Summer is just around the corner. That’s when it pays to have good sun protection. Large windows let in plenty of daylight, but they can also cause rooms to overheat, especially in summer.
There are many ways to prevent this. The best known are the installation of external sun protection such as roller shutters, shutters, sun sails or awnings. But even on the inside, the glass surface can be protected from too much sunlight with roller blinds, pleated blinds or curtains. ‘However, there are also intelligent sun protection solutions in the glass itself,’ explains Jochen Grönegräs from the Federal Association of Flat Glass (Bundesverband Flachglas e.V.), ‘these can be taken into account directly when constructing or replacing the glass surface.’
Coated glazing
Modern sun protection glass ensures that the heat component of sunlight remains outside. This is achieved by reflecting and absorbing sunlight. ‘A wafer-thin coating, usually made of silver and almost neutral in colour, on the inside of the outer multi-pane insulating glass pane reflects up to 80 percent of the heat-generating infrared radiation,’ explains Jochen Grönegräs.
Cooling at the touch of a button: switchable glazing
With these sun protection solutions, a pane of multiple insulating glass changes colour from transparent to blue within ten to fifteen minutes at the touch of a button thanks to weak electrical voltage pulses. ‘The tinting reduces the amount of energy absorbed from the sun, but at the same time maintains transparency,’ says Grönegräs.
The space between the panes
Insulating glazing consists of at least two panes of glass. This means that sun protection devices, which are otherwise located on the inside or outside, can also be installed in the space between the panes: integrated blinds, roller blinds or pleated blinds are operated manually – or controlled individually by remote control or smartphone. It is also possible to integrate slats, grilles or fabrics made of a wide variety of materials into the space between the panes to provide shade and privacy. ‘The sun protection systems integrated into the insulating glass unit are slightly less effective than external sun protection, but they can be used even in strong winds, are protected from the weather and dirt, and are generally maintenance-free,’ explains Grönegräs.
