Frequently
Asked
Questions.
Learn how NovaVu™ works, where it can be installed, and how it helps improve comfort, energy performance, and building efficiency without replacing the existing window system.
Product
NovaVu™ is an advanced secondary window insert designed to dramatically improve the thermal, acoustic, and solar performance of existing windows — without replacing them. Each insert consists of double-pane clear acrylic or polycarbonate mounted within an integrated structural frame. Custom-measured for a precise fit, NovaVu™ installs directly into the interior frame of your existing windows or covering the window and frame assembly, converting single- or double-pane windows into triple- or quadruple-pane units. The result is a continuous, passive improvement to energy efficiency and indoor comfort with no ongoing maintenance required.
NovaVu™ works by adding multiple insulating air gaps to your existing windows. Heat and cold travel through solid objects like glass by conduction; gas, by contrast, is a poor conductor. NovaVu™’s double-pane insert creates one airspace between itself and the existing window, and a second airspace within the insert itself — adding two thermal barriers at once. Its advanced gasketing material seals the perimeter, eliminating air infiltration and preventing thermal drafts caused by cold glass surfaces. Acrylic and polycarbonate have similar properties. Heat transfer is at a rate up to 75% lower than glass, can weigh half as much, and is 200 times more impact-resistant.
No. Window film is a thin adhesive coating applied directly to the glass surface. It can reduce solar heat gain and UV transmission, but it does not add insulating air gaps, does not address drafts, and offers minimal improvement to thermal resistance (U-factor). NovaVu™ is a structural insert — a complete double-pane unit installed in front of your existing window or window assembly. It creates multiple insulating air gaps, eliminates air infiltration, blocks 99% of UV rays, and reduces heat loss by up to 50%. The performance improvement is in a different class entirely.
Transparent Insulation Technology (TIT) refers to a class of materials and systems that provide thermal insulation while remaining optically clear — allowing light and views to pass through while significantly reducing heat transfer. Unlike opaque insulation, which works by trapping air or using dense materials in walls, ceilings, and floors, transparent insulation must balance two competing demands: thermal resistance and optical clarity. The core principle relies on creating one or more air gaps between layers of clear, low-conductivity material. Air is a poor conductor of heat, so each trapped airspace acts as a thermal barrier. The more airspaces between indoors and outdoors, the less heat or cold is transferred between the two. The glazing material itself also matters — polycarbonate and acrylic, for example, transfer heat at a rate up to 75% lower than glass while maintaining high optical clarity.
NovaVu™ window inserts are a leading application of Transparent Insulation Technology. By adding a custom-fit double-pane insert to an existing window, NovaVu™ creates two additional insulating airspaces — converting a single- or double-pane window into a triple- or quadruple-pane equivalent. Combined with advanced perimeter gasketing that eliminates air infiltration, the result is a window assembly that performs like a modern high-efficiency unit without any modification to the existing building.
Transparent Insulation Technology is increasingly relevant as building owners face tightening energy codes, emissions regulations, and tenant comfort expectations — offering a path to meaningful performance improvement that opaque insulation simply cannot provide at windows and glazed surfaces.
Installation
Each NovaVu™ insert is custom-measured and manufactured to fit your specific window openings. Installation is simple and non-invasive: the insert is pressed into a secondary interior window frame using an advanced gasketing system that holds it securely in place. No cutting, drilling, caulking, or adhesives are required. No modifications are made to the building exterior, interior walls, or existing window frames. A single window typically takes just minutes to install.
No. NovaVu™ installs in front of your existing windows or window assembly from the interior. Your original windows stay completely in place. This is one of the key advantages of NovaVu™ over traditional window replacement and vacuum insulated glass replacement — there is no demolition, no exterior work, and no disruption to the building envelope.
No permits are required. Because NovaVu™ makes no modifications to the building structure, exterior façade, or existing windows, it typically falls outside the scope of work that triggers permitting requirements. There is also no need for sidewalk scaffolding or bridging. We recommend confirming with your local building department if you have a specific concern, but permit requirements are not an obstacle for the vast majority of NovaVu™ installations.
No relocation is necessary. NovaVu™ installs quickly and cleanly from inside the building. There is no dust, no cutting or drilling, no painting, and no fumes. Each window is typically completed in minutes, making it possible to install across multiple units or floors with minimal disruption to daily operations.
No. NovaVu™’s installation is completely non-invasive. There is no cutting, drilling, caulking, or painting involved — and nothing is left behind if an insert is ever removed. Walls, ceilings, floors, and window frames are left exactly as they were. This also means there is no cleanup, no drying time, and no follow-up trades work required after installation.
Each individual insert typically installs in just a few minutes. A full floor of windows in a building can often be completed in a single day. The exact timeline depends on the number of windows and the layout of the building, but the speed of installation is one of the most significant operational advantages NovaVu™ offers over conventional window or glass replacement, which can take weeks, months or years and require the building to be vacated.
Performance
NovaVu™ delivers measurable improvements across five key areas: thermal performance (reducing window heat loss by up to 50%), air leakage (eliminating drafts by 99% or more), solar heat gain (blocking 99% of UV radiation while preserving views), acoustic comfort (reducing outdoor noise by 20% to 40%), and overall energy efficiency — leading to substantially lower heating and cooling costs year-round. As a bonus, UV protection also reduces fading of flooring, furniture, and interior finishes.
NovaVu™ uses a proprietary advanced gasketing material that forms a tight seal around the perimeter of the insert when it is pressed into the window frame. Third-party testing by Intertek has confirmed that this gasket reduces air infiltration by 99% or more. The insert also eliminates thermal drafts — the sensation of cold air near windows in winter — by warming up the interior-facing surface of the window assembly. Cold glass can cause warm room air to cool, sink, and circulate as a draft; NovaVu™’s thermal barriers prevent this.
Yes. The additional panes and air gaps created by NovaVu™ act as effective sound barriers, reducing the transmission of outdoor noise up to 40% depending on frequency. This is particularly valuable in urban environments where traffic, construction, or street noise creates persistent complaints from tenants or occupants. Sound reduction is one of the most immediately noticeable improvements reported after NovaVu™ installation.
Yes. NovaVu™ blocks 99% of UV radiation, which is the primary driver of solar heat gain through windows in summer. Unlike blinds or shades — which absorb UV rays, heat up, and then radiate that heat into the room — NovaVu™ stops solar energy at the glass, before it enters the space. When applied to single-pane windows, NovaVu™ can reduce the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) by up to 25%, meaningfully reducing the load on air conditioning systems during warm months. Importantly, this is accomplished without blocking daylight or obstructing the view.
Yes. NovaVu™ delivers direct, measurable reductions in energy consumption, which translates to lower carbon emissions and a smaller environmental footprint for your building. For building owners, this supports sustainability reporting and compliance with increasingly stringent local energy benchmarking and emissions regulations — including building performance standards like NYC’s Local Law 97. NovaVu™ is a passive, durable improvement with no consumables, no refrigerants, and minimal embodied carbon relative to full window replacement, making it one of the most efficient interventions available on a carbon-per-dollar basis.
COST & ROI
NovaVu™ typically costs up to 75% less than replacing windows. Full window replacement in a building is an extremely capital-intensive undertaking — requiring reskinning of the entire building, extensive design and permitting, sidewalk scaffolding, and prolonged tenant disruption. NovaVu™ eliminates all of those costs. It also delivers energy savings performance that exceeds that of replacement windows, meaning the savings per dollar invested are substantially higher.
For most applications, the payback period is typically less than five years, and in many cases significantly shorter. Payback depends on factors including current window type (single vs. double-pane), local energy costs, building orientation, and whether utility incentives are applied. When rebates and accelerated depreciation are factored in, payback timelines compress further. Contact us for a project-specific analysis.
Yes. NovaVu™ qualifies for utility-based energy efficiency incentives. Many local utilities offer rebate programs for secondary window systems that demonstrably reduce energy consumption, and NovaVu™’s third-party tested performance metrics support qualification for these programs. Incentive availability varies by utility territory and program cycle. We can help identify applicable rebates for your property and assist with the documentation needed to apply.
Yes. NovaVu™ also qualifies for accelerated depreciation, which can meaningfully improve the after-tax economics of the investment for commercial building owners. Additionally, various financing structures are available depending on your project size and ownership structure directly through our company. Please contact us to discuss options tailored to your situation.
BUILDING TYPES
NovaVu™ is engineered for buildings with operable and non-operable existing windows. On the commercial side, this includes office buildings, Class A towers, mixed-use properties, hotels, and institutional buildings like hospitals and universities. On the residential side, it is ideal for apartment buildings, co-ops, and condominiums — including buildings where individual tenants or unit owners wish to install inserts in their own spaces. NovaVu™ is compatible with virtually any existing single- or double-pane fixed window.
Yes — and this is one of NovaVu™’s most important advantages. Because installation requires no cutting, drilling, caulking, or exterior work, there is no need to vacate tenants or disrupt operations. Each window is installed in minutes with no dust, no odors, and no noise beyond normal conversation. Buildings can remain fully occupied and fully operational throughout the entire installation process.
Yes — older buildings are often where NovaVu™ delivers the most value. Many pre-war and mid-century buildings have single-pane windows that are extremely inefficient by modern standards but are costly or impractical to replace due to landmark status, co-op board requirements, or building configuration. NovaVu™ installs without any modification to existing windows or the building structure, making it well-suited for historic properties and older building stock. It also extends the useful life of existing windows by protecting them from temperature stress and condensation damage.
Yes. NovaVu™ is designed to scale efficiently across large portfolios. Because inserts can be installed selectively — in any number of windows, in any building — owners are not committed to a building-wide program before seeing results. A phased approach is straightforward: start with the highest-priority buildings or floors, measure the performance improvement, and expand from there. For portfolio owners managing energy compliance obligations across multiple properties, NovaVu™ offers a consistent, repeatable solution that can be deployed rapidly and at scale.
WARRANTY & SUPPORT
Yes. NovaVu™ window inserts come with a 10-year warranty. The advanced gasketing material is designed to resist extreme heat and cold, steam, ozone, and harsh weather conditions, ensuring reliable long-term performance. The acrylic and polycarbonate panes are highly durable — 200 times more impact-resistant than glass — and are not subject to the seal failures that can occur with conventional double-pane windows over time.
NovaVu™ handles the project from start to finish. Our team conducts window measurements, beneficial energy analysis, custom-manufactures the inserts to fit your specific windows, coordinates installation scheduling, manages the installation process, provides ROI data, financing options and rebate management. You do not need to hire a general contractor or coordinate separate trades. Our process is designed to be turnkey and low-friction for building owners and property managers with our team as a single source from concept to completion.
Very little — which is part of the point. NovaVu™ is a passive, maintenance-free system. Once installed, the inserts continuously deliver their thermal, acoustic, and UV benefits with no required upkeep. If a specific insert ever needs to be removed for access or cleaning, it can be taken out and reinserted without tools or professional assistance. The 10-year warranty covers product performance, and our team remains available for any questions or follow-up service needs. Our team can also offer maintenance programs to provide an annual check-up and cleaning.
