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Glass office tower reflecting a blue sky and clouds

IKU Windows

IKU Windows is a patented self-cleaning glass façade. Wipers and spray profiles built into the façade clean the whole building at the touch of a button, with no cradle, rope access or BMU.

See reference projects Self-cleaning solar façades

How does a self-cleaning façade work?

The cleaning hardware is part of the façade and stays out of sight. Only the result shows: clean glass.

  1. Water profile

    A spray profile with nozzles wets the glass along the full width of each façade section.

  2. Wiper

    A wiper travels down the glass behind the spray, cleaning as it goes. It parks out of sight when not in use.

  3. Motor unit

    Concealed motors drive the wipers by belt. On a unitised façade one unit serves 60 to 80 m of height.

  4. Control

    Control boxes link to the building management system. Cleaning starts at the touch of a button, or automatically from humidity and rain sensors.

Cut-away diagram of the iku® cover-cap system showing the motor unit, gear and end switch, the roller, the spring-loaded wiper and the cover profile on the mullion
The cover-cap system: motor unit, roller and spring-loaded wiper run inside a cover profile on the mullions.

IKU Windows in numbers

  • 476 min Time to clean 10,000 m² of façade with the iku® system
  • 480 l Approximate water used in one full cleaning cycle for 10,000 m²
  • 10 years System guarantee on iku® Windows Two-year warranty on moving parts, wear parts excluded. Extendable with a maintenance contract.

Over 25 years of façade engineering

  1. 2000iku® Windows founded in Austria by Julius and Monika Thurnher.
  2. 2007/08First high-rise tower completed with the system, in Kuwait.
  3. 2009Julius Thurnher receives the Viktor Kaplan Medal, Austria's highest award for innovators.
  4. 2017Re-established under the current shareholders.
  5. 2020IKU Technologies Ltd established in the UK.
Looking up a glass façade with integrated photovoltaic panels kept clean by the iku® system
The same system cleans photovoltaic glass built into the façade.

Questions and answers

What is a self-cleaning glass façade?

A self-cleaning glass façade has a cleaning system built into the façade itself. With IKU Windows, concealed wipers and spray profiles clean the whole building at the touch of a button, with no cradle, rope access or BMU.

How long does it take to clean a building with IKU Windows?

About 476 minutes for 10,000 m² of façade, using roughly 480 litres of water for a full cleaning cycle.

Can IKU Windows be retrofitted to an existing building?

Yes. The cover-cap system adapts to other façade systems and suits refurbishment. Retrofits have been completed on a hospital in Taipei and an office building in Cairo.

What guarantee does IKU Windows carry?

The system carries a 10-year guarantee, with a two-year warranty on moving parts (wear parts excluded). Yearly maintenance is required and a maintenance contract can extend cover.

Where has IKU Windows been installed?

References include Clemenceau Medical Center in Beirut, Saudi Hollandi Bank in Jeddah, office buildings in Kuwait City, UFZ Tulln in Austria and hospitals in Vienna and Taipei.

Specify or license IKU Windows

For a project, licensing or distribution, tell us about the building or market and we will reply with the right information.

Email about IKU Windows

Or write to wayneg@iku-firetech.com directly.