Windows can be a bane or a boon when it comes to an evening spent indoors. But Nordic vacuum-packed glass windows keep the cold outside and the heat inside.
Scandinavian window insulation focuses on high-performance timber frames, often aluminum-clad (aluclad) for durability, with advanced double- or triple-glazing (often argon-filled) for superior thermal performance. At the same time, traditional methods use separate inner panes creating an insulating air gap, all designed for extreme cold and high energy efficiency, prioritizing heat retention and minimizing drafts in Nordic climates.
Thanks to the high-vacuum chamber of such windows, which effectively blocks thermal conduction, its thermal insulation performance is 2-4 times better than that of insulated glass and 6-10 times better than that of single-pane glass. The properties of these products meet all international thermal transmittance requirements for windows and doors in passive houses.
Nordic Vacuum-Packed Glass Window Keeps the Cold Outside and the Heat Inside, the article continues below the image.
******************************************
Related: Living in Scandinavian Glass Houses
******************************************
When visiting British and American homes in winter, often with only single-glazed windows, I have experienced how the cold seeps in and quietly ruins the mood.
Standard in Nordic homes today is triple glazing, using three panes with argon as the insulating gas, achieving exceptionally low U-values (as low as 0.5 W/m²K).
Nordic Vacuum-Packed Glass Window Keeps the Cold Outside and the Heat Inside, the article continues below the image.
******************************************
Related: Building Challenges on Greenland
******************************************
Another advantage is sound reduction. The best windows make downtown rooms quiet like a library. They effectively block sound transmission; their sound-insulation performance is significantly better than that of insulated glass. It has remarkable acoustic properties against high-penetration media and low-frequency noise, such as traffic and construction.
If you’re searching for something able to withstand a Nordic gale, the Danes and the Norwegians do it best: from Horsens-based Velfac to Viborg’s Unik Funkis and Norway’s Magnor Vinduet.
Nordic Vacuum-Packed Glass Windows Keep the Cold Outside and the Heat Inside, Tor Kjolberg reporting.