Architectural glass units

Types of architectural glass units:

Energy saving.
Such glass has a special coating which gives the glass an ability to reflect thermal radiation. It promotes reduction of glass unit thermal conductivity. In cold climatic zones such glass units preserve the warmth of indoor space produced by inner lighting and heat devices. In hot climatic zones these glass units reduce the transmission of outer heat into the room. The following types of glass have energy saving characteristics:

• k-glass (“hard glass”) - low emissivity glass that is resistant to outer exposure. It has pyrolytic coating which is produced by the chemical reaction with high heat.
• i-glass (“soft glass”) – low emissivity glass with a selective layer applied by the method of cathodic spraying in vacuum. Energy saving coating of this type isn’t resistant to outer exposure and therefore can be used only in glass units (with the coating on the inner surface). I-glass has a higher level of heat insulation than k-glass.

 
Reflective.
Reflective glass has a coating that restricts the transmission of sun heat into the room but doesn’t influence maximal amount of natural lighting. That said, during the daytime one can observe the mirror-like effect from outside and the toned effect from inside. During the night optical features of the glass are inverted, so with the inner lighting on the mirror-like effect is observed inside the room. In other words, reflective glass reflects the light to the direction where there is more light.
 
Toned.
This type of glass reduces transmission of light in both directions without mirror-like effect and is installed to a glass unit from the outer surface.
 
Triplex.
Triplex is a composition of two and more pieces of glass glued together with a special tape. It provides the construction with extra durability towards mechanical destruction. When damaged, the glass of triplex cracks but doesn’t fall to pieces because the shatters stick to the tape.
Triplex is characterized with a higher degree ofsound insulation in comparison with regular glass of the same thickness.
 
Decorative glass units:
Coloured.
Bended.
The possibility to use bended architectural glass allows architects create impressive buildings and constructions.
In addition to regular bended float glass there are bended tempered glass, bended triplex, bended multilayer glass with tempered layers and bended glass units.