EXCLUSIVE: Alpen and Corning Collaborate on Thin Glass Systems
Alpen High Performance Products announced a collaboration with Corning Inc. Under the collaboration, Alpen will use Corning Enlighten Glass as the ultra-thin center pane for Alpen’s triple and quadruple-paned glass units—helping to commercialize next-generation windows for the U.S. market.
“Corning’s Enlighten Glass is one of the key ingredients in Alpen’s advanced insulated glass units,” says Alpen CEO Andrew Zech. “Compared to standard dual-pane glass offerings, Enlighten Glass helps make our glass units lighter, stronger and more energy efficient without adding weight or bulk. The result is advanced glass units that insulate three-to-five times better than standard units.”
Alpen manufactures its glass units on two high-speed, automated glass lines, which have increased Alpen’s production capacity by a factor of more than 10. In addition to manufacturing its own window and door systems, Alpen also supplies insulating glass units to some of the largest window and façade companies in North America.
“Alpen’s long history of innovation with high-performance windows and Corning’s expertise in glass, material science and advanced manufacturing created a natural synergy for collaboration,” says Ron Verkleeren, senior vice president, Corning Emerging Innovations Group. “We’re looking forward to working with Alpen to help bring a new generation of window technology to the U.S. market.”
What is driving innovation in thin glass systems?
In an interview with Glass Magazine, Alpen’s Zech spoke about how and why the thin glass market is evolving. “The market for thin glass units is growing quickly because advancing energy codes and customer awareness of the benefits of advanced glazing are colliding with the constraints of legacy systems,” he says. “Thin triples and quads can 'future proof' existing system designs without adding weight, depth, or undue cost. Coincidentally, this is all happening as advanced manufacturing techniques make thin glass units available at scale and price points that were previously impossible.”
Zech says the company is seeing demand throughout the U.S. and Canada, but not only in cooler climates. “We are also seeing demand growth in more temperate or cooling dominated climates where high performance building has become more widespread, like California and New York. Essentially, the units are a good fit for any climate where customers want larger expanses of glass without facing comfort trade-offs.The units are particularly popular as a strategy to boost the performance of aluminum framing systems, storefront applications, and sliding glass doors.”
The systems are used in new construction, retrofit and secondary glazing, Zech says.
More about thin glass research and testing
As one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science National laboratories, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s (LBNL) thin glass research alongside Alpen, Corning, and others has provided independent scientific validation of the performance benefits associated with thin glass, adding credibility for the products employing it. LBNL recently published a blog post about its history with thin glass research and testing.
