Today, sustainable and energy efficient building materials have become quite important in this world. Glass, among these materials, is important for its functionality, as well as aesthetics. Solar control glass is one such innovation involving glass which has great cooling ability from solar energy to make the environment cool and eco friendly. In this article, we’ll discuss solar control glass, explain why it’s one of the best energy efficient glass solutions and most importantly how it’s different from low-e glass.
What is Solar Control Glass?
Solar energy glass are a kind of glass which has undergone metallic treatment. This coating absorbs or reflects a substantial percentage of solar radiation while letting ultraviolet (UV) light through. Solar control glass is a key function that reduces the amount of heat that goes into a building while allowing natural light to pass through. This not only improves indoor comfort from the standpoint of comfort, but substantially cuts your energy bill because it reduces your need for air conditioning that otherwise may be necessary.
Double or triple glazed glass, with metal oxide coatings on the inner layers, is typically solar control glass. With this structure, the indoor temperatures are also managed and thus it provides pleasant living or working conditions no matter what external weather situation might be.
Explaining the Manufacturing Process of Solar Control Glass
This is because solar control glass is produced out of raw materials such as silica sand, soda ash, and limestone. The glass is also treated to put additional properties, such as the reflective metallic coating, which results in a higher solar control capability. A variety of architectural applications can be achieved with the resulting solar control glass that has both aesthetic value as well as energy efficiency.
Excellent solar control glass has following advantages
Solar control glass has number of benefits and is the best option for the modern architecture. Some of the primary advantages include:
- Energy Efficiency: Solar control glass is another way to minimize the heat of the solar gaining into the house, allowing for comfortable indoor temperatures and therefore less use of air conditioning and energy spent.
- UV Protection: Solar control glass stops up to 94% of damaging UV rays, preventing furniture, curtains and other interior surfaces from fading and damaging.
- Natural Light: Solar control glass offers the ability to minimize the heat while still allowing a lot of natural light into the building, which creates a bright and airy place to be without making you feel bad.
- Improved Acoustic Performance: Commercial or residential buildings in the noisy area usually have a lot of better noise reduction function, hence certain types of solar control glass perform much better than others.
- Durability and Security: Strong, durable, and adds extra security compared to standard glass, solar control glass is also strong. They are tough built and weather will have little effect on them.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Solar control glass is offered in a variety of colours and tints and can add to the final appearance of a building to complement contemporary and modern style.
Solar Control Glass : Disadvantages
While solar control glass offers many advantages, it does have some limitations:
- Reduced Light Transmission: For example, some solar control glass can dim interiors by cutting down on the amount of visible light, and some solar control glass can even permit very low light transmission.
- Installation Complexity: Solar control glass installation can be a little trickier than standard glass, and may require special skills and equipment.
- Cost: Though the energy savings can cover the up front expense, as one might expect solar control glass is more expensive than standard glass options.
- Weather Dependence: Solar control glass performance differs from one weather condition to another as the effectiveness depends on factors such as temperature and sunlight intensity.
Uses of solar control glass
- Commercial and Residential Buildings: Solar control glass is ideal for large glazed area, glass roofs, facades and windows. Since it blocks in heat and UV rays, it is considered a better solution to all structures; be it residential or commercial.
- Automotive Industry: It is becoming common to have car windows with the solar control glass to minimize light intensity and interior convivial temperature respectively.
- Skylights and Sunrooms: The solar control glass is also intended for skylight, and other areas where only natural light is desirable but high heat and UV is not.
Difference between Low-E Glass and Solar Control Glass
Specifically, I got to understand that there is a lot of confusion between solar control glass and low-e glass and both offer great energy efficiency properties. However, the main difference lies in their coatings and applications:
- Low-E Glass: The metallic layer in low e glass is deposited in the low e glass production process while the glass is in its liquid state. The coating also emits infrared radiation in order to improve the thermal accumulation and thus minimize heat loss.
- Solar Control Glass: Solar control glass coatings are generally formed at room temperatures in a vacuum chamber. By enabling the glass to reflect or transmit heat or solar radiation and yet admit natural light this makes it perfect in its heat and light control.
Conclusion
Ancillary glass market has a major product in the type of ‘solar control glass’ which offers energy and aesthetic appeal in the glass industry. It also enables indoor climate control which eliminates the use of artificial cooling systems because of the oriented control of solar heat and ultraviolet radiations. In creating energy efficient sustainable spaces for residential, commercial or automobile use, solar control glass is the way to go.