Hydro-Québec – A cap to reduce overconsumption. Solution: triple glazing to reduce your energy costs.

Hydro-Québec – A cap to reduce overconsumption

Solution: Triple glazing to reduce your energy costs

The article published in La Presse on November 4, 2025 — “Energy and large cabins: A ceiling to curb overconsumption” underlines An undeniable reality: Quebec homes consume too much energy, especially during peak periods. With Hydro-Québec's upcoming rates, triple glazing is an essential solution for the future!

Analyses show that windows are responsible for 30 to 35% of heat loss in residential buildings. With modern architectural trends such as large bay windows, glass walls, and panoramic openings, these losses are even greater.

The most effective solution for reducing consumption: high-performance triple glazing .

1. The reality in 2024–2025: Quebec homes have much more glass which result in more energy needs

House type	Living area	Typical glazed surface
House 2,500 sq ft (minimum in Quebec)	2,500 sq ft	~500 sq ft
Contemporary house (2024–2025)	2,500–3,000 sq ft	600 to 900 sq ft
High-end designer residence	~3,000 sq ft	1,200 to 1,500 sq ft
"Glass wall" architecture	> 3,000 sq ft	1,500 sq ft and more

Conclusion: Modern homes have two to three times more windows than traditional homes. This increases the potential for energy savings from triple glazing.

Modern home with large glazed surfaces

2. Triple glazing: thermal and acoustic gains, comfort, and the answer to Hydro-Québec ceiling to reduce overconsumption

Criteria	Old double glazing	Triple glazing VST	Gain
Heat losses (kWh/ft²/year)	4.7	3.38	28% savings
Thermal comfort	Cold walls	Warmer inner surface	Comfort ++
Acoustic	Moderate attenuation	35–50% discount	Silence + well-being
Condensation	Frequent	Rare	Cleaner air

Triple glazing simultaneously improves: ✔ energy efficiency ✔ winter/summer comfort ✔ acoustics ✔ indoor air quality. To counter the financial impact of Hydro-Québec's cap on reducing overconsumption, triple glazing remains an excellent solution.

3. Energy savings with triple glazing according to modern glazed surface

Glazed surface area (sq ft)	Energy consumption of double glazing (kWh/year)	Energy consumption of triple glazing (kWh/year)	Annual savings
500 sq ft	2,350	1,692	658 kWh
600 sq ft	2,820	2030	790 kWh
800 sq ft	3,760	2,707	1053 kWh
900 sq ft	4,230	3,046	1184 kWh
1,200 sq ft	5,640	4061	1,579 kWh
1,500 sq ft	7,050	5,076	1,974 kWh

Savings can exceed 2,000 kWh/year for homes with extensive glazing.

4. Concrete examples according to house size with triple glazing solution

Contemporary house (800 sq ft of glazing)

Data	Result
Current consumption	3,760 kWh/year
Triple glazing economy	1,053 kWh/year
New consumption	2,707 kWh/year
Benefits	High comfort, reduced noise, decreased condensation

High-end house (1,200 sq ft of glazing)

Data	Result
Current consumption	5,640 kWh/year
Triple glazing economy	1,579 kWh/year
New consumption	4,061 kWh/year

5. Real-world examples of VST projects – Modern, highly glazed residences (2025)

VST Project	Living area (m²)	Glazed surface area (m²)	Glazing ratio (%)
1	585	156	26.6%
2	312	103	33.0%
3	629	174	27.7%
4	283	84.9	30.0%
5	499	151	30.2%
6	890	293	32.9%

➡️ These ratios confirm that modern homes require high-performance glazing. ➡️ With this much glazed surface area, energy savings range from 1,000 to over 2,000 kWh/year , depending on the project.

6. Why triple glazing is essential today

Advantage	Impact
Energy savings	Up to 2,000 kWh/year
Interior comfort	Warmer walls, stable atmosphere
Acoustic	Noise reduction up to 50%
Health	Less condensation and humidity
Real estate value	A more modern and energy-efficient house
Hydro-Québec Network	Reduction of peak consumption

Triple glazing is no longer a luxury: it is an energy necessity.

7. VST Solutions: High-performance triple glazing

Range	Technology	Benefits
uPVC VST	Multi-room + triple glazing	Maximum insulation, exceptional value
Aluminium VST (European)	Advanced thermal break	Architectural design + rigidity
VST options	Thermocoat, new thermal break technology, triple glazing with insulated spacers and argon	Thermal and sound optimization

Each project is evaluated by VST to guarantee maximum energy and comfort performance.

To learn more: Come visit our team by making an appointment at info@vsteuro.com

At VST, every project and every client is unique. That's why we prepare customized offers tailored to your requirements! vsteuro.com

References

1. https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/chroniques/2025-11-04/energie-et-grosses-cabanes/un-plafond-pour-freiner-la-surconsommation.php

2. VST – Residential Internal Energy Analysis (2024–2025).

3. VST – Energy coefficients of double vs triple glazing.

4. Passive House Institute – Data on the thermal performance of glazing.

5. ASHRAE – Principles of Insulation for Residential Building Envelopes.

6. Natural Resources Canada – Energy Performance of Homes.

7. ScienceDirect – 2023 study on the performance of glazing.

8. VST – Synthesis of architectural trends 2024–2025.