RoofandFacade Guide Directory Portal

Monday, 03 November 2008 13:31 - V-KOOL Fragment Retention Films

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:31:31 +0100

THE increasing trend towards constructing commercial and residential buildings with large areas of glass, translates into large cooling loads, due to the heat gain through the windows.

The application of V-KOOL films on the interior side of glass windows, reduces the solar heat transmission, thereby decreasing air-conditioning loads and generating energy savings. At the same time, V-KOOL’s transparency means that daylight can be ‘harvested’, reducing artificial lighting requirements in buildings significantly.

V-KOOL is produced, using a patented process to embed a coating of metals such as silver and indium, only a few hundred atoms thick, on to optically clear and durable polyester film.

When applied to windows, the product is said to screen 94% of infrared rays responsible for heat buildup, while letting in over 70% of visible light. The solar heat reduction is said to be around 55%.

Further, the films are said to absorb 99% of ultraviolet rays and possess an equivalent SPF (sun protection factor) of over 200. V-KOOL products incorporate UV inhibitors, to significantly reduce ‘sun-bleaching’ of upholstery, carpets, drapes and window display merchandise.

V-KOOL is ideal for new construction or can be retrofitted right over existing glass, in commercial and residential buildings.

A significant advance in surface and particle science led to the development and patenting of V -KOOL’s proprietary technology. By perfecting a multilayer dielectric stack, approximately 180 nanometres thick, VKOOL is able to selectively filter out unwanted and harmful infrared and ultraviolet rays while allowing useful visible light through.

This technology has won V-KOOL many accolades including Popular Science Magazine’s ‘Top 100 Inventions of the Millennium’. V-KOOL’s potential for energy conservation has been honoured by the US Environmental Protection Agency, with the prestigious Energy Star Buildings Ally marque.

Installation of V-KOOL products is quick and easy, and does not involve the use of solvents.

V-KOOL Fragment Retention Films

Sometimes referred to as safety and security films, V-KOOL’s Fragment Retention Films (FRFs) are heavy gauge, polyester films that are easily applied on to any existing glass surface, to hold broken glass shards in the event of breakage. Specially formulated, cross-linked adhesives bond glass and film together. They hold broken glass in place, mitigating the likelihood of glass being propelled at high speeds into interior areas or falling to sidewalks below the window.

Retail shopfronts, skylights, galleries, museums, banks, military installations, homes and any area where there is a potential for glass-related injury or damage, or forced entry scenarios, can benefit from V-KOOL FRFs.

V-KOOL FRFs are available with or without the spectrally-selective heat rejecting coatings. Products with the heat rejecting coatings, are marketed under the name V-KOOL Secure.

Wednesday, 22 October 2008 10:54 - Solarban® 70XL Solar Control Low-E Glass

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:54:57 +0100

Solarban® 70XL (2) glass is a revolutionary new Solar Control, Low-E glass that combines the clear appearance of transparent, colour-neutral glass with an unprecedented combination of solar control and visible light transmittance. With the introduction of Solarban 70XL glass, PPG has expanded the universe of design possibilities in two important ways. First, this new product allows architects to incorporate vast areas of transparent vision glass into a building’s design without a requisite expansion of its cooling capabilities. Second, architects can now specify a clear aesthetic look while achieving solar control performance that was previously attainable only through the use of tinted glass and a Solar Control Low-E coating in an insulating glass unit. When coupled with conventional clear glass in a one-inch insulating glass unit, Solarban 70XL glass on the second surface delivers a Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of 0.27 with Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) of 63%. The result is a Light to Solar Gain (LSG) ratio of 2.33, which surpasses the performance of any other Solar Control Low-E glass on the market.
While architects will appreciate Solarban 70XL glass for its aesthetic qualities, the clients and building owners will value the energy-related cost savings it provides. According to a recent study by an independent energy and environmental research firm, Solarban 70XL glass has the potential to reduce annual energy costs by 3% to 5%, even when compared to existing top-of-the-line Solar Control Low-E glasses. However, the greatest benefit of specifying this glass may be realized before the building is even occupied. Thanks to the unequalled solar control characteristics of Solarban 70XL glass, architects can specify smaller cooling plants for buildings glazed with this product, potentially reducing up-front capital investment in cooling equipment by as much as 26%.

Tuesday, 14 October 2008 10:59 - Sun-Guard® Solar Control and Low-E Glass

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:59:47 +0100

Guardian’s Sun-Guard Coated Glass is a preferred choice among architects and specifiers around the world. A revolutionary series of architectural glass products, Sun-Guard glass delivers energy efficiency that will meet or exceed local energy code requirements. And the Sun-Guard Low-E products are spectrally selective, as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Guardian Industries pioneered “Silacoat™” manufacturing to produce Sun-Guard Coated Glass products. Silacoat technology is based on a patented process of vacuum sputtered deposition, which consists of multiple layers of exotic metals magnetically applied onto the glass surface. Often referred to as “soft-coat”, vacuum sputtered coatings produced by the silacoat process are more durable than traditional soft-coat products and allow Sun-Guard products to be fabricated after coating.

The Sun-Guard Series currently includes nine products offering a variety of aesthetically pleasing colors and a wide range of performance characteristics to support most applications. The Sun-Guard Solar Control Series and Low-E Series can be heat-strengthened or tempered after coating and most products can be laminated. Many Sun-Guard products can also be bent. Sun-Guard products provide reduced solar heat gain and thermal performance through a wide range of shading coefficients coupled with low U-values to fit most applications.

Design professionals desire a range of color options to meet demands for new, innovative and vibrant architecture. Expanded options of visible light transmission, solar heat gain coefficients and outdoor reflectivity offered by the Sun-Guard Series provide designers with the coated glass to meet these demands. The dynamic performance range of nine different coatings on clear and green substrates covers a wide range of energy efficient, colorful design applications.

Tuesday, 14 October 2008 10:25 - Pilkington Profilit™ - Profiled Glazing System

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:25:26 +0100

A SELF-SUPPORTING glazing system, Pilkington Profilit™ Profiled Glass Architectural System offers a wide range of design options, including the ability to meet many radii. With its significantly higher design flexibility, Pilkington Profilit Glass is an excellent alternative to glass block and other translucent materials. Pilkington Profilit Glass has been used for large glass facades and interior glass walls in Europe for more than 30 years, in a wide range of building types, including architectural and residential applications.