Company’s Heat Mirror™ Hailed As Top 100 Inventions Of Last Millennium By Popular Science

By Michelle LaBorde 

After 19 years of applying high performance glass to commercial buildings across the country, Alpen in Gunbarrel has hired Niels Ouwersloot to supervise its expanding residential window division.

Ouwersloot took over the Window Division at Alpen two months ago and is enthusiastic about the product line. “It’s really high tech. I like it.  Windows are usually a product that people don’t think about at all.  It’s something people look through and not at.”

Alpenglass has a Heat Mirror™ film in between two pieces of glass that mirrors away heat. It also blocks out 99.5 percent of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and serves as a sound barrier. “We are definitely the highest performing window.  We have the best wind infiltration ratings, temperature insulating ratings, sound insulation ratings and the best UV protection ratings on the market.” Ouwersloot stated.

Alpenglass and Heat Mirror™ were recognized in the November 1999 issue of Popular Science magazine for being among the “top 100 inventions of the last millennium.”    The Heat Mirror™ film was praised for its ability to “let light in but not heat” and considered “one of the more dramatic advances” in window technology.

According to Ouwersloot, high performance glass is essential in Colorado. “At these elevations, the sun is extremely intense.” 

Alpen windows can be custom tuned to protect a home against the elements.  Ouwersloot stated if a customer wanted a bit of morning sun solar heat on the east side of the house, a window with an R-value of 5 could be installed.   On the west side of the same house, windows with an R-value of 8 to 10 can be installed to allow no solar heat gain. 

Ouwersloot used a unique display at the 2000 Colorado Home and Garden Show to demonstrate the protection provided by its product.  The Tunnel of Heat was built using a section of Alpenglass and a section of Low-Emissivity (low-e) glass, which Ouwersloot describes as the “next best technology.” 

Installed outside the glass tunnel are several large heat lamps.  A walk through the tunnel illustrates the superior insulating ability of Alpenglass.   In the Alpenglass section, no heat is felt from the lamps; however the other glass portion of the tunnel radiates heat.  The display was a big success.

Alpen windows are built at the company’s on site factory. Three employees make window frames; 10 people are employed to make glass.

Alpen’s product line includes vinyl patio doors, bay windows, garden windows, French doors and sliders.  Every window and door comes with a screen. All windows are steel reinforced and made with vinyl that is twice as thick as standard vinyl.  “Higher quality vinyl has more structure; it won’t deteriorate and get chalky,” explained Ouwersloot. 

Boulder Country Day School’s new building is an example of an institutional application of vinyl windows.  Over 250 Alpenglass windows were installed that offered “quietness, security, protection from winds and sun,” stated company founder and President Robert Clarke. 

The price of a window or door includes the installation cost and a lifetime guarantee.  “We take care of everything from start to finish.  We want our customers to be happier than they can imagine they could ever be with any window.  We strive for ultimate satisfaction,” stated Ouwersloot.

Commercially, Alpenglass has been installed in buildings throughout Colorado and the United States. Buildings such as the Art Institute of Chicago, National Gallery of Art, IBM headquarters, Hershey Food headquarters and New York Historical Society enjoy the benefits of Alpen’s Heat Mirror™ technology.

Locally, the Boulder Public Library, Gunbarrel’s Qualcomm and Ericssen buildings, and the Usbank/ Signalsoft building at 15th and Canyon in Boulder all use Alpenglass.
Clarke stated 54 McDonald’s PlayLand enclosures were built with Alpenglass. “It costs them (McDonalds) more to put in good glass but the additional money is recouped from reduced heating and cooling costs in seven months.” 

The commercial glass and window divisions combined employ 25 people.  For the past 10 years, Alpen has operated from its Lookout Road location. In 1981, Clarke founded the company and assisted in the development of the Heat Mirror™ film produced by Southwall Technology. 

Clarke feels being in Boulder is great exposure for Alpen’s high technology product because, “this is such a technology center.” 

Alpen is located at 5400 Spine Rd.  The phone number is 303-530-1150 or 1-800-882-4466.  It can be located on the internet at <www.alpeninc.com>.