Glass Facades: Selection & Performance Criteria

One of the most noticeable trends in commercial real estate industry globally, has been usage of glass for facades of the buildings. Glass definitely makes the building look elegant, at the same time, provides comfort to the occupant with enhanced visibility, thermal and acoustic performance.

This article focuses on key aspects of a glass façade –Energy efficiency, acoustics, security and aesthetics. For ease of understanding and to maintain focus on the core topic of this discussion, I have overlooked the regulatory requirements of glazed facades and focused solely on their characteristics for effective selection.

Energy Efficiency

Building an air-tight, highly insulated glazed façade requires careful detailing and precise material selection. For a building to achieve the highest levels of efficiency, it must be fitted with low-e glazed IGUs, preferably filled with heavy argon (most common) or krypton gas. Today, glazing systems are manufactured to transmit an adequate amount of visible light while minimizing heat gain. Here are a few factors that impact the performance of the façade:

▪ Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
▪ Visual Light Transmittance (VLT)
▪ U-Value

Acoustics

With the proliferation of high-rise glazed buildings in noisy urban areas, prescribed acoustic requirements have become a prevalent concern…