Glass as a specialty

Thin insulation glass for listed building

De Glazen Swaan replaced the glass for the transformation of the former Rijksmunt building in Utrecht into a multifunctional building. Thin glass with a high insulation value was installed in the original window frames.

De Glazen Swaan has been supplying and installing glass in projects for private individuals, contractors, companies and owners' associations for over twenty years. Owner Marcel Swanink: "I worked for a glass manufacturer for years and they are now one of our suppliers. I started on my own in 2004, and now there are 25 of us. We are mainly involved in specialized work, for example on monumental projects. Here you often have to deal with hinged sash windows, which we provide with new spring systems so that they slide properly and can be locked again. But we also preserve homes with HR⁺⁺ glass and install glass floors, shower walls and complete window frames."

Monumental glass

On the project in Utrecht, De Glazen Swaan has been on the job for more than a year. The company regularly works for main contractor Jurriëns. Because the building will be given a new function, it had to be preserved while retaining its historic features. "To preserve the original window frame, we work with monumental glass: thin insulating glass. This is only 10 mm thick and has a small cavity with a gas filling in it, so we still achieve high insulation values. The window frames were still in good condition and have old profiling. We took out the single glass, milled the rebate, put in the new glass and finished it with putty substitute. Glass is simply the worst insulating part of a building, so in terms of sustainability, that's where you can make a difference." 

The old Rijksmunt building is a large building: nearly 1,500 new windows were put in. That includes special glass on the inside: back windows, fire-resistant insulating glass and wired glass. "It's an iconic building with a long history. Nice to be able to contribute to it. It certainly wasn't a stress project for us; we were given good time to finish it nicely."