The construction of efficiency: Glazing insulation in France and Belgium since 1945

Abstract

The growth of Western urban landscapes in the aftermath of World War II brought new standards of com-fort and convenience; one of the emblematic products of this modernization was glazing. Openings became larger, enhancing transparency and bringing abundant light; however, they also led to considerable heat loss. It became imperative that glazing play a part in insulating buildings. This article traces the history of glaz-ing insulation across the second half of the 20th century. Focusing on case studies of residences in France and Belgium and industry archival material, this article analyses the wide variety of glazing products that were developed between 1950 and 1990. Although all of them significantly improved thermal comfort, each conditioned the relationship between indoor and outdoor climates in a different way. In response to increas-ing demands for energy efficiency, sealed insulated glazing ultimately became ubiquitous, bringing about a profound transformation of our relationship with our environment.

Make or break the loop: a cross-practitioners review of glass circularity

“…The second selection criterium was "circular valorisation strategies for flat glass". Included papers focus on specific circular alternatives like closed-loop recycling DeBrincat and Babic 2018;Glass for Europe 2013;Rodriguez Vieitez et al, 2012;Wittekoek 2020), repair practices (Mohamed 2020;Souviron 2021), and reuse practices (Gorgolewski 2008;Hartwell et al 2021), and/or highlight pioneering projects (Jackson and Lanzarotto 2021;Bowers and King 2013). The third and last selection criterium was "recent, up-to-date research and products".…”

“…New failure issues arose with the IGUs, such as condensation issues and a lowered thermal performance. Souviron (2021) explains "cleaning and repair are almost impossible due to the sealed assembly of the two panes, which prevents their separation and thus access to the interior cavity. The replacement of units then becomes necessary, being also favoured by government energy policies and by the glass industry itself, as both promote the use of new and more efficient products (for example, lowemissivity glass, argon insulation, self-cleaning coatings, ultra-clear glass, etc.)".…”