The energy-efficient window you’ve been waiting for is here
Why your current windows may be costing you more than you think
Triple-pane windows featuring Corning® Enlighten™ Glass are two to three times more energy efficient than today’s double-pane windows.
Your windows may look harmless, but they’re quietly draining energy – and money – every day.
"Most energy loss in houses is through windows. Even though they typically make up less than 10% of the surface area, their thermal performance is far behind walls and roofs,” said Scott Torrey, Director of Product Line Management for Corning’s Emerging Innovations Group. “Increasing window performance offers the biggest bang for the buck in improving the energy efficiency of our living spaces.”
Improving window performance, however, hasn’t been simple. Industry offerings designed to boost energy efficiency often come with trade-offs: heavier, thicker windows that complicate transportation, installation, and even day-to-day operation for homeowners.
Corning® Enlighten™ Glass: redefining window technology
Corning has developed an elegant solution to address these age-old problems: Corning® Enlighten™ Glass, a lightweight interior glass pane for high-performance windows and doors that helps make built environments more comfortable, visually appealing, and energy efficient.
The problem is straightforward: traditional single- and double-pane windows allow significant energy loss in your home. In cold weather, indoor heat escapes through the glass. In hot weather, outdoor heat infiltrates windows, entering air-conditioned spaces. This inefficiency leads to higher energy bills for homeowners and a larger carbon footprint for the planet.
"Nearly 25% of global energy consumption is in buildings – to cool, light, and warm them. That’s huge,” said Thomas Bertin Mourot, Director of Innovation Growth for Corning’s Advanced Windows program. “Windows are a critical part of the equation. While they account for a relatively small portion of a building’s surface area, their inefficiency can have an outsized impact on energy use. The challenge is finding ways to improve their performance without introducing complications for builders or homeowners.”
Windows featuring Enlighten Glass allow consumers to increase the light in their home while improving comfort.
Enlighten Glass is rewriting the rules for window technology. By introducing an ultra-thin center glass pane to traditional double-pane windows, Corning has enabled triple-pane thermal efficiency without the usual drawbacks.
A key feature of Enlighten Glass is its lightweight design. Traditional triple-pane windows can be hard to open and operate. Thicker designs take up valuable space within the home, and they can require reinforced frames and mechanisms, adding complexity and cost to construction projects.
Compared to traditional triple-pane windows, windows using Enlighten Glass are up to 30% lighter.
"Reduced weight helps simplify processes and reduces costs across the entire supply chain," said Celine Guermeur, Business Technology Director for Corning’s Emerging Innovations Group. "Lighter windows are easier to transport and install, and help enhance safety and efficiency during construction. At the same time, they maintain the durability and performance homeowners and builders expect."
Units with Enlighten Glass can fit into existing window frames, thus reducing the need for extensive renovations.
Advanced glass technology
The breakthrough lies in the glass itself. Leveraging Corning’s fusion-draw glass manufacturing process – best known for producing ultra-thin, durable display glass omnipresent on television and computer screens and in vehicles – the company created a center glass pane with a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high surface strength. This ensures toughness while maintaining a slender profile.
Another advantage of Enlighten Glass is its compatibility with existing double-pane window frames. The combined size of the thin center glass pane and the two outer glass panes can be the same as a typical double-pane window. Builders, therefore, don’t need to rework designs or invest in specialized hardware, making integration seamless across markets.
Enlighten Glass supports sustainability goals by doing more with less. Its ultra-thin center pane helps deliver triple-pane thermal performance while reducing overall window weight, making transport and installation less energy intensive. And by improving insulation, Enlighten Glass helps reduce the energy required to keep spaces comfortable.
In cold climates, like Canada, Corning’s technology can even be scaled to quadruple-pane windows for maximum thermal efficiency. With such high performance, these windows approach the thermal ratings of insulated walls – allowing builders to potentially spend less on insulation, reduce wall thickness, and cut costs without sacrificing occupant comfort.
"By just changing your window, it’s a much cheaper way to improve the overall building envelope efficiency,” said Thomas.
Redefining the future of windows
Enlighten Glass represents a major leap forward in window innovation – combining advanced materials, cutting-edge manufacturing, and thoughtful design to tackle one of building efficiency’s most persistent challenges. By improving thermal performance without the typical trade-offs of weight or complexity, Corning is empowering homeowners and builders to make smarter, more sustainable choices.
From suburban homes to high-rise office buildings, these next-generation windows are redefining energy efficiency and transforming our expectations of what windows can achieve.