A screen developed specifically for airtight construction

ZipX^®Zero by Wilms

The climate debate is becoming more acute and energy prices are rising. As a result, architects and contractors, as well as clients, are increasingly opting for airtight construction, a component of passive construction. A passive building has a comfortable indoor temperature, good quality indoor air and low energy consumption.

The airtight envelope, which is the main feature of airtight construction, must ensure that unwanted and uncontrolled entry or exit of air - in the jargon, infiltration and exfiltration - is prevented. Thus, sealing unwanted gaps and seams is an important objective of airtight construction. 

Specialty airtight construction
Belgian manufacturer of sun protection, roller shutters and outdoor living products Wilms of Meerhout has a number of products in its product range that have been specially developed for airtight construction. They are the recently launched roller shutter ShutterX^® and the screen ZipX, already launched in 2013.^®Zero. With the ZipX®Zero screen, Wilms profiled itself at the time as a forerunner in the invisible concealment of screens. Recently, an airtight variant of the ZipX^®Zero launched. Because Wilms offers both an airtight roller shutter and an airtight screen, a combination can easily be made without affecting the uniform exterior appearance of a home or building. 

The screen ZipX^®Zero is concealed airtight in the cavity wall, without touching and perforating the interior wall. Additional advantage: the screen is practically invisible integrated into the facade from the outside. The insulation that is removed from the cavity to install the screen is replaced by a composite reinforcement profile that is integrated into the interior wall at the level of the box. It takes over the insulation value of the missing cavity wall insulation. An additional advantage of Wilms' airtight built-in products is that the window where they are used can be attached to the interior wall at the top, which is not possible with conventional surface-mounted screens. 

A window fitted with a ZipX®Zero screen is finished all around in the day opening with insulating construction boards

A window that comes from a ZipX^®Zero screen is provided, is finished all around in the day opening with insulating construction boards, as a barrier between the cold outside and warm inside air. Because the entire system is finished air and watertight, it is important that no condensation or moisture problems can occur on the inside of the house. In order to no longer suffer from cold window sills in winter, a composite window support profile is additionally used, on which both the interior and exterior window sills rest. It prevents a cold bridge and also ensures that the underside of the window can easily be finished watertight. 

In developing ZipX^®Zero and ShutterX^® Wilms has thought of both consumer and installer by linking ease of use to ease of installation. The products are light and manageable, and durability and ease of maintenance have also been taken into account.   

USPs of the ZipX^®Zero: 

• Invisibly concealed - The screen is invisibly concealed. The bottom bar disappears completely into the cabinet, making the blinds rolled up practically invisible. 
• Composite profile - The composite profile replaces - and more than that - the insulation in the cavity that falls away where the box for the screen is installed.
• Airtight - Wilms applied an airtight foil to the composite profiles above and below the window. It can be easily finished against the outside of the interior wall. 
• Preventing condensation - Using insulating construction boards instead of poorly insulating plywood prevents condensation. 
• Guides - ZipX®Zero's guides are three-piece and easy to install. Because they are concealed in the reveal side of the wall, they are barely visible in front of the window standing. In addition, they can be finished in the exact same color as the window frame. 
• Composite profile in the windowsill - Cold that can enter the house through the windowsill is blocked by the composite, moisture by a special finishing profile combined with a drainage film. 
• Window sill - The end user can choose either stone or aluminum for their window sill. The aluminum window sill is fully insulated and can be finished in a RAL color of your choice. 
• Maintenance - Maintenance or repair can easily be performed from the outside of the house. The screen is accessible from below and can be disassembled vertically. 

Text: Thijs Pubben    Image: Wilms Marc Scheepers
Featured image: The screen is integrated practically invisibly into the facade from the outside.