Energy Saving Options for Glass

Read Glass Sealed Units to learn how sealed units are constructed.

There are different energy saving options available to you when ordering your glass with us. Here is all you need to know about our various energy saving options.

Pilkington K glass or Low E

Pilkington K glass helps save energy in your home by reflecting your heat back into your home and by letting heat enter your home from the sun by 'passive solar gain'. Pilkington K glass is a low emissivity coated glass that entered the market around 1995 and this glass is used in the majority of the UK's glazing projects today. This energy conserving glass fully meets with the energy conserving rules laid down by todays building regulations.

For clear sealed units, Pilkington K would be glazed on the inner leaf of glass and when ordering frosted glass, the Pilkington K leaf would be glazed externally. Pilkington K glass can be used in annealed form (standard glass) and it can also be toughened for use in doors and other 'at risk' areas. Pilkington K glass is almost clear but it does have a slight tint but this is very hard to notice and can only usually be spotted when comparing it with a standard piece of clear glass. Pilkington K glass can be incorporated in sealed units to help achieve high WER ratings.

Gas filled sealed units

Argon filled sealed units are manufactured the same way as standard sealed units but at the last moment in the manufacturing process, the cavity of the sealed unit is filled with argon gas. The argon gas hose is then removed and the hole is then plugged. This helps create a sealed unit with better energy efficient properties.

If you look at this image you can see where the argon gas was inserted and the small black bung was plugged into the spacer bar. Argon filled sealed units give better thermal insulation and help reduce CO2 emissions. Sealed units that have a higher energy efficiency rating will save you money on your fuel bills with the reduced need for heating throughout your home or business.

Warm Edge Spacer Bar

Sealed units can achieve a better energy rating by using a non metal spacer bar. Warm edge spacer bars are manufactured using either plastic like material or a material similar to a compact foam rubber. A sealed unit with a warm edge spacer bar gives a better thermal insulating performance than a sealed unit constructed with a standard metal spacer bar. The reason for this is that metal bars conduct heat and cold better than a softer material so your heat can escape easier across a metal based spacer bar. Similarly cold from the outside can creep across a metal spacer bar easier and start to chill the inner leaf of glass. Higher temperatures on the inner leaf of glass result in less condensation so this is another advantage of using a warm edge spacer bar. Pictured here is a popular brand of warm edge spacer bar namely Swisspacer.




Back to the Glassroom

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable laws, Leadbitter Glass disclaim all liability for any error in or omission from this website and for all consequences of relying on it.