The Melkerhuset is a multi-storey office building in the heart of the Swedish city of Västerås. It was built in the 1960s. At the time, the building was pioneering from an architectural point of view due to its curtain wall and was one of the first glass façade projects in Sweden. Today, the façade is listed.
| Type of Building | Office and administration |
| Product areas | Windows |
| Features | Refurbishment Decarbonization Energy efficiency |
| Location | Västerås, Sweden |
| Completion | 2018 |
| Architects | SWECO Architects AB |
| Specialist company | Hans Eklund Glasmästeri AB |
| Picture credits | ©Anders Bobert |
The building's listed status makes the required energy-efficient renovation a particularly challenging task. This is because changes to the appearance were not allowed. In order to preserve the look of the building, the decision was made to replace the units. Several test windows in different colours were submitted to the local authority. Not only was the appearance of the frames extremely important, but also the colour of the glass, because modern insulating glass is a different shade to the transparent, thin glass of the 1960s. In the end, for this energy-efficient renovation all the windows in the building were replaced with highly thermally insulated Schüco windows, improving the U value and thereby the energy efficiency of the windows to a great extent.
The appearance was only one of the reasons in favour of a unit replacement. Unlike with a complete renovation, the entire façade does not need to be torn down and the embedded raw materials can be used for as long as possible. This saves resources and carbon. At the same time, a step-by-step approach enables the renovation to take place while the building is still in use, which is particularly efficient. You can find tailored renovation solutions for every project with Schüco Value Up.
The renovation has given the Melkerhuset a new, energy-efficient glass façade that combines state-of-the-art technical features with historical design. With its energy-saving measures and the improved indoor climate, the Melkerhuset continues to be an iconic building that embodies both historical value and pioneering innovation.
