Improving glass performance with low e coatings

For glass used in buildings to achieve the thermal efficiencies required by current UK Building Regulations, a low emissivity (low e) glass will need to be used within a double or triple glazed sealed unit. Low e glass has a special coating applied to one of the glass faces; this can be either a ‘hard coat’ or ‘soft coat’ depending on the actual coating process used. How does low e work? Heat energy from the sun is a radiant heat in the Infra Red spectrum, which is short wave radiation. This heat energy coming through the glass heats up the building fabric and furnishings, in addition to any internal heat sources such as the heating system. The heat radiated off the fabric and furnishings is long wave radiation; the low e coating on the glass allows most of the visible light to pass through as well as the short wave heat energy, but blocks long wave energy from passing through. This ensures the heat from inside the building is reflected back into the room and so heat losses are significantly reduced.

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