Nic Irvine, co-founder of Extraglaze, was a guest speaker at a conference consisting primarily of Conservation Officers.
"Through the Looking Glass", coordinated by Marianne Suhr, gathered over 180 delegates with a professional interest in Listed Buildings. Over two days it discussed all aspects of historic windows from how they have evolved, their construction and materials, through to how Conservation Officers, academics and professionals can ensure they remain a key feature of our heritage into the future.
A genuinely strong feature amongst the exhibits and talks was secondary glazing, with a very obvious enthusiasm for magnetic secondary glazing from many of the speakers. Nic Irvine from Extraglaze spoke twice on the second day, firstly about the scientific research he had commissioned last year into the effectiveness of secondary glazing, then, more generally, he explained how secondary glazing offers a very strong method of preserving precious windows - in fact describing it as a means of "museum casing" them, especially after remedial work (whether general maintenance or sensitive, and expensive, repairs).
Marianne, who appeared alongside Griff Rhys Jones in the BBC TV series "Restoration", said to her audience "I have put a lot of time, money and effort into the windows in my own home, having them draught proofed, then adding magnetic secondary glazing. My own experience got me thinking how important windows are in our country's Listed Buildings, for everyone. When I started talking to my colleagues we decided to organise this unique event... My own experience, and that of others here today, is that magnetic secondary glazing is a fantastic option for insulating your home, reducing noise and keeping your windows at their best without invasive surgery of any kind.
