Author: AIS

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Applications of Laminated Glass in High-Security Areas

Laminated Glass in High-Security Areas
Laminated Glass in High-Security Areas

Glass is a universal material used in the construction of buildings, both residential and commercial. Traditionally known for its fragility, modern-day innovative glass solutions have rendered ordinary glass a strong, versatile, and durable material capable of advanced functionalities. One such highly functional member of the glass family is laminated glass. Let us find out what laminated glass is and how it renders much-needed security to high-security areas.

What is Laminated Glass?

Laminated glass is a processed glass that serves as a fantastic alternative to ordinary glass. It offers a tough and robust structure and is difficult to break. It is a shatterproof glass so in a situation of breakage, it sticks to the frame and doesn’t shatter. 

Laminated glass is made with two or more panes of glass that are held in place with the help of an interlayer to form a permanent and strong bond. The interlayer is typically made of Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB). The PVB interlayer bonds with both the layers of the glass and hold it together to form one strong, intact uniformed layer upon a harsh impact. This bond between the PVB sheet and the glass is a chemical bond and thus it does not shatter easily. 

Laminated glass is found in the market in varying types of thickness. Different coatings and glass combinations of laminated glass are also available. These varying combinations add different qualities to the laminated glass such as better insulation, low emission, etc. 

Benefits of Using Laminated Glass

Laminated glass hosts a whole lot of benefits such as –

Better Safety

Ordinary glass is fragile and brittle. In case of breakage or accidental collision, ordinary glass shatters into long, jagged pieces that can cause serious, sometimes even fatal injuries. This is why using laminated glass becomes the best alternative. Laminated glass’ primary feature is its performance under harsh impact. The special PVB interlayer in laminated glass can absorb the impact and resists penetration. Under extremely harsh impact, the glass might break but the glass fragments will remain firmly attached to the interlayer and not shatter like ordinary glass. This minimises the risk of injuries and ensures safety.

Increased Security

Burglars often break windows or doors to intrude on your property. To safeguard your home and to add another layer of security, opt for laminated glass. The strength of laminated glass can resist intrusion and can make it almost impossible for any unauthorised person to break in. Even if an unauthorised person manages to break in, the interlayer will hold up the strength of the structure so that the gap is extremely difficult to widen. Moreover, since laminated glass pieces do not break and shatter unlike ordinary glass but stick to the PVB interlayer, this makes it very difficult for intruders to break in.

Noise Insulation

Laminated glass has proven itself to be an excellent barrier to noise. Installing laminated glass can prevent external sounds from intruding and provides a 90% sound reduction. When compared to normal 5mm glass, AIS Glass’s range of laminated glass called AIS Acoustic glass provides an extra 50-60% sound reduction. The noise cancellation feature becomes extremely important, especially if your house or workplace is near the main street, traffic signal, airports, or an area with night clubs and pubs.

Solar-Energy Control

Even though natural light sounds good, too much sunlight can also mean too much heat. Laminated glass can be used in combination with low-E glass or tinted glass to reduce heat gain. Reduced heat gain will subsequently lead to low usage of air-conditioners. This low usage will ultimately lower your energy consumption and bring down your energy bills.

Better Protection

Laminated glass is also resistant to dirt, debris, and other harmful environmental elements. When paired with UV-absorbing additives in the interlayer, laminated glass can also protect the interiors of your property from harmful UV rays. UV rays are not only harmful to your health, but are also a major cause of damage and fading of furnishings, rugs, and pictures in your house or office, so protection from UV rays is important.

Application of Laminated Glass

Due to its strength and shatterproof quality, laminated glass finds wide variety of applications in areas both residential and commercial. Laminated glass’ safety feature is extremely useful in areas that need high-security such as banks, money-exchange centers, jewellery shops, museums, and art galleries. They can also be used in prisons to help protect the premises as well as the prisoners. Due to its strong resistant capacity, laminated glass can be used to make bulletproof glass. With rising levels of crime and terrorism in urban spaces, the usage of bulletproof glass can safeguard lives. It can also be used in places that have national and international importance to add another level of security.

Areas in residential and commercial complexes that are prone to theft, burglary and criminal activities can have laminated glass installed to provide better security. These areas that are at higher risk of break-ins will benefit hugely from the installation of laminated glass.  Moreover, laminated glass is the best material to be used in the construction of buildings in disaster-prone areas, especially where hurricanes and tornadoes are common.

Laminated glass is also used in car windshields as it will provide maximum protection in the face of an accident. It can also be used as a structural glass and used in the construction of glass railings, glass floors, skylights, roofs, sunspaces, curtain walls, glass facades, etc. As laminated glass remains intact when broken, it is also great for overhead glazing in buildings. Due to their noise-insulation properties, laminated glass can also be used at hotels, airport terminals, recording studios, etc.

Looking for high-quality laminated glass? Look no further than AIS Glass. As India’s leading glass manufacturer, you can rely on us for all your glass needs. Our high-quality laminated glass – AIS Security glass – offers high-level intrusion resistance from burglar attacks, 90% noise-insulation, and can be used in a wide number of ways.  You can use it either in windows, roof lights, canopies, overhead glazing, domes, skylights, and glass lift walls. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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Back Painted Glass by AIS: Uses and Applications

Back Painted Glass
Back Painted Glass

Have you ever wondered why certain homes, lobbies, kitchens and bathrooms look more slick, colourful and modern than the others? Check again, back painted glass might be the answer. Imagine a perfectly smooth-coloured wall with an impeccable finish and sheen that lasts for years on end. That is back painted glass for you.     

What Is Back Painted Glass?

Back painted glass refers to panes that are painted or coated on one side, rendering the glass’ surface opaque. It is installed with the unpainted side facing outside. Back painted glass looks great and is rapidly gaining popularity. Try back painted glass instead of distempering or wallpapering to create an elegant and contemporary look. Back painted glass boasts a seamless finish that lasts much longer than other wall colouring or cladding materials.

Applications of Back Painted Glass

A surface that looks as beautiful as this is bound to have a diverse set of applications. Back painted glasses provide an upscale look to any place they are installed in. If you are looking to renovate your home or office, back-painted glass walls are a good starting point.

Back Painted Glass for Your Kitchen

Cooks love back painted glass in kitchens because they do not get stained due to spills or splatters. You can simply wipe these glass walls off with a damp cloth and there will be no residual sign of a stain left. Distempered walls, especially inside kitchens tend to get splotchy fast and need a fresh lick of paint now and then. Back painted glass in kitchens can rid you of maintenance woes completely. These glass panes are resistant to moisture and steam and can maintain their finish for a very long time. You can choose back painted glass for cladding kitchen walls, kitchen island tops, etc.

Back Painted Glass for Your Bathrooms

Nothing freshens-up dated bathroom interiors like back painted glass. Bathrooms are moist, wet and humid, which is why they are harder to maintain than other parts of your home. Back painted glass withstands moisture comfortably, is easy to clean and looks phenomenal. You can use back painted glass for shower wall panels, bathroom walls, washbasin tops, etc. Integrating back painted glass into your bathroom can completely alter its ambience and make it noticeably edgier.

Back Painted Glass for Commercial Structures

In commercial spaces, back painted glass can be used to make conference room tables, wall claddings, room partitions, etc. Back painted glass has a clean, crisp and sharp finish. These qualities blend very well with the formal or semi-formal demeanour you may want to set in an office space. Moreover, since back painted glass is available in a universe of colours, you can fashion it to match the colours of your company’s logo to enhance branding. Back painted glass is also popularly used in shopping malls, stores, entertainment venues, restaurants, etc.

Back Painted Glass for Marker Boards

A white-coloured back painted glass when placed on a wall instantly becomes an easy to clean whiteboard. This application also works wonderfully inside meeting rooms, waiting areas, and other office corners where you may want to otherwise install a notice board.   

 Advantages of Back Painted Glass

Back painted glass is predominantly installed for enhancing the aesthetics of any space, but its list of benefits doesn’t end there. It has many more unsung benefits that are listed below for your reference –

Colour and Pattern Diversity

Back painted glass is available in a vast variety of colours and patterns. You will surely be spoilt for choice! There is a colour available to set the tone and mood for every room of the home. You can choose striking yellows or oranges for your kids’ room, or go for sombre pastels for the lounging or living areas of your home or office. The chromatic assortment is simply mind-blowing!

Durable and Low on Maintenance

While the outer surface of back painted glass can endure heat, humidity and moisture routinely, the inner coated side is comfortably tucked away, always looking good as new. This quality makes back painted glass pretty much maintenance-free. This surface is very easy to wipe clean in case any dirt or grime settles on it. It also receives multiple coatings of paint which structurally strengthens it, thus increasing overall durability.

Can Withstand Heat and Moisture

Back painted glass panes look fresh even after years of installation. The paint never gets chipped or distorted, which is why it is great for bathrooms and kitchens. A hot splash of water or curry splutter is nothing this glass cannot handle. Unlike wall paint or paper that start showing wear, back painted glass looks brand new every single day.  

The Bottom Line

Looking for back painted glass solutions near you? Turn to AIS Glass for back painted panes and take the benefit of our 34 striking colours that range from sombre earthy pastels to metallic shades to pure placid colours. Give your living room wall a touch of Terracotta or jazz up your bathroom with a punch of Sparkling Coral, or light up your kitchen walls with Miami Blue, we have them all! Our team of trained technicians is fully equipped to address all your glass-related woes. AIS Glass has been a leader in glazing solutions for over three decades. Contact us today!

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Valuable Tips to Maintain Your Car Windscreen

Tips to Maintain Your Car Windscreen
Tips to Maintain Your Car Windscreen

Most of the car owners indeed pay adequate attention to the maintenance of their cars. They take them for their periodic visit to the service centre but many often forget to consider the car windscreen of their vehicles in these periodic visits. Simply put, many car owners think the least about the windscreen. But, a car windscreen is extremely vital as it serves the functional roles of rendering structural integrity to the car, offering unobstructed visibility, and ensuring the safety of all passengers and hence, requires proper maintenance.

Importance of a Car Windscreen

The car windscreen is not an ornamental addition to your car but it plays an important part in your car. The most important function of a car windscreen is to protect you and your fellow passengers from the wind, dust, debris, stones, and other outside elements. It is also a vital component of your car as it provides structural integrity to your car. Your car windscreen keeps the roof intact and in the face of an accident, prevents it from falling and crushing the occupants of the car. Your car windscreen also prevents you from being thrown out of the car in the face of a harsh impact. A damaged and weak windscreen will not be able to withstand the severity of an impact in an accident like a normal windscreen can. If you are not wearing a seat-belt, the impact can cause you to be thrown out of the car, causing fatal injuries. 

Just like any other component of your car, your car windscreen also requires routine maintenance. If you don’t maintain your car windscreen then gradually the dirt stuck on it will obstruct the view of the driver and they won’t be able to see the road ahead. This automatically becomes a risky way of driving on the road. A dirty windscreen also impacts the overall image of your car. To maintain your car windscreen, the first and foremost thing that you should do is treat your car windscreen with utmost care as you do with the car’s engine or tires. Even a minor issue with your windscreen that you choose to neglect can land you in deep trouble and can endanger the safety of you and your loved ones.

To help you maintain your car windscreen, here are a few valuable tips –

Clean Your Car Windscreen

Your car windscreen is important and it requires proper care. Leaving pollen, dead insects and dirt on the windshield are hazardous. They create an obstruction in your line of sight, impair your visibility and compromise the integrity of your windscreen glass. If not cleaned on time and properly, tiny pieces of debris or stones can scrape the windscreen glass. These scrapes create micro-abrasions and repeated micro-abrasions can make your car windscreen more prone to cracking. But if you make it a point to clean your windshield routinely and to take it to a service centre for regular screening then you will prolong its life.

Swap the Wipers

Daily use and sun exposure can cause damage to the wipers. These damaged wipers can subsequently cause damage to the car windscreen. It is important to get your car windscreen wipers replaced at least every six months. If you tend to leave your car parked in the sun or you regularly drive long distances then you might need to change your wipers more frequently. Car owners should remember that when it comes to vision and safety, there shouldn’t be any compromises.

Hire Professionals

Doing so will prevent further serious damage to your car windscreen. Car windscreens always run the risk of getting chipped or cracked. A crack or a chip may seem like a small problem but over time they have the potential to become more money-consuming and time-consuming. Due to this, it becomes mandatory for you to hire professional help to deal with the situation. A highly-trained technician will be adept at handling situations like this. They will assess your car and give you the best solution based on the severity of the damage regarding whether it will be feasible to repair windscreen or replace the windscreen. Minor chips that are smaller than 1 inch, they can get easily repaired. If the chip damage on your windscreen is restricted to only the outer layer of the glass then a simple repair can solve the problem. But anything beyond two chips requires a car windscreen replacement. For example, if your windscreen is littered with numerous chips or cracks then it cannot be repaired, as the structural loss due to a damaged car windscreen can be extremely risky. If the damage occurred a while ago, and a significant amount of time has passed then also a simple repair job may not suffice. Hence, in such cases, it is best to opt for windshield replacement performed by a professional. While getting a replacement job, you can choose a variety of different types of value-added auto glasses offered by AIS Glass. AIS Glass has a range of automotive glass products that are engineered to the highest global quality standards. These glass products will not only ensure vision and safety but they are also designed to offer special functions like rain-sensor windscreens, heat-screen windscreens, extruded windscreens, etc.

Your best defence against replacing the entire car windscreen and maintaining it is to have it evaluated by a business that you trust and if or when you find cracks or chips, do not resort to DIY solutions, rather hire professional help.

If you are on the lookout for value-added automotive glass products, especially related to your car windscreen then look no further than AIS Windshield Experts – India’s largest and leading car glass network.  Our windshields are made using high-quality laminated glass, our experts are highly trained and observe international safety standards, and our 80+ conveniently-located service centres in over 45 cities and several mobile vans allow us to reach you whenever and wherever. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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Use Customised Mirror Glass for Home Décor

Mirror Glass for Home Décor
Mirror Glass for Home Décor

In the awe-inspiring universe of glass, mirror glass takes a significant place. Mirror glass panes can be used to specifically serve as mirrors and also to manufacture reflective surfaces for architectural and home décor purposes, such as furniture tops and exterior facades. In this article, we will explore the benefits and applications of mirror glass but, before that let us clearly understand the science behind this product.

The Science Behind Mirror Glass

The modern mirror glass is made by silvering, which essentially is achieved by applying multiple layers of aluminium or silver on the backside of a float glass pane. It is important to understand that light reflects best from surfaces that are non-diffusive, meaning opaque. Modern innovation in mirror glass begins with smoothening and flattening the glass surface and then applying metal coatings of uniform thickness on the inner side of the surface. If even one of these coatings ends up being thicker than the rest, you will either look thinner or fatter than normal. If the metallic coating ends up being scratched, the brightness will become uneven. In case the coating is too thin, you will be able to see through to the other side of the mirror, if only slightly.  

Difference Between Mirror Glass and One-Sided Mirror Glass

You must have noticed that certain types of mirrors are not completely opaque and while you can see your reflection in them from a distance, it is hazy and not as well-defined as when you look at yourself in your dressing table mirror. These are one-sided mirrors and have applications in interrogative or observatory practices. A mirror is completely opaque and a person standing on the other side of it will be unable to see you. Whereas, a one-sided mirror allows the person on the other side to see you without you finding out. One-sided mirror glass also has the same metallic coating like the one used to make a mirror. The difference, however, lies in the coating thickness. One-way mirror glass has a thin metallic coat painted on one side which makes it easier for a person to look through the surface to the other side.

Take a Style Detour with Mirror Glass

Using mirror glass to decorate your home can provide multiple aesthetic benefits. If you think mirrors are only good for looking at your reflection, then you need to check out our list of awesome décor ideas using mirror glass –

Opens up Spaces

Mirror glass makes spaces larger, meaning it gives a sense of space no matter how short you are on square footage. This can truly be a bonus for smaller bedrooms, drawing rooms, or even cramped corridors. Place a full-length mirror on one side of the corridor to create an illusion of space. Alternatively, you can choose to install a big rectangular mirror glass, instead of painting(s) behind the mast of your bed. This will liven up your bedroom and suddenly make it seem double the size. Similarly, placing a couple of mirrors in important corners of your drawing room can transform your space unlike anything else.

Brightens up Spaces

Place two mirror glass panes facing each other on opposite sides of the room. Alternatively, place a mirror opposite a window. Both these applications will lead to room brightening. The ambient light will get reflected off the glass’s surface, making the space cheery and bright. Installing a ceiling to floor-length mirror glass in the passage leading to the main door will also help make the passage brighter.

Creates Focal Points

Place a mirror inside a stained glass or a tiled pattern frame to decorate a single wall in your room. On the chosen blank wall, hang an array of framed mirrors or framed convex mirrors and turn the wall into true eye candy. This is an ingenious method of adding a focal point to spaces. Using mirror glass to design interiors also amplifies the pre-existent focal points.

Livens up Furniture

Mirror glass is a fantastic material to jazz up spaces and can transform an ordinary-looking piece of furniture into something that stands out. For example, you can use mirror glass for coffee table tops, chest of drawers, wardrobe doors, etc. as this will boost the visual aesthetics of the room. You can also use mirrored furniture pieces to give your office an enhanced and unique aesthetic appeal. A smaller conference table with a mirror glass table-top will enhance the overall look of the room and make it brighter.

See More Clarity with AIS Mirror

Whatever your aesthetic goals may be, make a statement with mirror glass. Mirrors these days are sturdy and safe to use for home décor. Turn to AIS Glass for all your mirror glass needs. Our mirror glass is free from any copper coatings ensuring that no oxidised stains appear throughout the lifetime of the glass, is environment-friendly, provides unparalleled resistance to corrosion and aging and is compatible with a wide range of adhesives.  Moreover, AIS Mirror is available in a wide variety of sizes, thickness options, and fun colour varieties. Get in touch with us today to explore the unique world of AIS Mirror!

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Reasons Why You Need Toughened Glass

Many of the most iconic structures in the contemporary world have glass as the primary building material and rightfully so. The horde of benefits that modern-day glass solutions offer have made glass the favourite building material of renowned architects and visionary interior designers. But, a major reason glass is revered so is not just for its fluid-like, delicate aesthetics. Innovative glass solutions are all about keeping function abreast with form. Toughened glass is one such member of the glass family, especially made to provide safety and security in style.

Science Behind Toughened Glass

Toughened glass panes are made from standard annealed glass that undergoes a heat tempering or thermal tempering process. Annealed glass is passed through a 680°C preheated furnace on a roller table. This takes the glass beyond its transmission temperature and softens it. The outer surface of the glass cools rapidly while the innards remain hot. This creates “center tension” in the glass which alters its physical characteristics. 

The end product is a sheet of glass that is heat tempered, can withstand much higher temperatures, and is four to five times stronger than annealed glass. The annealed glass must be cut to size or pressed into the desired shape before heat tempering. Once the glass has undergone the toughening process, it cannot be re-worked on.  

Benefits of Toughened Glass

Toughened glass offers a great deal of improvement over the standard type of glass, especially when it comes to constructing buildings that have glass exteriors. Let us look at why you need to choose toughened glass if you are considering building a modern structure which involves countless glass panes.

Strong and Safe

One of the most important reasons behind tempering glass is to provide it with the strength to combat rigorous environmental conditions. Since it is far less likely to break, a lot of high-rise buildings, skyscrapers, and stand-alone glass partitions, etc. are built using this type of glass. Furthermore, even if it breaks due to exposure to very harsh conditions, it never shatters. When standard glass shatters into sharp shards, it can seriously hurt people standing close by. Toughened glass develops countless cracks and breaks into blunt bits that are incapable of causing any serious injuries. This makes this glass very safe for use even around kids.

Scratch-Proof

Toughened glass is immune to daily wear and tear. It does not get damaged easily and maintains its sheen and finish for years on end. It is ideal for glass partitions, residential as well as commercial doors and windows. No cricket ball will be able to shatter your windows as it used to in the 90s if they are built using toughened glass.

Heat-Resistant

When the annealed glass is exposed to high temperatures continually, it can shatter causing sharp shards of glass to sprawl all across your floor. This can be perilous, especially for children. However, toughened glass is manufactured using heat tempering and is highly capable of enduring uncomfortably warm and humid temperatures. This is why using them in your bathrooms makes a lot of sense. For instance, a shower stall made from toughened glass gladly endures really hot water without incurring any damages.

Versatile Applications

Toughened glass can be moulded in varied creative ways due to its incredible strength and the capability to withstand trying temperatures. This is why it finds its applications ranging from cookware to commercial buildings. Other applications include frameless glass doors, table-tops, mobile phone screens, laboratory equipment, etc. Toughened glass is also amalgamated with laminated glass to manufacture bulletproof windows for vehicles.

Several Design Options

Toughened glass comes in several patterns and designs to address your varied requirements. For instance, choose from a range of frosted, translucent, coloured, clear and engraved options for different rooms that serve different purposes in your home or office. These diversities ensure that you achieve a keenly-designed, yet safe glass option.

Resists Damage from Sunlight

Sunlight heats up exterior glass surfaces unevenly. Sometimes the direction of the building is such that one side sees more sun than the other. Direct sunlight expands and contracts glass surfaces. Unevenly absorbing direct sunlight makes the surface expand and contract unevenly. This difference may create stress in glass that may lead to damage or even breakage. Toughened glass can easily withstand this temperature differential up to 250°C.  

Enhance Your Spaces’ Safety with AIS Stronglas

With so many legit advantages, toughened glass should be the ideal choice for offices, homes, schools and other commercial enclaves. To experience the best of toughened glass, always trust AIS Stronglas. AIS Stronglas is a very high-grade toughened glass that is tough, durable, can withstand harsh conditions, and does not crack or break easily upon impact. Since it is several orders of magnitude stronger than ordinary glass, it has a wide variety of applications such as table-tops, balustrades, shelves, facades, shower enclosures, partitions, and washbasins. Consult with our team of experts and be rest assured of high-quality products, delivered and installed professionally. Get in touch with us today.

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Tips to Select Window Glass for Your New Home

Window Glass for Your New Home
Window Glass for Your New Home

Countless studies have concluded that humans have an unrelenting need to expose themselves to ample amounts of natural light on a routine basis. This helps them stay productive, whether at the office or at home. People spend the majority of their time indoors these days, which is why daylight management is accomplished through glass windows. Whether you want to design an ideal workspace or your new home whose interiors reflect your personality, windows with the right type of glass are at the core of any building. A cheery and conducive atmosphere can be achieved through them, but how do you decide on the type of glass these windows should contain? Here are a few tips and tricks that can help you figure out the type of glass better-suited for your home’s windows.

Importance of Selecting the Right Window Glass

Windows will be responsible for thermal comfort inside your home. Inefficient management of heat moving through windows can dramatically reduce your home’s energy-efficiency. As a result, your home’s interiors will be overly hot during summers and freezing cold during winters. This will spike up the usage of heating and cooling devices and, in turn, energy bills. The type of window glass used for your spaces should disallow heat loss during winter and heat gain during summer. Energy-inefficient glass can burden your air-conditioning system, while too much glare can make sitting inside a room uncomfortable. The good news is that with the advent of high-performance window glass solutions, windows have been able to overcome the problems related to thermal discomfiture. 

Modern-day homes lay a lot of emphasis on the aesthetic exteriors as well as interiors. This is often achieved through gorgeous, sizable glass windows. While consulting with a window glass dealer, inquire about the basic glass performance indicators namely, the R-values and the U-values. These values are a measurement of heat loss. Windows that have a high R-value or low U-value will provide the best thermal comfort for your home without compromising on the glamour.

Consider These Factors Before Choosing Window Glass

Before zeroing-in on a particular type of glass for your windows, ask the following three questions to gain a deeper understanding of what you want – What is the nature of my safety requirements (especially if there are kids around)?, how noisy is my neighbourhood (is it located in a busy part of town or on the main street)?, what is the climate of my city around the year?

Firstly, if your new home is situated in a very busy part of the city, security concerns should take precedence. You will need to choose a type of window glass that is strong and can withstand any unfortunate incidents, like a break-in. Also, if you have children running and playing around your home, you need windows and doors made of safety glass. Laminated glass or toughened glass would be ideal in both of these scenarios. Both of these glasses are stronger than normal glass and can resist heavy external impact. Moreover, each of these glasses is designed in a manner that on the rare event of breakage, they do not shatter into sharp shards, unlike regular glass. Instead, toughened glass breaks into small, blunt, pebble-like pieces and laminated glass pieces remain stuck to the special PVB interlayer – used to bind the two glass sheets into a single, strong layer.

Secondly, if your home is in an especially noisy neighbourhood with reduced privacy then installing soundproof or frosted window glass will work best for you. These types of glass are a variant of laminated glass so they are very strong. Acoustic insulation can have you living comfortably in one of the busiest neighbourhoods without the menace of traffic noise, whereas, frosted glass can address your privacy concerns. Too much noise can leave you stressed as well as fatigued, whereas, reduced privacy can lead to safety concerns.

Thirdly, if you live in a particularly hot or cold city or near the ocean then window glass that provides thermal comfort is imperative. Low-E and insulated glass panes are strong, energy-efficient and will work best in this situation. Low E-glass has an invisible metallic coating that blocks excessive solar heat transfer and also keeps humidity at bay. This does not only maintain comfortable internal temperatures but also prevents the solar glare from fading your interior furnishings such as carpets, rugs, etc. Low-E window glass absorbs the majority of UV rays from the sun and provides for a better dwelling experience, especially during the warmer months. During winters, this type of window glass allows the sunlight to stream through and naturally keeps your home warmer.

Another thing to keep in mind going forward with your decision is that panes today are available in both double as well as triple-glazing. Singular-paned glass in residential windows is fast becoming a thing of the past. Double-glazed windows made from any of the aforementioned types of window glass are great for thermal comfort, security and sound-resistance. However, if you live in an extremely cold city then going for triple-glazing might work better when it comes to increased thermal comfort.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right kind of glass may seem like an afterthought while installing windows, but this decision will have major repercussions on the comfort, safety, security and the privacy of your family members. No matter which type of window glass you zero-in on from the list above or otherwise, AIS Glass will provide you end-to-end solutions for all your window glass needs. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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Toughened Glass — Know Properties, Benefits, and Applications

The world of architecture and interior designing is no stranger to glass as a building material. Glass is the front-runner in many designer’s books. It is not just for the striking appearance that glass renders to a space that makes it a cherished material, but the connection it establishes with the outdoors and the natural light it filters in.

The native identity of glass has been one of being fragile and delicate. And even over decades of technological advancements, the misconceptions still prevail. People continue to remain misinformed and ignorant of the fact that modern-day glass is anything but fragile. Despite retaining the delicacy of regular glass in looks, the character of modern-day glass is that of strength and extreme durability capable of withstanding heavy external impacts. Toughened glass, or tempered glass, or safety glass is one such member of the glass family known to be robust and sturdy.

Toughened Glass — Properties, Benefits, and Applications

Properties of Toughened Glass

The following are the characteristics toughened glass is known for –

Resistance to Thermal Breakage

The heat from sunlight can make glass expand and contract at inconsistent rates. This creates stress in the glass and can lead to breakage. But you can prevent the risk of thermal damage by using toughened glass. Toughened glass also has an excellent heat-withstanding capacity.

Strength

Toughened glass is physically as well as thermally solid, and research shows that it can withstand surface compression of at least 10,000lbs per square inch, which is why toughened glass is considered to be safety glass. They are also known to be four to five times stronger than annealed glass and three times more potent than heat-strengthened glass. As these glasses are robust, they reduce the risk of damage if they come in contact with a calamity or disaster.

Resilience

Toughened glass is manufactured when regular glass is exposed to extreme heat and then cooled rapidly. Due to this excessive heating and cooling process, the chemical composition of the glass goes through an alteration making it more resilient.

Enhanced Safety

If the toughened glass comes in contact with some harsh impact, instead of breaking into sharp, jagged shards, it breaks into harmless circular chunks. Thus, these glasses reduce the risk of injury. If toughened glass breaks, it is also more comfortable for you to clean them than the jagged shards of glass. The small chunks can easily be swept up by a broom and then thrown in the garbage without the fear of any jagged shards hurting anyone.

Versatility

Toughened glass is a highly flexible and versatile material, which means that you can use it per your needs and requirements. Tempered glass is now available in various styles, making it the ideal choice for all your modern interior settings.

The Science behind Toughened Glass

Toughened glass, also known as tempered glass, is a safety glass made by subjecting annealed glass to controlled chemical or thermal treatments. This thermal tempering process puts the glass’s outer surface into compression by subjecting it to rapid cooling, whereas the interior of the glass is put into tension as it remains hot. Because of this compressive strength, when a toughened glass suffers a severe impact, it breaks into small, blunt chunks instead of jagged shards of glass. This makes toughened glass safer than ordinary glass as it is less likely to cause injuries in a rare breakage situation.

You should know about toughened glass because if you try to cut the toughened glass after the tempering process, it will cause breakage. Therefore the annealed glass should be pressed into the required shape or cut to size before the heat treatment. Once the glass has undergone the toughening process, you cannot work on it.

Interesting Facts about Toughened Glass

Fact 1. Unparalleled Strength

Toughened glass is known to be both thermally as well as physically strong. Toughened glass is four to five times stronger than usual or annealed glass of the same size and thickness and is three times stronger than heat strengthened glass! Research also shows that toughened glass can withstand surface compression of at least 10,000lbs per square inch. Tempered glass is quite robust, which is why it can bear load without breakage. As toughened glass is solid and sturdy, it can also reduce the risk of damage if they come in contact with a disaster or calamity.

Fact 2. Enhanced Safety

The fact that toughened glass is a safety glass should give you an idea that it’s the safest choice for your property. On a rare occasion of breakage due to some harsh impact, toughened glass breaks into harmless circular chunks instead of breaking into sharp jagged shards. This reduces the risk of incurring injuries, thereby making the toughened glass less dangerous than ordinary glass. Moreover, these circular chunks can easily be swept by a broom and then thrown into the garbage without the fear of any sharp shard causing injuries. This characteristic of the toughened glass makes it perfect for homes with small children.

Fact 3. Exceptionally Resistant

When annealed glass is exposed to high temperatures, it can quickly get cracked or damaged. However, toughened glass is manufactured using thermal tempering, making it highly capable of enduring uncomfortably high temperatures with ease. If your residential or commercial property is situated in a region that experiences high temperatures all year round, then installing toughened glass windows is a perfect choice.

Uneven heating due to being exposed to direct sunlight can make the glass surface expand and contract at different rates. This inconsistent absorption of direct sunlight can create stress in the glass, leading to damage or even breakage. However, you can avoid this by installing toughened glass as it has incredible resistance to thermal breakage. Toughened glass can easily withstand temperature differential up to 250°C. Moreover, tempered glass can also withstand strong winds, and it does not get damaged by heavy rain or hailstorms, making it an excellent pick for areas prone to weather disturbances.

Fact 4. Immune to Wear and Tear

Toughened glass does not get damaged easily and can maintain its pristine condition for years on end. They are immune to regular wear and tear and scratches, making them the ideal choice for the doors and windows that are used regularly.

Benefits of Toughened Glass

Toughened glass offers a great deal of improvement over the standard type of glass, especially when constructing buildings with glass exteriors. Let us look at why you need to choose toughened glass if you consider building a modern structure that involves countless glass panes.

    • Strong and Safe

One of the most fundamental reasons behind tempering glass is to provide it with the strength to combat rigorous environmental conditions. Since it is far less likely to break, many high-rise buildings, skyscrapers, stand-alone glass partitions, etc., are built using this type of glass. Furthermore, even if it fails due to exposure to very harsh conditions, it never shatters. When standard glass shatters into sharp shards, it can seriously hurt people standing close by. Toughened glass develops countless cracks and breaks into blunt bits that are incapable of causing any serious injuries. This makes this glass very safe for use, even around kids.

    • Scratch-Proof

Toughened glass is immune to daily wear and tear. It does not get damaged easily and maintains its sheen and finish for years on end. It is ideal for glass partitions, residential as well as commercial doors and windows. No cricket ball will be able to shatter your windows as it used to in the 90s if they are built using toughened glass.

    • Heat-Resistant

When the annealed glass is exposed to high temperatures continually, it can shatter, causing sharp shards of glass to sprawl all across your floor. This can be perilous, especially for children. However, toughened glass is manufactured using heat tempering and can endure uncomfortably warm and humid temperatures. This is why using them in your bathrooms makes much sense. For instance, a shower stall made from toughened glass gladly endures boiling water without incurring any damages.

    • Versatile Applications

You can mould toughened glass in varied creative ways due to its incredible strength and the capability to withstand trying temperatures. This is why it finds its applications ranging from cookware to commercial buildings. Other applications include frameless glass doors, table-tops, mobile phone screens, laboratory equipment, etc. Toughened glass is also amalgamated with laminated glass to manufacture bulletproof windows for vehicles.

    • Several Design Options

Toughened glass comes in several patterns and designs to address your varied requirements. For instance, choose from a range of frosted, translucent, coloured, clear and engraved options for different rooms that serve other purposes in your home or office. These diversities ensure that you achieve a keenly designed yet safe glass option.

    • Resists Damage from Sunlight

Sunlight heats exterior glass surfaces unevenly. Sometimes the direction of the building is such that one side sees more sun than the other. Direct sunlight expands and contracts glass surfaces. Unevenly absorbing direct sunlight makes the surface expand and contract unevenly. This difference may create stress in glass that may lead to damage or even breakage. Toughened glass can easily withstand this temperature differential up to 250°C.

Applications of Toughened Glass

In many countries worldwide, the government has mandated the use of toughened glass in high rise buildings as they can handle the air pressure and are lightweight. This glass is preferably installed in areas that experience heavy wind, snow and thermal loads. The regular annealed glass would succumb in such pressure areas. Due to its structural strength, it is used in architectural applications such as glass doors, partition walls and windows on the side of buildings.

In-office spaces, toughened glass can enhance the environment when used in glass doors, desks and partitions. Tempered glass is also low-maintenance and can be easily cleaned using a high-quality glass cleaner and a clean, damp cloth. Moreover, using glass partitions creates the illusion of a more spacious workplace by making the area seem more significant than it is.

Tabletops and shelves made of toughened glass help you store your belongings without worrying about the weight. It doesn’t just end here; toughened glass is also effectively used in washbasins, canopies and even your mobile screens!

From Durability to Aesthetics: The Journey of Toughened Glass

Now that we’ve discussed the wide range of functionalities intrinsic to toughened glass let us delve a little deeper into how it can even enhance the visual appeal of your work area. Firstly, you have the option of using toughened glass with frames or frameless depending upon where it is to be installed. For example – you can use framed toughened glass for walls of conference or board rooms and frameless ones for a cabin entrance door.

Moreover, you can transform toughened glass post-tempering to serve other functionalities and enhance the aesthetics. If you want privacy, toughened glass can be made to undergo the process of sand blazing or acid-etching to produce frosted glass. Or, if your privacy needs come and go, you can opt for switchable glass – a glass whose privacy you can control with the push of a button. Switchable glass or smart glass can be produced using the PDLC technology on toughened glass.

Furthermore, toughened glass can be back painted to add a pop of colour to your workplace and even segregate different spaces. Back painted glass is especially popular as room dividers and partitions. Back painted glass panels are fun to break up large, plain walls and fill other empty spaces. You can even use back-painted toughened glass as marker boards. Depending on your needs, toughened glass can even be laminated (ordinary, coloured, or fabric laminated).

Enhance Your Spaces’ Safety with AIS Stronglas

With so many legit advantages, toughened glass should be ideal for offices, homes, schools, and other commercial enclaves. To experience the best of toughened glass, always trust AIS Stronglas. AIS Stronglas is a high-grade toughened glass that is tough, durable, can withstand harsh conditions, and does not crack or break easily upon impact. Since it is several orders of magnitude stronger than ordinary glass, it has various applications such as table-tops, balustrades, shelves, facades, shower enclosures, partitions, and washbasins. Please consult with our team of experts and be rest assured of high-quality products delivered and installed professionally. Get in touch with us today.

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Points to Think Before Installing Tempered Glass at Home

Installing Tempered Glass at Home

Toughened glass, also called tempered glass is a strong and durable glass surface that does not break easily. Due to its capability to withstand high-temperature differentials, it is popularly used in oven doors, room partitions, glass partitions, building façades, etc. Tempered glass is at least four to five times stronger than standard annealed glass. Keep reading to find out why? 

The Science Behind Toughened Glass

Tempered glass panes are made from standard glass panes that undergo a thermal tempering process. Panes of annealed glass are cut, drilled and fileted to customer specifications first. They are then passed through a 680°C preheated furnace on a roller table. This takes the glass beyond its transmission temperature and softens it. The heat-treated glass is then left to cool down. But, this surface does not cool uniformly. The outer surface of the glass cools much more rapidly, while the inside of the pane remains hot. This creates “centre tension” in the slab, altering its physical characteristics permanently and providing it with a great deal of toughness. 

An important thing to consider is that the annealed glass surface must be cut to size or pressed into the desired shape before heat tempering. Once the glass has undergone the toughening process, it cannot be re-worked on. If you try to drill a hole or cut through a toughened pane of glass, it will break completely.

Should You Install Tempered Glass at Home?

Flat out yes! Toughened or tempered glass has a wealth of benefits that make it one of the safest types of glass to install at home. No wonder it is also known as safety glass! A lot of glass is used in homes today to provide an added sense of space and comfort. Toughened glass looks great and can be used for internal as well as external windows, doors, partitions, skylights, etc. Safety is paramount when it comes to fenestration. Toughened glass lets you combine security with aesthetics seamlessly. Here is a comprehensive list of pointers in support of installing tempered glass at home –

Strong and Safe

The most important reason for heat-tempering a glass pane is to provide doors, windows, and façades with the strength to combat rigorous environmental conditions, like thunderstorms, torrid rainfall, wind, dust storms, etc. Also, tempered glass is far less likely to shatter under the influence of strong winds at higher altitudes, which is why several skyscrapers and high-rise residential buildings are built using this type of glass. More importantly, in a rare and unfortunate event of its breaking, tempered glass never shatters into sharp jagged pieces. It develops countless cracks and breaks into blunt pebble-like bits that are incapable of causing any grave injuries. This makes this glass very safe, especially if you have little kids in your home.

Resistant to Heat and Humidity

Toughened glass is highly capable of enduring uncomfortably warm and humid temperatures. You can use them for shower stalls, glass partitions, basin slabs, kitchen cabinets, etc. These surfaces can happily endure a generous splash of hot water and steam. Tempered glass requires very little maintenance and retains its sheen and finish for years on end. Use a soft damp cloth to wipe it once a week.

Diverse Applications

Tempered glass is easily mouldable in a variety of creative ways. It has applications ranging from cookware to commercial buildings. Several other popular applications include frameless glass doors, table-tops, mobile phone screens, laboratory equipment, and much more. Toughened glass can also be combined with laminated glass to manufacture automotive bulletproof windows.

Several Design Options

Tempered glass can be combined with several technologies to enhance its functionality. For instance, you can choose from a range of toughened frosted surfaces, translucent surfaces, coloured, clear and engraved options for different rooms that serve different purposes at your home or office. You can also get them in various tints and shades depending on the mood you want to set in a room.

Resists Solar Damage

Solar glare can heat up exterior glass surfaces unevenly. Sometimes, one side of a building receives more sunlight than the other. Prolonged direct sun exposure expands and contracts glass surfaces, regardless of their type. Uneven absorption of sunlight makes the overall glass surface expand and contract unevenly. This difference can create stress in glass panes leading to further damage or breakage. Such a phenomenon also affects tempered glass, but these panels are adept at withstanding such a temperature differential up to 250°C.  

Concluding Thoughts

Keep in mind the aforementioned benefits of toughened glass before choosing the standard annealed glass. Tempered surfaces are the ideal choice for offices, homes, schools and commercial enclaves. To bring out the best in tempered glass, count on AIS Glass. Our tempered glass is a very high-grade toughened glass, specially engineered to withstand harsh conditions. Rely on our team of experts to provide you with end-to-end services, from selection to installation, even after-sales support.

Get in touch today and enhance the safety of your home or office!

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Managing Wind on a 100-Floor Building

Managing Wind on a 100-Floor Building

Up until the rapid increase in urbanisation, superstructures such as 100-floor+ buildings were a luxuriant sight. Today, fuelled by a dearth of land area and the demands imposed by multi-millionaires and billionaires for high-rise buildings that offer the experience of being “on top of the world,” 100-floor skyscrapers are commonplace structures. One can find super-tall, skinny buildings in almost every metropolitan city in the world. But, designing such colossal edifices means overcoming several challenges of which wind-load seems to be the most predominant.

Wind Resistance: A Vital Consideration in Constructing 100-Floor Super-Structures

Notwithstandingthe demand for buildings with beanstalk proportions, a major architectural challenge in constructing such structures is that the taller a building, the more likely it is to sway at the top owing to high wind loads.

For instance, on a standard breezy day, a building that has 100 floors may sway a couple of inches at the top, according to consulting engineers Rowan Williams Davies and Irwin, but once each year can be experienced strong wind forces that travel 50 miles per hour and can move a superstructure with 100 floors about half a foot. But that’s not all, at least once every 50 years, winds with even greater velocities, around 100 miles per hour, are capable of making the tower deflect as much as even two feet!

Now, not only such swaying movements can prove to be a safety hazard, but they can also make the occupants of such superstructures woozy. This is especially a serious matter of consideration if the 100-floor building in question is a residential one. After all, not many people want to feel like they’re living on a giant pendulum!

As a result, architects and construction engineers include dampening and enveloping systems onto such superstructures that can act as shock absorbers and keep the occupants safe from the high velocity of wind forces that blow at such enormous heights – weight per square unit area of a building decreases with increasing height.

While designing buildings that have 100 floors and above, three kinds of wind load need to be taken into account – Uplift Wind Load or the upward pressure of the wind forces on horizontal structures such as the roof, Shear Wind Load or horizontal pressure on the walls and vertical structures, and Lateral Wind Load or horizontal wind pressure that can overturn the building by affecting its ballast.

Overcoming the Wind-Load Challenge with Glazed Glass Facades

One construction material that has gained popularity as the protective shield of 100-floor edifices has been glass. However, it is important to keep in mind that all glass structures and installations should be designed to offer a wind-resistance of at least 0.5kN/m² (500 Pa). Glass glazing systems; triple-glazing systems to be precise are designed to withstand the forces of the wind.

Glass envelopes or glazed glass facades are strong enough to withstand some of the harshest weather elements, be it sun’s heat, rain, or high-velocity winds. Moreover, since such glass facades do not rust or weather, environmental effects will not damage even the aesthetics of huge structures such as 100-floor buildings.

The load-bearing capabilities of such glazed glass facades depend on various components – required thickness of the glass, framing members, and size of brackets – all of which will be dictated by the wind loads in the area. For this, advanced engineering methods such as wind tunnel testing and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) are used. These methods help in accurate prediction of the wind pressure – critical in designing complex 100-floor superstructures.

If the inter-story drifts are high owing to high wind and seismic loads, the façade systems may require customisation such as wider vertical joints or stiffer façade profiles.

Let’s consider the example of two such 100+ floor superstructures optimised using glass facades for wind-resistance. The Port Baku Tower 2 located in Azerbaijan where each of the two towers measure 240m and 100m in height respectively. This super-huge shopping facility is constructed using complex facade geometry – a unitised curtain wall that is curved in the southern face of the building creating a spectacular skylight over the entrance area. In total, 12 different façade typologies have been included for protection against wind forces. The bespoke façade designs had to be created owing to differential wind pressure in the podium area (4.0 kPa) and the main tower areas (-7.5 kPa). Accommodation for even inter-story drifts were made.

Wind-proofing 100-Floor Buildings with AIS Glass

For providing a strong foundation for 100-floor superstructures, AIS Glass provides a comprehensive range of glass facades that are multi-functional – providing resistance against the sun’s extreme heat and harmful UV rays, rains, and high-velocity wind forces. They also provide optimal natural lighting and maintain ideal indoor temperatures throughout the year. So, what are you waiting for? Enveloping 100-floor buildings against the impact of high-velocity wind forces is easy with AIS Glass! Get in touch today and get an expert consultation.

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5 Things You Should Know About Flat Glass

Facts about Flat Glass
Facts about Flat Glass

 Glass has undoubtedly secured its position in the world of architecture and interior designing, having no competitors to challenge its fluid aesthetic appeal and innovative functionalities. But, the supreme evolution of glass to as we know it today had its origins in a special type of glass, known as float, annealed, or even flat glass.

Invented in 1959, this glass is made using some of the most abundant raw materials found on the earth’s surface like silica sand, limestone, soda ash, dolomite, and glass cullet.    

How Is Float Glass Made?

Float glass is made by melting the aforementioned items in a 1600°C preheated furnace and then pouring them onto a shallow bath of molten tin. This molten glass is allowed to cool on the tin by spreading itself out to form a flat surface. After cooling, the glass pane solidifies and flattens out evenly, which is why it is occasionally also called flat glass. Rollers run on top the glass’ surface to pull and stretch it out, in case a thinner finish is needed. 

The cooling process is not as straightforward as it sounds. Molten glass is slowly brought down from the fierce temperature of 600°C to about 100°C. After the glass has cooled down, it is trimmed to remove any uneven or excess glass. These spare glass shavings are used as cullet for newer batches. The whole process is recyclable and highly sustainable, with almost nothing going to waste.

The process of cooling glass down in a controlled and monitored manner is called annealing. Annealing awards the glass pane higher density and a higher refractive index. Tinted float glass is manufactured by pouring colouring agents during the melting process. Iron, cobalt and selenium are used to make green, grey, bronze and blue tints. 

Applications of Flat Glass

Flat glass or Annealed glass is commonly used for commercial as well as residential purposes. Let us look at its applications in detail –

Residential Real Estate

Flat glass is commonly used for small windows that do not need to withstand high temperatures or pressures. Float glass can shatter into sharp shards on impact, which is why it is mostly made to undergo heat strengthening, tempering, insulation, lamination, and other such processes to improve and increase its applications. An annealed glass pane that has further gone through a strengthening process has multifarious applications.

Commercial Glazing

Flat glass has become quite popular for constructing the exterior of commercial spaces. It gives the dwellers an impression of being outside, along with a sense of openness. All stories begin with float glass. This foundational glass pane goes through a heat toughening treatment before it is installed in office buildings, restaurants, retail outlets, display cases, etc.

Five Characteristics of Flat Glass

Since flat glass boasts superior clarity, it allows for a higher degree of light to pass through it. Using windows made of flat glass allows a healthy amount of natural light to permeate into your homes or offices and makes them bright and cheery.

Available in Several Tints

If you love glass but your home or office is in direct line of solar glare, fret not! Flat glass is available in several tints and shades, with an ability to produce a diverse range of translucencies. You can choose among bronze, grey, green, blue, etc. Tinted annealed glass allows a comfortable amount of natural light to shower through but acts as a solid barrier between you and the glare to keep you safe from ultraviolet (UV) rays as well infrared (IR) rays. 

Easily Mouldable 

Since this type of glass can be cut, drilled, polished and fileted after fabrication, it can be customised to precisely match your design sensibilities, before putting it through the irreversible processes of tempering or lamination. 

Eco-friendly

The process of manufacturing flat glass leaves no waste and is environment-friendly. All the extra glass shards that get trimmed off go back in the furnace to be recycled. This makes the entire process sustainable.

Available in Multiple Thickness Options

Flat glass can be made to order in various dimensions and densities, which is awarding it with new and unique applications. For example, with modern advancements, manufacturers have now started producing ultra-thin float glass that has applications in televisions, computer, and mobile phone hardware.

Easy to Maintain

Flat glass does not collect a lot of dust or grime and stays placid for years on end. However, it is always a good idea to care for your door and window glass panels to ensure that they stay dust-free. Wipe your float glass windows once a week with a soft, damp cloth. Use a microfiber cloth for best results. You can also use soapy water to wipe any grime or debris off its surface. Make sure that you leave no soap residue on the panes towards the end of the cleaning process, as this will attract more dirt.

The Bottom Line

Looking for flat glass for your next project? Turn to AIS Glass for all your glass-related needs. We are a subsidiary of the leading glass manufacturer in India – Asahi India Glass Limited – and provide end-to-end glass-related services for over three decades. Rely on our team of professionally-trained technicians to help you select the right glass for your home or office.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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Managing Glare on a 99 Floor Building

Ever since glass has gained ground as the principal construction material in the world of architecture and design, the sky has been the limit. A combination of undeniable aesthetic appeal and powerful functionality has enabled glass to enjoy a unique sort of supremacy.

The delicate, visual feel of transparency and water that glass exudes, makes it the building material of choice for optimum daylighting. As stated by Le Corbusier, “Architecture is the masterly, correct, and magnificent play of masses brought together in light,” this relationship between architecture and light continues to influence us today.

Daylighting: Finding the Right Balance

One of the prime design concerns of an architectural project is creating an atmosphere conducive to the inhabitants of a space, while maintaining its aesthetic value. A good part of this process involves lending a space the right degree of daylight. After all, as said by the famous architect, Louis Kahn, “A room is not a room without natural light.”

Any architect worth their salt understands the impact of adequate exposure to natural light on the productivity and overall well-being of a space’s inhabitants – residential or commercial. When it comes to sky-rise buildings with as many as 99 floors, the stakes are even higher.

Multi-faceted challenges await architects and interior designers involved in daylight autonomy design solutions out of which managing glare seems to be the trickiest to tackle. An overabundance of natural light can have detrimental effects on the building and its occupants; think sunburn, reduced visibility, and fading. The answer, as always, lies in moderation. An optimum degree of glare or a ‘balance of luminance’ on the 99th floor is key to the occupants’ well-being. Given the reduced sensitivity of the human eye at high luminance, the range of luminance or glare must ideally remain between 150 to 200 cd/m².

Moreover, daylight autonomy metrics can only be improved through dynamic fenestration strategies since the conventional methods of tinting windows or installing overhangs will essentially block out natural light in the process of reducing glare. Designing enlarged windows, on the other hand, will defeat the purpose of optimal glare management.

This calls for a carefully crafted solution that fuses aesthetics with specialised functionality. There is a clear winner in many a designer’s books – smart glass.

Dealing with Glare: The Smart Way

Conventional glare control strategies centred on static glazing methods. However, the on-demand economy has brought with it the emergence of dynamic technologies such as the smart glass, whose opacity levels can be controlled with the switch of a button.

Simply put, smart glass, also known as switchable glass, dynamic glass, or electrochromic glass, is a type of processed glass manufactured using the Suspended Particle Device (SPD) technology. Designed especially for the purpose of building enveloping, smart glass is developed using a thin film laminate of rod-like nano-scale particles suspended in a liquid (polymer base), and subsequently placed between two panes of glass or attached to one layer.

When an electric current is passed through the glass pane(s), the liquid crystals align themselves in a straight line, allowing light to pass through (the glass becomes transparent). On blocking the passage of electric current, the liquid crystals become scattered, thus enhancing opacity levels. In this way, living or working in a sky-rise building, especially the 99th floor is a whole lot easier with smart glass’s anti-glare properties.

Unmatched Comfort on Demand

The variable light transmission properties of smart glass bring a world of unmatchable benefits to the table that makes it an ideal pick for lofty buildings. A prominent advantage is the control over daylighting that it offers. You no longer need to deal with the woes of choosing one for the other (natural light or reduced glare). With smart glass, you can enjoy natural light without compromising on your vision by controlling its opacity levels through a remote. For 99-floor buildings that receive no dearth of natural light, smart glass paves the way towards moderation.

Besides being in control of your space’s ambience, smart glass gives you complete control over your privacy. For times when you must enjoy moments of solitude, simply switch off the electric current and enjoy unprecedented privacy. For times when you’re feeling more outdoorsy, go alfresco by switching the smart glass on and make the most of the sky-high view the 99th floor has to offer.

What’s more, smart glass also tops the charts in terms of environmental sustainability. Its controllable heat-transmission properties regulate the internal temperature such that the need for mechanical heating or cooling and artificial lighting is significantly reduced, naturally leading to lower energy consumption and energy bills.

And most importantly, electrochromic glass is highly durable with no visible loss of efficiency found even following years of field testing. As a result, you can get rid of your worries regarding the maintenance of blinds or curtains. A one-time investment is all it takes to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your spaces.

So, be it the famous Burj Khalifa, Shanghai tower, sky-rise apartments with 99 floors, hospitals, universities, corporate offices, or any other sky-scraping superstructure capable of making you crane your neck in awe, a switch to smart glass is a one-stop-solution to deal with the many challenges surrounding the maximisation of daylighting. Creating open, comfortable, and welcoming spaces that contribute to productivity, energy conservation, and overall well-being has never been this easy!

Choose AIS Swytchglas For Your 99-Floor Building

To beat the heat and light in style, embrace the revolutionary AIS Swytchglas – the key to managing glare on the 99th floor! Our smart glass takes less than 10 microseconds to activate, blocks up to 50% of the light in its “Off” mode, works between temperatures from 0 degrees to 55 degrees Celsius, can last for a minimum of 20,000 cycles, and is available in a variety of colour tints.

With AIS Swytchglas, you get the freedom to control the amount of heat and light entering into your space, even if it’s the 99th floor of a skyscraper simply by using a remote control.

You can install AIS Swytchglas in doors, partition walls, windows, skylights, facades, and a whole lot of other places. For managing glare, make the smart move today with AIS Glass! Get in touch for a consultation today and discover how our premium suite of solutions can serve your needs.

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How Do You Manage Efficiency of Work With Day Light

Manage Efficiency of Work With Day Light

Form always follows function and never the other way around. This is the fundamental principle of design and architecture since time immemorial. The essence of this doctrine iterates that the function of a building should decide its composition. Recognising the true purpose behind any construction is the primary condition for its design. A physical place of work, therefore, should motivate an employee to feel productive, and the infrastructure of that place has a huge role to play in the psyche of an individual. 

Productivity at Work Is Higher Under the Gleaming Sun

Countless studies have proven that humans have an unrelenting need to experience ample daylight routinely to stay productive. The reason behind this is our body’s circadian rhythm.

The human circadian rhythm is our body’s natural clock which makes us feel and do certain things during certain times of the day. There is a reason why most of us do not feel like going to work at night or sleeping during the day. There exists insurmountable evidence that daylight keeps the circadian rhythm in check. Messing up this rhythm pushes humans into feelings of depression, disruptive sleep patterns, lethargy, dysfunctionality, etc. Exposing your body to natural light during the day and darkness during the night ensures a healthy circadian rhythm which elevates functionality.

Therefore, efficiency at work is closely linked with daylight. Studies conducted by the Lighting Research Centre at the Rensselaer Institute in New York have concluded that employees in offices with little or no natural light spend lesser time on their work stations as compared to employees working in windowed offices with ample daylight. The positive impacts of natural light on productivity make a compelling case to incorporate daylight while designing buildings, both residential and commercial.

It can be comfortably said that daylight ensures efficiency and productivity by improving employee alertness, improving the indoor experience (employees find it more comfortable to sit on their desks for longer), and leading to feelings of higher positivity and energy.

How Do You Achieve Optimal Daylight Management in Offices?

You achieve it through the right kind of glass. It is as simple as that! Modern-day architects understand the need for gargantuan glass windows in offices, through which pure daylight can enter. Moreover, modern-day glass solutions come with energy-efficiency and optimal glare management features, ensuring that while optimum natural light enters into a space, it does not disrupt work by bringing in unnecessary heat and glare with it.

Factors to Consider While Choosing Glass for the Workplace

Be Wary of Energy Inefficiency

The standard glass absorbs a lot more heat compared to most materials. Therefore, it makes economic sense to choose a glass that does not absorb much heat and saves energy required to heat up or cool down an office building. Glass with high energy-efficiency clubbed with aesthetics will complete the utility spectrum for commercial buildings.       

Define Your Visual Needs 

Identify the window direction, the glare possible and the amount of privacy required. If you have an east-facing office overlooking the street, get a tinted double-glazed window glass. The tint is for added privacy. The double glazing is to increase the strength and reduce the solar potency and the subsequent glare which is the highest during the day. You can also opt for switchable or smart glass that offers you the freedom to control its opacity levels with a hand-held remote device. Moreover, you get the added benefit of having privacy on demand.

Adjust Artificial Lighting to Suit Daylighting, Not the Other Way Around

This is a no-brainer. If artificial lighting is required during the day along with the natural light, reduce the former’s potency. Bright artificial lighting during the day culls the efficacy of natural light that ushers in through ginormous glazed windows.

Consider Ultraviolet (UV) Protection

Sunlight that reaches us is made up of UV-A and UV-B rays. While glass filters out UV-B rays, the UV-A rays are deeper and get through the glass. This may cause skin damage and irritation. If your building’s direction eats up too much sunlight, then consider investing in glass solutions that offer UV protection.

Which Glass Works Best for Daylight Inclusion?

The solution is a high-performance and energy-efficient glass which allows for day light inclusion, but absorbs and reflects away UV rays and near-range infrared heat. A good example would be the Ecosense Exceed Solar Control Low-E glass manufactured by AIS Glass. This range provides a complete solution by keeping indoor spaces brighter and cooler while allowing a good amount of natural light to seep through.

Investing and procuring the best quality glass is critical for not just the design of your commercial complex, but also for the productivity of the employees working within that structure. The experts at AIS Glass understand this, which is why we are a leading player manufacturing high-performance, heat-reflective, energy-efficient glass solutions. The Ecosense Exceed Solar Control Low-E glass by AIS provides the perfect blend of energy efficiency and daylighting coupled with the benefits of visual and thermal comforts. Gift your employees the workspace they deserve with AIS Ecosense glass range.

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Different Uses of Reflective Glass

Different Uses of Reflective Glass
Different Uses of Reflective Glass

Reflective glass holds a significant place in the awe-inspiring universe of glass due to its superior aesthetics and stellar functionalities. It protects against solar glare, contributes to architectural aesthetics, and energy efficiency. The reflective glass reflects away a greater amount of heat as compared to ordinary float glass and is also less prone to thermal breakage.

What Is Reflective Glass?

Reflective glass is standard float or annealed glass with a thin metallic coating that provides it with a darker hue. The primary benefit of this type of glass is to help combat excessive solar glare. There are two methods through which reflective glass is manufactured.

1) Production Pyrolitic (On-Line)

In this method, the metal oxides responsible for tinting or shading are directly applied to the hot glass while it is still inside the annealing lehr (furnace). The coating is fused with the glass when the furnace is at around 1200°C. This process provides the glass pane strength and durability; it can be easily cut, drilled, heat strengthened or toughened afterwards. Coatings applied in this manner are called hard coatings and are relatively more sustainable and eco-friendly. This method is also cost-effective.

2) Vacuum (Magnetron) Process (Off-Line)

In this method, one or more metal oxide coatings is applied to finished glass by creating a vacuum. These coatings are softer and more susceptible to damage, which is why they are applied on the inner side of the glass panels. Their low resistance makes them more usable for double glazing. These soft coats are relatively more expensive as opposed to hard coats provided by the pyrolytic glass.  

Benefits of Reflective Glass

As seen above, Reflective glass is a versatile material with multiple applications. Its prime advantage is that of significantly reducing solar glare absorption, but that is not all. Listed below are a few key benefits of installing reflective glass at your home or office.

Optical comfort

Coated reflective glass undoubtedly provides a more soothing atmosphere inside an office space by reducing the harsh solar glare. It is designed specifically for optimal sunlight infiltration. The tint or hue further eliminates the need to install blinds or window shutters inside a room, which means you get an enhanced sense of space. Reflective glass manufactured with a Low-E coating increases optical comfort and makes the building more energy-efficient. Energy efficiency makes a structure more sustainable, reduces energy bills, provides enhanced thermal comfort, reduces the need for artificial lighting, and much more.

Varied colour choices

Reflective glass is available in various shades such as bronze, silver, dark grey, green, dark blue, etc. You can choose a shade that best aligns with the colour of your structure’s framing, panelling, stonework, etc. Reflective glass panes also significantly reduce the HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning unit) costs and also enhancing their lifespan. 

Ensures privacy

A certain type of thin metallic coating on the glass’s surface can also provide it with a one-way mirror effect, rendering it opaque for people standing on the outside looking in. This gives people on the inside of the glass structure privacy while letting them take advantage of the panoramic views of their external surroundings. People and vehicles on the outside can only see a reflection of themselves on the surface of such buildings.

Summer comfort

Reflective surfaces cut back on the solar glare and scorching heat but allow for tonnes of natural light to pass through, enhancing overall thermal comfort inside a building. This makes dwelling behind reflective glass very comfortable, especially during the sweltering summer months. If you work or live inside a structure that in the direct line of solar glare, reflective glass is the perfect solution for you.

Unsung health benefits

The hues on the reflective glass are not just for show. The coating protects the interiors of your building from absorbing harmful ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) rays. This is not only beneficial for you but also your furnishings like upholstery, carpets, rugs, etc. Exposure to harsh sunlight routinely can cause these furnishings to fade quickly.  

Applications of Reflective Glass

Glass with reflective coatings has found several applications in architecture. These coatings have high reflectance that provides UV and IR protection. Listed below are some of its applications for your reference. 

Exterior applications

Reflective glass is widely used in exteriors of commercial façades, shopping malls, educational institutions, stand-alone storefronts, air traffic control towers, restaurants, hotel rooms, petrol bunk windows, and much more.    

Interior Applications

Interior applications of reflective glass include picture framing, display cabinets, display windows, tabletops, wardrobes, machine control rooms, smaller residential windows, township community centres or clubhouses, etc. 

 The Bottom Line

Looking to get reflective glass panes installed? Turn to AIS Glass for all your glass-related woes. We offer high-quality reflective glass in several colours, sizes and thicknesses. AIS Glass has been one of the leading glass manufacturers in India for over 30 decades. We provide end-to-end services with quick turnaround time. Log on to our website or give us a call to get a customised quote today!

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Frequently Asked Questions on Annealed Glass

Frequently Asked Questions on Annealed Glass

Modern-day glass innovations have left many with a sense of awe and wonder. After all, glass’ multitudinous abilities are the reason for it being revered as the choicest building material in many an architect’s and interior designer’s books. But, wouldn’t it be a delight to know the genesis of it all? Where did it all begin? Well, with the process of annealing! Annealed glass is the foundation on which all contemporary glass innovations rest. So, let’s find out about this wondrous glass in detail. 

The Process of Annealing: A Wonder in Itself

One of the unique features of glass is how it behaves with temperature variation. When exposed to heat, it expands, and when exposed to cold, it contracts. Exposure to differential temperatures creates stress between the outer and inner layers of glass. The difference in stress levels within the glass pane can lead to breakage at room temperature. This is why it is imperative to cool glass down in a controlled manner and according to a predetermined temperature gradient. Doing this allows the interior as well as the exterior surface to cool off uniformly without breaking. The process where glass is made to cool in a controlled manner to relieve stress is called annealing.

What Is Annealed Glass?

Also known as float glass or plate glass, annealed glass is the glass that results from the process of annealing. For most glass panes, the annealing temperatures fall between 454°C to 482°C. Once the annealing process is complete and the glass has cooled down systematically, it can be drilled, cut, filleted and polished without the fear of it shattering. In a nutshell, annealed glass is the base to all modern-day innovative glass solutions.     

Multifarious Applications: Journey of Annealed Glass

Annealed glass is commonly used in small-size windows that do not need to withstand high temperatures or pressures. Since this type of glass is easy to mould, it can also be used as a transparent glazing material for the building envelope, like external walls. This type of glass tends to shatter on impact which is why it is mostly made to undergo further processing like heat-strengthening, chemical tempering, lamination, back painting, etc., to improve its applications. As a result, annealed glass can be made stronger and more durable, decorative and aesthetically more appealing, energy-efficient, noise-resistant, opaque in appearance, and so on.

Annealed Glass: From Crystal-Clear Clarity to Much More

Since annealed glass intrinsically has high-clarity, it allows for a higher degree of light to pass through it. Using windows made of annealed glass allows a healthy amount of natural light to permeate into your homes and makes them bright and comfortable. Alternatively, if you like natural light, but not too much of it, annealed glass also comes in several tints, with an ability to produce a diverse range of opacities. Since this glass can be cut, drilled and polished easily, fabricators often customise it as per the final requirements before putting it through the final process of tempering or laminating. Annealed glass is manufactured in an eco-friendly manner. This makes it sustainable and environment-friendly.

Difference between Annealed Glass and Toughened Glass

Annealed glass is at the base of every type of further glass processing. For instance, it is put through the process of tempering through which toughened safety glass is manufactured. Tempering does not alter the shape or size of the pre-cut annealed pane, it simply makes it at least four to five times stronger than its counterpart. When annealed glass breaks on impact, it may shatter but heat-tempered glass does not shatter easily. It also does not smash into pieces if the impact is strong enough to break it. Tempered glass shatters into blunt, pebble-like pieces that do not fall to the floor easily.

How Do I Install Annealed Glass?

You don’t! You call a trained technician who works with a reputed glass manufacturer and get it professionally-installed. Since annealed glass is not tempered, it can shatter into relatively sharper pieces if not handled with care. Getting annealed glass installed in your new home or getting an old annealed window pane replaced is a task that needs expert equipment and hands. Purchase annealed panes from a trusted brand that has been in this industry for several years.

The Bottom Line

Annealed or Float glass has several applications, both in residential properties as well as commercial enclaves, especially once it is toughened and laminated. With modern advancements in glass fabrication, product variants such as ultra-thin annealed glass are finding applications in electronics technology, such as computer and mobile phone screens, and new-age televisions. 

Looking for annealed or any other type of glass for your next project? Reach out to AIS Glass for all your glass-related woes and needs. Our Clear Float Glass comes with a precise surface flatness that ensures 100% distortion-free vision. As a result, both true and reflected images appear very bright with crystal-clear clarity. Moreover, all processing techniques such as insulating, laminating, glazing, thermal toughening, enamelling, silk-screen printing, sandblasting, acid-etching, and bending can be easily carried out on AIS Clear Float Glass. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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5 Soundproofing Tips to Block Street Noise

Tips to Block Street Noise

It is no secret that our cities have gotten painfully noisy over the last decade? This problem is not limited to peak office hours anymore. The sound of construction and traffic is a constant cacophony throughout the day and sometimes even at night.

Street noise creates stress and fatigue. Your home should be a place where you can wash off the day’s troubles and unwind in peace. If you live in a cacophonous neighbourhood with no recourse, then soundproofing your windows and doors is the ultimate solution to your noise-related woes. The same goes for office settings. Noise pollution thwarts productivity. Imagine getting a task done with horns blaring right outside your office window. 

A wall is a solid, sealed structure that does not allow for sound to seep inside. It is the windows and doors that act as the main source of noise leakage. A window and door is essentially a hole in the wall allowing sound to drain in or out. In modern architecture, a lot of stress is being laid on replacing long solid walls with a large number of glass windows and doors. Increased fenestration requirements have opened up spaces and ushered in more natural light, but this has also increased the potential of noise seeping inside our dwellings. 

5 Ways to Block Street Noise

A significant reduction in sound can simply be achieved by taking care of the main sources leaking noise inside – doors and more importantly windows. It is impossible to control your external surroundings, but here are some nifty tips that can help you reduce street noise.

Install Soundproof Windows

Sound proof glass windows are specially designed to reduce noise caused due to street commotion by up to 42 decibels. This feat is possible due to double glazing. Two layers of laminated glass are fitted inside a single frame that traps external noise between them. Double-glazed acoustic windows absorb noise and ensure that it does not reverberate inside a room. For example, windows made from AIS Acoustic glass have exceptional sound absorption properties. They can kill street noise by up to 90%, which is 60% more than an ordinary 5mm glass window. 

The Science behind Soundproof Windows

These windows must create a barrier between the noise and your ear to reduce sound. This barrier has to be strong enough to fragment and capture sound waves. Walls, doors and windows, all act as a barrier that catches sound all day. To increase a window’s ability to absorb noise, a manufacturer has to do three critical things – add more mass to a glass pane by cutting it thicker, increase the space between two glass panes to add more area for sound waves to get trapped, use a glass-plastic-glass specialised sandwich pane.

Double-paned sound proof glass along with airtight framework is the best at blocking sound. This is by far the most effective solution for curbing street noise. Apart from blocking noise, sound proof glass also increases thermal comfort, is easy to install and maintain, provides UV protection, and reduces the amount of dust entering inside your home or office.

Seal Sound Leaks

Look over your walls closely for cracks or gaps, especially near the window frames. Even the tiniest of gaps make a room susceptible to external noise leaking in. Once you have located cracks or gaps, get a professional to look them over. The professional may suggest replacing your window(s) with sound proof glass if they have become too old and are adversely affecting the structural strength of your walls, causing cracks and gaps. Otherwise, get these gaps sealed with noise-blocking caulk or sealant.

Reinforce With Soundproof Curtains

If you live in a particularly noisy neighbourhood, you may need to go a step further after installing sound proof glass windows. Once the installation process has been completed, lace the windows with sound blocking curtains, which are specifically designed to cull street noise. Remember that these curtains work best only when installed with the support of soundproof windows. Installing thick soundproof curtains as a stand-alone item will prove to be a waste of money.

Build Natural Barriers

Do you know that plants and shrubs can fragment sound waves and are good noise barriers? If you live in a house on the ground floor, with a small lawn or a footpath right outside, plant a line of tall shrubs. Not only will this help the environment and enhance the overall beauty of your home, but it will also significantly cull street noise.

Reinforce Your Doors

A lot of noise tends to sneak into your homes through doors. For instance, if you live by the highway, consider installing a solidly sealed wooden glass door. Both wood and glass are excellent materials for absorbing sound. Wooden glass doors also provide a sense of openness and usher in a great deal of natural light.  

Final Thoughts

Looking to improve acoustics and reduce street noise pouring inside your home or workplace? Turn to AIS Glass and counter this problem permanently. Our sound proof glass windows come laminated, featuring a PVB interlayer layer that has exceptional sound absorption qualities. Our sound proof glass windows can reduce external noise by up to 40%.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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Back Painted Glass: An Easiest Way to Create a Luxurious Effect

Back Painted Glass
Back Painted Glass

Imagine a silky-smooth wall with a flawless finish and colour, providing a luxe-like vibe to your room. Luxury is all about the right juxtaposition of traditional and modern so as to create a look that is sleek and current, but not sterile by any means. A pop of colour can be that little touch required to make any space cutting-edge and inviting. And when coupled with the glossy finish of glass, the outcome is all the more splendid. Back painted glass is a member of the glass family, who though is popular for decoration, is a kind where form serves function.

This type of glass has diverse applications and it can be used in literally any and every room of your home or office. Be it the kitchen, bathroom, study, drawing or dining room at your home or conference hall, cabins or cubicles in your office; this type of glass provides elegance wherever installed.

What Is Back Painted Glass?

Also known as lacquered glass, back painted glass is exactly what it sounds like – glass that has been painted from one side. This leads to the glass becoming opaque from the other side. Lacquered glass is rapidly gaining popularity due to its aesthetic prowess and has found applications in commercial complexes, residential properties, and entertainment venues. Glass has always added a certain “Je ne sai quois” or X-factor to interiors and exteriors of buildings. Back painted glass cranks this X-factor up a notch. Distempering can never give your wall the same flawless finish as lacquered glass can.

The Science behind Lacquered Glass

A pre-cut sheet of glass is first cleaned thoroughly to ensure that no dry or wet debris is lingering on the surface. Debris left uncleaned will get embedded on the glass surface and will lead to a substandard product finish. After this, masking tape is laced throughout the front edges of the slab to ensure that it does not get coated with paint. The glass pane is then laid flat on a surface and paint is applied to the open side, usually in multiple coats. Many a time, the glass can be transferred to a large oven which that will bake the wet paint, ensuring good adhesion. Back painted glass can be cut and polished in case the size dimensions need to be altered following its manufacture. 

Lacquered Glass: Where Form Serves Function

If you are looking to amplify the spatial aesthetics of your home or office then back painted glass is your ideal pick. There are several benefits of getting this type of glass installed and they are all not related to aesthetics alone. Keep reading to find out how lacquered glass can complete the spectrum of design, safety and durability.

Spectacular Chromatic Assortment

Gone are the days when glass was considered useful only because of its transparency and could be used only for doors, windows and partitions. Glass applications today have quadrupled and back painted glass is one of the reasons why. There is a vast variety of colours and patterns available in this particular type. You will be spoilt for choice. There is a back painted glass colour for every personality and every mood. Select from a range of striking colours or pastels depending on your desire and the purpose of your space.

Superior Durability with Low-Maintenance

The finish on back painted glass lasts a lifetime as opposed to painted or textured walls. Since the paint is behind a sturdy surface of the glass, it never comes in direct contact with heat, humidity and moisture. This preserves the look and finish of the coloured glass wall, thus making it completely maintenance-free. You can also drill a hole into it to hang photo frames. Back painted glass does not allow much grime or dirt to settle on its surface and is also very easy to wipe clean. The multiple coatings of paint make this glass very strong and durable. It does not crack, chip or dent and can withstand external pressure.

Heat and Humidity-Resistant

Back painted glass has fantastic applications in kitchens and bathrooms since it has a great capacity to endure heat and humidity. Be it hot oil spills from pans or hot water from showers, lacquered glass will happily sustain such spill-overs while giving your rooms a gorgeous sense of style and chicness. If you want a sense of luxury in your bathroom or kitchen, clad your plain, dull-looking walls, basins, slabs, backsplash, kitchen island, and cabinets with back painted glass.

The Bottom Line

Whatever your spatial goals may be for your home or office, back painted glass will easily fit into them. Given the range of designs, you will certainly find a colour that matches your sensibilities. Get back painted glass installed by AIS Glass. Our spectacular range of AIS Décor will make you spoilt for choice. From soothing, earthy tones of Earthy Brown and Terracotta, to bright and bold shades of Autumn Orange, Chrome Yellow, and Venetian Red, to royal metallic tones of Sterling Silver and Sparkling Mystic Gold; AIS Décor is available in them all. Rely on our team of professionally-trained technicians that use top-of-the-line tools to fulfil all your glass requirements. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!

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Choosing the Right Back Painted Glass for Your Kitchen

Choosing the Right Back Painted Glass for Your Kitchen
Choosing the Right Back Painted Glass for Your Kitchen

Those homes are the best where the kitchen is loved well. After all, the heart of the home must have the heart of its residents. One way of expressing your love for your kitchen is giving it a makeover – one that reflects the delectability of the mouth-watering dishes that adorn its counter-tops.

And when it comes to revamping your kitchen, no other architectural material offers a more perfect blend of modernism and elegance as glass. After all, as they say, absolute perfection cannot be improved! Incorporation of glass into a space instantly adds a touch of sophistication, the likes of which remain unchallenged to this day. No wonder glass has become the most beloved material among architects and homeowners alike.

Moreover, modern-day glass solutions have overcome the standard fluid visual appeal that is inherent to glass. Ordinary glass has evolved from its humble origins to include all types of colourful shades that are capable of sprucing up any space from drab to fab. One such glass solution is the lacquered glass – made by back painting one surface of float glass with a solid coating of lacquer and then oven-curing to lock in its unique features of opacity and coloured appearance.

Benefits of Lacquered Glass

Durable

If you are worried that by opting for lacquered glass, you will be compromising on quality for aesthetics, then you can breathe a sigh of relief. Lacquered glass is more than just its flawless finish on the surface. The lacquer applied at the back of the glass protects it from damage and ensures its durability. The long-lasting nature of the solution used and the toughness of the glass make sure that your lacquered glass looks as good as new even after years of usage. 

Easy to Modify and Model

Lacquered glass gives you a lot of flexibility to experiment with. It can easily be cut, drilled, and edge-finished. You can also get it polished as per your needs. 

Resistant to Moisture and Heat

What makes lacquered glass a great addition to your home is its exceptional ability to withstand temperatures of up to 80-degrees Celsius, making it an excellent option for highly humid areas such as your kitchen. Along with this, lacquered glass blocks out harmful UV rays, thereby staying immune from discolouration. 

Easy to Maintain and Clean

Lacquered glass is very easy to maintain. All it requires is a wipe down. It also doesn’t trap germs or bacteria, ensuring that your kitchen is hygienic and clean.  

Increases Visual Appeal

Available in a wide variety of colours, the installation of lacquered glass in your home can breathe new life into its interiors, given the vibrant shades of the glass and its highly glossy finish.

Uses of Lacquered Glass in Kitchen

For the space that brings friends and family together through sumptuous meals, the high-end, trendy look of lacquered glass is all that is needed to give that ‘x’ factor. Here are some ways that you can use lacquered glass to stylise and innovate your kitchen –

Backsplash

Lacquered glass works great as kitchen backsplash. After all, a dull backsplash makes for a very uninspiring kitchen – a space where cooking up delectable victuals becomes a challenge. Installing lacquered glass as a backsplash allows you to add colours to your kitchen. Moreover, they are stain-resistant and also make for easier clean-ups, unlike their traditional counterparts – kitchen tiles.

Kitchen Cabinets

If you want to give your kitchen a sleek and modern appearance then installing lacquered glass cabinets is the perfect option. As lacquered glass is easy to clean and does not trap germs, lacquered glass cabinets can make your kitchen look more high-end and contemporary than their traditional counterparts.

Wall-Panelling

Creating wall panels with colourful lacquered glass panels adds a creative look to your kitchen wall. Not only do they enhance your kitchen’s look, but they also eliminate the hassle of getting your kitchen walls repainted year after year.

Countertops

You can also use lacquered glass on kitchen countertops or kitchen island tops to increase the visual appeal of your kitchen. The scratch-resistance, low-maintenance properties of lacquered glass are handy features that allow you to bake your heart out without fearing any mess!

Magnetic Boards

Have a tough time keeping track of your day’s to-dos and organising your grandma’s recipes? Why opt for a lacquered glass magnetic board on which you can easily and readily note down your daily to-do list. Moreover, the board hanging right in front of the gas-top serves as a handy means to look up the recipe for the day!

Looking for top-of-the-line, aesthetically appealing lacquered glass solutions? Look no further than AIS Glass – a full-service offering of India’s largest integrated glass manufacturer – Asahi India Glass Limited. We offer lacquered glass in a myriad of shades ranging from bold and bright tones to calm pastel ones, even royal metallic shades. Be done with your kitchen’s bland interiors and grant it newfound life with the colourful world of lacquered glass! Our team of experts will provide you 360-degree support, right from the initial stage of product selection up until installation and even after-sales guidance.

So, what are you waiting for? Revive your kitchen today! Get in touch with us.

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An Architect’s Guide to Glass Façade

Architect’s Guide to Glass Façade
Architect’s Guide to Glass Façade

Skyscrapers in modern cities, whether residential or commercial, tend to glamorize themselves by way of the owner’s stylistic choices. Today, one of the most preferred ways to instantly enhance the style quotient of a tall building is a glass façade. Apart from lending a contemporary yet open look to a modern-day building, glass façades also offer sound and heat-insulation, making them a favourite of architects. Bespoke cladding, challenging geometrical designs, and striking outlooks of glass facades ensure protection against irregular winds and seismic conditions as well. As an architect, you might be loosely familiar with the basics of a façade. To enrich you more, here is a valuable guide about the intricacies of glass facades.

Types of Glass Facades

Curtain Wall

Curtain walls are non-load bearing curtain-like structures attached to the floor of the building in which the façade is to be incorporated. Such facades have to support only their weight and not the dead load weight imposed by the building. Connections exist between the curtain wall and the building’s columns and floors so that the weight of the wind can be transferred from the façade. These types of facades are both aesthetically pleasing and exceedingly functional, providing resistance to wind and water infiltration. Resistance to seismic forces and a thermal barrier is also provided by such glass facades.

Curtain walls can be customised according to the need of the building and the design choice of the client. It can take the form of many interesting patterns and styles.

Storefront Wall

This is another non-load bearing façade type designed primarily for ground floors. It spans between the ground and the roof of the building above it and offers optimal thermal and sound insulation when constructed using specialised glasses. It is a cost-effective option and can be customised according to the client’s desires.

Framing Systems

Stick Systems

Vertical support mullions form the frames for these types of glass facades. These extrusions are usually entirely constructed away from the site of installation. Later, the mullions are taken to the location of construction and glass panels are fit into them. Typically, the vertical extrusions are also supported by horizontal frames, which in turn, make the glass-framed from all sides.

Usually, the mullions used in the stick systems are made using materials like aluminium, steel, concrete, or wood. Depending on the stylistic choice, any of these materials can be used. Structured silicone, toggle-locked, bolted, or pressure-capped stick systems are installed in mid-rise or low-rise buildings because of their high costs.

Unitized System

As the name suggests, such glass facades are usually made in the factory and then carried to the site of installation. This essentially means that unitized systems come ready to be installed at the building. The continuous system can span multiple floors in tall buildings. Vents and windows can also be installed in unitized-framed facades. Since the entire framing system is constructed in a factory with controlled climatic conditions, features like moisture and air-resistance can easily be incorporated into them. Mobile street cranes, tower cranes, or monorails are usually used to carry the completed systems to the site.

Semi-Unitized Systems

Semi-unitized systems consist of the best of both stick systems and unitized systems. Glass facades of this type are encased in a stick made metal cassettes. The glass is in-filled in the cassettes at the factory. The individual cassettes are later carried to the site of construction and are assembled with other cassettes on-site. The bonding of one metal case with another happens with gaskets, making the assembly and installation both fast and safe. These types of systems require the application of structural silicone during the installation process.

Building Performance

The purpose behind the installation of glass facades is not merely their aesthetic value. Glass facades can add other features to the building.

Regulated Energy Consumption

To make a building more energy-efficient, the kind of glass used for a façade should be selected carefully. Energy-efficient glass made by AIS Glass is a good choice. While providing optimal insulation, energy-efficient glass also maximises the amount of light entering the building. Building-integrated photovoltaic can also be used to preserve energy.

Acoustics

High-quality acoustic glass can be used in construction where a quiet environment is desired. Sound Transmission Class and Outdoor Indoor transmission class indices can be used to evaluate the acoustic performance of buildings with glass facades.

Security

While getting glass facades, security is often the primary concern. The best way to ensure safety is using toughened glass like AIS Stronglas or similar solutions with multipoint locking systems. Additional security measures can also be taken in framing or installation.

At AIS Glass, we manufacture high-quality glasses meant to create contemporary, stylish, and pragmatic facades for modern buildings. We have all kinds of glass solutions available and can customise different glass types according to your needs. Contact us today to enjoy a wide range of interior and exterior glass solutions!

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Glass Inspired Architectural Marvels of the Decade

People all across the globe have had a long-standing love affair with glass as a material for all types of dwellings. Architects around the world are enamoured with its beauty, versatility and unique technical capabilities. The way glass reflects light is genuinely mesmerising. The way it creates an expansive sense of space is unachievable with any other material. No wonder designers and architects around the world wax lyrical about the exquisite and fluidic properties of glass. They are gaga about the panache and class it adds to any type of dwelling.

Earlier, glass was mostly used for windows, doors and partitions, but in the last decade or so, its utility has been taken to a whole new level. Several buildings across the world have popped up with a glass exterior, and they shimmer and stand out like no other. Let us look at a few glass-inspired marvels of the decade around the world.

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai

Who does not know of this iconic building in Dubai? It is, after all, the highest manmade structure in the world. Standing tall at 2,716.5 feet, the Burj Khalifa’s façade boasts an impeccable combination of glass, aluminium and silicone. Special consideration was given to minimise heat transmission for energy conservation. More than 24,000 cladding panels were used over a whopping curtain wall area of 132,000 meters to achieve energy-efficiency. The glass on the exterior facade includes high-performance reflective glazing. The Khalifa comprises of multitudes of silicone sealants, structural adhesives, aluminium mullions etc.

The Shard in London

The Shard in London is quite literally a shard of glass near the London Bridge. It is a commercial tower made from glass, reinforced concrete and steel. The tower uses a bright blue, highly reflective laminated glass to reflect excessive heat. The shard reflects the sky, clouds and the sun of the city of London beautifully. On a sunny day, the building shimmers unabashedly much like a shard of glass.

This 94-storey high glass shard was designed by the Italian architect, Renzo Piano and was unveiled for the public in 2013. The Shard is a neo-futuristic piece of a fluidic skyscraper that poses as a wonder to all who visit this timeless city. It also has a 53-meter-deep foundation that provides it with unwavering support. 

The Shanghai Tower in China

The world’s second-highest structure also houses the world’s highest observation deck. The Shanghai tower is a flag bearer of modern-day architecture. The tower’s core is made up of 30 square meters worth of concrete. This base supports an outer structure made of laminated glass. This transparent façade looks glorious and also provides unique structural sensibilities to the tower. This glassy skyscraper utilises two layers of highly-reflective glass panels to lower heat absorption and provide extra strength to withstand the harsh wind loads that the building must endure at such a height. 

This tower breaks several architectural records around the world, but all of it pales in comparison to the fact that the Shanghai Tower saved 58,000 million dollars in material cost due to its ingenious design. Gensler, the architectural mastermind behind this tower conducted wind tunnel tests to refine the tower’s form, thereby reducing the wind load by 24%.       

The Dubai Mall in Dubai

Meet the second largest mall in the world. This gargantuan enclave is equivalent in size to more than 50 football fields! Unfathomable, isn’t it? This mall has a total internal floor area of 5.9 million square feet. Imagine this complex as a tiny town structure with streets and water parks having 80 million shoppers visit its premises annually. The interior, as well as the exterior, has been beautifully constructed with a myriad of materials with glass and steel being the majoritarian contributors. The use of polished and reinforced fibreglass panels clads the interiors, storefronts, stairs, doors and windows of this magnificent structure. The grandeur of the Dubai Mall is well worth witnessing.

Concluding Thoughts

The list of architectural marvels that champion glass is endless. The last decade saw countless skyscrapers that used glass beautifully in tandem with other materials. Innovative uses of glass are not only seen in commercial skyscrapers but also residential dwellings. It is light, affordable, fluidic and available for all types of constructional aspirations.

AIS Glass offers stunning varieties of this material for all your needs. Be it your desire to remodel your home or office premises; our experts provide superior quality glass solutions for both interiors and exteriors. Get all your needs met, both for aesthetics and functionality with AIS Glass glass solutions! Contact us today.

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Emerging Glass Solutions Used in Architecture

Glass Solutions Used in Architecture

Glass no more exists to provide transparency alone. You can also use it to diffuse light by purchasing a variant that is translucent or tinted. Secondly, that glass is weak and shatters on contact is now a myth. Of course, glass is not as strong as concrete or steel, but modern innovations have provided it with a substantial amount of strength, which was not the case before. There are many emerging variants of this material that can be used in renovating or constructing properties. Our list here can act as your starter kit for understanding the multifaceted nature of this stellar material.

If you are planning to reinvent your home or office and want to add a sense of openness to that space, then glass is the right material for you! A tonne of spatial innovation is possible if you know which type of glass does what and where it can be used best.  

Switchable/Smart Glass

This elegant material just got more attractive! Smart glass uses modern-day technology to switch from opaque to transparent or vice versa. This type of glass can alternate the light transmitting through it by passing an electric current through it. While manufacturing smart glass, a film of liquid crystals in introduced to the pane which is sensitive to electrical current. With just the push of a button, this glass turns transparent.

The applications of such a product are manifold. It’s predominantly used for creating privacy and can be utilised in making partitions and/or windows at offices, hospitals and houses. It also works as electronic curtains providing privacy when needed.

High Performance Glass

This awe-inspiring variant is what gives modern-day glass skyscrapers their visual appeal. But that is not all; this variant is exceptional at sun control and reflects away a considerable amount of heat. Highly-reflective glass has a unique metallic coating on it which cuts off solar heat. This coating also provides a slight mirror-like effect on the glass’ surface. Ever wondered why the sky reflects so clearly on these gorgeous glass offices? It is because of this coating on the surface of ordinary glass, making it highly reflective.

Since this variant does not absorb much heat, it makes any structure very energy-efficient. This glass has maximum applications in office complexes. Employees working inside these structures get a beautiful view of their external surroundings along with ample daylight, but the people outside are unable to look inside.

Back Painted Glass

Imagine a coloured wall made of glass. Back-painted glass is available in countless colours. This type of glass has a silky and fluidic appeal to it. Back painted glass manufactured by coating one side with high-quality paints followed by an oven-curing process to lock in its unique features. Apart from the ornamental benefits, this coating also provides a great deal of strength to the glass, making it very durable and long-lasting. This type of glass requires zero-maintenance and is excellent for dealing with wet and humid surroundings. Back Painted glass has fantastic applications in turning your bathroom and kitchen into nothing less than a work of art. Use it to build bathroom walls, shower stalls, kitchen drawers or cabinets and rest assured that this variant won’t let you down.

Frosted or Acid-Etched Glass

This is a beneficial variant that allows for pristine light diffusion, thus, amplifying the elegance of any room it’s used in. Frosted glass is manufactured by taking a transparent sheet of glass and purposely blasting it with sand or by using acid for etching on it. The surface of this variant is not clear but rather translucent which allows for light to smoothly diffuse around it. The light scatters on this surface which obscures visibility.

This type of glass is mostly used in skylights, bedroom doors, office cabins and bathrooms. Talking further about skylights; solar rays can usher in aggressively during the morning time. The frosted glass used in skylight windows turns the harsh solar rays into gentle diffused ones.

Toughened Glass

This is a type of safety glass manufactured via a process in which standard glass is toughened through chemical or thermal tempering. It is desired mainly because of its durability, impact-resistance and safety. Even on rare occasions when toughened glass succumbs to an external impact, it does not shatter into sharp shards unlike standard glass but into small, blunt, pebble-like pieces incapable of causing injuries. This variant can be used on the ceiling-to-floor French windows or tall balcony doors. It also has wide applications in exhibition areas and window displays.

Contemporary glass skyscrapers have overwhelmed onlookers. Various high-profile residential dwellings, for instance, the renowned Ambani home called ‘Antilia’, have learned to harness this material at its very best. Invest in this great material by visiting AIS Glass today! We are leading India’s glass innovation by manufacturing glass solutions that cater to all aesthetic and functional needs. Step into the world of AIS Glass and step out with innovative solutions for all your glass-related needs! Get in touch today.

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