Choosing the right glass fire rating (Rf)
The Belgian and EU standards give rise to a specific requirement relating to the relevant partition wall. In Belgium this is mostly EI30, EI60, EI120, E30 or E60. This requirement enables you to select the corresponding fire-resistant glass. Then a check must be carried out to see whether the dimensions you need fall within the maximum dimensions, written in the test certificate, and in combination with what type of profile it can be used (wood, steel, aluminium, etc.). AGC Glass Europe has two ranges of fire-resistant glass, each with their own scope.
Pyropane is a toughened fire-resistant glass with a special coating. It can be used for classes E30, E60, EW30 and EW60 or more specifically as a smoke curtain (Pyropane SB 100). Its coating and its resistance to high temperatures mean that in a fire it will hold back much of the radiation energy. This range is – depending on the product – fire-resistant in one or two directions.
Pyrobel or Pyrobelite is a glass consisting of a number of layers of float glass separated by a transparent fire-resistant gel. In case of fire, these intermediate layers will swell up one by one and change into an opaque insulating shell that is fireproof and that considerably limits the transfer of heat. This type of fire-resistant glass can be applied to meet both an EW requirement (EW30, EW60) and an EI requirement (EI15, EI20, EI30, EI45, EI60, EI90, EI120) and is always fire-resistant in two directions. To protect the glass from UV radiation, when it is used in façades it must be combined with at least two polyvinylbutyral (PVB) sheets that act as a UV filter.
To create continuous fire-resistant interior walls in glass, AGC recently launched Pyrobel Visionline. Since vertical frames or profiles there no longer necessary with this product, they can be assembled to create very long glass partitioning walls (Figure 1 – AZ Groeninge hospital in Kortrijk, BE). A silicone joint of 4 mm to 5 mm is then inserted between two fire-resistant volumes. Pyrobel Visionline is available in EI30 and EI60.
Fire-resistant glass such as Pyrobel, Pyropane and Pyrobel Visionline gives architects more freedom to meet the severe requirements relating to fire resistant partitions in their design.

The next issue will discuss Glasstronics, a smart combination of glass and electronics.

Thomas Hens (Technical Advisor, AGC Glass Europe)

In our last issue, we discussed a number key factors to be taken into account when choosing facade glass. This issue will focus primarily on the environment and demonstrate that designers of glass buildings are also thinking about our planet.

We will be looking at three environmentally friendly construction methods:

• Insulating buildings: cutting C0₂ emissions by reducing energy loss via glass.
• Generating energy: cutting energy consumption by using glass as a construction component as well as to generate electricity.
• Using sustainable materials and environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques.

Insulating buildings

Since E-levels are constantly being lowered under current legislation, building materials must perform better and better. With glass covering a large part of a building’s facade, more of an effort must also be made in this area. Modern technology is delivering Ug values of 0.5 W/m²K for triple glazing and 0.9W/m²K for double glazing, the latter thanks to AGC’s new Thermobel 0.9 range. How? By adding a second hard coating (in position 4) to a double-glazing unit already equipped with a soft coating (in position 2). The new range is primarily used where conventional triple glazing is too thick for the profiles being used or already installed.

Wurth Den Bosch, Netherlands

Insulating glazings intended for glass facade spandrels, such as the Thermobel VIP (Vacuum Insulation Panel) glazing developed by AGC, can already achieve a Ug value of 0.15 W/m²K. Thermobel® VIP is designed according to the double glazing principle. The internal finish can be an enamelled glazing or a combination of a (toughened or standard) glazing and an enamelled metal covering (steel or aluminium).

In the double-glazing spacer, vacuum components are inserted to ensure optimal thermal and sound insulation. The external glazing can be enamelled using a wide range of colours, so you can create the perfect combination of vision glazing and spandrel glazing based on the Colorbel Color Matching range.

You can also create a contrasting effect with Artlite Digital: a new digital silk-screen printing technique enabling you to customise your glass in any way you want.

Generating energy

In addition to providing necessary thermal insulation, facades can generate energy by transforming solar radiation into electricity. This system, known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), consists of a laminated safety glazing with embedded photovoltaic cells. It can also be assembled as a double-glazing unit. The key difference between the BIPV system and regular photovoltaic panels is that BIPV forms part of the building and is as such entirely integrated into its framework, whereas photovoltaic panels are considered as independent components. Skylights (see Image 1), transparent glass panes, canopies and glass roofs for atria or conservatories are all ideal applications for the BIPV system.

SunEwat, a product developed by AGC, is a BIPV module integrating all the current functions of glass products. All SunEwat modules are individually examined and a different configuration is required for each one. Therefore, architects can create modules according to their own specification and obtain a final result which is in keeping with their projects. The inclusion of photovoltaic cells on a building’s facade also makes it more environmentally friendly. Total energy generation depends on the orientation and angle of the glass, as well as the number of embedded cells.

Using sustainable materials

Using sustainable building materials is becoming increasingly vital.    AGC is the first European glass manufacturer to be awarded the Silver Cradle to Cradle (C2C) label for its float glasses and soft coatings. Cradle  to  Cradle.

(C2C) is a rigorous programme led by MBDC    with a view to assessing the sustainability of products as a whole, i.e. throughout their life cycle. The aim of this approach is to certify the products of the most environmentally friendly companies, from the very first stage of production to the decomposition of residual materials.

The Silver C2C label allows us to earn a number of additional points as part of a whole range of environmental assessments, such as LEED and BREEAM, based on the performance of buildings in the relevant domain.

Thermobel Green (AGC) is an environmentally friendly alternative to standard insulating glass (double or triple glazing). The manufacturing process has been adapted to enable the more rational use of sealing compound during assembly. When installing glazings into frames, Thermobel Green truly spells an end to surplus sealant for a more aesthetically pleasing result. Thermobel Green can be ordered as part of a standard delivery with arrissed edges to avoid any risk of injury during glass handling. This finish also helps to minimise the risk of breakage during handling, storage and transport.

Ir. Thomas Hens (Technical Advisor, AGC Glass Europe)

©AGC Glass Europe

Glass is a multifaceted material that has been used widely for centuries to embellish facades and interiors. In contemporary architecture, glass plays an even more important role. Used alone, it can add a personal touch to any facade. Of course, this would be impossible without the wide range of new products and innovations to have emerged on the market in recent years. But is everyone aware of these latest developments? And just how do you select the right kind of glass for a given project? These are precisely the questions that this article will attempt to answer. Over four issues, we will be discussing the various factors affecting your choice of glass with a view to delivering a safer, more economical and more environmentally friendly project, or simply one that improves living conditions.

Key factors

When choosing the ideal glass, you must take into account a whole raft of factors, chief among which are the insulation value (Ug value), the solar factor (g value), light transmission (LT) and appearance (colour, reflective properties). Glass choice really does have a significant impact on a building’s energy performance, meaning you should ideally choose the right kind of glass as early as the design phase. Glass must also meet different requirements for residential and office buildings, so the appropriate glass type must be selected separately for each given project.

Office buildings

Glass choice is vital in establishing a comfortable climate inside office buildings, where lights and electronic equipment generate enormous amounts of energy and heat and free solar gains are generally surplus to requirements. Solar gains are also hard to predict and particularly significant where facades are constructed entirely of glass, making air conditioning extremely difficult. Therefore, office buildings should always be fitted with glass offering the lowest possible solar factor (g value), and hence low light transmission (LT) properties. Roughly speaking, half of solar energy is visible light while the other half is made up different forms of radiation (UV rays, infrared rays, etc.). When glass retains a large proportion of solar energy (low g value), it also retains a lot of visible light. In other words, it has a low light-transmission rating. Since g values and light transmission are interrelated, a compromise must always be made between the two factors. In office buildings, g values are much more significant than light transmission because of the constant presence of artificial lighting.

Residential buildings

The situation is a little different for residential buildings, where light transmission is instrumental in preventing the need for artificial lighting. Free solar gains are welcome but must be accompanied by effective external solar protection. The insulation value (Ug value) of the relevant glass is also an important consideration, just as in office buildings. However, a distinction must be made between new constructions and renovation projects. In existing buildings where glass with a low insulation value is replaced by glass with a very low Ug value (e.g. triple glazing), the dynamics of hygrometric regulation in the

building can change. The coldest surfaces in the building are no longer the windows, but rather the external walls. Without sufficient ventilation, this means mold is likely to appear – generally in corners. Therefore, during partial renovations, it is important not to focus solely on the Ug value of the glass. Of course, in complete renovations and new builds, where entire buildings are optimally insulated, very low Ug values are particularly beneficial. In practice this means that, for minor renovation work, triple glazing is less beneficial and double glazing is the more logical choice, while in new builds either high-performance double glazing or triple glazing can be used. To achieve effective external solar protection, we recommend a triple-glazing unit that combines free solar gains with a very low Ug value, e.g. AGC Glass Europe’s Thermobel Tri glazing, which has been certified for use in ‘passive houses’.

Facade orientation

One final key factor when choosing glass type is which way the facade faces, in both office and residential buildings. For north-facing facades, you should choose a glass with high light-transmission properties that lets through as much daylight as possible, e.g. Thermobel Top N+. For other facades, you should opt instead for solar-protection glass such as Thermobel Energy N or enhanced solar-control glass like Thermobel Stopray (glasses marketed by AGC Glass Europe). To avoid any variation in colour, we recommend using the same kind of glazing for glass mounted on the same facade surface. However, you can use two different types of glazing on two different facade surfaces without any issues, since the two glazings will never be viewed from the same angle, so any differences will barely be visible.

Intelligent design

Taking into account all these factors will help you to avoid several issues, such as overheating, and ensure that conditions inside the building remain much more comfortable. Intelligent design and optimal glass choice will enable you to radically reduce the amount of energy a building consumes. Selecting the right type of glass is about more than just appearance and insulation values. Choose wisely, as your decision might have a significant impact on the building’s energy envelope and the comfort of its occupants.

Ir. Thomas Hens (Technical Advisor, AGC Glass Europe)

For more information on AGC Europe products, visit www.yourglass.com

CVD (Chemical vapor deposition in atmospheric pressure) on the other hand is far superior and the latest. Here, the chemical composition is vaporised and then allowed to deposit on semi-solid glass (online coating) in a controlled manner, achieving high deposition rate and the coating would be even. In most cases, the coated side would have a silver appearance.

It would be a disaster if spray coated glasses which come at cheap rates are used (especially when it is mis-sold with the name “Hard coated reflective glass”) in buildings. Below are some pictures for reference.

Spray Hard Coat - Coating peel off

Left Side competitor's Spray Hard Coated Blue Glass, Right Side- Asahi Stopsol Supersilver Aquablue CVD Hard Coated glass

CVD Hard Coated Glass also offer better aesthetics- both internal and external

Click Here to read more on Hard Coated / Pyrolytic Coated Glasses.

° BHEL to add capacity for glass insulators; The Ceramic Business Unit of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, which has manufacturing plants in both Bangalore and Jagadeeshpur in Uttar Pradesh is also setting up a plant to manufacture glass insulators for transmission lines.

° HNGIL to invest Rs 5,000cr in 5yrs to hike production capacity; Hindusthan National Glass Industries Ltd today said it plans to invest up to Rs 5,000 crore in the next five years to set up new facilities and expand existing capacity.
The firm, which had a total production capacity of 9.40 lakh tonnes in the last fiscal expects it to go up to 12 lakh tonnes in 2011-12.

° JAPAN – Resumption of Production at AGC Asahi Glass Kashima Plant; Kazuhiko Ishimura, president and chief executive officer of Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. (AGC), provided an update on the resumption of production at AGC Asahi Glass Kashima Plant, which was severely affected by the earthquake in eastern Japan. Ishimura noted that restoration of the float glass facility for architectural flat glass has been completed, and suspended production/shipments have resumed.

° Pittsburgh Glass Works to add NC plant; PGW said it will establish a new manufacturing facility in Elkin, N.C., that will employ more than 260. Hiring is expected to begin in 2012. The new plant will produce automotive glass products for OEM and aftermarket organizations within the automotive industry, due to continued surging demand for automotive glass parts.

° Taiwan Glass to Harvest from Low-E Glass Investment in 2011; Taiwan’s largest manufacturer of high-tier glass, will gradually enjoy harvests from investing in low-E glass in Changhua Coastal Industrial Park of central Taiwan, and Chengdu of Sichuan Province and Tianjin Municipality of China.

° Magnesita Awarded Contract for Gerdau Ameristeel’s Sayreville, New Jersey Facility; Magnesita Refratários S.A. announced that Gerdau Ameristeel, a leading producer of long steels in the Americas and one of the major suppliers of specialty long steel in the world, has awarded Magnesita a contract to manage all refractory needs for Gerdau’s Sayreville, New Jersey Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Rebar Operations steel mill.

° Tata Steel Sells Majority Stake in Refractory Unit; Tata Steel Thursday said it would sell 51 percent stake of its refractory unit (Tata Refractories Ltd) to Japanese firm Krosaki Harima Corporation. The transaction is based on an equity valuation of TRL at approximately Rs.1,130 crore and is subject to approval of relevant regulatory authorities in India and Japan.

° Longhorn Glass Inc. will be back in full production after completing a $40 million upgrade and expansion to its Houston bottle manufacturing facility. The company’s main customer is the Houston brewery of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch.

° Nampak Wiegand Glass is to invest almost R500 million in rebuilding and expanding one of its furnaces at its glass bottle manufacturing facility at Roodekop, Alberton.
Furnace 2 which is nearing the end of its useful life will be rebuilt at a larger capacity and at the same time improved bottle-forming equipment will be installed. Commissioning is planned for the first quarter of 2012.

° Corning Incorporated said on April 8 that the company plans to maintain production levels at its Shizuoka and Sakai City LCD glass facilities during Sharp Corporation’s temporary production curtailment of LCD panels.

° On April 5, Saint-Gobain inaugurated a new solar glass furnace at its Glass Renedo plant in Spain. The company says its $50.6 million USD investment will double its output of patterned glass for the solar power and interior design markets to an annual capacity of 60,000 tons of SGG ALBARINO glass. The 134 m2 furnace has a production capacity of 200 tons per day of extra clear SGG.

° Magnesita, which produces raw material for steel industry, signed a deal to supply refractory to Thyssen’s factories, the largest stainless steel producer in Europe.
The company will sell 70% of the Thyssen use of magnesite refractory to Bruckhausen factory. In Beeckerweth plant, Magnesita will supply 60% of refractories. And at HKM, Duisburg, 50%. The three units are near Dusseldorf, Germany.

° Magnesita Refratarios SA based in Brazil, the largest refractory products maker in Latin America, is expected to follow the international upward price trend and increase its prices in Latin American market.

° Martin Schlaff plans to get rid of his stake in technology and fireproof products manufacturer RHI AG, according to reports. Business magazine Trend claims today (Mon) that the Austrian billionaire wants to sell his interest to Brazilian Magnesita Refractories SA (Magnesita), one of RHI’s main rivals. Schlaff, who started investing in RHI four years ago, currently holds more than 25 per cent of stocks in the firm.

° Following recent installations of DSF Frimax 7 Spinel in oxy–fuel and conventional glass melting furnaces DSF Technical Manager Chris Windle is presenting a paper entitled “Spinel Refractories for Oxy-Fuel and Solar Glass Melters” at the Annual Meeting of the International Commission on Glass (ICG) in Shenzhen China.

° Owens Corning, the leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements, on March 9 held the official opening ceremony of its new production facility in the Yuhang Economic and Development Zone, Hangzhou, China.

° Owens Corning on March 22 announced today that it is investing in the construction of a new furnace to expand production capacity at its Tlaxcala, Mexico, glass reinforcements facility.

° AGC: impacts of earthquake on glass activities
A detailed announcement done:
http://www.agc.com/english/news/2011/0314e.pdf

° Seeing the promising business opportunities generated from China energy-saving market, Taiwan Glass Group will invest US$138 million to establish an energy-saving glass plant in Wuhan of Hubei province, China.

° Vidrios Lirquen, the NSG Group’s float glass joint venture in Chile resumes production after February 2010 Chile earthquake and reaffirms its commitment to the Chilean market.
The float tank in the Concepción region of Chile has resumed production just over 12 months after being put out of action.

° Taiwan Glass Industrial Corp’s board of directors approved a plan to invest NT$3 billion in a new super-thin glass production line to meet market demand, the company said in a statement to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

° MUMBAI: Vijay Mallya-led United Spirits (USL) will invest around Rs 600 crore to set up glass manufacturing plants

° Vitro SAB, the Mexican glassmaker that defaulted on $1.2 billion of bonds, will seek a buyer for its U.S. business if a Texas bankruptcy judge orders the units into Chapter 11.