A Review on the FIVA-Project: Simulation-Assisted Development of Highly-Insulating Vacuum Glass Windows

Abstract

This contribution provides a review on research and development activities that have been conducted in the field of highly-insulating windows with vacuum glass. In a joint effort with the window-producing industry, different novel solutions for vacuumglass-equipped windows have been studied. Thereby, different methodological approaches have been deployed, including the construction of technology demonstrators, performance measurements on laboratory test sites, and numeric thermal bridge simulation. As a result, the project consortium succeeded in the development, construction, and exhibition to relevant stakeholders in the industry of four, innovative window prototypes. These windows not only employ vacuum glass products, but also in part provide new operation kinematics, motorization, and the implementation of automated ventilation positions. Moreover, the U-values of the windows could be approximated to be around or below 0.70 W.m-2.K-1 (i.e., UWinvalue) at pane thicknesses of less than a centimeter. The windows include turn windows to inside and outside, as well as a swing-operation window, and a window utilizing an offset- and slide-operation mechanism without visible railings. The contribution not only displays the final prototypes, but also highlights the methods and provides an outlook for future development in this area.