‘Single glazing’ at St Gerard’s School,
Co Wicklow
19th September 2017

Heat loss from large, timber-framed sash windows in the 150-year-old Thornhill House, part of St Gerard’s School in Bray, County Wicklow, was cut by almost 25% by the use of Spacia from PILKINGTON, which has the thickness of a single pane but is said to perform as effectively as double-glazing.

This meant the original frames could be kept with refurbished mechanisms, retaining the look of the building, as headmaster Tom Geraghty explained: “While it is a very beautiful building, it was also expensive to heat, and difficult to keep warm during the colder months of the year – at least, not without intensive heating.

“We examined a range of options for improving the energy-efficiency of the windows. The frames were not deep enough to house standard double-glazing, and replacing all of the windows would entail a high cost and potentially impact the appearance of Thornhill House. That was when we learned from the installer about Spacia.

“The building is now warmer for longer. Even when we turn our heating off in the afternoon, it only loses a degree or so over several hours. Before that, the temperature would drop the moment the heating was switched off. So, it is efficient and we’re saving money on our energy costs.”

Pilkington brand & marketing communications manager Julia Berkin added: “Replacing the windows of historic buildings can be an expensive project, and, if a different style is used, it can also be very detrimental to the whole look and feel of the space.

“By achieving double-glazing levels of energy performance in an ultra-thin system, comparable in thickness to a single pane, Pilkington Spacia allows occupants to enjoy modern standards of comfort yet retain the original appearance of the windows – the best of both worlds.”