Heritage Buildings and Secondary Glazing

Why use secondary glazing in listed buildings?

Planning Policy Guidance PPG15 recognises that the best way to secure historic buildings is to keep them in active usage and this may involve some adaptation to meet current needs. The rich tapestry of window designs are an important part of the character of a building and must be retained but single glazed frames are a major source of heat loss, provide little protection against noise and offer minimal resistance to burglary.

Using purpose made Secondary Glazing in listed buildings will improve the buildings environment and make it more attractive to end users by reducing air leakage and heat loss, dramatically improving noise insulation and providing an additional security barrier.

Sensitive Design for Heritage windows

Secondary glazing can be designed to have minimal visual impact using discrete frames and is a reversible intervention.

Selectaglaze secondary glazing is:

• Purpose designed to closely match existing heritage windows
• Discretely fitted with minimum visual intrusion
• Offered in many colour shades to suit the building’s décor
• Easy to use and maintain
• Demountable if reinstatement required

conservation advice

Owners of listed buildings and heritage buildings can benefit from advice available in the guides produced by many Heritage organisations which recognise that secondary glazing is a practical and acceptable way to improve insulation levels.

English Heritage – Framing opinions, Energy conservation in traditional buildings
Historic Scotland – Looking after your sash and case windows
SPAB – Technical Q&A 16: Upgrading Windows
Victorian Society – Guide No 9: Timber Windows
The Georgian Group – Guide No 1: Windows