Facade & Windows

Fraunhofer ISE and Fraunhofer UMSICHT have developed a prefabricated facade element with integrated photovoltaics that combines power generation, weather protection and thermal insulation. The elimination of an additional substructure for the solar modules saves large amounts of material.

Hawa Sliding Solutions AG recently acquired the Barcelona-based Klein Group, one of the world's leading suppliers of sliding solutions. The acquisition expands Hawa's portfolio and strengthens its global market position. The management team at Klein will be retained, as will the brands and locations. Here are the details.

Danish architect Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) believes there is no single answer to what sustainable buildings of the future will look like. Two examples are the new concrete BIG headquarters in the port of Copenhagen and the timber Skypark Business Centre at Luxembourg Airport. What seems contradictory, actually shares a high standards of sustainability, resource conservation and energy efficiency, and both feature insulating glazing with Super Spacer spacers. Here are both projects in detail.

The six-week course from DelftX offers prospective facade builders and facade planners, engineers and architects practical in-depth training in the design of mullion-and-transom facades. Here you will learn how to expand your facade expertise. The DelftX course - under the direction of Prof. Ulrich Knaack - starts on 6 November 2020. Click here for details and to register.

Swisspacer is advancing automation to help insulating glass manufacturers optimise production processes. CEO Matthias Bach, with the company for a year now, highlights energy efficiency as the primary driver in the insulating glass market, especially in Europe and North America.

Bird strikes on building facades, windows, glass noise barriers and glass balustrades are a problem; according to Germany's Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), around 100 million birds are killed in collisions every year in Germany alone. A range of bird protection glass solutions are already available on the market. In this exclusive interview, behavioural biologist Dominique Waddoup explains the state of research and how testing can be optimised and further developed.

Forster Profilsysteme has opened its new headquarters, the Forster Campus, in Romanshorn, Switzerland, setting new standards in sustainable building. Spanning over 30,000 square metres, the campus includes a production and logistics hall, a technology centre, and an office building, all constructed with a strong focus on sustainability.

The Olympia glass canopy in Kensington has been completed. Eckersley O’Callaghan engineered the steel and glass canopy that sits atop the public realm space within the Olympia redevelopment.

Glaston, the inventor of the Thermo Plastic Spacer (TPS), has developed a new processing method that allows the use of thin glass in insulating glass units. The process is also suitable for triple insulating glass.

The Salesforce Tower in Chicago is an outstanding example of the combination of sustainability and modern glass architecture. The highly efficient Ködispace 4SG warm edge spacer from H.B. Fuller | Kömmerling is used in the IG units of the full-surface glass facade.

The requirements for energy efficiency and attractive working conditions are also becoming increasingly stringent in industrial buildings. This is why the Horsch company opted for a high level of natural lighting in its new production hall in Ronneburg, Germany, as provided by a skylight solution with very good thermal insulation values. Here are the details.

The facade of the Audi Centre in Essen shines in new splendour after the refurbishment. Thanks to the LEDscreen lighting elements from Kuzman Invison, the Audi site on the busy Altenessener Straße is now a shining eye-catcher at dusk.

New window technology enables solar power to be generated directly from insulating glass. A prototype has now been installed and tested by Walter Fenster in Kassel in Germany.

The new "Aile Est" terminal at Genève Aéroport sets new standards in terms of sustainability. The building envelope is equipped with PV and highly efficient heat pumps contribute to environmental friendliness. All common areas and pathways were realised with profile systems from Forster. Identify the fire protection requirements that had to be met.

When insulating glass manufacturers export their glass to the US, tests in accordance with ASTM 2190 (or ASTM 2188/ASTM 2189) are required in advance. For this purpose, IGU manufacturers had to send their glass to the US for testing. Now ift Rosenheim can also carry out these tests, which saves a lot of time.

With the winning proposal, Henning Larsen's goes beyond what one would expect a laboratory building to look like. B777 is immersed in nature, with biogenic materials and features a low-carbon design.

Fenzi Group has announced its acquisition of Thermoseal, a company in the insulated glass industry. This strategic move, highlighted by Thermoseal's innovative Thermoflex flexible spacer product, is a part of the Fenzi Group's global growth strategy.

With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games not too far away, here is what athletes and spectators will experience in terms of what modern sustainable architecture made of wood. See here here for details:

The US construction industry is set for significant growth in 2024, driven by sustainability and government subsidies. Swisspacer's new NJ distribution center positions European manufacturers for success in this evolving market.

Schüco has entered into a partnership with Skyline Windows, a leading company in the American window industry. With this partnership, the New York-based company becomes an exclusive distributor for Schüco.