Across Europe, demand for housing is rising while the current building stock remains underused, outdated or inefficient. The EU is projected to need more than two million additional homes per year, while buildings account for 40% of final energy use and 36% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, one in three Europeans is exposed to unhealthy indoor climate conditions at home.

Fortunately, Europe has an enormous housing opportunity hiding in plain sight: unlocking the potential of the buildings already standing.

As the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 in Barcelona comes to an end, the VELUX Group releases the new green paper: “The Housing We Need For The Future We Want”. The paper and research behind it is initiated by VELUX and developed in collaboration with ARTELIA, BPIE, RISE and No Objectives, and sets out how Europe can address four interconnected crises - unaffordable housing, unhealthy homes, energy and resource insecurity, and climate and biodiversity breakdown - by placing the existing building stock at the centre of the solution.

The paper shows that new construction alone cannot solve these challenges. Most of the buildings Europe will rely on in 2050 are already standing, with around 85% of today’s building stock expected to remain in use. Therefore, the opportunity is to access untapped housing by renovating, adapting, reusing and better utilising what already exists. Europe can unlock between 50 and 107 million additional homes – this equals housing for an estimated 115 to 246 million people, while reducing pressure on land, materials and energy systems.

The potential climate impact is equally significant. Better use of Europe’s existing building stock could avoid between 3.9 and 19 billion tonnes of CO₂eq over the next 50 years. At the upper end, the annual savings are comparable to the emissions of every car on Europe’s roads combined.

From insights to action: Introducing Re:Living

To pioneer how this agenda can be turned into practice, the VELUX Group is launching Re:Living – a new approach extending its award-winning Living Places concept into renovation. With Re:Living, VELUX suggests a holistic renovation approach focused on health, affordability and sustainability. The approach explores how renovation can become more structured, scalable and accessible by working through four steps:  Re:Think, Re:Scope, Re:Design and Re:Cover. Together, these steps aim to make renovation a more attractive and achievable choice for homeowners, professionals and pro-partners.

Read more about Re:Living here.

About the Green Paper: The housing we need for the future we want

The green paper identifies a range of measures, including refining existing homes through energy and comfort upgrades, reclaiming vacant housing, repurposing underused non-residential buildings, reshaping oversized homes, resizing how space is used, extending existing structures through attic conversions, building up or building out, and low carbon new build where new construction is needed.

The green paper builds on a large-scale research study by BPIE and partners for the European Commission, which developed 10,000 building archetypes representing the EU building stock. These archetypes provide one of the most comprehensive and detailed models of Europe’s buildings available today, including life cycle assessments of existing buildings, renovation scenarios and new construction. In this study, the same model was used to assess the potential impact of the proposed nine measures and estimate how widely they could be applied across Europe’s 21 billion m² residential building stock.

The green paper is published as an invitation to policymakers, building industry, researchers and civil society to discuss how Europe can scale up renovation and make better use of the buildings it already has.

Read the full green paper here.

The Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift rank among the world’s largest sporting events, attracting billions of viewers globally and millions of fans along the race routes.

For VELUX, the races offer a unique platform to connect with customers and partners through shared experiences that bring the brand closer to the communities it serves. VELUX uses the partnership beyond visibility, creating meaningful engagement through on-the-ground activities and fan experiences. These initiatives celebrate the shared values of cycling and the VELUX purpose and DNA: improving everyday living through better access to daylight and fresh air.

The VELUX brand will be present throughout the 2026 races, with the VELUX logo appearing on the back of every rider’s race bib, along the race routes and as a sponsor of the iconic Lanterne Rouge classification, recognising the final rider in the overall standings.

VELUX representatives will engage with customers, partners and cycling fans throughout both races, including public fan zones in Barcelona (2–5 July), Bordeaux (9–10 July) and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift activations from 31 July to the final stage in Nice on 9 August.

Building a connected global cycling platform

VELUX is currently growing its presence across the global cycling calendar, evolving its partnerships into a strategic platform designed to create lasting impact across audiences and markets. Earlier this year, VELUX announced a multi-year partnership with the legendary Paris-Roubaix one-day race.

VELUX will also participate in the Tour de France publicity caravan, with four branded vehicles travelling ahead of the riders each day. The caravan engages roadside spectators through entertainment and giveaways while showcasing VELUX products and highlighting solutions designed to improve indoor comfort through better heat protection.

The men’s Tour de France starts in Barcelona on 4 July and finishes on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on 26 July. The women’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift begins in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 1 August and ends in Nice on 9 August.

The VELUX Group is introducing a new wave of products and upgrades to selected markets this autumn, strengthening its offering for homeowners and professional customers. The launches reflect the company’s focus on developing solutions around customer needs, from improved energy performance and broader choice in flat roof solutions to easier installation and a more connected digital customer experience.

The launches include bringing vacuum insulated glazing (VIG) technology to the conservation roof window segment in Great Britain and Ireland; and, across all markets, the Standard glass rooflight, expanding the VELUX flat roof portfolio with a more affordable glass solution; a lining sub-construction designed to make installation easier for professionals; and an upgrade to the VELUX ACTIVE app, strengthening the digital connection with homeowners through news and advice in the app.

Vacuum insulated glazing reaches Great Britain and Ireland

With vacuum insulated glazing (VIG) integrated into the VELUX Heritage conservation roof window, homeowners in Great Britain and Ireland will gain access to this new technology. The solution offers improved energy performance while helping preserve the look and character of traditional buildings. By developing VIG for the specific demands of roof windows, the technology delivers performance comparable to triple glazing in an ultra-thin construction, supporting more future-ready and energy-efficient homes.

A more affordable glass rooflight strengthens the flat roof portfolio

The new Standard glass rooflight strengthens the VELUX flat roof portfolio by responding to growing demand for modern glass rooflight solutions at a more affordable price point, giving more homeowners access to daylight and fresh air through the roof.

Easier installation and a more connected customer experience

Alongside the new product launches, VELUX is introducing a lining sub-construction designed to support installers by making installation faster and more reliable, while helping deliver a consistent, high-quality result, with better insulation performance and more daylight for homeowners.

The VELUX ACTIVE upgrade will strengthen the digital connection with homeowners through a new feature that shares news, advice and tips to help them get more value from their VELUX products.

Raul Duque Ruiz joins the VELUX Group with extensive end-to-end marketing expertise spanning the full commercial lifecycle.

Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Market Development at Danish jewellery company Pandora, where he led growth strategies for emerging markets and helped connect product innovation with local consumer needs. Prior to joining Pandora, he spent more than 19 years in a range of senior leadership roles at Procter & Gamble.

Excited to unlock growth opportunities and build new relationships

As an official partner of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, the VELUX Group will be present at this year’s races as a platform to engage directly with customers and professional partners. Raul will join his first VELUX event in Barcelona on 3 July ahead of the men’s Grand Départ the following day, marking his first opportunity to experience how the partnership brings the brand to life through on-the-ground engagement and relationship building.

Raul is 52 years old and lives in Madrid with his wife and three children, aged 19, 15 and 9. The family has lived abroad for many years, including in Sweden, Belgium and Switzerland.

The project, created by students XU Qicheng, LUO Jun, GAO Rui, RUAN Guoqiang, ZHANG Xuanyi and CAI Kunhong from Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, stood out among the eight finalists to win the global award in the 12th edition of the Light of Tomorrow by VELUX competition. The winner was chosen among 539 daylight projects, submitted by students from 345 schools of architecture.

‘Sun the Quilt’ rethinks the ordinary domestic act of drying textiles, food, and household objects within dense urban environments. The project introduces an adaptable façade system that combines daylight modulation, ventilation, shading, and drying into a single architectural element.

The finalists were invited to Barcelona for a two-day workshop, where they developed and refined their concepts ahead of presenting to the jury. 

The global winner receives a prize of €4,000, with an additional €1,000 awarded to the supervising teacher.

A global stage for emerging talent

An international jury of leading architects—including James Carpenter (US), Liene Jākobsone (LV), Níall McLaughlin (IE), Oya Atalay Franck (CH), Doris Wälchli (CH), and Elena Arregui Jaeger (VELUX, ES)—selected the global winner following live presentations at the UIA World Congress of Architects in Barcelona on 29 June 2026.

After presenting their projects and engaging in a live dialogue with the jury, each team was evaluated on the strength of their concept, design thinking, and innovative use of daylight. One project was ultimately selected as the global winner.

The 2026 edition of Light of Tomorrow by VELUX continues a close and long-standing collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA).

About Light of Tomorrow by VELUX

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX is an international competition for architecture students, held every two years since 2004. The 2026 edition is organised in close collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and is acknowledged by EAAE, ACSA, and AIAS.

Explore the project here

Eight student architecture projects from around the world have been selected as regional winners and special prizes of Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, following an international jury evaluation of hundreds of submissions from architecture schools across multiple continents.

The selected projects represent the strongest entries across the competition’s global regions and reflect a wide range of approaches to exploring the role of daylight in future architecture. Together, the eight regional winners highlight how students worldwide are responding to shared challenges such as sustainability, wellbeing, and the transformation of the built environment by using daylight as a key design driver.

Global competition, global perspectives
Light of Tomorrow by VELUX is a biennial international competition that challenges architecture students to explore daylight as a fundamental architectural resource. The 2026 edition attracted submissions from hundreds of student teams worldwide, underscoring the continued relevance of daylight in architectural education and practice.

The eight winning projects were selected for their innovative use of daylight, depth of research, clarity of architectural thinking, and overall presentation. While rooted in diverse local contexts, the projects collectively demonstrate a strong global commitment to designing buildings that prioritise human wellbeing and environmental responsibility.

The eight regional winners

• Western Europe – Woven Light, Lund University, Sweden
• Eastern Europe & the Middle East – Filtered Light, National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture, Ukraine
• The Americas – The Light as Memory, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Chile
• Asia & Oceania – Sun the Quilt, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, China
• Africa – Woven Time, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

(Regions corresponding to the International Union of Architects (UIA) World Regions)

Special prizes
In addition to the regional awards, three special prizes were granted for outstanding work in the following categories:

• Daylight in New Buildings – Reclaiming the Tropical Plaza, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
• Daylight in Building Transformations – Folding Light, Tsinghua University, China
• Daylight Investigations – Evaporative Cooling Celosia, Royal Danish Academy, Denmark

Recognition for students and educators
Each winner receives €3,000 for the student team and €500 for the supervising teacher, recognising both student excellence and the vital role of educators in guiding future architects.

What happens next
All eight winners are invited to take part in a workshop in Barcelona, where they will then present their projects live to an international jury during the UIA World Congress of Architects. Following the presentations, one global winner of Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026 will be selected and awarded €4,000 for the student(s) and €1,000 for the teacher.

About the jury
The international jury consisted of James Carpenter (US), Liene Jākobsone (LV), Níall McLaughlin (IE), Oya Atalay Franck (CH), and Elena Arregui Jaeger (VELUX, ES).
The jury highlighted the overall quality, diversity, and ambition of the submitted projects, noting how students interpreted the theme Light of Tomorrow in response to both local conditions and global challenges.

About Light of Tomorrow by VELUX
Light of Tomorrow by VELUX is an international competition for students of architecture, held every second year since 2004. The 2026 edition is organised in close collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and is acknowledged by EAAE, ACSA and AIAS.

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One of the latest VELUX innovations — a new sash-mounted roller shutter — has received international design recognition with no less than two Red Dot Design Awards.

The international Red Dot jury highlighted the roller shutter for its combination of sleek aesthetics, strong functionality and user-oriented innovation. With a high number of submissions from companies and design studios worldwide, the double recognition is a strong endorsement of the design choices and overall quality of the solution.

The new roller shutter, which is currently available in Austria and will become available in Germany from 1 May 2026, represents a new generation of exterior heat protection. Compared to the current VELUX roller shutter, the solution features improved performance, slimmer aluminium slats and a significantly lower carbon impact, while supporting a discreet and contemporary design.

Positive feedback from German professional partners

Most recently, the new roller shutter was presented at the Dach+Holz trade fair in Cologne, Germany, where professional partners responded positively to the design, reduced weight and, in particular, the easier and faster installation.

About the Red Dot Design Award 

The Red Dot Design Award is one of the world’s largest and most recognised design competitions. Each year, an international jury of experts assesses products based on criteria such as design quality, functionality, level of craftsmanship, ergonomics and innovation. The ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ is the highest distinction in the Red Dot Design Award and is reserved for the top products in each category. It stands for pioneering design and outstanding product quality. 

As with previous Red Dot award-winning VELUX products, the recognition highlights close collaboration across the organisation and reinforces VELUX long-term commitment to high-quality design and innovation. 

Award winning products will be presented across the Red Dot website and exhibitions from 29 April onwards. 
 

Sandrine Maguin brings more than 25 years of international business experience, working for PPG Architectural Coatings and Whirlpool Corporation companies, across Marketing, Sales, Customer Relationship Management and General Management.

Sandrine Maguin previously held the position of Market Director Captive Stores Networks and Peintures de Paris President at PPG France. Prior to that, she spent 15 years at Whirlpool, including serving as Marketing Director for France. This extensive background has allowed her to gain deep insight into the French building renovation ecosystem. 

Sandrine Maguin became President of legal entity VELUX France SA as per April 13, 2026.

Following its partnership with A.S.O., announced in 2024, VELUX is now adding a new layer of heritage to its cycling platform through an international sponsorship of the Paris-Roubaix Hauts-de-France.

Known for its legendary cobbled sectors, the race features 54.8 km of pavé within a total race distance of 258.3 km, making it one of the toughest and most prestigious events in professional cycling.

The multi-year sponsorship covers the women’s and men’s elite races as well as U23 and junior competitions.

The partnership allows the company to build a stronger and more connected cycling sponsorship platform that creates consistent momentum throughout the cycling season, culminating in the Tour de France events. In addition, it amplifies the impact of global marketing and brand engagement activities and creates more customer and partner engagement opportunities.

Partnership details

The Paris-Roubaix Hauts-de-France partnership officially kicks off on April 12, 2026. Next year, VELUX will expand its physical presence along the route with additional branding in both the departure and finish areas.

Throughout the partnership, the VELUX brand will appear on riders’ bibs together with their race number, and feature in key branding locations along the race route in Northern France.

Last year’s women’s and men’s elite races were won by Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Mathieu van der Poel. The race is broadcast in about 190 countries worldwide.

In 2025, VELUX maintained its long-term commitment to lowering emissions across its value chain. The company strengthened the foundations needed for future progress through improved data, clearer supplier requirements and practical changes in production and logistics. VELUX has reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60% and Scope 3 emissions by 14% since 2020.

Highlights from the 2025 Sustainability Report include:

• Continued progress on circularity
  We continued to strengthen circularity across our value chain by embedding circular design principles into product development, expanding pilot projects and strengthening collaboration with industry partners to keep materials in use for longer.
   
• Demonstrating low-carbon building
  We opened the LKR Innovation House in Denmark and continued to develop the Living Places concept across Europe, demonstrating practical ways to reduce building-related emissions and improve indoor health and well-being.
   
• Advancing biodiversity work
  We expanded our biodiversity assessments across more sites, implemented nature-oriented initiatives, and fostered greater employee engagement around the positive effects of nature.
   
• Decarbonising our products
  We developed a next-generation roller shutter that integrates innovative design and performance improvements with decarbonisation for an estimated carbon footprint reduction of approximately 40% per unit compared with our previous model.
   
• Improved safety performance
  We achieved meaningful progress in our safety performance as total work-related accidents decreased, resulting in a 35.7% improvement compared with 2024

Read the full 2025 Sustainability Report

At the DACH+HOLZ trade fair in Cologne, Germany, VELUX unveiled its new vacuum insulating glass technology — an innovative product designed to take the performance of roof windows to the next level.

Developed in partnership with Guardian Glass, the technology is specifically engineered for roof windows — a far more demanding application than facades due to higher loads and structural requirements. It provides high thermal and acoustic insulation with a reduced CO₂ footprint, contributing to more sustainable buildings and improved indoor comfort.

This new technology allows VELUX to replace the space between glass panes with a vacuum that significantly reduces heat transfer. This enables excellent insulation performance within a much thinner and lighter construction compared to standard triple glazing. Instead of separating panes with argon or krypton gas, this solution uses a vacuum that effectively minimises heat loss.

As a result, the vacuum insulating glass achieves the performance of triple glazing in a slimmer, lighter design. A subtle dotted pattern created by tiny spacers between the panes is characteristic of this technology but does not obstruct the view. VELUX will introduce the technology in two variants: a single vacuum glazing solution and a hybrid version. 

Single Vacuum Glazing

The single vacuum glazing variant is an ultra-thin double pane design that delivers thermal performance comparable to triple glazing. By eliminating the third pane, this new solution is between 1.5 and 5 kg lighter per MK06 unit (depending on the full window construction), making installation easier.

In addition, it offers approximately 30% lower CO₂ footprint when comparing the insulating glass unit alone. A roof window equipped with this glazing achieves an impressive insulation value of Uw = 1.0 W/(m²K). The difference becomes clear when comparing thickness: this new glass measures only 11.5 mm, versus 26.4 mm for standard double glazing and 38 mm for standard triple glazing with similar insulation performance.

It will debut in 2026 in the UK and Ireland within the VELUX Heritage range, ensuring architectural authenticity is preserved while delivering superior thermal and acoustic performance for enhanced indoor comfort.

Vacuum Hybrid Technology

The hybrid version combines the vacuum double glazing with a third pane separated by a gas filling. This construction delivers outstanding thermal insulation and excellent sound reduction while lowering the CO₂ footprint. With a Uw value of 0.83 W/(m²K) and a sound insulation rating of 38 dB, the hybrid solution offers high energy efficiency and acoustic comfort, comparable with the company’s most efficient glazing, IGU 67, with reduced carbon emissions by 5% compared with a full roof window and by 12% compared with the glass alone. 

A launch date for the German market has not yet been set. Depending on project interest and availability, VELUX expects to expand the offering to additional European markets.

Background Information

VELUX began testing vacuum insulating glass more than 20 years ago and introduced early versions to the German market. While promising, demand for ultra‑low U‑value products was lower at the time, and performance advantages were not yet significant enough compared to standard triple glazing.

Since then, vacuum glass technology has advanced considerably in durability and performance, especially in facade systems. Tempered glass is now used for greater resilience, sealing methods have improved vacuum integrity, and closed absorber systems remove residual and released gases.

Building on this progress, VELUX spent the past decade developing vacuum insulating glass technology and, since March 2024, has continued development through partnership with Guardian Glass. Improvements include a fully tempered glass solution with fewer supporting spacers between panes — enhancing insulation — and the ability to achieve lower Ug values than standard triple glazing‑ with the hybrid solution. Single vacuum glazing now enables ultra-thin double pane units with sleek profiles and comparable performance to conventional triple glazing.

The first Living Places–inspired homes in the United States will soon take shape in York County, as the VELUX Group and Habitat for Humanity of York County (HFHYC) launch a new partnership to introduce healthy, affordable and sustainable homes to the U.S. market.

The development in York County will include approximately three-to-five homes built with sustainability and affordability at their core. Drawing on the Living Places principles — healthy, shared, simple, adaptive and scalable — the project demonstrates how to deliver high quality, energy efficient homes at an affordable price. It also lays the groundwork for a model that can be scaled across the country in future partnerships.

Originally launched with prototypes exhibited in Copenhagen in 2023, Living Places projects and prototypes have popped up globally in other markets including the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Ukraine.

The U.S. faces significant challenges in the built environment, including rising home prices, high regulatory costs, and a growing shortage of affordable options.

The homes are the first step in a longer-term vision to bring the Living Places concept to more communities in the United States. By working with local partners who understand community needs and priorities, VELUX aims to scale a national model of residential construction that supports healthier living, reduces environmental impact and strengthens social connection.

For more information about the Living Places concept, visit: buildforlife.velux.com

In France, attic conversions hold significant potential. Over 6 million houses have attics ready to be converted, offering an opportunity to create new living spaces without expanding the building footprint, while also improving energy performance and resilience to heatwaves.

As proof of the Living Places concept in renovation, the challenge was to convert an old house with an unused attic into a larger, healthier, more sustainable and energy-efficient living space. In collaboration with the family, the VELUX Group carried out a holistic renovation and attic conversion project based on the Living Places principles in Morangis, on the outskirts of Paris.  

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From energy class F to A and 35 m² of new usable attic space

Through a holistic renovation approach, the home went from energy class F to A, which translates to a 66% improvement in energy performance.

The house was expanded with 35 m² of usable attic space. As measured by project partner Artelia, thermal comfort has significantly improved, with indoor temperatures up to 8°C lower than outdoor temperatures during summer heatwaves. In addition, natural and automated ventilation through window openings helps reduce indoor temperatures by 3.5°C at night. Indoor air quality has also improved: a mechanical ventilation system with air supply has been installed, complemented by smart air renewal through automated window openings.

Read more about the study here.

A strategy for optimal summer comfort

The renovation approach is based on the “limit, delay, evacuate” strategy for optimal summer comfort. To limit heat buildup in the attic, the roof was insulated and automated VELUX solar protections were installed on the roof windows. To delay the heat peak, dense, high-inertia solutions were used under the roof slopes. To evacuate heat from the attic and the rest of the house, the automatic opening of roof windows and a living room window was programmed.

In the rest of the house, facades were insulated from the outside, old double-glazed windows were replaced, and their solar protections were preserved. Heating and ventilation systems were also renewed.

About the Living Places principles

The Living Places principles were applied throughout the entirety of the project, ensuring the prioritisation of people, planet, and long-term resilience while remaining practical and affordable. Building on the Living Places concept, which was ideated and developed by VELUX in partnership with Artelia and EFFEKT Architects, the project explores how renovation can deliver healthier indoor environments, lower emissions, and a smarter use of existing space. 

Project partners

Project partners include La Maison des Travaux, Mon Accompagnateur Rénov, the Municipality of Morangis, and Artelia engineers.

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Sources:

¹ https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/politiques-publiques/3e-strategie-nationale-bas-carbone-snbc-3 

² https://building-stock-observatory.energy.ec.europa.eu/database/

The list is the result of a thorough selection process in which the country’s most experienced headhunters have handpicked the profiles they believe are best positioned to shape the next generation of Danish business leadership.

Paul Chiasson joined VELUX as SVP for Global Finance in 2023 and has since expanded his responsibilities to include Group Business Service.

See the full list and read Paul Chiasson's profile here.

About Denmark’s Future Top Leaders

In collaboration with Bain & Company, Børsen gathers the country’s leading headhunters each year to identify the 25 profiles who have demonstrated the potential to join the executive leadership of Denmark’s largest companies within three to five years. The list is considered Denmark’s most credible indicator of the next generation of top executives and offers a rare look into the future of Danish business. 

As the new Executive Vice President for Strategy & Sales Development and as a new EGM member, Niklas Dyg will have overall responsibility for advancing the VELUX corporate strategy while developing sales through commercial excellence, customer service excellence, and driving global eCommerce.

Strategy & Sales Development is a new EGM area designed to amplify the impact of the company’s commercial approach across all channels in line with corporate strategic priorities, while also supporting general sales execution with relevant processes, tools, and platforms.

Niklas Dyg joined the VELUX Group as Senior Vice President for Group Strategy and M&A in 2022. In 2025, he took on additional responsibility as Head of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. He has extensive experience within strategy, business transformation, and mergers & acquisitions. Prior to joining the VELUX Group, Niklas Dyg was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company. Before that, he held several senior management positions in the Danish telecommunications company TDC (now Nuuday).

He holds an MSc in Business Administration and Philosophy from Copenhagen Business School.

A low percentage of Insulated Glass Units (IGUs) at VELUX Group factories display minor visual variations, such as minor air bubbles, that do not affect their technical performance. While these fully functional IGUs retain full technical performance, they cannot be used in roof windows, and they are therefore typically downcycled into other glass products such as bottles and drinking glasses.

As part of VELUX Group’s circularity ambitions and to test the potential for upcycling these glass units, VELUX and its sister-company DOVISTA are working with circular product provider a:gain. Both VELUX and DOVISTA are part of the VKR Group.

The collaboration between a:gain, VELUX and Krone Vinduer, one of DOVISTA’s three Danish facade window brands, focuses on upcycling materials to a next life in Viddø, a facade window system developed by a:gain. The window system is characterised by a lower number of material processes, minimal waste, and a significantly lower carbon footprint than comparable window systems.

Up to 44% lower carbon footprint

In this collaboration, VELUX Group will supply IGUs from its factories to one of DOVISTA’s Danish brands, Krone Vinduer, that handles the production and mounting, while a:gain is solely responsible for product design, documentation, marketing, and sales under its own Viddø brand.

Viddø has a third-party verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) used in calculating a building's carbon footprint. While the exact carbon savings from using these IGUs in facade windows depend on the specific project conditions and assessment methodology, calculations from an avoided emission study show potentially up to a 44% lower carbon footprint than comparable facade window systems[1]. Thanks to a:gain’s digital design tool, it is easy for architects to draw and specify Viddø into their projects.
 

Already delivered to various projects

Viddø has already been delivered to several projects such as TRÆ in Aarhus by Lendager Architects, Nest House by EFFEKT Architects, and Skovhuset, designed by Kasper Guldager, Lasse Lind and Emilie Lind Fenhann. The Viddø facade solution is also installed at CPH Village Østerbro, to be completed in the coming months. In addition, Viddø has readily been specified for upcoming large-scale projects.

[1] CO₂e comparison is based on an avoided emission study including phases A1–A3 and C1–C4. Phase B and D are excluded. Comparison is based on a triple glazed wooden-aluminium frame with either: a) virgin IGU or b) 30% virgin IGU and 70% discarded IGU. Read more: https://www.again.dk/download-center#Vidd%C3%B8

Aliëtte joined the VELUX Group as Executive Vice President for Global Marketing in December 2023. Under Aliëtte’s leadership, the VELUX Group has increased brand strength and enhanced the digital customer experience, while improving organizational Marketing capabilities to drive business impact through a more strategic, ROI-driven approach.

Lars Petersson, Chief Executive Officer, VELUX, says:

Aliëtte leaves VELUX as of 1 December 2025.

Since Light of Tomorrow by VELUX was first launched in 2004 (formerly the International VELUX Award for students of architecture), more than 6,000 projects from students across the world have been submitted to the competition. 

For the 12th edition in 2026, students will develop their projects under the ‘Light of Tomorrow’ theme. 

Alongside five regional winners, three special prizes will be given to projects demonstrating `Natural light in new buildings´, `Daylight in building transformation’, and ‘Daylight Investigations.’ Their projects will be evaluated by a distinguished jury appointed in collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA):

The appointed jury members are:

James Carpenter (US) 

James Carpenter has worked at the intersection of environment, architecture, fine art, and engineering for nearly 50 years, advancing a distinctive vision based on the use of natural light as the foundational element of the built environment. Carpenter founded the cross-disciplinary design firm Studio James Carpenter / JCDA in 1979 to support the application of these aesthetic principles to large-scale building projects. 

Carpenter has been recognized with numerous national and international awards, including an Academy Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. James is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design in sculpture and a Loeb Fellow of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. He is an Associate Member of the AIA, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Honorary Royal Designer for Industry of the Royal Society of Arts.

Liene Jākobsone (LV) 

Liene Jākobsone is the founding partner of the Belgian–Latvian architecture practice SAMPLING, which develops critical and conceptual projects ranging from buildings, interiors, and reconstructions to exhibitions and product design. The practice seeks to address social and environmental challenges through architecture and spatial design, while maintaining a strong emphasis on aesthetic qualities. As part of her curatorial work, Jākobsone co-curated the Latvian Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.

Alongside her professional practice, Jākobsone is also active in academia. She holds a PhD and serves as Director and Senior Researcher at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture at the Art Academy of Latvia. Her research focuses on issues in design and architecture, particularly the ideological conditions that shape design practice and its outcomes. She is especially interested in the potential of non-traditional forms of inquiry and in exploring ways to foster criticality in design.

Níall McLaughlin (IE) 

Níall McLaughlin designs buildings for education, culture, health, religious worship and housing. He won Young British Architect of the Year in 1998 and received the RIBA Charles Jencks Award for Simultaneous Contribution to Theory and Practice in 2016. Níall was elected an Aosdána Member for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Ireland and as a Royal Academician in the Category of Architecture in 2019. In 2020 he was awarded an Honorary MBE for Services to Architecture. Níall has been shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2013, 2015, 2018 and winner in 2022 for The New Library, Magdalene College. His work is featured in the Sir Banister Fletcher’s Global History of Architecture, 21st edition and Kenneth Frampton’s Modern Architecture, 5th edition.

Oya Atalay Franck (CH) UIA Representative 

Prof. Dr. Oya Atalay Franck BSA/SIA is an architect, architectural historian, and award-winning educator. She is Dean of the School of Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering at ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland. From 2017 to 2024, she served as President of the European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE). Her teaching and research focus on architectural theory and history, urbanisation, and design research. She has taught at several universities, among others at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in the United States, ETH Zurich, and ZHAW, and has published widely on architectural education, design doctorates, and research methodologies. She also serves as an expert for international scientific bodies, peer reviews, accreditations, and professional design competitions.

Elena Arregui Jaeger (ES) VELUX Representative 

Elena Arregui Jaeger is the Market Director at VELUX Iberia, where she has dedicated over two decades to projects that enhance quality of life through daylight and fresh air, with a focus on efficient design. She is driven by a belief in transforming homes to foster a deeper connection with nature. With more than 20 years of leadership experience across general management, business development and marketing, Elena is passionate about creating meaningful value for customers, partners and employees and on leading high-performing teams toward excellence and innovation. Elena holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from universities in Madrid (Spain) and Münster (Germany) and an Executive MBA from IE Business School in Madrid

Doris Wälchli (CH) Alternate Juror 

After graduating from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Doris Wälchli started her architectural career with a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and subsequently worked for practices in Barcelona and Lucerne, before founding Brauen Wälchli Architectes in partnership with Ueli Brauen. She has taught at various architecture schools in Switzerland and internationally. She is currently chair of CUB, the Fondation Culture du Bâti (foundation for a high quality built environment). She was previously a member of Lucerne’s urban planning committee and also chair of the Bern urban planning committee. Since 2023 she is chair of the Swiss Conference of Architects, and in this capacity, a delegate at the 
International Union of Architects UIA and at the Architect’s Council of Europe ACE.

Jury Procedures 

The jury will meet in April 2026 to evaluate the submitted projects and select 5 regional winners from each of the five UIA member regions: 1) Western Europe, 2) Eastern Europe and the Middle East, 3) the Americas, 4) Asia+ Oceania and 5) Africa. 3 special prizes will be given to the best projects demonstrating `Natural light in new buildings´, `Daylight in building transformation’, and ‘Daylight Investigations.’ The selected regional winners will be invited to an event during the UIA World Congress of Architects in Barcelona, where they will present their projects to the jury in front of a live audience. The jury will then select 1 global winner.

How to participate? 

To enter the competition and award, students need to register before 30 March 2026. Registration is open now and is free, requiring only an email address and a phone number. The next step is to assemble a team, connect with the teacher and start developing the project. Projects must be submitted by the deadline 06 April 2026. 

Register here

The key dates 

30 March 2026: Registration closes 
06 April 2026 : Submission deadline 
April -May 2026: Jury meeting and announcement of Regional Winners 
June- July 2026: Regional Winners’ workshop & presentation to the jury and selection and the 
announcement of 2 Global Winners

The award brief 

The competition and award invites students to explore the role of daylight in architecture. The aim is to encourage and challenge students of architecture to create a deeper understanding of daylight as an ever-relevant source of energy, light and life. View the full brief at: https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/award-brief/

A source of inspiration

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX is part of the Daylight and Architecture community initiated by the VELUX Group. Curating unique content created by architects, journalist and researchers, 
the daylightandarchitecture.com website holds a comprehensive library of filmed lectures, daylight talks, and articles. 

The content is especially valuable for students of architecture joining the Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, for finding inspiration and expanding their understanding of the importance of daylight for life on Earth.

After a thorough review of infrastructure, security and authorities’ capacity to support housing arrangements for foster families, SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine (SOS Ukraine) chose Dubliany, a suburb of Lviv in Western Ukraine as the first location for the Children’s Living Places project. This project aims to take a leading role in reforming the childcare system in Ukraine by promoting preventive social work and family-based care for children without parental care. Lviv City Council recently signed the lease for a land plot, paving the way for construction to begin today. 

Children’s Living Places was officially announced at the Ukraine Investment Forum 2.0 in Copenhagen in 2024, with the participation of Danish Minister of Business Morten Bødskov, then newly appointed Prime Minister of Ukraine Julija Svyrydenko, SOS Children’s Villages Denmark and Ukraine and several coalition partners.   

Groundbreaking marks start of better care and better homes

The groundbreaking event marks new beginnings not only for the families and their new community, but also for Ukraine’s challenged childcare system, while contributing to the rebuilding of the country’s many destroyed homes. 

Foster families, residents from the surrounding neighbourhood, members of Lviv City Council and partners from the large coalition of international partners behind the project will gather at the event to celebrate the new addition to the community. 

The homes will be built according to the Living Places principles, an open-source concept developed by the VELUX Group, EFFEKT architects and Artelia engineers, aimed to create healthier, more sustainable homes. 

Construction of the homes in Lviv is expected to be completed in early 2026, while the second and third locations for Children’s Living Places homes in Ukraine will be announced in 2026.

The coalition behind Children’s Living Places consists of SOS Children’s Villages in Ukraine, SOS Children’s Villages in Denmark, the Villum Foundation, Viessmann Foundation, Grundfos Foundation, Bitten & Mads Clausen Foundation, Somfy Foundation, DOVISTA, VELUX Ukraine, Artelia, Kromann Reumert, DFDS, iC Cube, Archymatyka and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO). 

Facts 

• The Children’s Living Places project will build new family-based care environments in Ukraine in three different locations supporting the change from institution to foster family care in Ukraine
• In November 2024, the reform “Strategy for Ensuring the Right of Every Child to Grow Up in a Family Environment’ (2024-2028)” was passed by the Ukrainian Government. The strategy includes a comprehensive review of legislation in childcare during 2025-2027
• Each cluster of Children’s Living Places houses will consist of three family homes, one social centre, one pavilion and one bomb shelter as per Ukrainian law on three locations across Ukraine
• The principles of the Living Places concept are to create homes that are healthy, affordable, simple, shared over time, and scalable
• As of February 2025, 236,000 residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed according to Kyiv School of Economics
• As of February 2025, the United Nations Development Programme estimates the reconstruction cost will be 524 billion US dollars

The VELUX Group invites students of architecture to participate in Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, formerly known as the International VELUX Award for students of architecture. The 2026 competition and award represent the 12th edition, which until now has collectively received over 6,000 exciting daylight projects from more than 800 schools of architecture around the world. 

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX continues the legacy set out by the International VELUX Award for Students of Architecture, first launched in 2004. Since then, it has grown into what is probably the largest competition for students of architecture working with daylight, the architects who will shape the buildings of our future.  

The competition and award invites students to explore the role of daylight in architecture and inspire new thinking. The aim of the competition and award is to encourage and challenge students of architecture, and to create a deeper understanding of this specific and ever-relevant source of energy, light, and life. 

The student teams will submit their project under the theme “Light of Tomorrow” with special prizes given to the best projects demonstrating ‘Natural light in new buildings’, ‘Daylight in building transformation’, and ‘Daylight Investigations.’

Register now  

Registration for participation is now open. 

To participate in the competition and award, the first step for students is registration with an email address and a phone number. The students are then encouraged to gather their team, connect with their teacher, and start developing their project. Students have until April 2026 to develop their ideas into innovative and out-of-the-box daylight projects to submit. 

Register here.

The key dates  

01 September 2025: Registration opens  

06 April 2026: Submission deadline; project upload (deadline 23:59 UTC+12)

April 2026:  Jury meeting and announcement of Regional Winners 

26 June- 02 July 2026: Regional Winners workshop / Presentations to the jury / Global winners   

Find the award brief and information on how to take part in Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026 at https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/lightoftomorrow  

Follow Light of Tomorrow by VELUX on  Instagram  and  Facebook  for all the news and updates. 

A source of inspiration 

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX is part of the Daylight and Architecture community initiated by VELUX. Rounding up a range of unique content created by architects, journalists, and researchers, the website daylightandarchitecture.com  offers a rich library of filmed lectures, daylight talks, and articles.  

These are especially valuable for students of architecture participating in Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026, for finding inspiration and expanding their understanding of the importance of daylight for life on Earth.

With this second solar park now operational, VELUX can more than meet its needs for renewable power in Europe. It creates a buffer of 65 % (or 66 GWh) compared to current consumption, thereby enabling future growth in production to happen powered by renewable electricity.

Located in the municipality of Guillena, Seville, the Gerena II park has an installed capacity of 60 MWp and is expected to generate approximately 90 GWh of renewable electricity for VELUX annually. Construction of the park commenced in January 2024 and was completed at the end of December 2024. The park started operating at the end of the second quarter of 2025 when it was connected to the local electricity grid.

This solar park is the second established by BayWa r.e. for VELUX based on a 10-year Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA). The first is in Alhendín, near Granada. It opened in May 2024 and is a pioneering Agri-PV installation, combining renewable energy generation and agriculture, with about 10% of the park designed so farming machinery can pass between solar panels.

Combined with Alhendín, these parks will generate 167 GWh of renewable electricity annually for VELUX and will reduce the carbon footprint of the VELUX Group by approximately 30,000 tonnes of CO2e from the company’s European operations and activities on a yearly basis. Together they generate the equivalent to the electricity consumption of approximately 45,000 European homes.

Following its grid connection, the Gerena II solar park was acquired by asset manager KGAL on behalf of the Software AG foundation.

The VELUX sponsorship agreement with Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) covers the 21-stages of the Tour de France event from July 5-27 and the 9 stages of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift event from July 26 to August 3. That means that from start to finish the VELUX logo will be seen by more than 1 billion people watching the races, either on the ground or remotely. As such, VELUX will be ‘Behind Every Rider’, throughout both the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Furthermore, VELUX will proudly be associated with the notorious Lantern Rouge – backing the last rider of the race classification. The Lantern Rouge symbolises determination, courage and resilience, which are values that VELUX strongly supports. The VELUX logo will be displayed on the ‘broom wagon’, a supportive vehicle behind the last rider. 

Good brand fit

Sponsoring this event fits very well with the VELUX brand. Cycling is recognised as a means for achieving well-being, which is also a key focus of what VELUX products offer. Furthermore, Tour de France riders are exposed to great amounts of natural light and fresh air, which are what VELUX is committed to bringing into people’s lives.

Connecting with partners and customers

Special events will be held for more than 1,500 VELUX professional partners at key race stage locations - right from the men’s Tour de France start in Lille to their finish on Champs Elysees in Paris and from the women’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift start in Vannes to their finish in Châtel.

VELUX has four branded vehicles travelling on the race route in the ‘Tour de France publicity caravan’. These vehicles drive ahead of the riders each day to create excitement amongst roadside spectators and to hand out giveaways. The VELUX vehicles display VELUX products and are designed to demonstrate heat protection benefits.

Tour de France occurs from July 5-27 and Tour de France Femmes avec Swift occurs from July 26 to August 3.

VELUX announced in October last year its Tour de France partnership with ASO. See more details here.

Domea.dk will apply the Living Places principles to establish sustainable communities and homes with a low carbon footprint and healthy indoor climates. So far, the plan is to initially develop a housing project of 40 new rental homes for Domea Faxe in the southern part of Zealand.

Making low-carbon emission housing affordable for many

Going forward, the concept is expected to play a significant role in Domea.dk's upcoming new construction and development plans. Hopefully, this new partnership will contribute to scaling the concept, principles, and the extensive knowledge that Living Places has provided, making it accessible to far more people than is currently the case.

Through the agreement, the VELUX Group shares analyses, calculations and simulations from Living Places as well as detailed information about the five principles behind the Living Places concept with Domea.dk.

The 2025 platinum rating of VELUX follows two consecutive years of gold ratings in 2024 and 2023.  With a score this year of 86, that puts VELUX in the 99^th percentile, or amongst the best of more than 150,000 companies worldwide rated by EcoVadis.

Improvements across all EcoVadis themes

The annual EcoVadis rating process is comprehensive and requires extensive documentation and validation. Four parameters are measured to result in an overall score and rating, with the scale ranging from 0 to 100. The 2025 score for VELUX of 86 points is an 8-percentage point increase from 2024. VELUX improved in all areas, with the greatest increase seen in the environment category where the score rose to 96 from 80. One of the drivers behind this improvement was the first time ever full CDP* disclosure where VELUX achieved an A- in climate change disclosure.

*CDP is a voluntary reporting framework that companies use to disclose environmental information to their stakeholders.

It follows an initial letter of intent between Novelis and VELUX Group entered in 2022. Now, a long-term commercial agreement replaces this and confirms the goal to reach a level of 3 kg CO₂eq/kg flat rolled aluminium or below by 2030.

Benefits of Novelis’ recycled aluminium 

Recycling aluminium saves energy and reduces emissions by up to 95%* compared to primary aluminium, making it a key enabler in advancing decarbonised solutions for building materials and construction. The aluminium alloy provided by Novelis to VELUX is specifically optimised for use in roof window production.

Pushing boundaries for low-carbon building materials with long-term supplier 

Novelis is a leader in driving low-carbon aluminium solutions and has been a supplier to VELUX for more than 40 years. Since 2022, the companies have been collaborating closely to reduce the carbon footprint of the aluminium used in VELUX products. To date, more than 50% of the aluminium supplied by Novelis to VELUX has been replaced with high recycled content, and the partners are working on increasing this amount steadily in the coming years.

Significance of low-carbon materials in VELUX products

Aluminium is one of several key materials VELUX Group is investigating together with its suppliers to help achieve reductions in its products and overall carbon footprint. With more than 98% of the company’s carbon footprint coming from scope 3, value chain emissions, decarbonisation efforts require effective collaboration with key suppliers.