Technical solutions & accessories
The right glass, the right equipment
A window is also its glazing, its glazing bars, its hardware and everything that goes with it: blinds, insect screens, sills and finishes. We help you choose for each room, according to noise, sun, privacy and security.
- Glazing down to Ug 0.5 W/m²K
- Warm-edge spacer
- Made-to-measure blinds and insect screens
1 · Glazing
The right glass for every room
Double or triple glazing with an insulating coating and argon gas, complemented as needed by comfort and security functions.
Insulating
Double or triple glazing, down to Ug 0.5 W/m²K: the heat stays in.
Acoustic
Panes of different thicknesses and acoustic interlayers against road and rail noise.
Security
Toughened (ESG) or laminated (VSG) glass for low sills, French windows and burglar-resistant glazing.
Solar control
Less heat in summer behind large glazed openings, while keeping the light.
Our glazing in figures
Glazing is judged on five points: insulation (Ug), the light it lets in (TL), the solar heat that passes through (g), the noise it stops (Rw, in decibels) and how true colours look through it (Ra, out of 100).
| Glazing | Insulation Ug | Light TL | Solar g | Noise Rw | Colours Ra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double insulating glazing (insulating coating, argon) | 1.0 to 1.1 W/m²K | approx. 80 % | approx. 60 % | 30 to 32 dB | 97 to 98 |
| Triple insulating glazing (2 insulating coatings, argon) | 0.5 to 0.6 W/m²K | approx. 70 to 73 % | approx. 50 % | 32 to 35 dB | 95 to 97 |
| Acoustics (laminated with acoustic interlayer) | same as double or triple | approx. 70 to 78 % | 45 to 60 % | 38 to 53 dB | 95 to 97 |
| Solar control (reflective coating) | 0.5 to 1.0 W/m²K | 40 to 70 % | 25 to 40 % | 30 to 35 dB | 92 to 96 |
| Extra-clear (low-iron) | depending on build-up | up to 2 % more | depending on build-up | depending on build-up | up to 99, with no green tint |
Indicative values from manufacturers’ documentation; they vary with thickness and build-up. The exact values of your glazing are given in our quote.
Good to know
- DecibelsEvery 10 dB gain halves the perceived noise. Standard triple glazing stops about 33 dB, laminated acoustic glazing more than 50 dB: the street becomes a murmur.
- EnergyThe lower the Ug, the less heat escapes. The g value tells you how much solar heat comes in: high on the north side to benefit from winter sun, low on large south-facing glazing to stay cool in summer.
- Colour renderingAbove 90, colours stay natural. Extra-clear glass removes the green tint visible on the edge of thick glazing.
Laminated and burglar-resistant glass
- LaminatedTwo panes bonded by an interlayer: if it breaks, it stays in place. The interlayer also blocks more than 99 % of UV rays, which fade floors and furniture.
- ToughenedFive times stronger than ordinary glass; if it breaks, it shatters into small pieces with no sharp edges.
- Burglar-resistantLaminated glass is classified from P1A to P5A under EN 356 (steel balls dropped from a height), then P6B to P8B against axe attacks. P4A is the benchmark for an RC2 window.
Solar control glass
- The principleA very thin metal coating on the outer pane reflects a large part of the sun’s heat while letting the light through. The g value drops to 25 or 40 %, compared with about 50 % for ordinary triple glazing.
- Where to use itLarge south- and west-facing glazing, conservatories, attics and glazed offices: the room stays pleasant in summer, with less need for air conditioning or blinds.
- The lookNeutral, almost invisible coatings, or slightly reflective ones for a mirror effect on the façade. Solar control glass insulates as well as classic insulating glazing.
- The right balanceThe lower the g value, the less free heat in winter: we choose the coating orientation by orientation, often alongside an external blind.
Safety glass: where and why
- Against injuryFrench windows, low glazing, glazed doors and large openings where people may walk into the glass: toughened or laminated, it forms no sharp shards.
- Against fallsLow sills, upstairs windows without railings and glazing acting as a balustrade: laminated glass, which stays in place even when broken.
- OverheadGlass roofs, rooflights and sloped glazing: laminated on the inside so that no pieces fall.
- Against break-insLaminated P2A to P5A depending on the level of protection required, P4A for an RC2 window. We specify the glass for each window according to the SIA standards in force.
Reading an acoustic value: Rw (C; Ctr)
Technical data sheets show not one figure but three, for example Rw (C; Ctr) = 40 (−1; −5) dB.
- Rw : the sound reduction of the glazing, measured in the laboratory. It is the base value: the higher it is, the better it insulates.
- C : the correction for mid and high-pitched noise (voices, children playing, fast trains, nearby aircraft). Rw + C = 40 − 1 = 39 dB against these noises.
- Ctr : the correction for low-pitched traffic noise (city traffic, lorries, buses, motorbikes). Rw + Ctr = 40 − 5 = 35 dB against the road.
Ctr is almost always more negative than C, because low sounds pass through glass more easily. Near a road, what counts is therefore Rw + Ctr : it is also the value used in Switzerland by the SIA 181 standard for protection against outside noise. Laminated acoustic glazing with panes of different thicknesses improves precisely this Ctr.
The RC2 window: certified security
An RC2 window is tested to EN 1627: it must withstand an opportunist burglar with simple tools (screwdriver, pliers, wedges) for at least three minutes. That is often enough to make them give up, as most break-ins happen in seconds. To achieve this class, the whole window is reinforced, not just the glass:
- Security hardware : mushroom-head locking points all around the sash, which hook into steel keeps screwed into the frame.
- P4A glazing bonded or fixed to the sash, so that it can neither be broken through nor removed from outside.
- Lockable handle with key or push button, with drill protection for the hardware.
- Reinforced installation : more fixings into the masonry, so that the frame cannot be forced.
Recommended for the ground floor, windows accessible from a balcony and French windows, and often appreciated by insurers.
Decorative, tinted and reflective glass
For privacy in bathrooms and entrances, or for a façade effect: patterned, satin, body-tinted and reflective glass, and even switchable glass that turns opaque at the touch of a button.
For guidance only; glass samples on request. Scroll to see all the glass types.
2 · Spacer bars and glazing bars
The details that make the difference
SWISSPACER Ultimate warm-edge spacer
The spacer is the profile that separates the panes all around the glazing. In aluminium, it lets heat escape through the edge of the glass: that is where condensation and mould appear first. SWISSPACER Ultimate is made of an insulating composite. The edge of the glass stays warmer, the window insulates better overall, and it is certified for passive houses.
The values achieved
| Aluminium spacer | SWISSPACER Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Material conductivity λ | approx. 160 W/mK | 0.14 W/mK, more than 1000 times less conductive |
| Thermal bridge at the glass edge Ψ | approx. 0.07 to 0.08 W/mK | 0.029 to 0.036 W/mK*, i.e. less than half the losses |
| Window insulation Uw | reference value | up to 0.1 W/m²K better on a standard window |
| Glass edge on the inside | cold, the first place where condensation forms | warmer : much less condensation and mould on the seals |
| Certification | – | Certified passive house component |
* Depending on the frame (wood, PVC or aluminium) and the glazing, double or triple. Indicative values from the manufacturer’s data sheets; the exact value for your window is given in our quote.
Glazing bars
Narrow internal bars
8 mm between the panes, gold, silver or white
Wide internal bars
18, 26 or 45 mm, RAL colour or finish
Bonded with duplex
22, 26 or 32 mm bonded on both sides, with a spacer bar between the panes
Structural
genuine bars in the sash, which divide the glazing
3 · Hardware and handles
Windows that close well, for a long time
Concealed hardware: nothing sticks out
On a classic window, the hinges are visible on the inside, at the top and bottom of the sash. With concealed hardware, they sit between the frame and the sash: with the window closed, you only see the wood, PVC or aluminium and the handle.
- Clean lines : a neat frame, ideal for contemporary interiors and wooden windows.
- Heavy sashes : up to 150 kg on wooden windows, so also for large triple-glazed units.
- Easier to maintain : no hinges to work around when cleaning or repainting, and no caps to lose.
- Still tilt-and-turn : the same functions and security as visible hardware, micro-ventilation included.
We fit SIEGENIA TITAN axxent concealed hardware, or its MACO and ROTO equivalents, on our wood, wood-aluminium, PVC and aluminium windows.
Concealed bottom hinge
Visible only when the window is open.
Concealed top stay
It supports the sash in the tilted position.
Heavy sashes
Up to 150 kg on wooden windows.
Hardware
- Tilt-and-turnMACO, SIEGENIA or ROTO hardware, with micro-ventilation and mis-operation protection.
- Concealed hingesHidden in the rebate, for clean lines.
- Period hardwareEspagnolettes, cremone bolts and traditional hinges for historic buildings.
Security and comfort
- Burglar-resistantMushroom-head locking points, reinforced keeps and laminated glass, up to class RC2.
- Handles with key or push buttonTo prevent opening, for example in children’s bedrooms.
- Motorised openingWindows, sliding doors and transoms controlled by remote control, switch or home automation.
Characterful Hager handles
Beyond standard aluminium handles, we offer Hager’s wrought iron and bronze window handles. Some twenty series (Dom, Zinal, Bernina, Besso, Pollux, Zupò, Combin, Quadrum…), perfect for chalets, wooden windows and the renovation of old buildings.
Five finishes
- Natural-colour ironRaw iron, anthracite grey, with the marks of the forge. For indoor use.
- Galvanised iron with antique patinaGalvanised against corrosion and then patinated: the antique look, also for exterior handles.
- Rusted ironA stabilised rust patina, very warm on old wood.
- Dark bronze and silvered bronzeMore contemporary lines, solid and smooth to the touch.
The whole window matching
- Handles and olivesClassic handle or small olive, with or without detents, on a round, oval or rectangular rose.
- Lockable versionRose with cylinder or push button to lock the window.
- French windows and sliding doorsThe same series as an exterior handle, lift-and-slide handle and flush pull.
- Visible hardwareWrought espagnolettes and cremone bolts for period windows, matching door and furniture fittings.
Modern stainless steel handles
For contemporary interiors and aluminium and PVC windows, we offer Glutz’s range of matt stainless steel handles. Straight, curved or flat lines: each model also comes as a door handle, for a matching design throughout the house.
- Matt stainless steel, often solid: enduring, pleasant to the touch, with no visible fingerprints.
- 4 × 90° detents : the handle stops clearly in the closed, open and tilted positions.
- Left or right : the same model for all sashes.
- Lockable version with key or push button, meeting the requirements for RC2 burglar-resistant windows.
4 · Ventilation
Fresh air, with the windows closed
New windows are very airtight. So that the air is renewed without opening them, we build a ventilator directly into the window. It sits on the frame or in the rebate and is prepared in the workshop: no drilling into the wall.
SIEGENIA AEROMAT mini
Fitted in the rebate, invisible from outside.
Aereco humidity-controlled
Opens and closes according to humidity.
Renson Sonoslot
Acoustic grille above the frame.
Our ventilators
- SIEGENIA AEROMAT miniCompact (12.5 cm long) and discreet, it sits in the rebate at the top of the sash. About 6 m³/h of fresh air continuously, without electricity; a limiter reduces the flow in strong wind.
- Aereco humidity-controlledIt opens by itself when the humidity in the room rises (shower, kitchen, bedroom) and closes again when it falls: 5 to 35 m³/h, without electricity or adjustment. Acoustic version up to 42 dB.
- Renson SonoslotA self-regulating acoustic ventilation grille for noise-exposed façades: up to 40 dB of attenuation. The external grille also acts as an insect screen.
Why ventilate through the window
- Less condensationMoisture is removed continuously: less condensation on the glass and no mould in the corners.
- Healthy airGentle air renewal, even at night or while you are away, without leaving the window tilted.
- New build or renovationA simple solution where mechanical ventilation is not planned, especially when replacing windows.
5 · Interior blinds
Light, privacy, peace
Interior blinds
- Pleated blindsA simple pleated fabric stretched between two slim profiles and fitted directly on the sash, without drilling: it moves with the window when you open or tilt it. Light-filtering, blackout or reflective fabrics.
- Honeycomb pleated blindsTwo fabrics joined in cells that trap a layer of air: better insulation against cold in winter and heat in summer, with blackout possible down to total darkness.
- Day-night pleated blindsTwo fabrics on the same blind, one light-filtering and one blackout, adjustable independently from top and bottom.
- Day-night blindsTwo fabrics with alternating stripes to control the light without losing the view.
- Vertical blindsFor large openings and sliding doors.
Motorised pleated blinds
- WirelessMotor with rechargeable battery or solar panel: ideal for renovations, no cables to run.
- Hard-wired230 V motor built into the profile, for large areas and windows out of reach.
- ControlRemote control, wall switch, smartphone or home automation, with scenes and schedules.
Single pleated or honeycomb
Single pleated
A single fabric folded like an accordion, light and fine.
Honeycomb
Insulating air cells between two fabrics.
Fitted on the sash
No drilling, it moves with the window when open or tilted.
Day-night
Light fabric and blackout fabric on the same blind.
Our projects
6 · Insect screens
Enjoy the summer, without the insects
Every insect screen is made to measure, in the colour of your windows, and fitted without drilling into the façade whenever possible. We fit them on windows, French windows, large sliding doors and light wells.
Fixed frame
Clipped onto the frame or into the reveal, it can be removed in winter without tools.
Hinged
A real lightweight door, with a door closer and low threshold, for going in and out to the terrace.
Pleated
The mesh folds like an accordion; a flat threshold of just a few millimetres, with no obstacle.
Roller, motorised
230 V motor, wired or radio, operated by switch or remote control.
All our models
- RollerThe mesh rolls up into a small cassette when not needed. A single movement is enough, with a brake for smooth travel. Windows and doors.
- MotorisedThe roller is operated like a blind: switch, remote control or home automation. Ideal for high or hard-to-reach windows.
- PleatedFor French windows and wide openings, up to several metres in two leaves.
- SlidingA frame on a track in front of large openings and lift-and-slide doors, with a braking mechanism.
- Hinged or swingIt opens in one or both directions, hands-free; built-in cat flap possible.
- Special shapesArches, cut-outs and grilles for light wells.
Mesh and finishes
- Standard or transparent meshTransparent mesh is barely visible and lets more light and air through.
- Anti-pollenA very fine mesh that stops almost all pollen.
- Pet-proofReinforced mesh that resists cats’ and dogs’ claws.
- ColoursPowder-coated aluminium frames in white, brown, anthracite or any RAL colour.
Our projects
7 · Cat and dog flaps
Your pets come and go, the warmth stays
A cat or dog flap can be built in at the manufacturing stage, in the glazing of a window or French window, or in a door panel. The opening is planned to measure, without weakening insulation or airtightness.
Cat flap
- In the glazingThe insulating glass unit is made with its round opening and a sealed edge: the insulating gas stays in. Toughened glass cannot be drilled afterwards, which is why we plan the flap when ordering.
- ElectronicIt recognises your cat’s microchip and only opens for it: no more visits from the neighbourhood cats.
- LockableIn only, out only, open or closed, depending on the time of day or season.
Dog flap
- For every sizeA flap sized to your dog, in a French window, a back door or a glazed panel.
- InsulatedDouble flap with brush seals and magnets, to limit draughts and heat loss.
- SecureLockable closing plate for the night or while you are away.
8 · Finishing and installation
Careful installation, down to the last detail
A good window badly installed loses much of its quality. We work with proven installation accessories, chosen for each wall and each type of project.
MEAS frame extensions and finishes
MEAS frame extensions, from the St. Gallen manufacturer MEAS Win Technique, extend the window on one or more sides so it fits the reveal exactly, with no makeshift packing. A 2 mm PVC facing (or 10 mm MDF for wood) covers a high-strength XPS foam core with a recycled PUR insert: they insulate, do not move and reduce sound by up to 36 dB. They suit profiles from 58 to 90 mm, including lift-and-slide doors, and are made in the colour of the windows.
PVC extension
2 mm PVC facing, XPS core and PUR insert: up to 36 dB.
Lift-and-slide doors
Extensions designed for large HST lift-and-slide doors.
Rot-proof for wood
10 mm PUR panel at the threshold of French windows, where water collects.
Cover profiles
Flat, angle or hollow, self-adhesive, also foiled in a wood finish.
Photos © MEAS Win Technique AG.
PURENIT base packing
Under French windows and lift-and-slide doors, the frame sits on base packing that makes up the height to the finished floor. We use PURENIT, a high-density polyurethane board: rot-proof, unaffected by water and dimensionally stable, it carries the weight of a large glazed leaf while breaking the thermal bridge under the threshold.
- Strength
- compressive strength ≥ 7.1 MPa
- Insulation
- λ 0.083 to 0.088 W/mK
- Moisture
- rot-proof, does not swell
- Temperatures
- from −50 to +100 °C
Photo © puren gmbh.
Our installation accessories
3E multifunction tape
illbruck TP652: airtight, insulating and resistant to driving rain in a single tape.
Adjustable brackets
For fixing the window in front of the wall or within the insulation, with fine adjustment.
Load-bearing insulated frame
blaugelb Triotherm+: the window installed in the insulation plane, flush on the outside.
Photos © tremco illbruck, MEAS Win Technique AG and blaugelb.
Sealing
- 3E multifunction tapeThe illbruck TP652 illmod trioplex+ tape provides all three sealing levels of a window joint: airtight on the inside, thermal and acoustic insulation in the centre, driving-rain-tight on the outside. It lets vapour escape to the outside, following the principle “tighter inside than outside”, and is suitable up to passive houses.
- EPDM membrane for the lower partsUnder thresholds, sills and frame feet, where water runs and can collect: a flexible, enduring EPDM rubber membrane, bonded to the masonry and taken up behind the frame. It resists UV, frost and standing water and protects the bottom of the window for the long term.
- SealantFlexible, durable finishing joints between the frame, the masonry and the sills, inside and out.
- Base packingPURENIT under the thresholds, for solid support without a thermal bridge.
Fixing
- Concealed fixingBrackets and straps hidden behind the frame or under the plaster: no visible screws on the inside.
- BETOfix screwsFrame screws that go straight into concrete and masonry, with no plug, with a narrow head that disappears into the profile.
- Adjustable bracketsTo install the window in front of the wall, within the insulation, and adjust it to the millimetre.
- Load-bearing insulated frameThe blaugelb Triotherm+ system forms a load-bearing insulated frame around the opening. The window sits flush on the outside, in the insulation plane: fewer thermal bridges, more light and future replacement without touching the façade.
Around the window
- Frame extensionsFrom 10 to 600 mm on each side, to fit the reveal exactly.
- WeatherboardsIn aluminium as standard, or in wood for wooden windows.
- Wooden interior sillsMatching the window, in the same species and colour.
Installation
- New build or renovationFace-fixed, in the reveal, or over the old frame without breaking the reveal.
- Within the insulationInstalled in front of the wall on brackets or on a load-bearing insulated frame, for externally insulated façades.
- Work includedRemoval, disposal, sills and trims: one single contact.
Projects
Blinds and accessories at our clients’ homes
