Advantages of vacuum glass
The best insulation value on the market: 0.40 (triple glass: 0.80)
Optimal sound insulation for quiet living: -36 dB (triple glass: -33 dB)
Fits into existing window frames, saves on new material
+15% natural light compared to triple glass
Expected lifespan of no less than 50 years
Tempered safety glass without the risk of thermal breakage (injury-proof)
Higher home value due to a better energy label
Up to 65.50 euros per m² subsidy available
WHAT IS VACUUM GLASS?
Vacuum glass is the next generation of insulating glass.
It is made of two glass plates, separated by microscopic spacers and a vacuum chamber. Unlike traditional insulating glass, where noble gas or air is used, a vacuum limits any form of conduction. This allows extremely good sound and heat insulation to be achieved with less material than, for example, double (HR++) or triple glazing. This ensures optimal living comfort, resulting in effective energy savings.
In addition to the high insulation value, this also makes the glass a lot more sustainable in terms of material use.
HISTORY OF VACUUM GLASS
Vacuum glass was first described in a 1913 German patent, but it wasn't until the mid-20th century that the technology was actually used. The first commercial product was finally launched in 1996 and was immediately available on the Dutch market from that moment on.
VACUUM GLASS - A SMART INVESTMENT
Sustainability and energy efficiency play a crucial role in today's world. Vacuum glass fulfills an important function in accelerating the energy transition, because glass is often considered the weakest link in the entire building envelope. Replacing non-insulating glass with vacuum glass offers an effective and efficient option to improve the energy label and make the BENG standard more conclusive.
+ save on new material (frames & new hinges and locks)
+ Invest in the best insulation value and in your energy label
+ choose the longest lifespan
BENGglas®STRIVES TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN GLASS
BENGglas® has been active on the Dutch market since 2020 in the sale of vacuum glass and has its origins in Giga-Glas, an international glass wholesaler with no less than 30 years of experience.
A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
BENGglas® was set up with the intention to accelerate the energy transition by stimulating product awareness and charging fair prices. This makes vacuum glass accessible to everyone who strives for a more sustainable future.
INSULATION VALUE OF VACUUM INSULATING GLASS
The insulation value, also expressed in U-value, indicates the heat transmission coefficient (heat loss) of a glass construction. The lower the U-value, the better the insulation of a window. The insulation value of BENGglas® is therefore better than other types of insulating glass. With BENGglas® you benefit from an insulation value of 0.40. Compared to triple (0.80), double glazing (HR++: 1.10), BENGglas® insulates by far better.
VACUUM GLASS LIFETIME
The lifespan of vacuum glass is at least 25 years, while retaining its insulation value. The expected lifespan is 50 years. Traditional insulating glass has a lifespan of approximately 20-40 years, but without retaining its insulation value. This will increase slightly over the years due to possible leaks in the frame.
Using a laboratory test, weather and light conditions over a period of 50 years can be simulated in a very short period of time. Although vacuum glass has been available since 1996, a long lifespan can be guaranteed.
VACUUM GLASS FOR RENOVATION AND RESTORATION
BENGglas® even fits in the window frames that currently contain some panes. This allows the authentic window frames to be retained, which makes BENGglas® extremely suitable for renovating or restoring monumental and/or old buildings.
MONUMENTAL VACUUM GLASS
In some buildings, a "drawn" effect is desired to imitate the authentic appearance of the original window, also known as monumental glass. You can recognize monumental glass by an irregular curve or undulation in the glass. It is possible to layer BENGglas® with a monumental window (Goethe or monumental glass). This way you not only benefit from maintaining the authentic appearance, but also from maximum insulation!
THE PRODUCTION OF BENGglas®
The vacuum glass production line has a length of 400 meters and produces 120,000 square meters of toughened vacuum insulating glass annually.
GLASS CUTTING
The glass is automatically cut to size.
EDGE FINISHING / POLISHING
This is the process of removing the sharp edges from the edges. This creates a nice smooth edge finish.
WASHING PROCESS
Before the glass can be further processed, it is necessary that this glass is completely cleaned.
TO DRILL HOLES
Here the holes are drilled in the glass. These holes are necessary to be able to vacuum the glass at a later stage. These holes will be sealed later in the process with a vacuum valve and absorber cap.
PRINTING / PRINTING
After drilling the glass, it can - optionally - be decided to have this glass printed / printed. This is done in a clean room.
HARDEN
One of the most important steps in the production process of BENGglas® is hardening the glass. By toughening glass it is five times stronger than regular single or double glazing. When glass breaks or is impacted, the glass shatters into very small particles without sharp edges; As a result, BENGglas® is also officially classified as safety glass.
VACUUM PROCESS
Finally, the glass arrives in the vacuum process. The glass is cleaned again, the spacers are added, the panels are joined, the edges are finished and all free air is removed. This ultimately creates a vacuum that is responsible for the extremely good insulation value (U=0.40).
WARRANTY & COSTS VACUUM GLASS
WARRANTY
Due to the longer lifespan, the warranty for BENGglas® is also longer than what is usual. Namely 15 years instead of 10 years. The warranty covers 100% for the first 5 years, then decreasing pro rata. The warranty only concerns the redelivery of the vacuum glass.
COSTS
To make a fair price comparison between BENGglas® and other insulating glass, you must make an overall cost calculation, including taking into account any replacement of window frames or hinges and locks, subsidies and what the investment means for your energy label.
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Reference projects BENGglas®
Vacuum glass is an extremely thin type of insulating glass in which two glass plates of at least 4 millimeters are separated by a vacuum cavity of at least 0.15 millimeters. The total thickness of the glass package is 8.15 mm. Despite this small thickness, U-values of no less than 0.40 W/m2K are achieved.
To distribute the pressure of the glass over the glass surface and prevent the two glass plates from touching each other, micro spacers are evenly distributed over the entire glass surface. These spacers are located every 40 to 60 mm (depending on the type) and are barely visible from 2-3 meters.
Because the glass plates are hermetically sealed, there is minimal heat or sound transmission and optimal insulation can be provided.
Some important features and benefits of vacuum glass are:
- Excellent thermal insulation: The absence of air or gas between the layers of glass significantly reduces heat conduction, making vacuum glass one of the most thermally efficient glass products. It keeps heat in in winter and heat out in summer, reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling.
- Thin and lightweight: Vacuum glass is thinner and lighter than HR++ or triple glass. While HR++ and triple glass are often too thick for older frames, vacuum glass almost always fits in the existing frames. This saves on new window frames, but also on the purchase of new hinges and locks, labor and time. The installation of the glass also takes much less time because it is less labor intensive due to the light weight of the glass compared to, for example, triple glazing.
- Improved Sound Insulation: Due to its dense construction, vacuum glass can also reduce sound transmission, resulting in a quieter indoor environment. In this way, BENGglas® reduces 36 dB. In a layered version this increases to 39 dB.
- Condensation control: As with other insulating glass, vacuum glass helps prevent condensation on the inside of the window. Condensation can always form on the outside, but this is a sign of good insulation.
- Energy efficiency: The use of BENGglas® contributes to reduced energy consumption and lower energy costs. BENGglas® also reduces the energy requirement of a home. This allows savings in the number of solar panels or the strength of the heat pump.
The origins of vacuum glass date back to a 1913 German patent, but it took until the mid-20th century for this innovative technology to become a reality. The debut on the commercial market did not take place until 1996, when the product first became available in the Netherlands.
BENGglas® has entered the Dutch market since 2020, and its roots can be traced back to Giga-Glas! BV, an international glass wholesaler with three decades of experience. BENGglas® vacuum glass has now acquired a prominent position in the insulating glass market. The organization is actively committed to accelerating the energy transition by increasing product awareness and charging fair prices.
The lifespan of vacuum glass has been tested and appears to be at least 25 years, while retaining its insulation value. The glass is expected to last up to 50 years. The warranty for BENGglas® is 15 years compared to what is common (10 years).
A leak in HR++ or Triple insulating glass occurs because the frame, which holds the glass plates together, is not airtight. This allows the noble gas to escape over time and condensation to form. The edges of vacuum glass, on the other hand, are fused together, leaving the vacuum intact. This means that vacuum glass retains its insulating value. In contrast to HR++ or Triple glass, no degradation takes place in vacuum glass and the U-value remains at 0.40 for type BENGglas MAX. Even if the vacuum glass is placed at an angle of inclination, there is no reduction in the insulation value.
Aged insulating glass has a high U-value (insulation value), which could cause condensation moisture to form on the inside of the glass. Because the U-value has greatly improved, condensation will only occur on the outside during the 'condensation' season. This does not have a disturbing effect and does not damage the panel.
To prevent the glass plates from being pressed together by the vacuum, microscopic spacers in vacuum glass are required. BENGglas® has the smallest and fewest spacers of all brands and available types of vacuum insulating glass.
When you choose vacuum glass, you will always have to deal with absorption points or absorption strips. The vacuum cap can sometimes be avoided by means of special production techniques.
Where the absorption points are intended to extract moisture extract air If the vacuum caps are missing, the air is extracted from the corners of the vacuum glass.
The combination of both creates a vacuum so that no conduction can occur between them. Without conduction, heat remains inside and cold outside (or vice versa in summer), which ensures the best insulation value.
The number of absorption strips and points can increase as the surface area of the window increases. Therefore, always consult the technical drawings of the relevant model before purchasing. It is important that these strips are neatly concealed behind the glazing beads/putty. Calculate carefully whether you have enough space for this.
Vacuum glass insulates better, but also retains its U-value (insulation value) after 25 to 50 years.
Unlike other types of insulating glass, vacuum glass is airless, so no conduction can occur. This keeps heat inside and cold outside (and vice versa in the summer).
The conductivity is a lot greater with other types of insulating glass as they are processed using air or noble gas. These gases escape through the frame over time, causing other insulating glass (for example: HR ++ or Triple glass / HR +++) to lose its original insulation value over the years.
There is still no harmonized standard requiring CE marking that includes vacuum glass. This is also not expected in the short term. Other brands of vacuum glass cannot therefore have a CE marking.
Vacuum glass consists of two slim glass plates, each only 4 mm thick. The glass plates are separated by a high vacuum space of 0.15-0.30 mm. This brings the total thickness of vacuum glass to just 8.15 mm.
BENGglas® vacuum glass is available in the glass thicknesses mentioned below. It is important to choose the correct glass thickness based on the total surface area of your window. You can adhere to the following rule:
- 8.15 – 8.3 mm: < 1.8m²
- 10.15 – 10.3 mm: 1.8 – 2.7 m²
- 12.15 – 12.3 mm: > 2.7 m²
There is no additional charge between panes of 8 or 10 mm glass thickness. A small surcharge applies to windows from 12 mm.
To make a fair price comparison between BENGglas® and other insulating glass, you must make an overall cost calculation, including taking into account any replacement of window frames or hinges and locks, subsidies and what the investment means for your energy label. When you switch from single glazing to BENGglas®, for example, you do not have to replace your window frames, which can save costs. In addition, your energy label will increase more if you choose BENGglas® than if you switch to HR++ glass, for example. Our BENGglas® dealers are able to make a fair cost comparison for you, including taking such aspects into account.
ISDE subsidy is available on BENGglas®. For replacing your glass in the Netherlands, this is €23 per m². If you also replace your window frames, you are eligible for a subsidy of € 65.50 per m². Business customers are eligible for the energy investment deduction (EIA); this can amount to €300 per m². These subsidy amounts double if you take a second measure (or more). Source: www.rvo.nl . In Belgium (Flanders) this is € 16 per m² for replacing the glass (excl. frames). You can apply for the subsidy via the online counter at vlaanderen.be.