Environmentally friendly solar control glass with high selectivity.
What distinguishes modern buildings? Surprising solid shape, unobvious construction materials and world-class design. However, good style is not everything. Today in architecture it is equally important to properly embed buildings in an ecological context, while also designing spaces that are friendly and open to the needs of the user. High selectivity solar control glass fits perfectly into such a trend .
Along with building automation, integrated photovoltaic systems, zero-energy projects gaining popularity or solutions in line with the guidelines of neuro-architecture, high-performance glass of the new generation is becoming a mandatory element of modern architecture today. High-transparent solar control glass used to create glass facades of modern buildings, effectively protect interiors and users (and indirectly the planet) from overheating. They contribute to reducing the operating costs of facilities related to cooling, guaranteeing optimal levels of interior illumination. They take care of people's well-being, providing thermal and visual comfort in homes, workplaces or public facilities. The list of advantages of this solution is incredibly long and timeless, and manufacturers are constantly improving them - all in order to maximize benefits and meet current requirements.
SAS headquarters, Frösundavik, Sweden. COOL-LITE XTREME 70/33 glass on DIAMANT glass.
© LASSE OLSSON
Glass houses and office buildings - trend or standard?
More and more glass is appearing in architecture every year. Modern single-family houses stand with large-size glazing, and more and more interesting glass facades are appearing in the urban landscape. Public buildings, shopping malls, hotels or office buildings being erected today are increasingly transparent. Designers are happily "sculpting" in glass, creating attractive cities set in the best global trends. Glass buildings are durable, elegant, visually "light" and blend in well with the urban fabric - they find their way perfectly in both densely built-up centers and on the outskirts of metropolises. At the same time, they have an uncanny ability to attract attention with their original design and harmoniously harmonize with the surroundings, without disturbing the character of the architectural puzzle.
Glass opens unlimited design possibilities for specialists, as it is the best material for creating the optically open spaces that are so desirable nowadays. Glazed walls of buildings, even with small interior spaces, make this limitation no longer perceptible. The rooms are filled with daylight, which is necessary for proper human functioning, and naturally "penetrate" with what is outside - the greenery surrounding the building, the enchanting landscape or the city skyline. In each case, the effect is very impressive.
In addition to aesthetics and visual qualities, in modern construction it is also important to care for the planet. In this aspect, glass is a unique material - it is environmentally friendly, it can be easily recycled, it also has excellent thermal insulation properties, which translates into a favorable energy balance of buildings, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. All this together contributes to the realization of sustainable construction, which is the current standard in Europe. The construction industry, responsible for 40% of the world's energy consumption and CO2 emissions at a similar level, in the face of a warming climate and the need for widespread decarbonization, is reaching for the optimal solution in this situation - the latest generation of highly selective solar control glass.
Architecture aware of change
© SAINT-GOBAIN
Glass in a modern way - friendly to people, environment and budget
The use of high-transparent solar control glass in windows or on all-glass building facades solves some of the most pressing problems related to the scarcity of natural light in people's lives, spending almost 90% of their time indoors today, the control of heat in interiors, and the increasing costs (financial and environmental) of using air conditioning and ventilation.
Highly selective glass, thanks to three layers of silver, provides high light transmission of Lt%, while protecting against solar heat and preventing overheating thanks to a reduced solar factor (g). Because of this, we can significantly reduce the use of or even completely abandon the installation of cooling systems, which - in addition to the expense - also generate a lot of heat that is then emitted into the environment. The reduction in operating costs is therefore real, especially in the face of rising energy prices.
The new generation of eco-designer solar control glass is the result of a combination of advanced technology, aesthetic qualities and functionality, as well as a response to modern user needs and designers' search for modern, durable, elegant and "healthy" architecture.
- An example of solar control glass with excellent selectivity available on the market is COOL-LITE® XTREME 61/29 (II), a newcomer to our portfolio, which provides even more benefits than its predecessor thanks to its excellent performance parameters, says Monika Naczeńska, Marketing Manager at Saint-Gobain Glass. - Neutral color, transparent appearance of the sheet and low reflectivity go hand in hand here with even extreme selectivity (S = 2.1). The triple layer of silver covering the glass filters out more than 2/3 of the sun's energy (g = 0.27), while allowing as much as 63% of daylight to pass through. The improved COOL-LITE® glass thus offers the best combination of energy performance and light comfort for users, meeting the latest green building requirements in this area.
This high-performance solution is also striking. COOL-LITE XTREME® 61/29 (II) glass enhances the aesthetics of the structure and the rooms themselves with its low levels of external (11%) and internal (14%) reflection, becoming a guarantee of a discreet, flawless glass facade. It also stands out for its neutral color reproduction regardless of the viewing angle. Architects appreciated the product not only for its coefficient values, but also for its neutrality in perception or the possibility of using different formats. COOL-LITE® XTREME 61/29 (II) is perfect for oversized glazing (up to 18 m) making the project visually breathtaking, but without sacrificing the safety and comfort of users. Elegance and pragmatism in one!
High-transparent solar control glass addresses the issues of designers making informed choices for a better future of architecture. To a large extent, it is the glazing that affects the appearance of a building, its operating costs and the quality of life of the people inside. When thinking about contemporary designs, we must keep in mind their impact on the environment. Choosing modern glass solutions, we can be sure that they will take care of all these aspects - and comprehensively!
For more information, visit the company's Saint-Gobain Glass page on the AiB portal.
