The King Street Aparthotel has seen the installation of bespoke magnetic secondary glazing and draught-proofing in its original windows during a project carried out by the retrofit company Cocoon Window Insulation.

The works reflect a shift in Scotland’s built environment, where energy-efficiency enhancements are increasingly being carried out through a sensitive retrofit process instead of a replacement of historic fabric.

The aparthotel’s new system has an internal layer of glazing that boosts thermal performance while leaving the building’s original windows untouched. 

The installation is anticipated to improve heat retention by up to 60%, cut condensation and boost acoustic comfort for guests staying in the property.

The new system is entirely reversible and is made specifically for heritage and listed buildings, enabling performance upgrades to go ahead without going against architectural integrity.

Neil Munday, managing director of King Street Aparthotel, said: “This building is on one of the city’s most iconic streets and is an important part of Stirling’s heritage, so everything we do has to respect that. 

“What this project shows is that you do not have to choose between preservation and performance.”

Munday added: “This system will allow us to significantly improve energy efficiency, reduce heat loss, and enhance guest comfort, all while keeping the original fabric of the building intact.”

David Bonaccorsi, managing director of Cocoon, who led the installation, said: “Working within the unique constraints of an historic building can often present its own technical challenges, particularly when preserving existing architectural features is paramount.

“At King Street Aparthotel, we’ve been able to retain the original single-glazed windows while giving them the performance of a brand-new window, all without altering their appearance or compromising the building’s integrity.

Bonaccorsi added: “The result is a perfect balance: a space that honours its past while meeting modern standards of comfort and efficiency.”

The glazing upgrade was supported via a program delivered by the Energy Saving Trust, after a detailed energy efficiency assessment carried out by Business Energy Scotland.

The assessment found a variety of opportunities to enhance the building’s thermal performance and cut energy usage and gave recommendations that helped influence the retrofit process.

The project also complements additional energy-efficiency enhancements within the building, such as a heating optimisation system designed and installed by the Scottish company Hydro Genie, which is currently providing an average 30% drop in overall energy usage.