+
Glass facades: Sustainability raises concerns over suitability
Real Estate

Glass facades: Sustainability raises concerns over suitability

Photo courtesy: Schueco India

Glass has long been considered the quintessential façade of modern commercial buildings. In India, with its use increasing over recent decades, the industry is currently estimated at Rs 15,000 crore.

However, of late, the focus on sustainable building has given rise to concerns over the suitability of glass facades for the Indian climate. Remarkably, while this awareness appears to have pushed back the use of glass facades in commercial buildings, their use is growing in the residential sector, which traditionally used very little glass!

In recent years, the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) of commercial buildings has reduced from 40 per cent to around 30 per cent as developers grow wise to the need for greater energy-efficiency and to contain the heat-to-light ratio for greater occupational comfort, observes Piyush Srivastava, National Façade Manager, Schueco India. “Interestingly, in residential buildings, the converse is happening. Older residential buildings typically had less than 10 per cent WWR; this has increased to 18-22 per cent as more windows are incorporated into the design of living spaces and bedrooms for occupants to enjoy the view, feel connected with the external environment, and feel comfortable.”

In residences, the higher WWR has increased demand for larger panes, tall panes (> 4 m), thin sections and slim interlocks, easy handling, less noisy panes (to open and close), automatic operations and digital provisions for safety, he adds. “In general, the demand for quality, engineered and tested products is increasing.”

Glass is also making its way into applications such as shower cubicles and lift lobbies in residential buildings; as a result, the premium hardware and fittings market is increasing rapidly, shares Manish Sisodia, National Head - Glass Future, Saint-Gobain Glass India.

Innovative glass products
Product manufactures are working to satisfy new safety and performance requirements as per international standards, to ensure products perform against air and water in particular. Structurally, these aspects decide the quality of the product and its durability, says Srivastava.

Schueco India has launched a thermally insulated “panoramic design” series of sliding doors, ASE 67 PD, to complement its highly successful non-insulated panoramic series, ASS 39 PD.NI. This new series will enable larger sized, heavier, sliding doors, with sleeker profiles and a premium appearance. “ASE 67 PD lends itself well to close to frameless designs sought by many discerning buyers while providing good thermal insulation,” observes Srivastava.

Saint Gobain has launched electrochromic glass, called SageGlass, which makes for dynamic glazing that changes colour depending on the sun. “With electrochromic glass, occupants of buildings can experience higher comfort levels as the glass offers exceptional daylight and glare control,” explains Sisodia. Also, occupants can enjoy unobstructed views with lower energy costs without the need for traditional solutions such as blinds, shutters or low-emissivity glazing.

Monte Carlo, an office building in Ahmedabad, has used SageGlass for glazing integrated with building management systems, thereby making controls highly customised for efficient user experience. In fact, Garvi Gujrat Bhawan in New Delhi, recently inaugurated by the Prime Minister, has used SageGlass for the skylight, which allows unobstructed views without heat and glare issues. Such applications lead Sisodia to say, “Whereas so far private developers have explored ways to use glass in commercial and residential buildings, we now expect more government buildings to be clad in modern building materials.”

Photo courtesy: Schueco India Glass has long been considered the quintessential façade of modern commercial buildings. In India, with its use increasing over recent decades, the industry is currently estimated at Rs 15,000 crore.However, of late, the focus on sustainable building has given rise to concerns over the suitability of glass facades for the Indian climate. Remarkably, while this awareness appears to have pushed back the use of glass facades in commercial buildings, their use is growing in the residential sector, which traditionally used very little glass! In recent years, the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) of commercial buildings has reduced from 40 per cent to around 30 per cent as developers grow wise to the need for greater energy-efficiency and to contain the heat-to-light ratio for greater occupational comfort, observes Piyush Srivastava, National Façade Manager, Schueco India. “Interestingly, in residential buildings, the converse is happening. Older residential buildings typically had less than 10 per cent WWR; this has increased to 18-22 per cent as more windows are incorporated into the design of living spaces and bedrooms for occupants to enjoy the view, feel connected with the external environment, and feel comfortable.” In residences, the higher WWR has increased demand for larger panes, tall panes (> 4 m), thin sections and slim interlocks, easy handling, less noisy panes (to open and close), automatic operations and digital provisions for safety, he adds. “In general, the demand for quality, engineered and tested products is increasing.” Glass is also making its way into applications such as shower cubicles and lift lobbies in residential buildings; as a result, the premium hardware and fittings market is increasing rapidly, shares Manish Sisodia, National Head - Glass Future, Saint-Gobain Glass India. Innovative glass products Product manufactures are working to satisfy new safety and performance requirements as per international standards, to ensure products perform against air and water in particular. Structurally, these aspects decide the quality of the product and its durability, says Srivastava. Schueco India has launched a thermally insulated “panoramic design” series of sliding doors, ASE 67 PD, to complement its highly successful non-insulated panoramic series, ASS 39 PD.NI. This new series will enable larger sized, heavier, sliding doors, with sleeker profiles and a premium appearance. “ASE 67 PD lends itself well to close to frameless designs sought by many discerning buyers while providing good thermal insulation,” observes Srivastava. Saint Gobain has launched electrochromic glass, called SageGlass, which makes for dynamic glazing that changes colour depending on the sun. “With electrochromic glass, occupants of buildings can experience higher comfort levels as the glass offers exceptional daylight and glare control,” explains Sisodia. Also, occupants can enjoy unobstructed views with lower energy costs without the need for traditional solutions such as blinds, shutters or low-emissivity glazing. Monte Carlo, an office building in Ahmedabad, has used SageGlass for glazing integrated with building management systems, thereby making controls highly customised for efficient user experience. In fact, Garvi Gujrat Bhawan in New Delhi, recently inaugurated by the Prime Minister, has used SageGlass for the skylight, which allows unobstructed views without heat and glare issues. Such applications lead Sisodia to say, “Whereas so far private developers have explored ways to use glass in commercial and residential buildings, we now expect more government buildings to be clad in modern building materials.”

Next Story
Equipment

Liebherr secures 130-dozer deal with Turkey’s State Hydraulic Works

Liebherr Turkey has signed a major equipment supply agreement with the Turkish State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) for the delivery of 130 crawler tractors to be used across the country’s key infrastructure and environmental projects.The agreement covers 120 PR 756 Litronic and 10 PR 736 Litronic crawler tractors, with production scheduled at Liebherr’s facility in Telfs, Austria. This marks a significant continuation of the long-standing collaboration between DSİ and Liebherr, which began over a decade ago with the delivery of PR 754 Litronic dozers.Designed for heavy-duty operations, the PR 75..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Noida to Revamp Transport Nagar Chowk with Rs 4-Crore Beautification Plan

The Noida Authority has unveiled plans to redevelop Transport Nagar Chowk in Sector 67 with a Rs 4-crore beautification project. Aimed at enhancing connectivity, accessibility, and urban aesthetics, the project will upgrade a 500-metre stretch along DSC Road with modern, inclusive, and sustainable infrastructure.Officials stated that the stretch will be enhanced with ornamental lighting, sculptures, seating areas, bollards, food kiosks, and ramps for differently-abled individuals. A tender for the project is expected to be issued soon.Neelima Rana, partner at Orionn Architects—the firm behin..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Centre Approves Noida Metro Extension to Bodaki Multimodal Hub

The Central government has approved the extension of the Noida Metro Aqua Line from Depot Station to the upcoming Multimodal Transport Hub (MMTH) at Bodaki, marking a major push for enhanced connectivity in the National Capital Region (NCR). The 2.6-km extension is expected to be completed within three years.The project, already cleared by the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, will now move to the construction stage under the supervision of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC). The extended route will include two additional stations — Junpat Village and Bodaki — connecting to the MMTH, which will ..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?