Different characteristics of glazing products.

[edit] Introduction

First, you need to understand the actual needs of the project. You can add all the available features and attributes to your window, but this will often prove to be a costly move that will not have any significant impact on the final product. In fact, you can choose a different type of glass for each specific surface, but the project may end up being more complex than necessary. We recommend looking for integrated solutions that address major environmental conditions, such as intense sun exposure or severe cold.

[edit] The importance of double glazing in each project

Before seeking more specific results, it is important to understand that double-paned windows are the minimum requirement to ensure the efficiency of the glazing units in your project, especially in terms of the orientation of the structure according to its location and the required thermal transmittance and sunlight protection. In special applications, you can use single-pane glass fixtures, but they should be heat-treated.

[edit] Glass selectivity

The sun's rays emit both heat and light energy. In areas of high sunlight exposure, it is important to avoid overheating the structure while allowing light to enter.

To do this, you should study the selectivity of the glazing and choose glazing fixtures that filter and "select" a specific percentage of the light and heat entering the interior space. The more selective the glass, the more light will pass through and the less heat. Cooling is three times more expensive than heating a space, so solar protection is an important consideration when choosing glass fixtures.

[edit] Double glazing

In cold climates, the ability to insulate a space is a key factor to address when designing and executing a project. Heat flows from the hottest areas of the structure to the coldest areas, and if there is a window, heat escapes through it. How much heat is lost? This depends on how well your windows work.

If you choose single (or single pane) glass, you will lose a certain number of watts per square meter of window. If you instal a basic double-pane window, this number can be cut in half, saving you nearly 50% of your energy costs; however, with more advanced window fixtures, such as low-e glass, you can save up to 80% of your energy costs.

[edit] Acoustic protection

In noisy areas, double glazing is very effective against high frequency sounds and they can be more effective with acoustic polyethylene panels to prevent low frequency noise (constant humming, hard to detect but very irritating). In extreme situations such as airports, this solution can be more effective by enlarging the space between the panes, which will significantly reduce external noise decibels.

[edit] Anti-theft protection and security

The laminate consists of two glass panels with a plastic film in the middle, which provides additional protection against vandalism. To break through, you must break the first glass panel, then the plastic film, then the second panel. This feature is especially important for skylights or other windows on the roof if you want to keep the building's occupants safe.

[edit] Mechanical resistance and reheating

This glass is heavy but fragile. Heat treatments such as tempering or heat strengthening can increase the mechanical resistance of the glass to up to five times that of untreated glass. This is a good choice for glass doors that must be subject to constant force when opening or closing.

In buildings with high sun exposure and heat intake, there is a greater risk of surface breakage due to overheating. Tempered glass improves resistance to heat damage and high temperatures.

[edit] Solar control and design

Surface printing or digital printing consists of applying a layer of paint that penetrates the glass through heat. You can choose depending on the appearance of the glass (e.g. adding an image) or the function (e.g. solar performance). For example, if you add white dots to the glass, you will create shadow dots in the interior space.

For the optical axis, you can use the double-dot technique to draw dots on a certain percentage of the glass (e.g., 50% of the surface). The exterior is painted with white dots to reflect sunlight and prevent it from coming through, while the interior is painted with black dots to block the sunlight while still allowing you to see everything outside the window.

Analyzing the details of each project will allow you to get the most effective results from the fixtures you choose to build. For example, in tall towers, many builders choose a combination of the solutions mentioned earlier, combining double glazing, laminated glass and tempered glass.

--Chinanorthglass

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

• Angular selective shading systems.
• Brise soleil.
• Choosing the correct glazed facade heating system.
• Computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• Curved glass.
• Double glazing.
• Double glazing v triple glazing.
• Emissivity.
• g-value.
• Glass manifestation.
• Solar heat gain coefficient.
• Thermal bridge.
• Thermal optical properties.
• Triple glazing.
• U value.