EDITOR ’ S CHOICE
TECHNICAL GLASS
FOR WHEN SIZE MATTERS
Advances in glass processing and the use of advanced interlayers , to produce lighter , stronger and larger glass panels , are assisting the architect in designing stunning glass buildings . With glass panel sizes increasing , there are now many more options for the external building envelope . Susan Sinden , Commercial Director of ESG Group , looks how the glass processor is helping the architect to dream bigger .
Thanks to modern toughening and lamination processes , glass has become a safer , stronger and more versatile building material than ever before , allowing architects to push the boundaries of practical building design .
In the process of lamination , two layers of glass are sandwiched together using a PVB ( PolyVinyl Butyrall ) interlayer , which bonds the layers of glass together . This technique is normally used to combine two sheets of toughened glass , adding strength , safety , and a wide range of functionality .
Critically , the advent of toughened laminated glass products such as ESG Tufflam™ has allowed us to increase the size of the individual glass panel . With the considerable additional strength which lamination brings , we can now produce glass panels of several metres in height and width , and these panels can be joined unobtrusively , to produce large expanses of glass which to be appear uninterrupted . This allows architects full reign for their imagination , giving them the freedom to create some of our most iconic modern buildings .
Lamination brings a host of other benefits too . By laminating two layers of toughened glass , security is greatly enhanced . If a panel of toughened laminated glass is damaged , the damaged section will usually stay in place . Most of the glass fragments are held in place by the interlayer to which they are bonded , so , although the appearance of the glass may be marred , and the panel may become bowed or misshapen , it may not even need to be boarded over until a replacement can be installed . This not only protects the building ’ s users from coming into contact with shards of glass , it also helps to preserve the integrity of the external envelope , which would inevitably be compromised with nonlaminated glass .
Laminated security glass can pass the standards for EN356 manual attack resistant glass . High security glass , created by using multiple glass panes and interlayers , either prevents the external envelope from being breached altogether or significantly extends the time that it would take to breach the glass panel , sufficiently to deter the would-be intruder . And even ballistic resistance can be added with the use of the appropriate advanced interlayer . Again , larger panels also allow uninterrupted sight lines , which can be critical in high security areas such as airports .
It doesn ’ t have to be either or ; we can use combinations of interlayers to introduce other features such as sound attenuation with high security or to incorporate additional functions such as privacy .
One of the most popular advances in interlayer technology in the past decade has been the rise in use of the switchable interlayer . Once , privacy meant using permanently frosted glass . Now , with interlayer technology , seclusion can be a deliberate choice . A switchable privacy layer allows the glass panel to be either transparent or opaque at will , allowing occupants to admire the view if they wish , but also to enjoy privacy when required . The interlayer is controlled by a small electric current . When current is passed through the interlayer , liquid crystals inside it line up to allow light to pass through and the panel becomes see-through . However , when the current is switched off , the particles in the interlayer align randomly , making it opaque . The glass panel can therefore be transparent or opaque , quite literally at the touch of a button , or with the use of an app or remote control .
Modern glass processing technology has ensured that we can now provide vast expanses of glazing , which are cost effective , extremely long lasting and highly secure . This means that what were once merely concepts for the architect can now become a practical reality .
Glass , one of the oldest building materials in the world , has developed so dynamically that it is now at the forefront of creating the most futuristic buildings . As the glass processor and architect are together proving , when it comes to glass panels , size definitely matters .
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