Selecting the right type of glass for buildings is essential in meeting both functional and aesthetic needs. The chosen glass and glass combinations play a significant role in addressing these requirements effectively. Below are some factors to consider when selecting glass for a building:

Solar Heat Protection or Benefit

The building’s location, the orientation of its facade, whether it is in the shade of surrounding buildings, and the amount of sunlight it receives are all important factors in glass selection. Facades that are exposed to long hours of sunlight require high-performance solar control glass such as Solar Low-E, Reflective Glass, or Colored Glass.

For buildings in cold regions where solar heat is desired for most of the year, transparent glass with a high Solar Energy Transmittance (solar factor) should be preferred.

Light Protection or Benefit

The amount of natural light required for a building can determine the type of glass used.

For buildings such as schools, hospitals, and libraries that need a lot of daylight, transparent or low-iron ultra-clear glass may be used. On the other hand, for office buildings, towers, and plazas where excessive sunlight may cause glare, solar protection glass like high-selective (High Selective) Solar Low-E glass can provide an ideal solution.

These high-transparency glasses offer excellent light permeability while also having low solar energy transmittance due to their special coatings.

Thermal Insulation

Heat escapes from the interior of a building to the colder outside environment primarily through the glass surfaces. To minimize this heat loss and ensure energy efficiency, the selected glass and glass combinations should reduce heat transfer, thus lowering heating costs.

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Using insulated glazing units (IGUs) with Low-E coatings, increasing the air gap (16mm is ideal), filling with Argon gas, and in some cases, using triple glazing will significantly enhance thermal insulation.

Sound Insulation

If the building is located near noise sources such as busy roads, railways, airports, or entertainment venues, the glass selected for the facade and windows can help reduce the intrusion of external noise.

To enhance sound insulation, the following measures can be taken:

  • Use laminated glass instead of single glass
  • Use Acoustic Laminated Glass instead of standard laminated glass
  • Use Insulating Glass Units (IGUs) or Triple Glazing with different glass thicknesses
  • Use laminated and/or Acoustic Laminated Glass in IGU or Triple Glazing combinations
  • Fill the IGUs or Triple Glazing with Argon gas

Once the desired noise insulation value (in dB) is determined by the project owner, the most suitable combination will be produced.

Security Requirements

Glass in buildings should be selected based on security needs. When security is a concern, it is essential to check the certificates that prove the glass products meet the relevant standards. Avoid using uncertified materials.

Glass used in areas with a risk of falling, such as railings or guardrails, should be laminated. Additionally, when using curtain wall glass from floor to ceiling, the inner glass layers should be laminated.

For buildings where forced entry is a concern, the appropriate glass combination will be selected according to the relevant standards (TS EN 356). Glass types for protection against forced entry should meet specific classes (P1A … P5A, P6B … P8B), and the glass combination will be determined accordingly.

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For buildings exposed to the risk of gunfire, bulletproof glass classes should be selected based on the EN 1063 standard (BR1 … BR7), and the most suitable combination will be produced.

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