A New Perspective
August 12th, 2020 | Category: Architects' Guide to Glass and MetalExploring the Latest in Architectural Glass and Glazing
By Jordan Scott
Innovations within the glass and glazing industry are constant, keeping up with the ever evolving community of commercial architecture. As the world shifts toward increased energy efficiency and aesthetics that push the envelope, glass companies are launching their own solutions. Here is the latest in glass and glazing products, from bird-friendly glass and insulating glass components to curtainwall and coatings.
Bird-Friendly Glass
Feather Friendly
Guardian Bird1st glass offers a balance of solar performance, aesthetics and bird safety, so architects can start designing bird-friendly build-ings through one source, according to the company. A patent-pending UV stripe coating on the first surface is virtually invisible to the human eye in dry conditions. Views remain clear, unlike traditional ceramic frit solutions, all while helping protect birds. Paired with select Guardian SunGuard low-E coatings, Bird1st glass offers the high performance architects want and need, and meets LEED Pilot Credit 55, according to the company. The Guardian Bird1st UV stripe coating visually signals an impending barrier to birds and helps prevent collisions. With an acceptable Avoidance Index score from the American Bird Conservancy, the product follows the 2 by 2 rule to account for different sizes and species of birds.
Four the Birds
Walker Glass Company Ltd. has expanded its AviProtek offering with four new bird-friendly glass designs. Three of the AviProtek designs use dot patterns and typically are used for guard rails, rain screens and insulating glass units and are usu-ally paired with a third-surface low-E glass. These patterns have been introduced to align with both mandatory and/or voluntary municipal-level legislative requirements. The fourth AviProtek design, pattern 701, is a multi-directional random line design, part of the AviProtek T product line that utilizes patented UV technology applied to the first surface of the glass that is barely noticeable to the human eye yet visible to birds. Pilkington’s proprietary coating provides the UV-enhanced reflective properties while Walker’s acid-etch technology creates the standard and custom patterns needed to meet the various bird-friendly regulations of jurisdictions across North America, including the newly published CSA A460 standard on bird deterrence. ‘
Curtainwall
Seamless Efficiency
Kawneer Co.’s new 1620UT SSG curtainwall system features a narrow sightline along with a polythermal separator and 1-inch thick insulating glass. There are several design options including a traditional captured look or a two-sided vertical SSG mullion solution. Both use concealed fasteners. To minimize installation time and labor, straight cuts without notching simplify fabrication, claims the company. A rainscreen pressure-equalized back pan option that uses spandrel adapters is also available. The System U-factors range from 0.30 to 0.32 when using glass with a 0.24 center-of-glass value.
Glass
Finding Clarity
The new series Solarban Acuity from Vitro Architectural Glass is designed to provide a truly clear aesthetic. The low-iron glass is 60% less green than ordinary clear glass and can be combined with the full range of Solarban solar control low-E coatings for enhanced performance, according to the company. It offers clarity for vision glass applications, a truer rendition of colored spandrel glass panels and eliminates the green cast inherent to conventional clear glass to create a more brilliant aesthetic without compromising project budgets or energy performance, according to the company.
Insulating Glass
Bullet-Resistance Meets Performance
sedak Isosecure combines bullet-resistance with the performance capabilities of modern insulating glass, according to the company. This is not a traditional polycarbonate system. Glass with coatings for solar control and heat retention can now be used in the construction of bullet-resistant insulating glass, so building security and modern energy characteristics are no longer incompatible in insulating glass façades. According to the company, the prod-uct protects without splintering up to bullet-resistance class BR7 NS according to DIN EN 1063. The maximum size of the bullet-resistant glass is 137 by 787 inches.
The new construction also allows for the use of coated glass, according to the company, explaining that the insulating glass fulfils the desired energy standards despite its protective qualities. Likewise, since polycarbonate is not used, sedak isosecure can achieve a fire protection class.
More Than a Pressure Equalizer
Spacer unit manufacturer Swisspacer, in partnership with Veka, provides enhanced features to Swisspacer Air, which works as a pressure equalizer between the inside of an insulating glass unit and the surrounding environment. The added features now include sound insulation, heat insulation and sun protection. The component allows for a larger space between glass, reducing risk of damage caused by climatic stress. This also results in new possibilities for system configurations. The sound insulating qualities of units using this component can reduce noise perceived in the building by approximately 20%, found tests performed by Veka. The sound reduction index of the insulating glass is improved by up to three decibels. With larger airspaces possible, fabricators can use thinner glass, which reduces the weight and makes it easier to install, claims the company. Shading systems can also be implemented easily in the cavity and the glass will not bend or bulge. Triple and quadruple designs with interior shading systems are possible, while also meeting sound insulation and heat insulation needs.
Laminated Glass
Guarded Glazing
AccessGard security glazing from Global Security Glazing, part of Consolidated Glass Holdings, is a laminated glass product designed to improve a building’s security, without compromising glass performance benefits and aesthetics. Tested to ASTM F1233-08 standards, AccessGard is capable of withstanding up to six minutes and 47 seconds of continued attack, while the enhanced AccessGard-2118 can withstand up to 17 minutes. It’s available for monolithic constructions and insulating glass units in new and retrofit applications. It also can be custom fabricated with low-E coatings, tinted glass, bent glass, silk-screen patterns and other options to meet performance requirements and aesthetic goals, without compromising safety.
Rainscreens
A Sleek System
Southern Aluminum Finishing Co.’s (SAF) new SAF 4200 RainScreen panel system is a drained and back-ventilated ACM panel system designed to eliminate the visual appearance of mechanical fasteners from the panel edges. The sleek panel system has the features most recently requested by architects, fabricators and installers, according to the company, which adds that architects desire sleek-looking panels with continuous edge surfaces. Fabricators benefit from the elimination of secondary drilling and countersinking of fasteners, reducing assembly time. While installers benefit from using the same wall panel extrusions and installation methods.
The 4200 is based on the company’s current extrusion platform to ensure that its products consistently meet the AAMA 509 performance standard and can utilize other SAF products such as Simple Fix replacement panels.
Sealants
Movement Capability
Sika Corp.’s Sikafl ex-510 AM50 is a one-component, low modulus, fast-curing and elastomeric hybrid sealant with a high movement capability of +/- 50%. Th e sealant is suited for weather sealing window perimeters, joints or gaps connecting dissimilar substrates. It is also suitable for adhesion to non-porous substrates and applications that will require painting. Additionally, it meets ASTM C920, Class 50, has UV and weathering resistance, low VOCs, color retention and a fast skin time, according to the company.
Shower Enclosures
Providing Privacy
Cardinal’s Priva-Tech shower enclosures provide an elegant and contemporary approach to in-shower privacy, with custom patterns, shapes and colors fused with glass in the tempering process, according to the company. Priva-Tech allows shower design professionals and consumers to define the color, opacity, shape and style of the privacy area of any shower glass panel. The finished shower glass panel is created using the company’s in-house Satori digital in-glass printing. Th is in-glass process fuses a special ink frit with the glass during the glass tempering process. Since the digitally printed graphics are fused into the glass, the outside glass surfaces remain smooth to the touch, allowing easy cleaning and maintenance, according to the company.
Sunshades
Engineering Shade
Clover Architectural Products’ sunshades are available as airfoils, tubes, fl at bars or perforated metals for use in horizontal or vertical applications. They typically attach to a curtainwall system, into the building structure or as an infill in a steel frame. Clover’s sunshade finish options include Kynar® paint, powder coat, wood grain powder coat and clear, bronze and black anodized.
The company recently fabricated vertical perforated sunshades for the front entrance façade of Harper College Building M in Palatine, Ill. This project featured four different colors with three shades of blue and one in white, which gave a rainbow effect. In addition, Clover was able to design it so the sunshade would not have to attach to the storefront.
www.cloverarchitecturalproducts.com
Windows
Peaceful Protection
The Rehau System 4500 of doors and windows are a solution for large openings in commercial and residential applications. Compression-seal technology, multi-point locking hardware and a glazing capacity of up to 35 mm, create a highly durable barrier against the exterior environment, according to the company. Th e system insulates occupants from outdoor drafts and noise with a simulated U-value as low as 0.17 and an acoustical rating up to STC 43/OITC 34. Th e Geneo tilt-turn door and window system composed of high-tech Rau-Fipro propriety fiber-composite material. Th is fully-rein-forced polymer window system doesn’t rely on steel for strength as a way to save time, money and improve installation. Th e system is highly rated structurally (AW-PG70), acoustically (STC 45/OITC) and for forced-entry resistance (FER Grade 20) and thermal insulation (U-value 0.13).
Jordan Scott is the editor of Architects’ Guide to Glass & Metal. She can be reached at jscott@glass.com
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