Benefits of VIG
A perfect storm
2025 has seen the perfect storm of regulatory challenges, consumer sentiment in favour of more efficient use of natural resources, and rising costs of energy, among other things:
- EPC requirements have been tightened and this will require action from landlords.
- People want to lower emissions out of desire or ESG compliance, and grants are available.
- Gas bills will rise fourfold in four years as gas consumers pay disproportionally to maintain the gas network abandoned by heat-pump customers.
How VIG can help
- Reglazing with 0.5U vacuum glazing is the quickest, cheapest way for landlords to gain 10-15 EPC points and not disturb or lose tenants to heavier works.
- The Future Homes Standard will require 0.8Ug glazing, which will be the end of double glazing, while the heavier, thicker triple glazing will need chunkier windows, with millions spent on re-testing new products, new openings and fitter retraining. But simply changing to 0.5Ug vacuum glass will ensure that all existing and new windows exceed compliance.
Methane
26 million gas boilers in the UK are fuelled by methane. It is 30-80 times more powerful than CO2 and all efforts to limit climate change by other tech are pointless if gas boilers and leaky networks from houses to wellheads are not shut off.
- The UK has a future boiler ban but other countries are actively removing them. If UK boilers were shut off, UK emissions would drop by about 12%.
- Wherever VIG is installed, space heating needs drop greatly. At below 0.6U, it exceeds Enerphit and PassivHaus levels.
- Specifying VIG in Retrofit, Extensions and New Build makes everything else easier and cheaper to achieve.