GRAND LUX CAFÉ, Chicago
RETROFIT TEAM
GLAZING CONTRACTOR: Clifton Architectural Glass and Metal, Fairfield, N.J., (973) 287-6162
MATERIALS
Located on the “Magnificent Mile”, the café featured 3,800 square feet of single-pane plate-glass windows that were installed when the building was constructed in 1997. Although the large expanses of glass provided abundant natural daylighting to illuminate the restaurant’s grandiose décor, the windows lacked the technology found in newer glazing options. As a result, restaurant managers and patrons had to contend with excessive solar heat gain in summer, poor heat retention in winter, recurring condensation caused by fluctuating temperatures and disruptive noise from busy streets.
“The café had a number of goals in mind with regard to the window retrofit project but, overall, they were looking to improve the dining experience for guests, especially those seated near the windows,” explains Ron Chmura, owner of Clifton Architectural Glass and Metal. “We explored different window retrofit strategies and were intrigued by the RENOVATE by Berkowitz system.”
The RENOVATE by Berkowitz system is a factory-made insulating glass unit (IGU), which typically adds two lites of low-e glass to the interior surface of a building’s existing single-pane windows, as well as optional argon gas. The result is a high-performance, triple-pane IGU.
“After talking with our engineers, we initially determined the RENOVATE system wasn’t going to work for this project,” Chmura recalls. “We were concerned that the existing window framing would not support the system’s additional weight. Fortunately, we were able to work closely with the team at RENOVATE by Berkowitz to develop a customized solution.”
For the Grand Lux Café, RENOVATE by Berkowitz’s design team was able to adapt the system and hermetically seal a monolithic lite of heat-treated Pilkington Energy Advantage low-e glass to the existing glass, creating a permanent IGU.
The window retrofit project took 30 days to complete, according to Chmura. “We were able to complete our work afterhours so there was no disruption to the café’s daily operations,” he says.
The café experienced immediate results with better energy and thermal performance, as well as less street noise infiltration.
WINDOW RETROFIT SOLUTION PROVIDER: RENOVATE by Berkowitz
PHOTO: RENOVATE BY BERKOWITZ