FINEO vacuum frames

Vacuum glazing is not as new as we think

Stefan Lips: "Vacuum glazing in itself is not new. All major glass manufacturers have long been looking for a way to make vacuum glazing in a sustainable way. FINEO was developed by AGC Glass. Our parent company has already developed several techniques similar to those of the first types of vacuum glazing still on the market today. However, we felt that if we wanted to put a product on the market, it also had to meet all today's challenges. That means the focus had to be on sustainability, aesthetics as well as circularity. The first generations of vacuum glazing had an evacuation port on each pane and the edge seal was based on a metal seal. The innovation of is in these two points. There is no more visually distracting evacuation cap. Moreover, the seal is made so that once it is closed, it stays closed for a very long time. The seal is a glass joint, which also makes it easier to recycle."

Good insulation value

Stefan Lips: "One has to compare vacuum glazing with current triple glazing as we are in the same league of Ug-value. The Ug-value is the heat transfer coefficient. The lower this number, the better the insulating value, with vacuum glass we arrive at 0.7. In other words, the glazing in 't Centrum insulates as well as current triple glazing. Of course, the differences are much bigger than just that :

• The glazing is lighter as one less sheet of glass/coating is used to achieve the same Ug-value.
• AGC offers a 15-year guarantee on FINEO glazing, five years more than the legal guarantee requirement. Simulation models do indicate an airtightness of the joint of 60 years.
• By having one less glass sheet/coating, you get much more light and free solar heat inside.
• Besides thermal insulation, the glazing is also highly sound-insulating.
• The glazing is highly recyclable."

Less CO2 in production

Stefan Lips: "In terms of energy performance, the vacuum glass in 't Centrum scores 36% better than the legally required standard. The vacuum glass in 't Centrum has the same U-value as triple glazing, but in the production of the glazing we need 1 glass sheet less, which means we are already emitting much less CO2 from the start. We need a third less material, but still achieve better performance (over time) because we expect the U-value to remain the same for 60 years. You are doing dematerialisation: you are doing more with less."

There are spacers between the glass

Stefan Lips: "We call these 'pillars' in the field. In vacuum technology, you need spacers, otherwise the glass sheets stick together. These are already barely visible now, but in the long term they will become completely invisible.

Small price difference

Stefan Lips: "Compared to triple glazing, it is slightly more expensive, as is the case with all new technologies. However, you have to look beyond just the purchase price. The performance of the glass is better, the window sections can be smaller and you need fewer installers because of the lower weight. That makes you save more money in the long run."