Can glass make our public buildings safer?
03/30/2023
Yes. There are many designs and safety glass products that architects, contractors, and manufacturers can recommend for enhancing a building’s safety.
Design options begin with enhanced physical protection.
Delays unwanted entry. Laminated glass, laminated insulated glass (IG) units, and multi-ply laminated glass are highly shatter-resistant and would delay intruders long enough for those on the inside of the glass to take action.
Prevents flying glass injury. Thanks to the interlayer, shattered broken glass fragments generally remain within the pane, reducing the likelihood of injury that can result from flying glass.
Improves natural daylight. High-performance options block damaging ultraviolet light, reducing the need for light-blocking curtains, and enhanced daylit interiors provide additional safety during power outages.
Glass options offer multiple levels of protection.
Tempered Glass. Tempering is a process designed to greatly increase the safety attributes of the glass. It is achieved by heating glass to approximately 1200°F, followed by a rapid cooling process. This process creates a higher surface and edge compression that enhances its strength, flexibility, and mechanical resistance. Tempering makes the glass four to five times stronger than annealed, or untreated, glass and changes the break pattern so that the glass breaks into small semi-uniform pieces.
Heat-strengthened Glass. With heat-strengthened glass, the cooling process is slower, which results in lower compression strength. Heat-strengthened glass is approximately twice as strong as untreated glass. Heat-strengthening changes the break pattern, though pieces may be larger and less uniform in shape than tempered glass.
Laminated Glass. Laminated glass is comprised of a thin polymer interlayer sandwiched between two or more panes of annealed glass which is subjected to heat treatment inside an autoclave, forming a structural composition. The interlayer creates a bond between the individual lites of glass and keeps the unit from shattering into loose fragments when impacted. In addition to safety considerations, laminated glass can be used to add color, opacity, UV filtering, fire resistance, enhance building security, and improve sound dampening.
Insulating Glass (IG). Insulated glass is composed of two or more panes of glass, separated by a spacer, filled with air or noble gases, and hermetically sealed. The combination of two panels of glass and the trapped air is what makes insulated glass a superior energy-efficient method of glazing. Insulating glass is designed to prevent heat transfer to and out of the building, reducing heat gain and loss to provide enhanced thermal performance.
Coated Glass. Surface coatings can be applied to glass to modify its appearance, improve its thermal performance, or change its optical or other physical properties.
It is possible to change the strength and performance qualities of glass to suit specific purposes or objectives. Understanding these properties is important in choosing the right glass for your window application.
Not sure which is right for your project? Call to discuss options or contact us to find out what window is right for your commercial business needs.