The Architect's Newspaper Highlights Thin Glass in Its Annual Glass Issue

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The Architect’s Newspaper (TAN) just highlighted thin glass as one of the top glazing innovations influencing the building industry in 2026. In a trend story published in its July/August annual Glass issue, the editors chose Corning® Enlighten™ Glass, which is used by Alpen in the production of its triple and quadruple-pane windows and doors, as one of the top glazing innovations influencing the building industry in 2026.

In its look at the top six innovative glazing trends, TAN examines the growing use of ultra-thin glass to produce lighter, higher performing triple and (in Alpen’s case) quadruple-pane windows. According to TAN, “because the panes are so slim, it is now possible to fit a triple-pane window in a shallower frame, which makes this highly efficient insulation technology more accessible.”

For the unaware, Alpen spent years working with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy, Corning Incorporated and other industry partners to test and advance thin glass for architectural applications. That work helped establish how thin glass could be incorporated into insulating glass units (IGUs) to deliver high levels of thermal performance without the weight associated with traditional multi-pane windows.

Alpen uses thin glass as the insulating middle layer(s) between conventional interior and exterior panes. Because the glass is exceptionally thin and light, Alpen can produce triple-pane windows that are approximately one-third lighter than traditional triples while maintaining the high levels of performance Alpen windows have delivered for years.

TAN also featured Alpen in a separate roundup of innovative quadruple-pane glazing products, with its thin quad-pane IGUs positioned front and center.

Alpen’s quad IGUs use two layers of thin Enlighten Glass between conventional outer panes, providing another step up in thermal performance without the weight that would come from four conventional panes of glass. The technology can deliver insulating values up to R-15 while remaining substantially lighter than traditional quad-pane configurations.

TAN’s Innovation issue is currently available on newsstands, or you can read its digital coverage of six innovative glazing trends and innovative quadruple-pane glazing.

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