to the other.
This reduces condensation because the interior surface of the frame stays closer to room temperature. It protects the frame from moisture-related deterioration and improves the interior environment for occupants near the door or window.
TSS's thermally broken framing system is available in configurations tested to UL 752 Levels 3 through 8, accommodating ballistic glazing from 1¼ to 3¼ inches thick. It's available in clear and dark bronze finishes and is compatible with our Defender insulated ballistic glass, a two-pane laminated system with an air gap for additional thermal performance.
It’s ideal for new construction in hot or cold climates and can be used on either windows or aluminum doors.
Specifying a thermally broken ballistic frame requires coordinating a few variables that aren’t typically involved in windows or doors with standard glazing. Here’s what you should know.
Framing is often treated as a secondary item considered after an architect has chosen the glazing. On ballistic projects with exterior applications, it’s important to consider both together. The frame type affects structural coordination, energy compliance documentation, and long-term maintenance. It's much easier to address those considerations earlier rather than later.
Every building’s threat profile is unique depending on the industry, location, entry points, and history of past incidents.
First, talk with the security director or administrator to determine what concerns they have. If they’re worried about someone bringing a handgun to an exterior transaction window, for instance, you’ll want to specify glazing and framing tested to at least UL 752 Level 3.
Our engineers design and fabricate each system as a complete assembly to ensure the frame will fit the thickness of the glazing and offer the right level of protection.
If your project requires a custom finish or a match to adjacent non-rated framing, we can help with that as well. Our thermally broken frame is available in clear anodized and dark bronze, two of the most commonly specified exterior aluminum finishes.
We've protected more than 30,000 buildings across the country, including many in climates where exterior frame performance is a real design constraint. Our team helps architects and specifiers identify the right framing system for each application, produce the specification documents and submittals your project needs, and coordinate fabrication and installation in-house.
Start with our Ballistic Glazing Solutions Guide for a comprehensive overview of glazing types, protection levels, and project planning. Then schedule a consultation to talk through the specifics of your project.