Fineo is perfect for listed buildings, conservation properties and refurbishment projects.
Fineo vacuum glazing provides modern solutions to historical problems
Compared to single glazing, Fineo vacuum glazing provides substantial improvements to energy efficiency with an impressive U-value of 0.7 W/m²k. Fineo’s ultra-thin profile (7.7mm) is perfect for retrofitting into existing sash windows – so the original historical frames are maintained.
How does Fineo compare with other types of glazing?
See how Fineo compares with other types of glazing with regards to thickness, u-value, light transmission, sound reduction and solar g-value.
Single Glazing | Slim Double Glazing | Double Glazing | Triple Glazing | FINEO | |
Thickness | 4mm | 11mm | 28mm | 36mm | 7.7mm |
U-value W/m2K | 5.8 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
Light Transmission | 90 | 80 | 80 | 71 | 80 |
Sound Reduction Rw (C;Ctr) dB | 29 (-2; -3) | 31 (-2; -5) | 31 (-2; -5) | 32 (-1; -5) | 35 (-2; -5) |
Solar G-value | 0.87 | 0.71 | 0.71 | 0.61 | 0.62 |
Fineo offers better thermal and acoustic insulation than triple glazing
With its exceptional thermal and acoustic insulation properties, Fineo provides substantial improvements to energy efficiency and indoor comfort. Fineo does not require an evacuation port and does not contain any inert gases. Fineo comes with a market leading 20 year warranty. Fineo is the only vacuum glazing made in Europe and has CE marking.
Recent FINEO Projects
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Egyptian and Dudley House, Picadilly
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Royal Observatory Edinburgh
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High Court Of Justiciary Edinburgh
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30 Gloucester Place, London
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Harecraig House, Dundee
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Watford Town Hall
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Port of Liverpool
Read MoreFineo Shaped Units
Fineo vacuum insulating glazing comes in a wide range of stunning and versatile shapes that will compliment any project. If you want more technical detail about shapes, or would like to chat about a project, click the contact us button.
Fineo vacuum glazing is available in the following shapes
The perfect glazing for heritage projects
Fineo comes with the optional addition of Heritage glass. This resembles the historical window glass manufactured at the turn of the century. Its minimal thickness makes it easy to install in historical window frames and fittings.
How does Fineo compare with other types of slim double glazing?
Fineo vacuum glazing offers up to 63% efficiency improvement when compared to other slim double glazing. See how Fineo compares with other types of slim double glazing with regards to thickness, inert gases, u-value and guarantee.
Overall Thickness | Glass Thickness | Cavity | Gas | U-value | Guarantee | |
FINEO | 7.7 mm | 3.8 mm | 0.1 mm | NONE | 0.7 | 20 Years |
Slim Double Glazing A | 11 mm | 3.5 mm | 4 mm | Krypton | 1.9 | 5 Years |
Slim Double Glazing B | 12 mm | 4 mm | 4 mm | Krypton | 1.9 | 5 Years |
Slim Double Glazing C | 13 mm | 4 mm | 5 mm | Krypton | 1.7 | 5 Years |
Slim Double Glazing D | 14 mm | 4 mm | 6 mm | Krypton | 1.5 | 5 Years |
Slim Double Glazing E | 16 mm | 4 mm | 8 mm | Krypton | 1.3 | 5 Years |
Fineo light and energy performance
Total Thickness | LT% (EN 410) | LR ext% (EN 410) | LR int% (EN 410) | g[-] (EN 410) | Ug (EN 673) | |
Fineo 8 | 7.7 mm | 79% | 14 | 14 | 0.61 | 0.7 W/(m2.K) |
Fineo 10 | 9.7 mm | 79% | 14 | 14 | 0.60 | 0.7 W/(m2.K) |
Fineo 12 | 11.7mm | 78% | 14 | 14 | 0.60 | 0.7 W/(m2.K) |
Fineo acoustic attenuation performance
Rw [C ; Ctr] [dB] (EN ISO 10140) | Rw + Ctr [dB] (EN ISO 10140) | |
Fineo 8 | 35 (-2; -5) | 30 |
Fineo 10 | 36 (-2; -3) | 33 |
Fineo 12 | 36 (-1; -2) | 34 |
Modern solutions to historical problems
Fineo gives a historic window the warmth of triple glazing in a unit not much thicker than single glass. The frames stay, the sightlines stay, and the project gains a market leading 20 year warranty. Start with the guide that fits your project.
Consent
Listed building consent for windows
What to submit, how long it takes and how to present new glass to the conservation officer.
Read the guide
Building regulations
Part L and listed building windows
The 1.2 W/m²K centre pane route, Regulation 21 and where Fineo sits against the limits.
Read the guide
Options
Listed building window upgrades
Repair, shutters, secondary glazing, slim double and vacuum glazing compared side by side.
Compare the options
Planning
Conservation area windows
Permitted development, Article 4 directions and how to upgrade the glass but keep the frames.
Read the guide
Comparison
Secondary glazing alternatives
How new glass fits the existing sash, step by step, and how it compares with secondary glazing.
See the alternatives
Specification
Fineo: the official facts
Every figure, unit and range in one place, ready to drop into your specification.
Get the facts
Inside a Fineo unit
Two panes of glass, a 0.1mm vacuum and no gas fill. Open the unit to see each layer and how it compares with other glazing.
Not to scale. Thickness is enlarged so each layer can be seen; the pillar grid is shown sparser than the real 20mm spacing.
Fineo 8 at a glance
- Total thickness
- 7.7 mm
- Ug value
- 0.7 W/m²K
- Light transmission
- 79 %
- Solar factor g
- 0.61
- Sound Rw (C;Ctr)
- 35 (−2;−5) dB
Thickness to scale
Each bar is drawn to the same scale. Fineo shows its two panes and the 0.1mm vacuum between them. A lower U-value means less heat lost through the glass.
Better insulation than triple glazing
Fineo offers better thermal and acoustic insulation than triple glazing, at a fraction of the thickness. Fineo 8 reaches a Ug of 0.7 W/m²K and Rw 35 dB at 7.7mm, against 0.8 W/m²K and 32 dB for a 36mm triple glazed unit.
Fineo has no evacuation port and contains no inert gases. It comes with a market leading 20 year warranty, and it is the only vacuum glazing made in Europe with CE marking.
Meets the Part L route for historic windows
Where a historic window’s character must be kept, Approved Document L allows a centre pane U-value of up to 1.2 W/m²K. Fineo 8 comes in at 0.7, in a unit that fits the original sash. Read the Part L guide.
Centre pane U-value, W/m²KOverall thickness, mm, to scale
Single glazing 4mm
5.84mm
Above 1.2
Slim double 11mm, krypton
1.911mm
Above 1.2
Slim double 16mm, krypton
1.316mm
Above 1.2
Double glazing 28mm
1.228mm
Meets, new window
Triple glazing 36mm
0.836mm
Meets, new window
Fineo 8 7.7mm, vacuum
0.77.7mm
Meets, existing sash
Where a historic window's character must be kept, Approved Document L allows a centre pane U-value of no more than 1.2 W/m²K. Slim double glazing at 1.9 to 1.3 sits above that line. Fineo 8 is at 0.7.
Double and triple glazing meet the 1.2 line but are 28mm and 36mm thick, too deep for an original sash. Fineo 8 meets it at 7.7mm, so it goes into the existing frame.
U-value bars are drawn on a scale of 0 to 2.0 W/m²K, with the 1.2 limit dashed; the single glazing bar is cut short at 5.8. Centre pane figures from Fineo's published comparison and AGC's datasheets. Limit from Approved Document L, Volume 1, 2021 edition, paragraph 4.10. Whole window figures depend on the frame.
Keep historic frames
Fineo’s ultra thin profile is made for retrofitting into existing sash and casement windows, so the original joinery, glazing bars and way of opening are all kept. Shutters still close, and there is one window to open and clean.
For sensitive elevations, Fineo Heritage reproduces the look of glass from the 1880s to the 1960s, so the street sees the building it has always known.
Fitting Fineo, step by step
Fineo goes into the sash that is already there. Step through how an approved installer prepares the rebate, sets the unit and finishes the putty.
Vertical section, sash bottom railOutside left · Inside right
Not to scale. Timber profile is illustrative.
Frame kept
Fineo goes into the sash that is already there. Before starting, check the sash is sound enough to resist deformation and that its hardware can take the change.
Clean out
Remove the old putty, any tape or glazing material, and the original pane.
Rout if needed
Leave the rebate flat, smooth and even, with nothing hard or sharp left in it. Where the rebate is too small, rout it out to Fineo’s minimum distances. Degrease if needed, and prime porous or treated timber with the putty maker’s primer.
50mm blocks
Apply a foam strip or bedding putty to the inner face of the rebate. Set load bearing blocks of polypropylene or polyamide, 70 to 95 Shore A and at least 50mm long, at least one block length in from the corners. AGC does not recommend EPDM or neoprene blocks, and rules out hardwood blocks with coated glass.
15mm bite
Stand Fineo on the blocks, level it and centre it so the gap is even all round. Keep 2 to 3mm edge clearance so the glass touches nothing hard, and at least 13mm of glass in the rebate, with 15mm the ideal. Fit it so the unit’s marking number reads from inside.
10 × 10mm
Run a triangular putty bead at least 10mm by 10mm, using a putty approved to EN standards, and cure it as the maker directs. Check the putty a year after fitting, then once a year. For anything the guidance does not cover, such as linseed oil putty, ask Fineo technical support first.
Step 1 of 6
The original sash
Frame kept
Fineo goes into the sash that is already there. Before starting, check the sash is sound enough to resist deformation and that its hardware can take the change.
Will your pane fit?
Enter the glass size to check it against Fineo’s size range. Shaped units, from arches to circles, are made to a template.
Will the pane fit Fineo's size range?
Within the range
A 600 x 900mm pane is inside Fineo's size range.
- Largest1.5 x 2.5m, or 1.6 x 2.4m, depending on the climate
- Smallest0.2 x 0.2m
- ShapesTrapeze, half sun, peak, dome, quarter circle, oval, circle, half dome, house, crescent and more
Drawn to scale in millimetres. The two dashed outlines are the largest sizes; the pink square is the smallest. Shaped units are made to a template.
A range for every brief
Every Fineo unit shares the same slim vacuum construction, with options for sound, safety, solar control and heritage glass.
Range
Fineo Acoustic
Improved soundproofing in a slim vacuum insulating unit, for busy streets and city centres.
Download the datasheet
Range
Fineo Heritage
Authentic replication of original heritage glass, in finishes matched to glass from the 1880s to the 1960s.
Download the datasheet
Range
Fineo Safety
Elegant and sleek, with added protection against personal injury.
Download the datasheet
Range
Fineo Solar Control
A comfortable indoor temperature all year round, for south facing and glazed elevations.
Download the datasheet
Range
Fineo shaped units
A wide range of shapes, from arches and circles to half suns, made to a template.
See the shapes
Certification
Declaration of Performance
CE marked under ETA 20/0048, with certification to EN standards and a declaration of conformity.
Download the documents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can Fineo be fitted into existing timber sash windows?
Yes. At 7.7mm, Fineo is designed to retrofit into original timber sash and casement frames in good condition, and an approved installer can confirm the rebate on each window.
Does Fineo meet Part L for historic windows?
Yes. Fineo’s centre pane U-value of 0.7 W/m²K sits well inside the 1.2 W/m²K centre pane route in Approved Document L. Whole window figures include the frame, and the installer can calculate them for each window.
Is listed building consent needed for Fineo?
For new glass in a listed building, usually yes, and in England the application is free with a decision due in eight weeks. Our listed building consent guide sets out what to submit.
How does Fineo compare with triple glazing?
Fineo 8 has a centre pane U-value of 0.7 W/m²K and Rw 35 dB at 7.7mm thick. A 36mm triple glazed unit is 0.8 W/m²K and Rw 32 dB.
What warranty does Fineo carry?
Fineo comes with a market leading 20 year warranty. It contains no gas, so there is no fill to leak away over the life of the unit.
Where is Fineo made?
Fineo is made by AGC Glass Europe in Lodelinsart, Belgium. It is the only vacuum glazing made in Europe with CE marking, under ETA 20/0048.
Do you offer CPD for architects?
Yes, and it is free. Fineo is an IHBC Recognised CPD Provider, and sessions cover U-values, light transmission, sound reduction and the key planning and design considerations in retrofit projects.
Approved by RIBA and IHBC
Fineo is approved by both the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC). Our free seminar on vacuum glazing for heritage and conservation projects carries the backing of both bodies, and the time your practice spends with us counts towards CPD.
Slim glass, serious warmth
Book a free CPD on vacuum glazing for heritage projects, download the Fineo datasheets, or talk to us about a specific building.