In sport, the result is determined by a combination of carefully honed factors: pace, technique, endurance, resilience, concentration and the ability to perform under changing conditions. The same applies to modern residential construction. The final result is influenced by many factors – including the properties of the glazing, which enhance residents’ comfort, provide the right amount of daylight, protect interiors from overheating and promote well-being. This is precisely why solutions that help reconcile design ambitions with practical requirements are becoming so important. One such solution is solar control glass, and in particular COOL-LITE® SKN 155 – a new product from Saint-Gobain Glass.
Increasingly, the human being is becoming the starting point for design: their daily rhythm, their need for light, their relationship with their surroundings, and their sense of safety and comfort. A building has long since ceased to be merely a structure designed to provide a roof over our heads – it has become a place where, according to a WHO study for the European Region, we spend around 90 per cent of our time, and thus the environment in which we go about our daily lives.
We install large glazed areas that provide panoramic views and open up flats to the city or green spaces. We bring as much daylight as possible into the interiors, visually enlarging the space and fostering a sense of connection with the outside world. However, this same trend presents specific challenges. The larger the glazed area – particularly on the south or west sides – the greater the risk of rooms overheating and a reduction in occupants’ comfort.
Are we, then, forced to install air conditioning or sun-control devices, such as roller blinds or shutters, to maintain an optimal indoor temperature? And what about the need for access to daylight? The answer to this need is solar control glass.
Sun, light, heat and large glazed areas under control
To understand how solar control glass works, we need to look to… the sun. It emits electromagnetic waves of varying wavelengths in our direction. In the case of glass, we consider the visible light spectrum – in other words, light – and the infrared spectrum – simply put: heat. With large glazed areas, we want as much light and heat as possible to reach the interior. So how can we manage large-scale glazing, particularly in summer, to ensure light is let in whilst heat is kept out? Solar control glass comes to the rescue. It works best where large panes are exposed to intense sunlight: on south- and west-facing façades, in corner flats, penthouses, properties with panoramic windows, loggias and large floor-to-ceiling glazing. In such spaces, the difference is most noticeable between glass that merely ‘lets in the view’ and glass that actively helps to regulate the indoor environment, such as the latest addition to the COOL-LITE® SKN 155 range of solar control glass.
These solutions are designed to strike a balance between daylight, solar control and a neutral façade appearance. For the user, this means a space where they can enjoy the benefits of large windows without compromising on thermal comfort. For the architect, it offers the opportunity to design bright, open interiors without treating the glazing as a weak point in the energy balance. For the investor and developer, it provides a response to market expectations, which are increasingly linking aesthetics with the well-being of occupants.
A neutral appearance, a striking effect, safety
The role of the glass is to blend into the design as seamlessly as possible, so that the character of the building’s form is highlighted and emphasised. Glass with a neutral appearance and a grey-blue aesthetic works best. This effect has been achieved in the new COOL-LITE SKN 155 range. Regardless of the viewing angle, it ensures visual harmony among the glazed elements of the building.
The availability of a toughened version, meanwhile, ensures the safety of the space’s users. Should such glass break, the fragments have rounded edges, thereby protecting against cuts.
A space you can feel
The choice of solar control glass should not be treated as a purely technical decision. It is an element in shaping the user’s experience. Architectural psychology reminds us that buildings can enhance a sense of calm, safety and well-being, or, conversely, cause discomfort, overwhelm and stress. Temperature, the amount of light, the ability to look outwards, the relationship with the surroundings and a sense of control over the space all influence the quality of our lives. In a flat with large glazed areas, the line between comfort and discomfort can be very fine: what provides pleasant light and a view in the morning may become a source of overheating in the afternoon.
That is why the ‘formula’ for glazing in modern residential buildings does not involve maximising the glass area at any cost. Instead, it focuses on the intelligent combination of light, solar control, insulation, aesthetics and safety within a single glazing unit. Location, orientation in relation to the cardinal points, storey height, the proximity of other buildings, the desired transparency of the façade and the function of the rooms should all be analysed together. Only then does glass become a tool for creating a liveable environment, rather than merely a material used to clad the façade.
COOL-LITE® SKN 155 fits perfectly into this way of thinking. Its purpose is not to block out the sun, but to control its impact on the interior. It is not a question of sacrificing natural light, but of utilising it in such a way that the interior remains bright, welcoming and less prone to overheating. Nor is it solely about a spectacular visual effect, but about a calm, neutral aesthetic that stands the test of time.
Just as in sport the final result depends on the harmony of many elements, so in modern architecture the quality of a building is determined by the combination of well-chosen parameters. This is precisely why COOL-LITE® SKN 155 glazing from Saint-Gobain Glass is ideally suited to projects where the architecture is intended to be at once bright, elegant, energy-efficient and people-centred.
Further information: www.saint-gobain-glass.pl.
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