But have you ever considered glass that does more than those basic functions? Well that’s where double-glazed glass comes in.

So, first things first. What is double-glazed glass?

Put simply, double-glazed glass (also known as Insulated Glass Units) comprise of two or more panes of glass, separated by an air (or gas) filled cavity that is completely sealed -forming a transparent insulating barrier between the interior of your space and the outdoors.

Once the glass is double glazed it provides a myriad of benefits, that a standard single glazed window just can’t compete with.

So what exactly are these benefits?

1/ Illuminate Your Space

Allows for larger window spaces, opening your home up to more natural light and vaster views.

2/ Year-round Comfort

Double glazing provides superior insulation by limiting the transfer of hot or cold air through windows – making your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This allows you to have expansive glazing whilst still achieving an energy efficient home.

3/ Reduce Outside Noise

The double glazing provides enhanced acoustics, creating a seamless transmission of light through your windows while restricting the amount of external noise reaching inside. No noisy neighbor problems here!

4/ UV protection

The sun can glare down on double glazed glass and your items inside including your lounge will not fade, the glass offers UV protection against the suns harsh rays! Amazing.

5/ Enhanced Security

Because there are not one but two layers, double glazed glass is built tough. Due to its thick nature when subjected to force the glass won’t crack or shatter easily like normal glass.

Who knew all this could be achieved by the humble window?

Our leading double glazing product for residential spaces is Lightbridge – a high performance double glazed unit perfect for keeping you and your family comfortable all year round.

Want to know more about Lightbridge? Click here: /products/energy-efficiency/lightbridge

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Glass’s greatest power is that it lets natural light in and opens up a living space to the outside world while still keeping out the unwanted elements such as noise, intruders and damaging UV light.

Natural light also creates a sense of space which is one of the greatest luxuries in housing. The magic of natural light is that it can transform a room from a dark, uninviting place to feel like a more expansive area in which we love to live.

In order to help Australians create incredible living spaces and achieve their dream homes, Viridian has developed a range of glass options with different performance features including noise reduction, privacy screening, safety, security and protection of furniture and flooring from UV fading.

For example, Viridian’s LightBridge range provides year-round comfort through superior insulation that limits the transfer of hot air through windows, reflecting heat out of the house in summer and reflecting the home’s internal heat back inside in winter.

The LightBridge range is also configured for three standard make-ups which address different home design needs including noise reduction, security and UV-control. Homeowners also have the option of choosing different glass tones to help vary the degree of sun and glare coming into their home. Being able to pick and choose different glass make-ups really puts the power in the hands of the homeowner to create the exact window they want so they don’t have to compromise on anything.

For example, homeowners concerned about noise can choose an acoustic performance glass such as Viridian’s ComfortHush which reduces noise levels entering a home by up to 34 per cent compared to ordinary 3mm glass.

ComfortHush is also a Grade A safety glass, meaning it will enhance your home’s security giving you that extra peace of mind. Viridian’s other laminated glass products also provide enhanced security so you can sleep soundly at night knowing your windows are safeguarded against intruders.

As a parent, one of my main considerations is safety, so choosing a laminated glass product also provides peace of mind that my children are protected in the event of an accident. The magic of laminated glass is that if the window gets broken, the glass fragments will stick to the interlayer and stay in one place.

In addition to safety and security, laminated glass products can provide other performance features including UV protection to ensure your interior furnishings and finishes are shielded from UV damage. A home should be a sanctuary that offers a feeling of comfort and safety. It’s about building an environment that you can trust to protect your most treasured things in life – your family. The brilliance of glass is that it can help you achieve all those things.

For more on Viridian’s range of glass products for your home visit at www.viridian.com.au

The post Find out from an expert how glass helps Australians create incredible living spaces appeared first on Viridian Glass.

Windows and natural light play a fundamental role in influencing a property’s functionality, increasing its energy efficiency and overall level of comfort. Get the orientation right, with well-suited windows and it all falls into place with a beautifully well-designed home, basking in natural sunlight all year round.

In a recent survey by CSR at three key Display Villages in Sydney, all respondents indicated they would pay extra to improve natural light, improved energy efficiency, better acoustics and controlled air quality (for allergy /asthma sufferers) in their home1. Almost half of respondents said they were prepared to pay up to $5,000 for increased natural light and improved energy efficiency in the home.

Australian builders, architects and designers are savvy about the sun and salute Australians’ desire for their home to provide natural light. Simple measures in the building or renovation phase such as the right size and placement of windows, enlarging existing ones, or adding skylights, clerestory windows or glazed partitioning between rooms can allow deeper and more even penetration of natural light, and could ultimately increase the level of comfort in one’s home. The use of high performance glass can ensure that all this light doesn’t come at the expense of your home’s energy performance; indeed, done well, good glazing can reduce your annual energy bill.

These latest results show homebuyers are more conscious about a property’s aspect, orientation and the access to natural light, and energy efficiency, ultimately lifting the experience of living in the home, and reducing the cost of running it – factors shown to drive the value that others will place on your home when it comes time to sell.

1. [Display Villages Report, June 2014 by Lonergan Research]?

The post An Energy Efficient Home Starts at the Design Level appeared first on Viridian Glass.

At first glance it is clear that this is not your average motorbike shop. Famous motorcycle journeys, such as the path from the film Easy Rider, are laser cut into the metallic exterior and backlit at night to striking visual effect, while large expanses of glass provide glimpses of the unique design experience that lies within.

Project Details

Designed by Dreamtime Australia Design, the development houses a retail space, showroom, workshop, sales offices, function room, board room and restaurant. The focal point of the showroom is the Dynamometer (or ‘Dyno’) testing room, where motorcycles are tested at full speed in a safe and controlled environment.Visible to showroom visitors through a soundproof viewing window, when bikes aren’t being tested, the room shows off the latest release motorcycles on a revolving platform elevated between the showroom and workshop area. Reaching their top speed in the Dyno room, a high performance Ducati or Harley Davidson will generate sound levels in excess of 100 decibels, which is considerable when you take into account that a freight train produces approximately 88 decibels. 

“The Dyno room proved to be a major challenge as Australian standards permit levels of only 50 decibels in a showroom environment,” says Andrew Jones, of Dreamtime Australia Design. “With this in mind it was decided the room should be encased in a glass box which had to be custom designed and acoustically engineered to bring the sound level down by the required 50 decibels. This was successfully achieved using two separate layers of 17.6mm laminated glass with a 200mm gap separating the two glass walls.”

The result is that restaurant patrons can enjoy a meal undisturbed by the motorcycles being tested at top speed only metres away.

Other Glass Features

From the bathroom walls to a glass covered floor trough, glass supplied by Viridian features extensively in the building’s design.

“Visitors are provided with an interesting and unique use of glass at every turn,” says Andrew.

Due to the large size of the facility, air conditioning and environmental impact were also a major concern.Using Low E glass, air conditioning was reduced by 30 percent and UV transmission by 70 percent, when compared to ordinary glass. The result is a very impressive complex that grabs attention.

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