Glass glazing is the term used to describe the process of inserting glass into windows, doors, or walls.
Generally, the number of glass panes in a glazing system will determine its energy efficiency and ability to block UV rays and outside noise. It also affects the strength of the glass itself.
Double skin wall
Double skin walls are building facades composed of two layers of glass. The outer layer, usually toughened or laminated safety glass, provides protection from external elements while hosting ventilation openings. Meanwhile, the inner layer may be double glazing which protects against thermal losses.
Due to their thermal qualities, double skin facades are highly recommended for skyscrapers. They offer several advantages such as transparency, improved occupant comfort and reduced air conditioning costs.
These structures also enable natural air circulation, which can improve the health and comfort of occupants. This is especially beneficial for workers who spend most of their time indoors.
Architects can design buildings to become breathable spaces, allowing the air to pass through them freely. This keeps occupants feeling cool and comfortable even during extreme temperatures.
In cold climates, heat from the sun can be trapped between interior and exterior facades, keeping interiors warm without allowing cold air into the building. Conversely, in warmer climates this space acts as a vent, drawing hot air from outdoors and expelling it from within the structure.
A double skin wall not only offers these advantages, but it can also significantly improve sound insulation performance of the exterior facade. This can be accomplished using various methods; however, perforated metal sheets prove to be particularly efficient in this regard.
Float glass
Glass is an incredibly versatile material, suitable for many purposes. Not only does it offer safety and durability, but also acoustic insulation and energy-efficiency; glass solutions can offer customers all of the functionality they require while adding visual beauty to their homes or offices.
Float glass is a common type of glazing made by mixing raw materials like sand and organic elements in a furnace before being slowly cooled and formed into ribbon-like shapes in a float bath.
Sir Alastair Pilkington invented the float glass process in 1950s and it remains widely used today to manufacture products such as window glass, mirrors and vehicles. This efficient method enables production of sheets with thicknesses ranging from 2-22 mm with smooth surfaces.
The float glass process is much less time-consuming than older methods, which required grinding and polishing on both sides to achieve the desired quality. Furthermore, it’s much stronger and durable, allowing windows and other components to sustain significant stress over time. This has an immense benefit when it comes to replacement costs over time as well as general upkeep.
Laminated glass
Laminated glass is a type of safety glazing composed of two or more pieces of tempered or regular glass sandwiched between an interlayer of flexible PVB plastic film. This keeps the layers bonded together even if they break, making laminated glass more durable than other types of safety glass.
Its strength and durability make it a suitable material for skyscrapers and commercial buildings with large windows, making them safer both inside the buildings themselves as well as those outside who can see inside through their windows.
Another advantage of this glass is its increased fire and earthquake resistance compared to ordinary glass. This means it takes more time for the glass to shatter and fall out during an earthquake, making it much safer for those attempting to flee the building.
Laminated glass has the added advantage of reducing sound transmission from outdoors into your home or car, especially beneficial if you have elderly or noisy neighbors as it helps to muffle noise levels.
Laminated glass is also useful for protecting interior finishes from fading due to prolonged sun exposure. The interlayer in laminated glass filters out 99.9% of UV rays that could otherwise damage these finishes.
Wired glass
Wired glass, also referred to as Georgian wired glass or GW glass, is manufactured with a mesh reinforcement during the manufacturing process. This helps keep the glass together in case of fire, preventing it from shattering and giving people more time to escape.
Safety glazing has been a widely-used type of safety glass in hospitals, schools and other facilities for decades. When selecting your safety glass, ensure it has been tested and is fire rated up to 20 minutes or longer.
However, wired glass may not be as safe as it appears and could cause serious injuries if broken accidentally. It’s especially hazardous in places prone to impact like schools and children’s play areas.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have recognized the hazards posed by traditional wired glass. As a result, they have implemented tougher safety requirements for architectural glazing materials, with many building codes now mandating that all hazardous locations such as doorways, sidelites, and fixed glass panels less than 457 mm from the floor comply with these new impact safety requirements.
Wired glass is often seen in school windows and doors due to its cost-effective nature and fire rating. Unfortunately, most school facility managers and administrators know that wired glass has the potential for breakage, leading to serious injury to students. Thus, selecting a safe alternative that meets all current impact safety regulations is critical.
Low emissivity glass
Low emissivity glass, also referred to as ‘low-E’ glass, is a type of window glass designed to reduce heat gain and loss through your windows. This process works by applying an extremely thin coating on the glass that’s much thinner than human hair.
This coating blocks long-wave infrared energy from entering your home while allowing short-wave solar infrared to pass through. This reduces the amount of radiant heat that passes through your windows and helps keep you comfortable year-round.
In addition to decreasing heat gain and loss through your windows, low-E glass also blocks ultraviolet (UV) rays from entering your home. These rays can fade fabrics and be hazardous for skin health.
Test if your windows have a low emissivity coating by using a light meter. Place the light meter on an even surface, and have your partner move it back and forth underneath for accurate readings.
Low emissivity glass comes in two varieties – passive and solar. Passive coatings maximize solar heat entry to your space during wintertime, while solar coatings minimize it and keep your building cooler during summer.
Self-cleaning glass
Self-cleaning glass is a type of glass coated with an effective layer to keep it free from dirt. This coating works by activating UV rays present during daylight, breaking down organic dirt that collects on its surface. Rainwater then sweeps away these particles leaving no streaks behind.
It is believed that the process takes a few days for the coating to fully take effect, but can be repeated multiple times. It works best on windows and conservatories where organic dirt accumulates, such as hard-to-reach areas.
This coating also helps you save on cleaning expenses, since it eliminates the need to use chemicals for window and roof washing. This makes the process environmentally friendly – something which appeals to many individuals.
This process involves depositing a thin film of photocatalyst-containing compounds onto the surface of glass, which is then cooled to form an even, self-cleaning coating.
Depending on how much UV light the glass receives, this process can take days, weeks or months to break down organic dirt. It is still necessary to wash the glass afterwards in order to completely remove any traces of dirt.
As long as there is a regular cycle of rainfall and UV light hitting the glass, it should remain clean for up to 10 years. This is because the coating works by breaking down organic dirt and preventing it from adhering to the surface.
