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EXTERNAL ENVELOPE


61 Seeing the light on solar control


Adrian Adams of Saint Gobain Building Glass UK explains how the latest solar control glass can help create bright interiors without the heat or glare


aximising daylight is now considered fundamental to good design as it enhances the comfort of the occupants and has a direct impact on their well-being. This is often achieved through the use of large glazed areas in facades, atriums and roofs, or the installa- tion of curtain wall systems where the glass is a structural component of the building. Designing-in attractive large elevations of glass can however hinder the thermal performance of a building by allowing in too much natural daylight, so the effects of solar gain must be addressed during the design process.


M


Building orientation is one of the key factors that can mitigate excessive sun exposure. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) advises that for any site, knowledge of ‘sunpaths’ is “fundamental in designing building facades to let in light and passive solar gain, as well as reducing glare and overheating to the building’s interior.”


It is important to carefully consider the strategy for handling solar gain as it will have an impact on the building appearance. Common solutions such as brise soleil can provide external shading, while window blinds may be adopted for internal shading – although their effectiveness would depend on how often building occupants use them. However, if architects envisage designing a building with uninterrupted sightlines and smooth elevations while also aiming to maximise daylight, it is the type of glass they specify that holds the key to success.


How solar control glazing works


The secret to the performance of solar control glazing lies in the microscopically- thin coating that is applied to the glass substrate that forms the basis of these products. The coatings are applied to clear float glass under controlled conditions and consist of single, double or triple layers of silver.


The coating is positioned on the inside face of the outer pane of glass (also known


as face two) within a double or triple glazed unit. It reflects sunlight to reduce the amount entering the building and also works to reduce uncomfortable glare. The coating delivers an optimum balance between the amount of light transmittance that penetrates the glass and the amount of solar heat that is reflected, the ratio of which is described as a coating’s “selectivity index.”


Insulating capabilities


The latest generation of solar control glass delivers higher levels of selectivity than ever before. SGG Cool-Lite Xtreme 50/22 Ii for example has a selectivity of 2.24, which is believed to be the most selective triple silver product available in Europe – and comes with the added benefit of maintaining neutrality of colour. This also delivers another important aspect to the perform- ance of the glass – its insulating capabilities.


ADF MARCH 2017 WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK


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