We have always been here to make sure glass isn’t ignored, supporting our customers and the wider community in accessing and understanding the benefits of choosing better glass for our homes and buildings. We know that natural light creates healthier, happier and more connected spaces. We also know that demand for comfortable and more energy efficient spaces is growing. Glass can help solve building challenges when it comes to natural light, comfort and thermal efficiency – and this is what excites and inspires us. Put simply, we love glass.

We work and innovate with glass every day, it’s our passion – we want to share our knowledge for better glass choices and educate why glass choices are important for the day to day comfort and long term value of a home.

Think about the choices you make when going through the requirements for a build or renovation project. Your builders invite you to a colour studio to choose your finishes and colour scheme, or your renovation plan focuses on fresh paint or tiles – we want to open your mind to think about how structurally you can create a more comfortable, private and quiet home by selecting high performance glass for your windows.

Scott Clarkson is a Building Performance Expert and runs Clarkson Consulting, and he will explain why glass choice is important for the comfort of your home.

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Natural Light – We talk about it a lot, but it’s really important and we can all agree on the great feeling we get when we open our blinds on a sunny day. A light filled home creates an inviting brightness which can aid how you work, relax and entertain in your space. We all know different seasons affect our moods and productivity – so ensuring our buildings capture and optimise the benefits of natural light is important to year round comfort.

Noise Comfort – You only need to look at our apartment cities and housing estates to work out we are living closer together more than ever before and in closer proximity to train lines, busy freeways and airports. We can’t always control the noises coming from outside, or how our inside noises can travel out. So, considering the area you live in and how an acoustic glass might help is important. Town planning compliance now also requires acoustic glass be used in certain locations closer to freeways, airports or train lines so it is worth considering this early so you’re ready to ask the right questions.

Privacy – There are areas in the home where you want natural light but also need privacy. Two storey homes which look over a single storey house, or bathrooms for example. Consider where you need that extra privacy, you don’t always want to install blinds in a bathroom so a frosted glass may ensure there is privacy whilst maximising natural light.

Heat Loss and Gain – This is getting a little technical, but bear with us. We wish it weren’t so but windows are a conductor of energy, this means they are responsible for heat loss and gain in the home so using ordinary glass and windows can result in a chilly home in winter, or hot rooms in summer. Knowing this, you can design spaces which optimise how our homes take on the sun during winter and summer and choose high performance glass to help regulate how the outside temperatures are absorbed.

Choosing an energy efficient glass or double glazing makes a huge difference because it slows that absorption of outside temperatures. This takes the edge off the peaks and troughs in temperature which occur in the home when we are in extreme summer and winter months. A high performance glass and window smooths out these extremes, creating a consistent temperature in the home all day long. This means you’re not rushing to switch on your powered heating and cooling, which can take pressure of those dreaded energy bills! See an example of this in action as told by a homeowner here.

Scott Clarkson is a Building Performance Expert and runs Clarkson Consulting, he explains more in our latest video. Take a look!

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You may think a piece of glass is just a piece of glass, but glass has evolved to be so much more than something that keeps the rain out. People often look through glass rather than at it, and don’t offer it too much consideration. Our homes are demanding more energy efficient building materials, and ordinary glass simply doesn’t cut it.

Low E coating technology is not new, in fact Viridian has been selling these glass types for more than 15 years. Low E glass has enabled the glass industry to innovate and develop products which make our homes and buildings comfortable, energy efficient and natural light filled.

Low E coated glass is a robust and quality product, but to keep it at its best it needs to be specified, installed and cared for in a specific way to maintain its performance and longevity.

What is Low E coating?

Low E means ‘Low Emissivity’ – emissivity is defined as the amount of radiation emitted or absorbed from a surface.

The main difference between a Low E glass and an ordinary glass is that Low E glass has a very thin coating applied to one side of the glass. This enables a reduction in the transport of heat or cold through the glass. Think of it as an invisible insulation barrier for your windows.

Just as wall and ceiling insulation provides protection to those areas, Low E glass does the same for glass. Coated glass helps provide a more comfortable temperature in a room, more window area can be used as an added bonus, and heating and cooling costs are reduced. Combining better insulated products into our homes makes sense and contributes to reducing greenhouse emissions.

There are two types of Low E coatings – Hard Coat Low E and Soft Coat Low E.

Hard Coat Low E

A hard-coat Low E glass is a version of the coating which is applied to the glass when it is just coming out of the furnace. The coating is fused onto the glass as it cools down.

Considerations for hard coat Low E glasses include:

The coated side of the glass must be installed to the interior of the building to protect the coating – window installers and glaziers will know this and should ensure the glass is glazed into the building or frame accordingly.

The glass does not clean like ordinary standard glass without a coating, we have cleaning instructions on our website with more information.

All glass is produced as a finished product and can be prone to construction damage, Low E glass is no different. So, it must be protected once fabricated, transported and installed on site.

In certain daylight conditions, a phenomenon called haze may be visible – this is a characteristic of the coating’s interaction with the light and not an issue with the glass. Find out more about this in our technical paper here.

EnergyTech™, SmartGlass™ and ComfortPlus™ are examples of a hard-coated Low E glass.

Soft Coat Low E

A Soft Coat Low E is when the coating is applied to the glass after it has gone through the float line process and has cooled down. Soft coated glass must be enclosed within a double-glazed unit for longevity and added performance.

Considerations for soft coat Low E glasses include:

As this product needs to be enclosed in a double-glazed unit you get a better performing product. So, you can have bigger windows with more energy efficient outcomes.

Double glazing cleans like ordinary glass because the coating is enclosed within the unit.

Double glazed units do need to be installed a certain way to support their performance, your window installer or glazier should ensure this when building your windows.

Soft coats do not have the haze characteristics hard coats do, so if this is a concern it’s worth considering for your project.

Viridian’s three soft coat Low E double glazing products available in the range, these are Viridian ClimaTech™, LightBridge™ and LightBridge next™. These are our highest performing products in the range. Download the brochure which compares these products here.

Speak with your glazier or window installer about the glass going into your window frames to ensure you understand the choice you are making. Not only for performance, but also for your lifestyle and maintenance habits.

Glass gives you the opportunity to get much more out of your home than you may think – so make glass choice a priority alongside your colours, appliances and design finishes.

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What is double glazing?

Think of double glazing like a glass sandwich with invisible filling.

Two pieces of glass are formed into a unit and connected with a piece of metal or plastic called a spacer bar. The unit is then filled with argon gas and sealed off – ready to be installed into the window frame.

But why?

Well, why do you choose to use an esky or thermos for your picnic or morning commute? We want to keep our food and drinks either hot or cold for longer, so an insulated vessel is going to support this. This is how double-glazing works!

The double stacking of glass and argon gas in between creates insulation which slows the rate of hot or cold coming in, or flowing out, of the home. Keeping the spaces in the home at a comfortable temperature for longer.

What does this mean for me?

This means over all you use less powered heating and cooling as the home maintains a comfortable temperature in extreme weather conditions for longer. This is good for your hip pocket, and for the environment.

Choosing a high-performance double-glazed unit also means you can have a bigger window without worrying about the impact this is going to have on the temperature inside.

You can also quiet down the outside noise as double glazing can dampen the noise coming in from outside.

Take a look at LightBridge next™, this is our highest performance double glazed product coming in March 2020. This product includes advanced noise and energy performance.

How much more will I pay for double glazing?

Double glazing gives you up to three times better thermal insulation compared to standard single glazing. It is not going to cost the same as single glazing, but you are paying for a product which is produced in a specific way to make it perform better.

It’s like saying a motorbike and a road bike are the same, but the technology is very different – so how could you compare the price? The same can be said for double glazing compared to standard glass.

You can also choose windows to suit the orientation of your home, for those rooms which may bear the brunt of the sun due to its direction you could decide to choose double glazing for those areas.

It is well worth the cost to get your window glass right the first time, you can change paint and finishes easily but it’s much more difficult to change your windows later.

To get an idea of cost with window frame options speak with your window fabricator or builder.

How do I get it?

Your window manufacturer will build your windows, and they purchase the glass from Viridian on your behalf.

Ask your window manufacturer or builder about Viridian double glazing and crunch those numbers. Remembering that getting the windows and building envelope right from the outset will provide the right foundations for a comfortable home all year round.

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Another season of a blockbuster series of The Block has now come to an end! We were honored to be approached to provide glass and glazing to the contestants this year!

The Blockheads designed their homes to ensure natural light was able to be accessed by their spaces as much as possible. They successfully ensured glazing was installed into the nooks and crannies of these historical terrace homes to bring fresh light and inviting spaces to these beautiful buildings.

We have been a regular supporter of The Block, and we are always excited to see how the contestants make use of glazing and windows around their home to maximise the aesthetic, comfort and natural light. This year, the biggest Block ever, was no exception!

Congratulations to all this year’s contestants! In particularly to House 2 winners Tess and Luke!

This year, the teams used LightBridge double glazing throughout the home. Not only allowing for bigger windows, but also allowing for comfort and sustainability for many years to come.

The windows weren’t the only place glass was used!

Tess and Luke in House 2 used DecorFloor to access more light from the overhead skylights into the bottom level of the house.

The teams also made use of VTough glass balustrading for their stairwells. We particularly love the way Jesse and Mel designed their amazing glass panelling around their stairs.
Such beautiful homes – we are so proud of the way Viridian Glass was used by all the contestants.

Don’t forget – when choosing your windows and doors ask your builder or window fabricator for Viridian Glass.

Read the full Q&A Case Study with The Block’s Architect Julian Brenchley here. Watch this space as we take a deep dive into each of the homes to explore how glass and glazing was used, and provide some inspiration for your space.

Take a look at our interview with The Block architect, Julian Brenchley and take a virtual tour through the home!

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The team are reno pros, but this year’s project took a different turn! It’s the first time they have taken on a new home build. It’s also the first time they have collaborated on the project with a fourth bird, Sophie Bell. Sophie and her family own the the northern NSW block, so this home is their forever sanctuary as the Bell family grows.

This home is a celebration of glass, with large double doors and windows allowing for natural light to stream throughout the house. Connection and energising natural light is the key for entertaining, kids playtime and Sophie’s working space upstairs.

The team selected Viridian ComfortPlus for the windows, which is our laminated Low E glass for added energy efficiency.

Viridian VTough is our toughened glass product, this was used for the pool fencing panels around that stunning pool.

See some photos below and catch up on all House 10 episodes here

The post Connection and natural light creates the perfect work life space in Three Birds latest masterpiece! appeared first on Viridian Glass.

We were delighted to be contacted by John who owns building design office, Sunergy Design. He shared some fantastic feedback from one of his clients who chose Viridian double glazing, with considered hardwood timber frames.

The design needed some tweaking initially, the choice of hardwood timber frames meant an adjustment in the house position to ensure adequate bushfire rating protection and safety.

John said, “Clients who embrace window performance seem rare and so few will see the big picture, they just see the big number at the start as opposed to their energy (or firewood!) bills for the next twenty to thirty years.”

After only a few weeks into winter, the homeowners didn’t need to heat their home! John told us his client said it seems like it is becoming a bit of a game to see how long it takes for them to need to use their fire heater.

John told us, “since then, the fire has been used a few times in the evenings after rainy or cloudy days. Most evenings after sunny winter days it’s 22C inside, dropping to around 17C in the mornings now with the colder nights, before the sun starts warming it again.”

We love stories like this – windows and glass are an essential part of all dwellings, however we strongly encourage homeowners when building or renovating to take a good look at the glass you are choosing and speak to the experts to ensure windows give you not only a great view and natural light, but also year round comfort.

Thanks to John from Sunergy Design for sharing your story.

If you have questions about window and glass choice for your home speak to your designer, builder, window fabricator or installer to find out your options, and make sure your ask for Viridian Glass!

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What are the big benefits of choosing high performance glass?

Windows and glass will have a huge impact on your home. They not only add to the comfort and liveability of your home, they can also save you money on lighting, heating/cooling, reduce noise and help keep you connected to the outdoors.

Government energy standards are demanding better ways of building and Viridian has a complete range to help homeowners create a space that not only exceeds current standards but will also give you a better home to live in for the future.

Read more about our energy efficient glass range here.

What kind of glass helps reduce noise?

As housing gets more compact and we are living closer to our neighbours, you need a glass that works to keep unwanted noise out but also works the other way so you have privacy in your own home. Viridian’s acoustic glass range, was designed specifically to dampen noise and can be used on its own or added to other high-performance glass to help you escape the noise of urban living and make your home a sanctuary. Read more about glass and noise performance here.

How do I know how glass is performing?

Glass performance can be measured! These performance values allow us to understand the impact of the windows on the homes’ overall energy efficiency. Performance values are measured on the whole window and not only the glass. Understanding what these values mean and how the measures work are important to ensuring that the glass that is specified is going to suit the needs of the home. Read more.

Can I use different types of glass in different parts of the home?

Yes! If budget is tight, or some areas of the home are prone to catching the brunt of the sun in summer (and none in winter) your glass selection in different orientations of the home can work with you! At Viridian, we feel every home is unique and the glass used should be designed to fit.

Who can I talk to next?

Homeowners and renovators

Speak directly to your builder or window fabricator about the options which will work best with your chosen window frames and performance requirements. Don’t forget to ask for Viridian Glass!

Fabricators and the trade

Get in touch with your local Viridian contact at 1800 847 434 for more information about our high performance glass range.

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Commercial Workplaces

Glass selection in commercial buildings we work is well considered. Architects and designers select glass to meet thermal efficiency standards which ultimately result in more comfortable spaces. They also look to natural light to enhance productivity.  As well as acoustic glass for added quiet and focus in those bustling inner-city areas. When you are next hard at work, take notice of the way the natural light, quiet and comfort helps you feel when going about your day to day tasks. The glass is an important part of this! Hopefully you work in a building with lots of high-performance glass and natural daylight.

We love this way glass was used in this impressive commercial building in Adelaide!

Schools and Early Learning

Focus and fun – the recipe to help students to soak in and learn new skills in the class room. Glass is an important part of this! St Michael’s Parish School Architect, Garry Thompson from Y2 Architect explains how glass was key to opening up the space to light and colour to encourage engagement and fun!  Watch here. Acoustic glass is also very important. Poor acoustics in a classroom can increase everyday stress and interfere with learning and teaching, impacting understanding, behaviour, attention, concentration and ultimately academic achievement.

Community Buildings

Your local gym, library and even train station are designed for functionality as well as community enjoyment! Glass brightens spaces – making them inviting places to be. They also help with connection to the outside.

We love the way glass has been used in this Melbourne Hospital to enhance the building’s façade as well as provide a comfortable space with the use of double glazing. The Geelong Heritage and Library Centre made use of high-performance double glazing to enhance the façade whilst allowing a lovely flow of light through out the building. We love how WoodsBagot designed the Wynyard Train Station walkway using glass, connecting those walking through to natural light and a connection to the sky.

Your home!

When building or renovating your home you can also decide what kind of factors are important to making it your sanctuary.  Glass choice is important to this – be your own designer! Think about the kind of ambiance you want and work with professionals to help you make it happen!

The post Glass in the places you work, live, learn and play appeared first on Viridian Glass.

Glass windows offer exciting design opportunities because they can transform rooms into expansive, luminous spaces, as well as create elegant facades. Clients love them because they can lead to beautiful designs that seamlessly connect indoor and outdoor areas, promoting more fluidity and graceful transitions in builds.

However, there has been a roadblock for their use in the modern era – their energy efficient properties. Despite clients loving the design possibilities of glass, they have also become conscious of sustainability in building.

Sustainability

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword, but an essential part of a client’s checklist when they are building. Over the past several decades, people have become acutely aware of the profound effect sustainable buildings have on the environment, on-going energy costs, property value and livability.

Considering 40 percent of all energy use is from the buildings we live, work and play in, it’s not hard to understand why your clients want more energy efficient homes.

Heat transfer of glass

Glass has not always had a positive relationship with sustainability. Their use in design has previously been minimised because they have had a high transfer coefficient, which means heat easily passes through them, causing the occupant to either grin and bare the heat or cold, or rely on air conditioning systems to control the inside temperature.

Your customers don’t want to feel uncomfortable, but they also don’t want their energy bills to skyrocket either, so for a time glass became counterintuitive to sustainability.

Energy efficient glass

Thanks to recent developments in glass manufacturing, we’ve changed how we think about glass when it comes to energy efficiency.

Few would have predicted that glass would play such a pivotal role in the demand for buildings that are energy efficient, but recent technology such as double glazing, lamination and coating has drastically improved their thermal performance, making them an attractive option in sustainable design. As a result, glass can be used more widely, allowing for more opportunities to increase window sizes and placements on a build.

Not only do clients gain the advantage of buildings that are passively able to control temperature and maximise light exposure, but they are able to live in a comfortable, visually compelling home that has a very real relationship to the outside world, making it a perfect marriage of design and performance.

Fortunately, designs can now incorporate glass more without having to compromise on energy efficiency, which is a big win for consumers and builders alike.

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