Structural elements : What are the dimensions of glass for fitting in frames, what thickness of glass should be used for floor panels etc... ?

The term "structural" covers a number of different types of application :

Facades
Overhead glazing
Floor panels
Partitions

These different applications may require differing types of installation and systems :

Glazing with cover strips
Structural sealant glazing
Bolted glazing.

What is more, these applications can perform different and even multiple functions, depending on their use or location :

Thermal insulation
Acoustic insulation
Solar control
Safety - Protection

The glazing used in these ways must also comply with the standards and regulations for mechanical resistance, safety, acoustic criteria, thermal criteria.

All these parameters associated with the site and the environment in which the glazing is installed combine to determine the thickness of the glass, then that of the frame and its supports, depending on the type of system used.

So there are a great many different possibilities, and just as many different answers.

If you give your nearest SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS unit all the parameters listed above, it will use our RUBIS software to produce one or more solutions for your particular requirements.

Which acoustic glazing should I choose ?

The choice of the acoustic glazing most suitable for your needs depends on the type (road traffic, air traffic, impact of rain and hail, etc) and intensity of the noise involved.

The SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS COMFORT family of products offers a wide range of acoustic double glazing designed to meet these different requirements. There is always one particular solution most appropriate to provide protection against your main acoustic problem, in terms of frequency and level of sound reduction.

SGG CLIMALIT ACOUSTIC or SGG CLIMAPLUS ACOUSTIC asymmetrical double-glazed units provide top level acoustic performance : depending on their composition and the type of noise involved, they provide acoustic insulation which is 2 to 5 times greater^* than that of a single-glazed unit or a traditional double-glazed unit.

SGG CLIMALIT SILENCE and SGG CLIMAPLUS SILENCE double-glazed units provide excellent levels of acoustic performance as well as very high levels of safety : these double-glazed units not only provide acoustic insulation 2 to 30 times higher^* than that of a single-glazed unit or a traditional double-glazed unit, but also provide safety or protection for people and property, due to their laminated composition.

In their SGG CLIMAPLUS ACOUSTIC and SGG CLIMAPLUS SILENCE versions, these double-glazed units also include an enhanced thermal insulation function.

Note : In order to have the full benefit of the acoustic performance of these double-glazed units, they must be fitted in window frames which have an equally high level of acoustic performance.

^* In the case of road traffic noise, an acoustic insulation level which is 2 times higher means that the number of vehicles heard is halved.

Why use double glazing with enhanced thermal insulation ?

A double-glazed unit with enhanced thermal insulation uses a low-emissivity glass which significantly reduces heat loss through the glass. Thus, SGG CLIMAPLUS double-glazed units, in the SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS COMFORT family, provide 5 times more insulation than a single-glazed unit and 2.5 times more insulation than a traditional double-glazed unit, which results in significant energy savings in terms of heating consumption.

What is more, SGG CLIMAPLUS double-glazed units provide a markedly better comfort level by reducing the effect of cold glass near small and large windows, and thus making it possible to use these areas which are often used very little. They also prevent the risk of condensation on the inner pane.

SGG CLIMAPLUS double-glazed units are also environmentally friendly, because consuming less energy (oil, gas, electricity, etc) means reducing the CO2 emissions associated with the production of these types of energy. Nowadays, governments are taking action to reduce these emissions and combat the greenhouse effect which threatens to increase the temperature of the climate.

Why and when should solar control glazing be used ? Which one ?

With the use of solar control a building can combine the attractive appearance of glass, the comfort of interiors protected against excessive temperatures caused by exposure to sunlight and the reduction of operating costs, in particular as a result of the reduction in the costs of air-conditioning in the summer, and even some of the heating costs in the winter, which also helps to protect the environment.

SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS has a comprehensive range of solar control glasses which provide a wide variety of performance levels and offer many different attractive appearances :

• SGG ANTELIO®, on clear or body-tinted glass, provides excellent performance levels and a range of products with varying degrees of reflectiveness depending on whether the metal pyrolytic coating is on face 1 (outside) or face 2 (inside).

• SGG COOL-LITE®, created by magnetically enhanced cathodic depositing of metal coating under vacuum conditions on a clear or body-tinted glass, is available in a wide range of colours, reflection levels and performance levels.

• SGG COOL-LITE® K is created using the same process, but the coatings, which are more complex, combine excellent levels of both solar control and enhanced thermal insulation. · SGG COOL-LITE® SK, the latest generation product with selective coatings, provides optimum solar control performance together with excellent enhanced thermal insulation properties.

• SGG REFLECTASOL®, the application of a pyrolytique coating gives this glass a reflective appearance and excellent performance levels.

• SGG STARELIO® has the highest performance levels of the glasses with pyrolytic coatings, and has a neutral bluish-grey appearance.

• SGG PARSOL®, the composition of this body-tinted float glass provides top level performances.

• SGG SERALIT® screen-printed toughened glass combines the ability to create original patterns in a wide range of colours and solar control which varies depending on the colour, the density of the pattern, and the basic glass used (SGG PLANILUX®, SGG PARSOL®, SGG ANTELIO®).

CHOOSING SOLAR CONTROL GLASS
Select a performance level
A number of spectrophotometric characteristics must be compared when selecting solar control glazing for an architecture project. The most frequently used are :

• Light transmittance
• Light reflectance
• Solar factor (factor g)
• Thermal insulation coefficient (U-value)

The performance level required may vary according to the location and orientation of the facade. A low solar factor will reduce the cost of the air conditioning plant required and reduce air conditioning running costs in the summer.

Enhanced thermal insulation performance can also be achieved by choosing SGG COOL-LITE® K or SGG COOL-LITE® SK, or combining the chosen product with SGG EKO PLUS® or SGG PLANITHERM®FUTUR enhanced thermal insulation glass.

Choose the appearance
The appearance of the facade is determined, amongst other things, by the colour of the glass, the light transmittance level of the glass, the light reflectance level and the colour reflected, as well as the possible choice of the second glass used in a double-glazed unit.
Depending on the situation, the facade will be :

• reflective, giving an accurate reflection of the environment, changing with the changes in the daylight and the sky
• less reflective, a neutral colour
• less reflective, and coloured

Choose the light level
Depending on the location of the building and what it is used for, you may choose to prioritize :

• a high level of light transmittance which provides good natural lighting inside the building
• efficient protection against glare as a result of a lower light transmittance level.

Glass for opaque panels
Acceptable appearance of the facade
The acceptable appearance of an all-glass facade depends on how the vision area glazing and that used in opaque panels look together.
This may mean co-ordinating or contrasting the reflected colours of the two glasses.In both cases, it should be remembered that the external appearance of a glazed facade is affected by :

• The sky (clear or cloudy)
• The sunlight, which is linked to the geographical location and the time of day.
• The direction the facade faces
• The environment
• The interior of the building (more or less bright - whether there are blinds)
• The colour of the external fittings

What glazing for opaque panels ?

When you want a facade with a uniform appearance, SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS can provide you with spandrel panels which provide the best match with the vision area glazing (SGG EMALIT REFLET for SGG ANTELIO®, or opacified laquered SGG COOL-LITE® for SGG COOL-LITE® ). In some countries it may be possible to use a double-glazed unit combining the vision area glass with an opaque enamelled or laquered glass (please consult SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS).In all cases, it is strongly recommended that the vision area and spandrel panel glazing which are to be used together are chosen using prototypes examined on site, so that the builder can approve what is to be used prior to installation.

What safety glass should I use in any given application or location ?

• For the safety of personnel, a SGG STADIP 33.1 or 44.1 (1) etc. or SGG SECURIT (2) laminated unit will be adequate (the thickness of the glass depending on its dimensions).
• For glass used in guarding we recommend SGG STADIP PROTECT 33.2 or greater.
• For anti-theft protection, a low degree of protection can be obtained using 2 layers of PVB (providing protection against burglary and vandalism). Adding PVB layers increases the resistance to burglary and vandalism.
• A European classification, standard 356, determines the thickness of the glass and the number of PVB layers according to the required resistance to repeated impacts. Enhanced protection is obtained with 4 or more PVB layers.

And if protection against firearms is required, there are special assemblies available to meet the requirements of very precise specifications.
In overhead glazing, a laminated glass must be used for the inner face (preferably 2 PVB layers).SGG LITE-FLOOR is a laminated glass specifically designed for use in floor panels and stair treads. Its construction depends on the dimensions and the load to be applied.
Safety glass means that glass can be used in even more applications, for example aquaria in zoos, curved laminated glass or structural glass (for example glass beams).
Your local Saint-Gobain Glass representative will be pleased to discuss the way SGG STADIP and SGG SECURIT can meet your requirements.
(1) 33.1 indicates that two 3 mm sheets of glass are laminated together with a 0.38 mm PVB film.
(2) glass 5 times more resistant than clear SGG PLANILUX, which breaks into small fragments with no sharp edges