AGG is one of the market’s leading glass processors, offering high performance, energy efficient, double glazing, made right here in Australia from one of its three local processing plants in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
With the trajectory of changes in the NCC codes continuing to increase the demand for higher performance from glazing, AGG understands the significant jump this means to our industry and in response has developed a new website that is easy to navigate to find what you are after, and information that is easy to understand.
While the NCC code changes to date have been focusing on new builds, it makes sense to now turn our attention to the vast amount of existing buildings, especially ageing multi-dwelling apartments and office blocks. Renovating existing buildings from original single glazed windows and glass doors can have significant impacts in multiple areas:
Reduce energy costs
Upgrading to energy efficient glass and glazing means less energy is now required to heat and cool the building.
Physics dictates that heat wants to go from ‘where it is hot to where it is not’ and it will always follow the path of least resistance in doing so (e.g., through standard 4mm and 3mm glass). By improving the insulation properties of your glazing (lower U-Value) it retains more inside heat by reflecting it back inside when it is trying to escape to the colder outside, and so less heating is required to maintain a more comfortable inside temperature – and therefore, less energy costs for heating.
This improved Insulation also benefits warmer times of the year and warmer climates in general by making the cooling system more efficient, just like a thermal flask keeps a hot drink hot when it is cold outside, it also keeps a cold drink cold when it is hot outside.
It will also block more non-direct sun heat from outside that tries to enter inside at night after a long hot day when the absorbed heat from materials like the roads, footpaths, stone, brick, concrete and roofing re-radiates back out and tries to enter inside the building.
Also, by choosing an appropriate solar control glass option that is suited to the environmental climate the building is in (measured by the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient – SHGC), we can either allow heat from the sun to enter inside the building (colder climates), meaning less artificial heating is required, or block heat from the sun from entering inside (warm-hot climates) meaning less cooling is required.
Improved health and wellbeing
Two health and wellbeing factors stand out – affects from excess moisture and access to natural sun light.
Excess moisture can lead to mould and can greatly affect those sensitive to breathing conditions like people with asthma or allergies. It can also affect the breathing system. Excess moisture can be seen as internal condensation on the glass and aluminium frames. This occurs at the dew point where internal relative humidity and colder temperature meet to from water droplets. This can be eliminated by one of two ways – either remove the internal humidity from inside the building or raise the inside temperature. Note that by increasing the temperature you do not affect the amount of moisture inside, however you stop it from collecting in excess to be damp and unwanted internal condensation.
By using energy efficient glazing, you can improve your insulation properties (lower U-Value). This means it is better at retaining inside heat that wants to escape out whenever it is colder outside vs inside. By retaining more heat, you increase the surface temperature of that glass and frames, meaning you now bypass the dew point, even if there is the same amount of humidity inside.
Natural sun light is essential to us also. It supports the production of Vitamin D, bone health, lowering blood pressure, preventing disease and promoting good mental health. Also, nobody wants to either live or work inside a dark building.
Changing to an Insulglass® Double Glazed Unit (DGU) offers multiple performance options to suit your building and its environment, with many clear options available with high Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) to allow high levels of natural light inside without compromising performance (insulation and solar control). We can also increase the size of windows and glass doors to allow more glass surface for a lighter, brighter, more comfortable inside.
Improved comfort
Being comfortable in your home or office means happier residents. Happier residents support longer tenancy and also the potential to attract higher quality new tenants and command higher rental income.
Shifting from small windows with low levels of natural light entering inside to larger panels with less framing joins means more light coming in that can play a significant role in comfort. Energy efficient glazing would mean the heater is not on as much in winter and the cooling system is not on as much in summer. This results in residents not having to live, work, sleep and breathe as much in artificial environments from heating and cooling devices.
Insulglass® Double Glazed Units also provide significant improvements in acoustics compared to standard monolithic single glaze like 4mm, or even 3mm thick clear glass that older buildings have. Being able to work, live and sleep without external noise disruptions will play a noticeable improvement in comfort levels.
Upgrading to Insulglass® energy efficient double glazing can improve the life of your building, reduce energy waste and energy costs while also improving the health, wellbeing and comfort levels of those inside.
Invest in your building and residents Health by upgrading to energy efficient double glazing, made and supported in Australia, from Australian Glass Group.
