Low e Glazing

Natural light is always an asset in any building whether it be domestic or commercial. The obvious benefits also come with drawbacks, for instance Solar gain, heat loss, and UV infiltration will always be an issue when it comes to natural light.

One of the more cost effective methods of improving your environment is by using glazing units with a "low e" coating.

What is low e?

low-e (which stands for low emissivity) coating is a very thin metallic oxide coating that appears invisible to the naked eye but allows as much natural light through the glass as possible. This coating also protects the occupants from unwanted UV rays which can burn your skin, fade your carpets, and damage furnishings.

"Low e" coating helps to control radiant heat (infrared light) as it enters and leaves the building. In other words, it helps retain heat in the winter by reflecting certain segments of the sun's light spectrum back into the building, and cooler in the summer by reflecting particular sections outside.

Low e comes in 2 variations, soft coat and hard coat. Soft coat, as the name implies is a less robust variation and is applied to the glass pane when it is cooler. Soft coat low e has a high performance and so is favoured where it can be incorporated into a glazed unit and placed in the glazing cavity. Hard coat low e is less efficient but can withstand the elements, and therefore are commonly layered on the outside surface.

The most common application area for low e is between the panes in the glazing cavity where the performance of the coating can be enhanced further by including an inert gas such as argon within the cavity. This prevents convection within the unit as well as enhancing the insulating properties of the unit.

Since Low e technology was introduced over 20 years ago low emissive coatings have literally revolutionized the concept of energy savings in glass and glazing, and further advances in the processes have significantly added to the flexibility for designers and specifiers.