Medium Performance Solar Controlled Glass Units

The most common types of glass offering a medium performance for solar control are body tinted. Standard tints available are grey, green, bronze and blue.
The grey and bronze types tend to substantially reduce the light transmission values which is an advantage for reducing glare whereas the green and blue tints have higher light transmission values combined with a reduction in the direct solar heat transmission.

 

High Performance Solar Controlled Glass Units

Product Description
The general characteristic of high performance solar control glass is a three level process of achieving high levels of light transmission through the glass whilst reducing the levels of direct solar heat transmission (summer benefit) and reducing the amount of heat loss from the building (winter benefit). In comparison, today’s standard double glazed units will work on two levels. They offer little resistance to the direct solar heat gain factor.
High performance glasses are available in many varieties with different performance levels. The most popular types used on our patent glazing systems are classed as ‘neutral’ whereby they appear to be very similar in appearance to clear glass but actually have a very slight tint. A typical neutral double glazed unit will achieve 67 % light transmission and 34% solar heat transmission. Compared to a medium performance grey body tinted double glazed unit which would achieve a lowly 38% light transmission and 36% solar heat transmission. Clear low e double glazed units provide 78% light transmission with a 61% solar heat transmission.
It is possible to achieve levels of solar heat transmission as low as 25% in high performance units but this will be at the cost of light transmission values (40%) and a more visible body tint to the glass.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Most high performance glass products are manufactured in Europe and carry significantly extended lead-in times in comparison to other glass products. Some products have lead-in times in excess of eight weeks compared to medium performance solar controlled double glazed units. Because patent glazing is manufactured to unique sizes on every project and builders are generally reluctant to form openings to agreed sizes, careful consideration should therefore be given to their use. If the designer specifies high performance units but the site programme demands a shorter delivery time then there are still options. A very limited range of high performance double glazed units are now available in the UK with more realistic lead-in times and hopefully this range will be extended in the future. Please contact us for further details on this subject.