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Clear float glass is transparent and colourless offering high visible light entry. As a result most ultraviolet light and solar heat pass through the glass. There is also a high heat loss in winter.
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Clear glass
4mm clear | 12mm air gap | 4mm clear
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This commonly used insulated glass unit (IGU) uses panes of standard clear glass with an air gap in between.
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Tinted grey & clear glass
5mm grey | 12mm air gap | 4mm clear
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Tinted glass significantly reduces solar heat and UV transmission and also reduces light entry. It is suitable for those windows with a major exposure to summer sun.
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Clear glass & low e glass
4mm clear | 12mm air gap | 4mm low e
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Low E (or low emissivity) glass greatly enhances the insulation performance of the unit.
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Clear glass & argon gas
4mm clear | 12mm argon gas gap | 4mm clear
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This IGU has argon gas in the internal space which enhances the insulation performance.
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Clear glass & argon & low e glass
4mm clear | 12mm argon gas gap | 4mm low e
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This unit combines the insulating benefits of both Low E glass and an argon gas internal space.
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Changes to the energy efficiency clause (H1) of the NZ Building Code mean that double glazing will be used in most houses in New Zealand. The glass options shown focus on double-glazed units of different types.The decision in glass selection is usually one of balance between light, heat and fading control (from UV - ultraviolet radiation). The greater the light transmission the less heat and fading are controlled.
You can still enjoy large windows and doors offering great views and indoor /outdoor living at its very best while benefiting from energy savings, reduced condensation a year round healthier home.The problem is that windows are often “thermal holes” accounting for up to 35% of a homes heat or air-conditioning energy loss via the windows.
A combination of Technoform thermal break material and special low e double glazed aluminium windows that optionally can be argon filled result in very efficient high performance windows. This can overcome the problem where windows are traditionally the weakest point for retaining energy within a home.
Today glass has come a long way and a special low e coating on the glass can deflect harmful UV radiation while at the same time helping to insulate your home. In cold climates we welcome the suns heat and light most of the time. Once we capture this heat we don’t want to give it up. In a warm climate however, we don’t want the heat, but we do want the light. Advances in modern high performance windows let us have it both ways.
In cold climates condensation typically develops around the windows edge. In double glazing if the glass panes are separated by an aluminium spacer the highly conductive aluminium encourages the formation of condensation around the windows edge. The answer is to insist on Technoforms “warm edge spacer” a superior product made from stainless steel and a high technology plastic that acts as the perfect thermal barrier as well as separating the two panes of glass. This helps eliminate unhealthy and unsightly condensation around the edges of your glass preventing the build up of mould.
So despite the fact that windows are normally a “thermal hole” in the envelope making up your home by using today’s high performance thermally broken aluminium widows you can enjoy the best of all worlds, a warm thermally efficient home enjoying ventilation and great view via large picture windows. In short these high performance windows are the future of aluminium windows.
Double Glazing
Double glazing offers some sound dampening qualities but the performance is critically dependent on the width of the airspace. More important are its thermal advantages. In the summer, double glazing reduces heat and UV entry while in winter it provides good light levels and reduces outward heat loss.
Double glazing is the term that explains a window system where two panes of glass are contained by the window frame with a gap (that is filled with air or an insulating gas such as argon) or separation between each pane of 6 to 12 mm. While not as common in Australasia, in very cold climates triple or double glazing ensures even better thermal insulation. Although the two panes of glass could be glazed into a window frame it is most common to have double glazing where the two panes of glass are joined together by a spacer and this DGU replaces the single piece of glass we are so familiar with in most existing windows and doors. Sometimes the double glazed unit is referred to as a DGU, or an IGU which is an abbreviation of Insulating glass unit.
Double glazed high performance aluminium windows help ensure the thermal efficiency of your homes “envelope”.
Double glazing has become virtually mandatory in new construction in order to meet building code energy compliance regulations. It has also become increasingly popular as a retrofit option as homeowners appreciate the many benefits double glazing offers in improving the comfort levels in homes.
Constructing a New Home?
New home construction has to meet minimum R value (a term used to measure heat resistance) criteria When combined with insulation in walls ceilings and floors, double glazed windows and doors help keep inside temperatures stable and reduce heating and cooling costs. As an example a double glazed window of clear glass when thermally broken can halve the loss of heat when compared to an identical single glazed window of the same size, Keep in mind up to 50% of energy loss can be via windows and doors so double glazing is a well worthwhile investment at a number of levels.
Double glazing in association with a warm edge spacer (between the glass panes) also helps to prevent annoying condensation and “weeping windows “ that can result in the formation of unhealthy mould and other health hazards.
The spacer separating the panes is often aluminium, but to ensure the best possible energy efficient windows this spacer should not be aluminum as it is very conductive of heat and cold. Rather the spacer should be a highly engineered specifically designed product such as Technoform’s TGI warm edge spacer. This results in a reduction in the formation of condensation and mould especially around the perimeter of the window and an overall improved window performance.
Double Glazing and Noise Reduction
Noise reduction is a further big advantage enjoyed by owners choosing double glazing and this is particularly true of medium to high frequency sounds which includes voices. However to filter out loud low frequency noise (such as traffic noise) double glazing on its own is insufficient. Using thicker glass or special acoustic laminated glass helps as does increasing the gap between panes but by doing this you trade off heat insulation properties Technoform’s thermal break and spacer product (which separates the panes) also serves to improve the noise dampening properties of double glazing.
Double glazing by having 2 panes of glass can also act as a superior security barrier when compared to a single pane.
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