‘level playing field’ with regard to divergent
engineering methodologies, he says his
fascination with fundamental window
structures has never waned over the years.
The advent of mainstream spreadsheet
usage, he recalls, helped introduce a new
age of experimentalism in the design sector,
and the pace of change has only quickened
in recent years.
“A lot of that [progress] has been pushed
by government regulations and energy
targets,” he says. “It’s the same with much of
the technology – PVC and thermally broken
windows were almost unheard of 25 years
ago, whereas now they’re very much in the
public eye.”
Change is reflected in the nature and design
of windows, Neil suggests. Based on longterm trends for larger units and greater
energy efficiency, residential customers now
have access to affordable, semi-commercial
windows that designers could only have
dreamt of 20 years ago. Interestingly, he
observes, Standards have not altered too
much over the same timeframe, though
testing procedures for compliance have
become more complex for large-sized
window fabricators.
One factor, Neil says wryly, has certainly
remained unchanged over the years: “The
whole constant over the past 25 years is
price. Everybody wants a Rolls Royce but
they only want to pay for a Holden.”
next steps
Following his heart attack, Neil says he
and his family are keen to retain a work-life
balance.
“All the doctors say what happened to me
was a very close call and I was lucky to get
through it – you look at the world differently
after you go through something like that,” he
says.
As empty nesters with two grown sons,
Neil and Julie are now committed to
spending more time with the whole family.
This includes closer contact with their
Melbourne-based son, daughter-in-law and
two granddaughters. In addition, they want
to attend the wedding of their second son,
who is based in Canada, this February.
“They are holding the wedding in Hawaii,
which means it will be equally inconvenient
for all members of the family,” Neil laughs.
The couple also plan to visit the US, after
which a special highlight will be an extended
three-month stay in Scotland, where Neil’s
mother still resides.
Apart from travel, Neil says he is determined
to devote more time to his hobbies. His
well-equipped workshop will (hopefully) see
greater levels of furniture making – his last
piece was a dining table known in the family
as the ‘millennium table’, and he is eager to
learn more about photography.
Notwithstanding these ambitions, Neil says
he is far from severing ties completely with
the window industry.
“A lot of people within the industry have
said they have things they’d like me to do,”
he says. “And within the AWA, if there is any
project work regarding Australian Standards,
for instance, I’m more than happy to help
out.”
All AWA members wish Neil, Julie and their
family many years of health and happiness.
Image left: Hadrian’s Wall; right: ‘Shortcut’.
Photographer: Neil Cunningham.
Summer 2015 www.awa.org.au 7