Glass is produced from naturally occurring silica. Making up 20% of the earth’s surface, silica is a readily available resource. However, carbon benefits are incurred from recycling glass, which requires 25 to 32% less energy than that required to make new glass. In addition, glass can be recycled over and over, making it a truly sustainable product.

The use of energy efficient glazing has a significant effect on the total energy use of a house. Using passive solar design, the suns energy can be captured.

The choice of glazing in a building will have a significant effect on energy use within. Passive solar design can be used to capture the sun’s heat and double glazing is readily available.

Insulated glass is availabe in:

Double Glazing
Triple Glazing
Insulating Inert Glass Fill
Heat Reflective Film

Prevent Solar Overheating

Heat gains can also be a problem in many homes that have large glazed areas exposed to the sun. To prevent overheating, and thereby reducing the use of air cooling there are a number of things that can be done:

Fix external fixed or motorised louvres to reduce the suns energy reaching the surface of the glass.
Use solar reflective films, reflective glass and tinting to reduce solar gains
Electronically tint windows to reduce the light and heat energy transmitted.

Lighting

Reducing solar entry into a home reduces the natural light entering the home as well. This leads to an increased need for artificial lighting; a significant energy use in buildings.

Recent developments in tinted glass [green tinted glass] provides all the benefits of the tint, whilst maintaining the good light transmission.

Energy Producing Glass

Glass panels with photovoltaic cells embedded can generate electricity. For example, BIPV - Building Integrated Photovoltaics With ASI® Glass - glass laminates and double glazed units incorporate ASI® Glass solar panels able to provide solar electricity, light management, and thermal management . Insulated Facade Opaque Cladding is commonly used with commercially available framing systems. See: http://www.schott.com

Sound Insulation

Noise pollution is increasing rapidly, with boom box stereos. big pipe cars, inconsiderate neighbors and increasing traffic.

Studies have proven significant stress related conditions due to the exposure to constant noise. Add to that any sleep deprivations, and the impact of noise on the body can be signficant; leading to both physical and mental disorders.

Noise insulating glass products are avaialble to act as noise barriers. Examples include:

PLEXIGLAS SOUNDSTOP® - reflects sound waves at the SOUNDSTOP® barrier, considerably reducing the noise level beyond the barrier. Available in both clear and colored versions. See: http://www.degussa.com

STRATOFONE - Acoustic laminated safety - security glass has one or more interlayers of clear PVB. At least one of these interlayers is acoustic PVB. Combined with other glasses to support: solar control, low emissivity, and decoration. See: http://www.glaverbel.com

PILKINGTON HUSH GLASS - Cast in Place [CIP] Laminated Glass is designed to reduce noise by using two sheets of glass bonded together with a specially formulated noise reducing resin interlayer. Hush Glass claims to outperform thicker glass, double- glazing and Laminated glass, with the added benefit of being a Grade A Safety Glass. See: http://www.pilkington.co.nz

Low Emmission Solar Insulation Glass

Low-emissivity coatings allow solar energy transmission through the window to heat the interior of a building, but reflect outgoing heat back into the room. Examples include:

Pilkington Energy Advantage Low E Glass - is a clear glass with a transparent low-emissivity coating applied to one surface. Low-E can be processed into toughened or laminated safety glass. When combined in an IGU with Pilkington ComforTone™ glass it can reduce solar heat in summer and heat loss in winter.

Pilkington EverGreen™ - low shading, soft green colored, high light transmission glass providing greater solar control without the use of a surface coating. Available in sheets and blocks

Pilkington Optilam™ - two or more sheets of glass bonded together by heat and pressure with one or more sheets of PVB interlayer. Performance depends upong the number, thickness and type of each glass and PVB interlayers. This product is used to provide safety, security, bullet resistance, cyclone and explosion resistance, solar control and UV protection, noise control, privacy and decoration. Standard PVB interlayer thicknesses are 0.38, 0.76 and 1.52mm.

DMS Glass Envirolam - Laminated glass with a PVB Plastic interlayer blocks out 99% of UV rays as well as preventing the glass from disintegrating when broken. See: http://www.dmsglass.com.au

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