GVG FRAMES

Every year window and door companies shout about their advancements in design and impressive U values, but what is the reality? Standard aluminium or UPVC frames, no matter how many air pockets or thermal breaks they claim, will still have a U value of around 2.0 Wm2K. The best triple glazing on the planet will have a U value of 0.53 W/m2K, which is great, and gives a superb U value on a 1m2 fixed window. However, the moment you add casements and openers, the more frame is required and the higher the total window U value rises. Another consideration is will it be draft proof? Yes, it should be. Will it be around in 40 plus years? The frame yes, if it’s really good quality, but the triple glazing answer is no, that will have been changed at least twice to maintain the U value.

So how do we improve on that while creating a greener product and a better world?

That was our problem back in 2012, and our answer was our GVG ranges of windows and doors. Because we already had our vacuum glass with a U value of 0.48 W/m2K as standard, we just needed the right frame to put it in. We looked around but none were good enough for our vacuum units, so we designed our own.

Firstly, we decided that draft proof wasn’t good enough, we wanted it to be airtight with four separate gasket barriers and a locking system that pulls in. Next a U value of 2.0 wasn’t good enough either, we needed a super insulated frame to reduce the U value down to 1.0 W/m2K. With security, we wanted a very high level of protection, to guard against experienced burglars using power cutting tools and drills, so we designed an RC 3 security level locking system, which means it would take a professional burglar up to 20 minutes to break in.

Finally, and most importantly, it had to take our super thin vacuum insulated units yet also accept our much thicker PV Solar Vacuum and Hybrid units, so we designed a multi-jamb trim system to suit all options.

Put together we had come up with the Werkman GVG90. We sent it for testing at the Passive House Institute and received a certified U value as low as 0.66 W/m2K for the entire window. Our system became a Passive House Institute certified component in 2019 and we were also the winner of the prestigious Component Special Award at the 23^rd International Passive House Conference.

Since then, we have added other GVG window and door systems and also our GVG Curtain Walling and Façade System, all gaining Passive House Institute certified component status with our vacuum glass and Hybrid units. We have priced our GVG systems to price match any good quality aluminium window or door, even though it will far out-perform all other window and door systems sold in the UK.