You might have heard about solar glass or glass with thermal properties and wondered how effective they really are. Maybe you heard that installing solar-control glass can help you save on heating and cooling costs. But is this really true?
With modern technological processes, glass has been re-invented to be as functional as it is versatile. Whether you are a home owner or business owner, when you install windows and doors fitted with specialised glass, you not only invest in your indoor comfort, but you will reduce your power usage and save on electricity costs for years to come.
At Pro Aluminium we have seen significant results across a range of our projects. Read on to learn how this works…
The magic of specialised glass
Did you know that the windows and doors, the fenestration of a building is responsible for up to 40% of energy loss? This means that in the warmer months, your windows are letting in the heat, and in the colder months, you are losing your building’s heat to the outside.
This problem can be reduced significantly with the use of specially developed glass with increased thermal performance. It’s all in the science of it!
Energy efficient glass – also called ‘sun control glass’ or ‘energy saving glass’ – can be achieved using tinting, Low-E (low emissivity) and other reflective coatings. In some cases a combination of these types of glass may be used. Double glazing in combination with one of these varieties of “smart glass” has also proven to be a highly effective energy saving insulation technique.
Cooler in summer & warmer in winter
During winter, you may opt for using electric heaters. During summer it’s time to turn on the fans and air-conditioners. These appliances are all major contributors to your electricity usage. Now that you know how much of the heat can pass through your windows and doors, you can make smart choices in your home to reduce electricity usage and save a packet of money in the process!
With specialised glass you can keep the ambient temperature in your rooms more constant. You don’t need to turn up the air-con in summer or the heaters in winter- or at least not as much as you normally would. In other words, better insulation with the correct glass will help achieve better energy efficiency, and effectively reduce the cost of heating and cooling.
How does this Low-E glass work?
Tinted glass and reflective glass have been used for decades to regulate heat transfer through windows and thus to cool buildings accordingly. But improved technology offers coatings like SolarView and SolarShield that are far more effective as sun control glass.
Low-E, however, stands out from other coatings. Low-E coatings minimise the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that can pass through glass without compromising the amount of visible light that is transmitted.
Low-E glass has a microscopically thin, transparent coating which reflects long-wave infrared energy (or heat). Some variations of Low-E glass also reflect significant amounts of short-wave solar infrared energy.
When interior heat tries to escape to the colder outside during the winter, the Low-E coating reflects the heat back to the inside, reducing the radiant heat loss through the glass. Similarly during the summer it keeps your interiors cooler by reflecting the exterior heat before it enters your windows. So the heat reflective quality of the coating works both ways, keeping your buildings cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Using less artificial heating and cooling will save you considerable amounts of money in the long term. If you compared your electricity bills before and after installation of your energy saving windows and glass doors, you would be pleasantly surprised!
Double glazing means long term savings!
In recent times, double glazing, also known as insulated glazing, has become an ingenious method to shield the indoors from harsh outside climates.
Double glazed windows comprise two sheets of glass in the same window frame. The two panes form a sealed unit, enclosing a vacuumed space most often filled with argon gas. This innovative design serves to effectively reduce heat transfers through the window. 
In fact double glazing can reduce the heat loss of a building by up to 50%. In the long run it is more affordable to install double glazing and energy efficient glass than it is to warm your spaces with power-draining heaters or cool them with air conditioning.
The added advantage of course, is the benefit it has for the environment – less burning of oil, gas and coal and therefore less carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
Low-E glass already offers superior thermal insulation, but if you want to ensure optimal energy-efficiency in your building, and save even more, you can opt for Low-E glass double glazed windows and doors.
Think ahead and save on your electricity bills
Whether you are an architect working on your new design, a homeowner planning renovations to your home, or a property manager looking to go green, talk to our sales team at Pro Aluminium to learn about the best glass options for your project.
We’ll help you achieve great benefits by installing energy efficient windows and doors.
