Save Money through Energy Efficient Secondary Glazing

Implementation of Secondary Glazing can be the ideal path towards attainment of Niravana for Listed Buildings. Well not really, actually just the attainment of energy-efficiency. Secondary Glazing is also recommended for buildings in conservation areas where replacing existing windows is not a practical option. In implementing this option, there is no planning consent required; there are also no maintenance problems. And of course, the biggest benefit is the monetary one; where power and water bills dip significantly. Secondary Glazing also helps create a thermal barrier and controls the penetration of noise from the outside.

Secondary Glazing is unobtrusive, can be flexible or fixed, and can be installed quickly and without the need for building works or redecoration.

Energy Efficient Secondary Glazing involves adding an extra slim-line window in addition to existing windows. Secondary Glazing is often made from slim-line, durable aluminium. It is virtually maintenance-free and gives several years of trouble-free service. Secondary Glazing comes in many styles and colours to match existing windows. Curtains and blinds remain almost unaffected. Secondary Double Glazing is perfect for listed buildings and rented accommodation where altering or replacing the prime window is not possible.

Secondary Glazing can be implemented using a range of glass depending on the key objective. By fitting standard 4mm "float" or "toughened" glazing, a significant reduction in noise and draughts can be attained. For reduction in heat loss, a 4mm glass with a low energy coating on one side can be used. This coating reflects heat back into the room.

Advantages

• Eliminates draughts and offers thermal insulation
• Provides sound insulation
• Retains the character of existing windows
• It is unobtrusive – slender frames do not detract from the look of the rooms
• Offers a choice of fixed, hinged, lift-out plus vertical and horizontal sliding units
• Can be opened, slid aside or removed completely
• Is significantly cheaper than replacement double glazed windows
• Is quick to install and does not require redecoration after fitting
• No planning consent required
• Is easy to maintain and clean
• Increases home security
  

Applications

Secondary glazing is applicable mainly in the following areas:

• Single glass conservatories and outhouses
• Home offices such as garden cabins where heat loss is high
• Offices, schools, place of worship, pubs and other business premises
  

Secondary Double Glazing

“Secondary Double Glazing” is the term used to refer to the process of insulation that involves fixing a window or a door on the inside of another window or door. A space is left between the panes so that the air inside can act as an insulator.

Secondary Double Glazing is actually an inexpensive way of insulating a room against external noise. Installation of Secondary Double Glazing on the doors and windows reduces 50 percent of the total heat loss. This implies a redundancy in the purchase of room heaters - All that has to be done is close the windows and doors for the interiors to get warm within no time. Thus, Secondary Double Glazing is a definite step towards attaining energy-efficiency.

Another benefit of Secondary Double Glazing is enhancement in security. The double glaze will deter burglars who will find it rather hard to break into the premises! The double glaze makes doors and windows strong and durable. This type of security glazing is common in safe rooms, banks, computer facilities and vulnerable laboratories. Most conventional wooden doors and windows are likely to get damaged by extreme weather conditions; secondary double glazed doors and windows have no chance of getting affected by adverse weather conditions.

Other benefits of Secondary Double Glazing include draft proofing and reduction in the entry of dust, obstruction of UV light, and so on. Secondary Double Glazing is a common feature in many buildings that require high levels of noise reduction. For efficient noise reduction, the material that is normally used for Secondary Double Glazing is acoustic glass. Asymmetric secondary double glazing is the best method for effective acoustic noise reduction.

There is a wide array of materials that can be used for Secondary Double Glazing. The most commonly used is the UPVC double glazing. UPVC is available in many colors including white, light shades of blue, brown and cream. They are also available in different styles and sizes.

Other materials that can be used for Secondary Double Glazing are aluminum, preferred for its strength and durability, and hardwood.

Bullet Proof Glass

Bullet proof glass or bullet resistant glass refers to any type of glass that is built to stand up against being penetrated by bullets. Although the public uses the term ‘bullet proof glass’, generally within the industry itself it is referred to as bullet-resistant glass, because there is no feasible way to create consumer-level glass that can truly be proof against bullets.

Bullet proof glass is usually constructed using a strong but transparent material such as polycarbonate thermoplastic or by using layers of laminated glass. The desired result is a material with an appearance and light-transmitting behavior of standard glass but offers varying degrees of protection from small arms fire.

The polycarbonate layer, usually consisting of products such as Armormax, Makroclear, Cyrolon, Lexan or Tuffak, is often sandwiched between layers of regular glass. The use of plastic in the laminate provides impact-resistance, such as physical assault with a hammer, an axe, etc. The plastic provides little in the way of bullet-resistance. The glass, which is much harder than plastic, flattens the bullet and thereby prevents penetration. This type of bullet proof glass is usually 70–75 mm (2.8–3.0 in) thick.

Bullet proof glass constructed of laminated glass layers is built from glass sheets bonded together with polyvinyl butyral, polyurethane or ethylene-vinyl acetate. This type of bullet proof glass has been in regular use on combat vehicles since World War II; it is typically about 100–120 mm (3.9–4.7 in) thick and is usually extremely heavy.

Working Principle of the Bullet Resistant Glass

In the bullet proof glass, the Laminate-layers of tough plastic called polycarbonate sandwiched in between the pieces of toughened glass make the glass ten times thicker than the ordinary glass and it is very heavy. If someone fires a bullet at an ordinary piece of glass, the glass can't bend and absorb the energy. So the glass shatters and the bullet carries on through with hardly any loss of momentum. That's why ordinary glass offers no protection against bullets.

But when a bullet strikes bullet proof glass, its energy spreads out sideways through the layers. Because the energy is divided between a number of different pieces of glass and plastic, and spread over a large area, it is quickly absorbed. The bullet slows down so much that it no longer has enough energy to pierce through—or to do much damage if it does so. Although the glass panes do break, the plastic layers stop them flying apart.

Advances in bullet resistant glass have led to the invention of one-way bullet resistant glass, such as used in some bank armored cars. This glass will resist incoming small arms fire striking the outside of the glass, but will allow those on the other side of the glass, such as guards firing from inside the armored car, to fire through the glass at the exterior threat.

One-way Bullet Proof Glass

One-way bullet proof glass is usually made up of two layers, a brittle layer on the outside and a flexible one on the inside. When a bullet is fired from the outside it hits the brittle layer first, shattering an area of it. This shattering absorbs some of the bullet's kinetic energy, and spreads it on a larger area. When the slowed bullet hits the flexible layer, it is stopped. However, when a bullet is fired from the inside, it hits the flexible layer first. The bullet penetrates the flexible layer because its energy is focused on a smaller area; the brittle layer then shatters outward due to the flexing of the inner layer and does not hinder the bullet's progress.

Advancement

The field of bullet proof glass is constantly developing, and there are a number of military projects underway to create lighter-weight, more defensive forms of bullet proof glass. One of the most promising is the use of aluminum oxynitride in the outer layer, in place of a polymer layer.

U.S. military researchers are moving quickly to develop this new class of transparent armour incorporating aluminium oxynitride (Trade name: ALON) as the outside "strike plate" layer. It performs much better than traditional glass/polymer laminates. Aluminium oxynitride "glass" can't defeat threats like the .50 caliber armor piercing rounds using material that is not prohibitively heavy. This more resistant-glass that can be used in military assault vehicles and aircraft.

Applications

Bullet Resistant glasses have a wide range of applications as follows:

• Banks
• Government Buildings
• Convenience Stores
• Churches
• Schools
• Check Cashing Stores
• Liquor Stores
• Post Offices
• Jewelry Stores
• Art Galleries