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Case Study

Crescent House

Goswell Road, London
TRC have been working with the City of London for several years on the Grade 2 listed Crescent house, which forms part of the iconic Barbican estate to provide a solution for upgrading or replacing the Single Glazed, Hardwood windows that have reached the end of their lifespan.

This collaboration will lead to the UK's largest project featuring the innovative 8.3mm LandVac Heritage Vacuum Glazing achieving an impressive Ug value of 0.4. This project is set to mark a new era in energy efficiency.

This significant step in energy efficiency is a result of comprehensive demonstrations and a successful showcase in a Crescent House property.
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TRC have been working with the City of London for several years on the Grade 2 listed Crescent house, which forms part of the iconic Barbican estate to provide a solution for upgrading or replacing the Single Glazed, Hardwood windows that have reached the end of their lifespan.

This collaboration will lead to the UK's largest project featuring the innovative 8.3mm LandVac Heritage Vacuum Glazing achieving an impressive Ug value of 0.4. This project is set to mark a new era in energy efficiency.

This significant step in energy efficiency is a result of comprehensive demonstrations and a successful showcase in a Crescent House property.

The initial plan involved replacing all of the windows. Subsequently, TRC were commissioned to design and manufacture a bespoke sample window. This window was to match the existing ones, which included a metal insert in the opening casement.

 

However, after detailed consultations with the residents, Historic England, and the Planning Department, it was decided to retain and upgrade the windows. This decision was influenced by the Grade II listing and the fact that the windows are an integral part of the building’s structure. A full replacement would be extremely difficult and costly. Therefore, TRC was commissioned to undertake a pilot flat refurbishment scheme, which included the following:

  • Resin and Timber repairs to the frame
  • Full sash window glass replacement with 8.3mm LandVac Heritage Vacuum Glazing with the Ug value of 0.4 and Acoustic Reduction (RW) of 39dB
  • Overhaul of the Pivot mechanisms
  • Restoration of the metal insert
  • Installation of full draft proofing & Acoustic seals
  • Replacement of the insulated panels

 

The windows were then tested by BRE and the results where far better than expected and all stakeholders were delighted with the results.

Acoustic Performance

This image depicts an acoustic test in progress.

From the results of acoustic testing, the newer installed window system provides an increase in the acoustic performance by approximately +3 dB (33.7dB to 36.4dB) across the frequency range of interest (100 Hz to 3,15kHz) .

Airtightness

This image shows an air tightness test in progress.

The average air tightness results for the whole apartment are as follows:

  • With the original windows: 8.13 m³/hr/m² @ 50Pa
  • With the new windows: 4.82 m³/hr/m² @ 50Pa

 

This signifies a 40% improvement in the apartment’s overall air tightness.

Thermographic Survey

The survey was conducted using an infrared camera in accordance with BS EN13187:1999 standards. The initial survey took place in February 2023. Yielding the results displayed in these images.

A second survey, focusing on the restored windows, was conducted in September 2023, which can be seen in the third picture below.

The improvement is evident in the before and after images following the installation of vacuum glazing and acoustic and weather seals. In these images, blue shading indicates colder areas, while yellow shading highlights warmer areas.

Before

After

The final decision

Owing to the significant improvements in acoustic performance, air tightness, and thermal efficiency, it has been decided to proceed with this refurbishment scheme. Planning permission has now been granted for the entire building, with the plan to extend the window restoration to all 140 flats over the next three years.

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