Technical Advice | Useful Information about Architectural Glazing
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We do not make up topics just to get clicks. Our topics come from the questions people really ask us. Architects ask us when they plan a building. Builders ask us on-site. Homeowners ask us when they plan their project. If the same question keeps coming up, we write about it.
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The first draft is written by someone who works with that glazing system. This might be a technical advisor, a designer, or a product expert.
They write using three things, in this order. First, our own finished projects and what we learned from them. Second, the building rules and the glass standards that apply. Third, the maker's technical data for the system we supply. When we give a number or a limit, we say where it comes from. We name the rule or standard and link to the official source so you can check it yourself.
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Before any article goes live, a second qualified person reads it. They check three things. That the facts are right and not made too simple. That any rule or standard we mention is current and stated correctly. That the advice matches how the work is really done on site.
This checker can send the article back, ask for proof, or stop it from going live. Two experts must agree. This is the most important safety step in how we work. The name of the person who checked each article is shown on the article itself.
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Each article shows who wrote it, who checked it, and the date it was last checked. Rules, standards, and products change over time. So we go back and review our advice on a regular basis. We update it when a rule changes, a standard is replaced, or a product changes. Being right matters more than leaving an old article alone.
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When we speak with people who want to use privacy glass on their project, our first question to them is ‘what will it be used for?’ This is because there is a common misconception that privacy glass is a shading device.
Privacy glass, also known as smart glass or switchable glass, is a type of glass that can change its transparency or opacity with the application of an electrical current. This glass typically has a layer of liquid crystal or suspended particle film that responds to a stimulus. When the glass is off or inactive, it appears frosted, providing privacy by blocking visibility from both sides of the glass. When the glass is activated, it becomes transparent. Privacy glass was specifically designed to offer privacy without losing natural light into a space.
So when we are asked ‘can I use privacy glass for shading?’ the simple answer is no.
Privacy glass allows solar radiation and sunlight to pass through meaning that only the smallest amount of natural light will be lost through the glass (approximately 10%). This is a key part of how it was designed.
Privacy glass offers modern, on-demand control, and is a popular choice in areas of high footfall and medical applications which require low cleaning maintenance and hygiene control is required.
Privacy glass is most successfully used in interior applications where controllable vision is wanted between two different areas. Privacy glass can also be successfully specified for exterior glazing where you may want to block vision through glass at times.
If you cannot use privacy glass to shade an internal space what can you use?
Shading with Timber louvres or sliding timber shutters can reduce solar gain whilst offering some level of privacy.
Shading with blinds is a viable option for controlling heat and light from the sun and privacy in internal spaces is positioned high up like rooflights, a blind system can be fully integrated for automated control.
Shading with blind systems are a popular choice of designers as any style can be achieved from traditional to the contemporary seamlessly, and can be discreetly designed to be out of sight when open. You should work with a company who has experience working with frameless glass systems to ensure that the design of the shading and glass work together.
For a more high tech option, tinted Electrochromic Glass is an advanced electrical glass solution for a wide range of glass elevations to provide automated solar shading and glare reduction from within the glass unit.
The light transmission of an Electrochromic Glass Unit will fade down to a minimum of 1%, with the G factor reducing to 5% for a full solar shading solution from a glass elevation.
Shading solutions provide effective light and privacy control through traditional means but may lack the same level of instant transition and high-tech appeal unless custom bespoke. The choice between the two invariably depends on factors such as budget, aesthetic preferences, desired level of control, and practicality.
For more information on glazing applications, contact us today!
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