October 21, 2020
Using architectural glazing to create a Paragraph 80 House
Written by Rebecca Clayton
October 21, 2020
Written by Rebecca Clayton
Broadly, a home under Para 80 must:
This flexibility is particularly important given the changeable nature of these projects. With a whole team of engineers, architects and designers working together to create a design that has a chance of being granted permission, the whole nature of the house is likely to radically change throughout the approval process.
As such, choosing carefully engineered glazing that can both adapt to adventurous projects while also contributing high-performance values is vitally important. As the UK leaders in specialist architectural glazing, IQ have worked on hundreds of highly technical projects and are experts in pioneering glass technology. One of our completed projects in the Cotswolds was one of the very few refurbishment projects in the UK to all under Paragraph 80.
Invisio structural glazing is a truly bespoke system, with limitless design potential for unique shapes and designs, as well as oversized configurations to match nearly any size required.
The system is completely frameless so can be used to create elegantly minimal glass walls, picture windows, oversized glazed elevations, curved glass, glass box extensions and gable end windows, among other things.
Structural glass can also be used to create fixed frameless glass roofs. Depending on the project requirements, frameless glass beams can be used to support the roof.
Frameless glazed elevations are a tasteful, sensitive material to incorporate into P80 home designs. The glass captures reflections of the surrounding sky and landscape as they evolve throughout the years, helping the building to seamlessly integrate into its local surroundings.
MARS is the latest product in cutting edge rooflight design, engineered and manufactured by the in-house team at IQ. The system is a fully custom built, automated sliding rooflight which has no maximum size and can be used to create complex, oversized sliding glass roofs that provide seamless roof access or easily adjustable ventilation.
Both the frame and sliding sash are fully thermally broken to ensure the glass remains condensation free and to reduce heat loss during the winter months, while the glass is structurally bonded to the frame to create an extremely secure, minimalistic appearance.
Opting for innovative roof glazing products such as MARS is a great way to demonstrate that a project meets the outstanding architectural standards required for a Paragraph 80 project.
This glazing product uses a coating that reflects UV rays, making it visible to birds and other wildlife while remaining almost invisible to the human eye. This is an important option to consider for homes that feature large glazed facades or frameless glass elevations on the upper floors, that birds are more likely to fly into, as it demonstrates sensitivity for the local surroundings by helping to preserve and cause minimal disruption to the local wildlife.
Glazing is key to sustainable home design in many ways. Firstly, by incorporating large glazing elevations that are either frameless or minimally framed, this greatly reduces the need for artificial light (with the added benefit of panoramic views of the outdoors). Glass is also an extremely recyclable material, as in aluminium which is the most common framing material used for IQ's glazing system.
A unique way to use modern glazing systems to create a low emission home is by actually utilising solar gain from large south-facing glazing elevations to heat the internal living spaces. A great example of this is our Cotswolds project, which had a large glass wall along the south elevation of the large extension formed with a slim sliding door from minimal window sand structural glazing. The solar gain from this extensive glass wall acts as a heat source for the new living space. This project was granted planning permission under Paragraph 80, you can find out more about the project here.