Frequently Asked Questions

Insulate Ukraine is a Ukrainian-registered charity providing emergency replacement windows to homes and public buildings damaged by the war.

Our locally led teams work in frontline and conflict-affected communities, restoring daylight, insulation, and basic weather protection while creating paid work for people in the communities we serve.

We support civilians whose windows have been damaged or destroyed by the war, with particular focus on frontline and heavily affected communities.

Our teams work across homes, apartment buildings, schools, medical facilities, and other public buildings where conventional glass replacement is unavailable, delayed, or unsafe.

Our operations focus on Ukrainian communities affected by ongoing hostilities, including areas in the south and east of the country.

Locations and team activity change as needs and security conditions evolve. Our Reporting page shows our current and historic areas of work.

We currently use two emergency replacement window systems:

V2 is our field-built emergency window. Trained local teams measure each damaged opening, build an engineered softwood frame, attach two PET glazing sheets, and install and seal the finished unit on-site.

WindowKit is a modular system based on a recyclable uPVC frame with two separate PET glazing grooves. It is designed for straightforward, tool-light assembly and potential self-installation where specialist teams cannot safely operate.

V2 uses a locally cut engineered softwood frame and two layers of transparent PET glazing. The PET is secured using staples or equivalent fixings and glazing bead, while industrial adhesive tape and perimeter silicone improve sealing and insulation.

The system is lightweight, adaptable, and designed for rapid fabrication by trained local installation teams.

WindowKit consists of a structural recyclable uPVC frame with two independent PET glazing layers. The frame contains dual internal grooves and gripping features that hold and seal the PET around the perimeter.

It does not rely on liquid sealants, and damaged PET panels can be replaced without discarding the full frame.

Yes. Both systems use two PET glazing layers to create an insulating air gap. This helps reduce drafts, uncontrolled air infiltration, and heat loss while restoring more habitable indoor conditions.

WindowKit is designed to provide thermal performance comparable to a basic double-glazed unit. Performance in any individual building also depends on the opening, installation, and surrounding structure.

We describe them as shatter-safe rather than shatterproof. PET does not fail like conventional glass. When damaged, it is more likely to deform or tear instead of breaking into hazardous sharp fragments.

This helps reduce the risk of secondary injury in blast-affected buildings.

Both systems are designed to reduce air leakage and protect against rain and snow ingress.

V2 uses adhesive tape and perimeter silicone to improve its seal. WindowKit uses an integrated mechanical gripping system intended to create a continuous perimeter seal without liquid sealant.

Both systems are designed to be repairable rather than disposable. PET glazing can be replaced if damaged, extending the usable life of the remaining components.

V2 uses recyclable wood and PET. WindowKit uses separable PET and uPVC components that can be cleaned and recycled after use where suitable recycling facilities are available.

They are emergency replacement systems intended to restore basic livability when conventional glazing cannot be installed immediately.

Depending on the building, maintenance, exposure, and local conditions, they may remain in service for an extended period. They are not presented as a universal substitute for permanent conventional glazing.

You can submit a request using our window-support form. Please provide accurate information about the location, damage, building type, and number of affected openings.

Submission does not guarantee support. Requests are assessed according to need, location, team capacity, available funding, and current security conditions.

Our teams assess requests using practical and humanitarian factors, including the severity of damage, the vulnerability of residents, the type of building, geographic coverage, available materials and funding, and whether the location can be reached safely.

Conditions can change quickly near the frontline, so planned work may be delayed or suspended when access becomes unsafe.

Insulate Ukraine’s humanitarian window support is funded through donations, grants, and partnerships. Recipients supported through our charitable programmes are not charged for the emergency windows provided to them.

Donations support the materials, local labour, transport, tools, coordination, and operational systems required to manufacture and install emergency windows.

You can explore current impact figures and published reports on our Reporting page.

We publish regular reporting, field stories, photographs, newsletters, and social-media updates showing where teams are working and how many windows have been installed.

Our interactive impact map provides the clearest overview of installations by location.

US donors can make eligible tax-deductible donations through our US charitable partner. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances, so donors should retain their receipt and consult a qualified adviser where necessary.

Eligible UK taxpayers can add Gift Aid when donating through our UK donation route. Gift Aid eligibility is subject to HMRC rules and the donor’s individual tax circumstances.

We work with businesses, foundations, charities, municipalities, and technical partners that can support frontline delivery through funding, materials, logistics, expertise, or long-term collaboration.

Contact info@insulate-ukraine.org with a short description of your organisation and the type of partnership you would like to discuss.

You can support Insulate Ukraine by donating, fundraising, introducing a potential partner, sharing our work, or offering relevant professional expertise.

Volunteer and collaboration opportunities depend on current operational needs. Submit our involvement form with your skills, location, and availability.

For general enquiries, partnerships, or additional information, email info@insulate-ukraine.org .

For window-support requests, please use the dedicated request form so the operational team receives the information needed to assess the case.