News

Dismantling sashes is only the first step. To meet strict flat glass recycling standards, storage and transport also matter.
In Winterthur, sashes were lowered by excavator instead of being carried down stairs, and stored vertically in flat containers. A key requirement: the glass had to remain intact to avoid cross-contamination with other materials.

Normally, dismantled windows are thrown into containers together with other materials. At the recycling yard, only about 18% of flat glass is downcycled as container glass, while the majority still ends up in waste incineration plants.
In the pilot project, however, the window sashes were carefully dismantled using simple tools – an essential step towards reuse and proper recycling.

This summer, ZHAW, together with Glas Trösch Group, SWICA, Birchmeier Gruppe and with the support of FOEN, launched a pilot project on flat glass recycling.
At the SWICA building in Winterthur, 375 window sashes were dismantled, stored and separated by material before demolition. The goal: to reintroduce recycled flat glass into the replacement building designed by Adrian Streich Architekten – creating a closed loop for windows.

The pilot project to recycle old windows into float glass was translated into German and featured on SRF Tagesschau on 5 August. The full report is available to watch via the program’s replay.

Our pilot project to recycle old windows into float glass was featured on RTS Téléjournal on July 31—highlighting this groundbreaking milestone in Switzerland. The full segment is available for replay online for anyone interested.

Soon we will launch a pilot project to recycle old windows into float glass — a first in Switzerland. This will mark a major step toward reducing CO₂ emissions and closing the material loop for building glass.

At the AEC Hackathon in Winterthur, our team developed the foundation of a specialized window database. The prototype includes a feature that automatically evaluates the reuse and recycling potential of windows, setting the stage for a digital tool to support circular strategies in the building sector.

Following the successful application for the Proof-of-Concept-Bridge grant, ZHAW’s Research and Development Department wrote a very complimentary article about the “Windows Of Opportunities’ project”. Thank you!

Bridge Proof of Concept supports young researchers who want to apply their research and bring innovative products to life. We are thrilled to be among the laureates and to have the opportunity to work on this project for another year with this funding.