The use of glass has been ubiquitous in homes for hundreds of years and its easy to take even the most innovative use of glass for granted. Behind the scenes, however, the glass industry has been developing at breakneck speed with new and exciting technologies being developed and released to the market every year.
This post explores four of the most exciting glass technologies and looks at some of their applications within the home.
1. Low E Glass
Traditional float glass is anything but energy efficient. While letting through almost all visible light, it also allows heat to enter and escape through the pain very easily. What this means is that infrared heat is allowed through the glass during the summer, heating up the room and in the winter, allowing heat to escape through the glass from inside your home.
Low E Glass (also known as low emissivity glass) applies an invisible layer of metal over the glass during the manufacturing process which is very effective in reflecting heat and UV rays. The result is a far more efficient window pane, reducing heat entering your home during the summer months and slowing heat escape during the winter.
Although more expensive than regular glass, installing low E glass in your windows and skylights can save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs throughout the year.
2. Energy Efficient Double Glazing
Often combined with Low E glass coatings, energy efficient double glazing adds another layer of energy efficiency to your windows.
Traditional double glazing traps a thin layer of air between two panes of glass which effectively reduces energy transferrance through the window. Energy efficient double glazing takes this concept one step further by replacing the air with an inert gas which greatly increases the efficiency of the glass pane.
As well as being kind to your wallet by reducing your energy costs, energy efficient double glazing is also works as a very efficient noise insulator, making it perfect for homes near roads and airports.
3. Low Iron Glass
While we think that glass is clear, in reality it’s anything but. Have you every turned a pane of glass on its side and looked through the ‘edge’ of the pane? In fact, traditional float glass is green due to its iron content.
Low iron glass removed much of the ‘green’ out of the glass, making it exceptionally clear. Perfectly suited to thick panes of glass like balustrades, pool fencing and table tops, low iron glass brings a whole new level of clarity to any glass product.
4. Frameless Glass
Up until fairly recently, large or thick panes of glass needed to be supported by bulky frames, often detracting from the desired ‘invisible’ effect that glass brings.
Recent innovation in glass manufacturing means that large panes of glass can be produced that are both incredibly strong and incredibly thin. The reduced weight while not compromising safety means that the glass can be hung using extremely slim-line fittings and in many cases not requiring a frame at all.
Frameless shower screens are at the forefront of this technology, allowing homeowners to create luxury shower enclosures that are practical, affordable and infinitely stylish.
Although the latest glass and glazing technologies are allowing more to be done with the world’s favourite building material, what’s truly exciting is how affordable these innovations are becoming for the homeowner.
Every year as technology increase, prices fall — making now the perfect time to take advantage of these four innovations in glass.
Citations:
This article was written for yourblogname.com by Palmers Glass, a leading glass company in Sydney that has been at the forefront of glass technology for more than 30 years.
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