This document discusses structural glazing and glass selection for commercial and residential projects. It provides information on different types of glass including float glass, laminated glass, low-E glass, and insulating glass units. Key factors for glass selection are discussed such as heat loss, condensation control, sound control, fading reduction, and visual comfort. The document also covers glass properties, construction methods, and treatments such as edge working and sandblasting.

1. Structural Glazing Works – Glass
(Commercial & Residential Projects)
S.Sudha Velan B.E (Civil)

2. • Glass is a Combination of sand, soda ash, limestone, dolomite and
some other minor ingredients.

3. Architectural Selection
• The key selection criteria when considering the choice of glass in
an architectural projects are:
• Climate Control (heat gain, heat loss and insulation).
• Fading Control
• Sound Control
• Risk Control (safety, security, fire and surface protection)

4. Glass Selection Guide
• Heat Loss
• Single monolithic glass provides poor insulation.
• Laminated glass does not improve insulation.
• Low E-glass improves insulation..
• Insulating Glass Units (DGU) provide the best insulation.
– Larger air space (up to 16mm) provides better insulation.
– Argon gas fill is better than air for insulation (12mm optimum).
– Argon and Low E can be combined for higher performance.
– Insulation is measured by the U Value. The lower the number
the better.
– Insulation can be measured by the R Value. The higher the
number the better.
• Internal blinds and drapes may help reduce heat loss but
only if installed correctly.

5. Condensation
• Select the insulation to help reduce Condensation.
• Single glass provides poor condensation control without air
conditioning and dehumidification.
• Single Low E glass can increase condensation
• Condensation can reduce the performance of Low E glass.
• Insulating Glass Units provide the best comfort and
condensation control.
– The better the insulation the less cold zones
near windows.
– The better the insulation the more comfortable
the environment.
– The better the insulation the less condensation
will occur.
– Low E glass and Argon gas further reduce condensation.

7. • Conduction – is a type of heat transfer that occurs within a solid
material. When a solid receives a source of heat, that solid in effect
will absorb the heat .
.

8. Convection – while heat transfer through conduction occurs within
a solid material, convection describes the transfer of heat energy in
a liquid or gas.

9. Comfort
• One of the key benefits of using double glazing as insulation is the
increase in comfort. If you sit by single glazing when it is cold
outside you can feel the cold and this is known as the “Discomfort
Zone”. By using insulating glass the discomfort zones can be
reduced even when it is -10ºC outside

10. Daylight – Glare & Colour
• Daylight is the primary source of life and essential to our
existence. Natural light enables us to orientate ourselves while
glass enables us to control and manipulate light to our advantage.

11. Visual Comfort
• Most people spend much of their day in buildings and the quality
of light in their surroundings has considerable influence on their
efficiency, state of mind, health and safety.
• The important principles are:
• Position work areas close to windows.
• Facilitate visibility out of the building.
• Avoid direct sunlight in work areas and the associated problems
of glare.
• Distribute light evenly avoiding areas of strong contrast which can
result in problems associated with glare.

13. Fading
• As solar radiation enters the room it is absorbed by the exposed
furnishings or other material causing the temperature to rise. This
continual heating of the fabric by the visible light and infra-red
radiation, combined with the most damaging effects of the UV light
rays, deteriorate and break down the structure of the furnishings,
and other materials, eventually leading to the dis-colouration that
is associated with fading

14. Key Points on Fading
• UV light is the most damaging radiation.
• Visible light and Infra-red heat are contributors.
• Glazing which absorbs or reflects solar radiation will help to reduce
fading.
• Fading can never be completely prevented.
• Northern faces of buildings will receive greater exposure to solar
radiation.
• Very large glazed areas will permit greater exposure to solar radiation.
• Glazing can be selected to significantly reduce the rate of fading.
• Laminated glass with PVB interlayer absorbs up to 99% of UV light.
• Tinted or reflective PVB laminated glass gives better fading reduction.
• Tinted or reflective glass will reduce solar heat and visible light and
reduce fading.
• Drapes or curtains can help to reduce furniture exposure to damaging
solar radiation.
• Building design can help to reduce direct solar transmission onto glazing.

15. Sound Control Glass
• Glazing and windows play a critical role in the sound insulation of a
building, and are frequently highlighted as the most vulnerable
element in a building’s ability to resist noise intrusion
• Sound reduction will increase with increased glass thickness, due to
the increased mass involved.
• Sound reduction will increase with the use of all laminated glass due
to the vibration dampening effect of the plastic interlayer
sandwiched between the plies of glass.
• Multi laminates combine the increased mass effect of solid glass with
the dampening effect of plastic inter layers can provide even superior
sound reduction.
• Sound reduction can be improved by using different glass thicknesses
and types in double glass / glazing combinations. This minimizes
sympathetic vibrations which occur when glass of the same thickness
resonates in unison and transmits sound.

17. Types of Glass
• Float glass
• Shatterproof glass
• Laminated glass
• Extra clean glass
• Chromatic glass
• Tinted glass
• Toughened glass
• Heat Strengthed Glass (HS)
• Glass blocks
• Glass wool
• Insulated glazed units

18. Float Glass
• Float glass manufactured from sodium silicate and calcium silicate
so, it is also called as soda-lime glass. It is clear and flat, so it
causes glare. Thickness of the float glass is available from 2mm to
20mm, and its weight range from 6 to 36 kg/m2. The application of
float glass includes shop fronts, public places, etc

21. visible light transmittance (VLT).
CLEAR FLOAT EXTRA CLEAR FLOAT
(LOW IRON)

22. Shatterproof Glass
• Shatterproof glass is used for windows, skylights, floors, etc. Some
type of plastic polyvinyl butyral is added in its making process. So,
it cannot form sharp-edged pieces when it breaks.

23. Laminated Glass
• Laminated glass is the combination of layers of ordinary glass. So,
it has more weight than a normal glass. It has more thickness and
is UV proof and soundproof. These are used for aquariums, spider
glazing area ,bridges, etc.

24. • Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film that bonds with glass under heat and
pressure to form laminated safety glass.
• The interlayer sandwiched between the layers of glass is
responsible for the enhanced performance properties of
laminated glass.

25. Benefits and applications of Laminated glass
• Security
• Laminated glass offers greater protection for people and property
by providing an effective barrier from attack. Although the glass
will break if hit with a hammer, brick or similar object, the
interlayer can resist penetration, ensuring any attempt to enter a
premises will be slow and noisy.
• Fading Control
• PVB laminated glass products absorb the sun’s UV radiation while
allowing important visible light to pass through. It therefore helps
protect curtains, furnishings and carpets from fading caused by the
damaging effects of short-wave ultra-violet radiation.

26. • Sound Control
• Laminated glass is very effective in reducing the transmission of
noise through glazing.
• Climate Control
• Laminated glass can have a tinted interlayer or be made with
tinted or reflective glass to reduce glare and heat gain
in a building.
• Colour and Light
• Laminated glass can be made with a wide range of coloured PVB
interlayer to provide special lighting effects.
• Visible Distortion
• Due to the controlled nature of the laminating process, façades
glazed with annealed laminated glass avoid the risk of visible
distortions that are sometimes created by the heat treatment
processes, providing significantly sharper visual transmission and
reflections.

30. Extra Clean Glass
• Extra clean glass has two unique properties, photo catalytic and
hydrophilic. Because of these properties, it acts as stain proof and
gives a beautiful appearance.

31. Chromatic Glass
• Chromatic glass is used in ICU’s, meeting rooms etc. it can control
the transparent efficiency of glass and protects the interior from
daylight. The chromatic glass may be photo - chromic which has
light sensitive lamination, thermos-chromatic which has heat
sensitive lamination and electro-chromic which has electric
lamination over it.

32. Tinted Glass
• Tinted glass is nothing but colored glass. A color producing
ingredients is mixed to the normal glass mix to produce colored
glass which does not affect other properties of glass. Different
color-producing ingredients are tabulated below:
• Different Types of Ions Used to Produce Various Colors in Glasses
• Iron oxide - Green
• Sulphur - Blue
• Manganese dioxide - Black
• Cobalt - Blue
• Chromium - Dark green
• Titanium - Yellowish brown
• Uranium - Yellow

36. Toughened Glass

38. Types of Toughened Glass
• Clear toughened glass
• Laminated toughened glass
• Reflective toughened glass
• Tinted toughened glass
• Frosted toughened glass
• Advantages of Toughened Glass
• Toughened glass is about to 6 times stronger than normal float
glass. Moreover, the process of tempering does not affect any
other property of the glass. Hence, with the same visible light
transmission as normal float glass comes simply greater strength
• Toughened glass is able to withstand massive differences in
temperature (of up to 250°C) whereas normal float glass can
handle only up to 40°C
• Tempering of glass renders it difficult to break and even when it
does due to whatsoever reasons, it will fall apart into very small,
blunt, cube-like pieces that do not cause fatal injuries.

40. • Heat Strengthed Glass (HS)

43. High Performance Glass
• High Performance Glass is one which reduces the ingress of heat
and at the same time allows higher penetration of daylight.
Benefits of Using High Performance Glass:
• It can result in energy savings to the tune of 35-40% as compared
to conventional glass
• It provides access to day lighting which can enhance occupant
comfort and productivity
• High performance glazing is one which can contribute to
optimizing energy efficiency and at the same time enhance light
penetration.
• High performance glazing has low U-value, low Shading Coefficient
and High VLT (Visual Light Transmittance) and is the ideal choice
for today's energy stressed buildings.

44. Types of High-Performance Glass
• Low-E Glass
• Low-E or low-Emissivity glass has exceptional thermal insulation
capabilities. This surface stands to guard against ultraviolet (UV)
radiations.

45. Low E- Coating
• Low Emissivity (low -E or low thermal emissivity)
• Low-E coatings have been developed to minimize the amount of
ultraviolet and infrared light that can pass through glass without
compromising the amount of visible light that is transmitted.
• Two types of Low-E glass: hard coat and soft coat
• Hard coat Low-E glass is manufactured by pouring a thin layer of
molten tin onto a sheet of glass while the glass is still slightly
molten.

48. • Solar Control Glass
• Much like low-E glass, this type also comes with a special oxide
coating responsible for exchanging less amount of solar glare
from outside to inside.

51. Glass Blocks
• Glass block or glass bricks are manufactured from two different
halves and they are pressed and annealed together while melting
process of glass. These are used as architectural purpose in the
construction of walls, skylights etc. They provide aesthetic
appearance when light is passed through it.

52. Self Cleaning Glass
• Self cleaning glass is clear float glass with a pyrolitic coating which
works in two stages. Firstly the coating reacts with UV light rays to
generate a photocatalytic process that loosens and breaks down
organic dirt particles on the surface of the glass. Secondly, when
rain lands on the glass, the water is attracted to the surface by the
hydrophilic properties, causing it to sheet evenly across the glass,
washing away the loose dirt and drying without spotting.

53. Glass Wool
• Glass wool is made of fibers of glass and acts as an insulating filler.
It is fire-resistant glass.

54. • Edge Working

55. Notches, Cutouts, Slots & Holes

57. Bevelling
• With straight line and shaped bevelling a beautiful and decorative
touch can be added to mirrors, table tops, glass door panels and
furniture glass

58. • MITRES
• Straightline machines produce mitred edges with either ground or
polished edges for glass silicone butt joints at set angles. 22.5° and
45° mitres are available as standard.

60. Sandblasting
• Sandblasting float glass with a combination of high pressure sand
and air creates a frosted glass panel which is permanent.
Toughened and laminated glass can only have surface
sandblasting, not deep bite sandblasting

61. Acid Etching
• Acid etched glass is a durable finish created when a glass surface
has been etched with hydrofluoric acid to create a fine
translucent frosted or patterned finish

62. Types of Glass Construction
• Monolithic Glass – Monolithic glass is the most basic of glass
forms. It is simply a single piece of glass constructed using one
glass thickness.
• Laminated Glass – Laminated glass is constructed by combining
two panes of glass fused together with a middle layer of Polyvinyl
Butylenes Film (PVB). PVB acts like a bonding agent to hold broken
glass together.

63. Insulated Glazed Units
• Insulated glazed glass units contains a glass is separated into two
or three layers by air or vacuum. They cannot allow heat through
it because of air between the layers and acts as good insulators.

64. Reflective Coated Glass
• Special coatings can be applied to a float glass surface to make it
reflective to short wave radiation from the sun and/or long wave
radiation from heat inside or outside the building.
• Pyrolytic Coatings
A coating applied on line at high temperature during the float
manufacturing process. Also known as on line or hard coatings.
• Sputtered Coatings
A coating applied off line in special equipment, also known as off
line, vacuum, or soft coatings.

65. Pyrolytic Reflective
• A pyrolytic coating is a metal oxide coating applied on line during
the float manufacturing process. The coating is fused into the glass
surface at high temperature making it extremely hard and durable.

66. Slip Resistant Glass Floor Treatment
• In some situations floors and stair treads require slip resistance and
TempaGrip can be combined with patterns to produce a stunning
visual effect on the upper glass surface.
• In some designs a sacrificial top toughened glass layer can be
provided to protect more expensive multi-ply laminate and allow for
economic replacement.
• Some special clear non slip floor coatings are available depending
on the glass combinations and special non slip adhesive tapes and
films can be also be used.

69. Glazing Properties Requirement
• Light transmission – 40 -50 %
• Visible light reflectance (Out) – 15-20 %
• Visible light reflectance (In ) – 8-16%
• UV -13%
• Solar transmission – 20%
• Solar factor – 0.4 for SGU & 0.35 for DGU
• Shading co-efficient – 0.33
• U-Value – – 5.5 for SGU & 2.5 for DGU

70. Glazing Photometric Properties & Characteristics
• Solar factor: the ratio between the thermal energy coming from
the sun and entering the environment and the energy arriving on
the external surface of the glass;
• Solar transmission factor: the portion of solar radiation
transmitted directly from the glass;

71. Shading Coefficient (SC)
• It's the ratio of solar heat gain passing through a glazing
system to the solar heat gain that occurs under the same
conditions if the window were made of clear, un-shaded
window glass. A lower shading coefficient number indicates
better solar shading performance

72. • U-Value – is a measurement of heat transfer due
to outdoor/indoor temperature differences. It's the amount
of heat passing through one square foot of glass in one hour
for each 1 degree Fahrenheit temperature difference between
the indoor and outdoor air.
• Some of the ways U-values can be improved are:
• Use double- or triple-glazed IGUs
• Use a noble gas, such as argon, in the cavity
• Use low-e coatings

73. Visible Light Transmission (VLT) – is simply the measurable amount
of solar visible light (daylight) that travels through a glazing
system.

74. • Visible Light Reflectance (VLR) – is the measurable amount of
visible light that is reflected out by a glazing system. A glazing
system with a high VLR means that most of the daylight is not
passing through the window.

75. • Ultraviolet (UV) Rays
• UV solar energy is very powerful and dangerous to the human
skin and other earthly materials such as furniture, wood floors,
leather seats, etc. This section will provide a synopsis of the
various forms of UV rays, along with what happens when UV rays
strike a glazing system.
1. UV-A Rays: UV-A rays have the longest energy wavelength and
have the ability to penetrate the skin. These rays are considered
one of the primary causes of skin aging.
2. UV-B Rays: A percentage of UV-B rays are filtered out by the
earth's atmosphere and ozone layers. These rays often cause
sunburn when the skin is overexposed.
3. UV-C Rays: The earth's atmosphere and ozone layers
filter out all UV-C radiation below 290 nanometers.

76. Causes of Fading

77. General Notes
• Sound performance - 28 to 30 db reduction from outside to inside
intensity for 6mm+12mm+6 mm DGU. Laminated glass increases
sound insulation.
• Series of Glass of Saint Gobain make
• KT – Vision
• SKN - Vision
• KS - Vision
• ST – Spandrel
• Glass Wastage - It is mandatory for Consultants to design glass
wastage within 5 %.
• Glass Deflection - Short Span/90 or Long span/175 to be
considered or should be < or = 15mm,
• Spider Glazing – span/180.
• Per capita consumption of glass in India - 0.54 kg per capita.
• Unit weight of glass -2500 Kg/Cum

78. Glass Breakage (Failures)
• Thermal stress occurs when there is an uneven distribution of
heat (solar radiation and/or interior heat) on a glass surface. If
glass is heated uniformly, the whole panel will expand.
If uneven heat distribution exists, the glass expands in different
spots causing excessive stress. Thermal stress fractures normally
occur on the glass edge where the stress exceeds the strength of
the glass.

79. • Tinted Glass
The amount of Total Solar Absorptance (TSA) is a major factor in
understanding thermal stress. The TSA is higher for tinted or
coated glass, since more heat is absorbed (30% to 75%), resulting
in a greater chance of thermal stress fractures.
• Glass Thickness
The thickness of the glass can also determine whether thermal
stress may occur
• Window Size
The size of the window can also contribute to thermal stress
• Exterior Shading
Glass temperature imbalances can be caused by exterior shading
of sunlight.
• Interior Shading
Window blinds, drapes and other window treatments trap heat if
placed too close to a glass window. This can cause glass
temperature imbalances as well.

80. Glass Protection (Protect)
• Glass damage on building sites is a common problem in the
construction industry. It is normally caused by splatter from
concrete, paint, welding or grinding, impact scratches or
scratches from trying to clean off paint, plaster and other
contaminates.
• Protect is an 80 micron UV resistant film that has been fully
researched and tested by a major international film manufacturer
and is specifically designed for use on glass.

82. • Quick tips about tempered & heat-strengthened glass
• Fabrication first. Because of the high internal stresses caused by
heat-strengthening or tempering glass, all fabrication, including
cutting, hole-drilling, notching or edge treatment, must be
performed before glass is heat-treated.
• Rate of cooling determines strength. During heat treatment,
annealed (untreated) glass are heated to approximately 1,200
degrees F, then “quenched” in cold air. Cooled rapidly, glass
tempers. Slower cooling produces heat-strengthened glass.
• Tempered is stronger. Tempered glass has a minimum surface
compression of 10,000 pounds-per-square-inch (psi) and
minimum edge compression of 9,700 psi. That makes it about four
times stronger than annealed glass.

83. • Tempered glass is safety glass. When broken by impact, fully tempered
glass shatters into tiny particles, reducing the potential for serious injury
by flying shards of glass.
• Heat-strengthened glass is not a safety glass. Though heat-
strengthened glass may meet requirements for wind, snow and thermal
loads, it is not considered a safety glazing. Heat-strengthened glass does
not shatter when broken, but fractures into larger, sharper pieces that
can become projectiles in a tornado, hurricane, explosion or fire.
• Avoiding fall-out. Because it does not shatter, heat-strengthened glass
tends to remain in the framing system after it is damaged, which makes
it a better choice for applications where glass fall-out is a concern.
• Lamination for consideration. Laminated inter layers, required for
overhead glazing, can be used with annealed, heat-strengthened or
tempered glass to combine several safety advantages into a single
glazing solution, including less risk of spontaneous breakage and glass
fall-out, and increased resistance to wind loads, snow loads and thermal
stress.

84. • Distorted views. Heat-treatment can generate subtle roller waves
in glass, which are more likely to occur in tempered glass than in
heat-strengthened glass.
• Edge quality is critical. Poor edge quality – or edge damage during
fabrication, delivery or installation – makes glass more likely to
break, which can offset or negate any benefit associated with
heat-strengthening or tempering.

87. Approved List of Materials & Suppliers
• Clear Float Glass – Saint Gobain/Asahi/Modi flat glass /Sun-guard
Guardian/ Pilkington
• Soft Coated Low –E Reflective glass- Saint Gobain
• Glass Processors – Asahi / Glass tech/Sejal / Fuso/Saint Gobain /
Sezal/ Prakash /Guardian/PPG/SYP/ Balaji-Banglore
• Fiber Glass wool – Twiga fibreglass / Lloyds insulations
• Rock wool - Vetrotex /Lloyds insulations /Rockwool India/ Twiga /
KNAUF / Roxul Rockwool
• Glass Laminate -Dupont (Kuraray) / Saflex
• Automatic Sliding Door- Dorma / Kaba / Geze / Savio / Alualpha /
Giesse / G-U

88. Basic Cost of Glass
• 6mm KS series –Rs.1100/Sqm (Vision panel)
• 6mm ST series –Rs.900 /Sqm (Spandrel )
• Heat Strengthening Process – Rs.300/sqm
• 6 mm clear toughened glass - Rs.800/Sqm
• Automatic sliding entrance door (12 mm clear toughened glass) –
Rs.40000 /Sqm
• Spider glazing 8+1.52 PVB inter layer +8 mm laminated glass & fin
10+1.52 PVB inter layer +10 mm laminated glass –Rs.9500/Sqm
• Increment cost of glass thickness of each 1mm - Rs 130/Sqm

89. Saint Gobin Cool Light - ST136 Graphite Blue Glass Facade View

90. IGBC Rating
• Energy - 2 points
• Local and regional material - 2 points
• Recycled content - 2 points
• Daylight - 1 point
• Views - 1 point

96. Thanks & Regards
S.Sudha Velan