Forums » News and Announcements
8 Advantages and 2 Disadvantages of low E Glass
-
8 Advantages and 2 Disadvantages of low E Glass
It is thought that between 10-50% of a given home’s energy loss occurs through its windows and doors, and that 90% of the energy lost through windows is lost through the glass itself. This is an undeniably hefty chunk of energy to be losing through such a small area of your house’s architecture. In 1975, the first low-emissivity glazing solution was brought to market in a bid to change this.Get more news about Low-e Glass Manufacturers,you can vist our website!
The emissivity of a surface refers to the amount of energy it emits at specific wavelengths, with thermal energy usually being the focus. A material is given a numerical thermal emissivity value of between 0 and 1, with a perfect reflector having an emissivity of 0 and the perfect absorber having an emissivity of 1.
Metals, such as Silver and Aluminium, have thermal emissivities of <0.05, while standard clear glass comes in at around 0.9, making it one of the higher emissivity materials out there. Breaking this down, standard glass with its thermal emissivity of 0.9, allows 90% of thermal energy to pass through it, reflecting the remaining 10%. Clearly then, window glass needs some help in reflecting heat back into the home. This is where low E glass comes in. Low E glass is essentially standard clear glass with a microscopic, transparent coating on its surface that is better at reflecting heat than the glass itself, creating a composition that has a lower emissivity than standard glass. Glass with a low E coating therefore keeps your home warmer by reflecting a higher proportion of the heat back into your home, and can keep you cooler by reflecting solar thermal energy from outside. This coating can either be “soft-coat” – applied to glass off-line in a vacuum chamber at room temperature and sealed within an IGU, or “hard-coat” – which is fused to the surface of the glass while it’s being produced. For the purposes of this piece, we’ll be focusing on soft-coat, as it is of lower-emissivity, and more commonly used in the UK market.
Construction Defects Spotlight: Reviewing Causes of Curtain Wall Failures
In the world of construction defects, curtain wall problems are not uncommon and can lead to millions of dollars in damage to property and structures.Get more news about Curtain Wall Manufacturers,you can vist our website!
In layman’s terms, a curtain wall is the glass and metal “protective skin” that shields modern buildings from the elements. Curtain walls are usually not load bearing, but do play a critical role in protecting a building’s integrity. Because they are subjected to changing weather conditions, expansion and contraction, pressure and thermal gradients, and building movement, curtain wall leakage and more serious failures are not uncommon.
The term “curtain wall” is used to describe a wide range of building envelope systems. From the shining glass skin of many modern skyscrapers, to the glazed-façades of buildings found in most office parks, curtain wall systems are now ubiquitous and have rapidly evolved in recent decades as architects and developers strive to meet a wide range of competing goals, from enhancing aesthetic appeal to increasing energy efficiency and maximizing the usable area within a structure.
Façade engineers and fenestration experts may be needed to analyze the specific root causes associated with curtain-wall-related damage claims. However, the following categories summarize much of what can go wrong:
Review, analyze and organize all available documentation related to the curtain wall system that has sustained damage (architectural drawings, manufacturers information, installation guidelines and related info)