Vacuum glasses in highly insulating window systems

There is great potential for optimising windows and opaque façade elements in order to sustainably reduce energy consumption. The newly emerging highly insulating vacuum glasses offer the opportunity for further technical development.

Factsheet

  • Lead school School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering
  • Institute Institute for Timber Construction IHB
  • Research unit Building Envelope and Building Physics group FGGB
  • Funding organisation Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (Bundesverwaltung)
  • Duration (planned) 01.03.2017 - 01.03.2019
  • Project management Urs Uehlinger
  • Head of project Urs Uehlinger
  • Partner Gerber-Vogt AG
    GlassX
    Gewerbeverband Basel-Stadt
    Dietrich Schwarz Architekten
    Renggli AG

Situation

Developing the technological foundations required for the systematic use of highly insulating vacuum glass in equally highly insulating frames. Development of ultra-thin frame extensions insulated with aerogel as well as opaque façade elements.

Course of action

Highly insulating vacuum glasses offer the opportunity of a technological development of "super windows" with extremely low U-values. Thanks to the lightness of these glasses, both the aesthetic demands of architects and constructors for thinner or more delicate frame systems will be met and excellent thermal insulation values of the frame system will be achieved by using new materials as load-bearing elements.