Glass roofs and skylights

pierer.net

Roof glazing and glass skylights can safely be used throughout the roof of a building, providing a natural source of daylight that helps reduce the need for artificial lighting, while still addressing solar control and thermal insulation needs. By introducing natural daylight into the core of a building, glass roofs and skylights can help create brighter, more inviting interiors.

Which glass should be used for roof glazing?

As roof glazing is directly exposed to the sun for a high proportion of the day, careful selection of the glass is crucial, otherwise the benefits of providing more natural daylight into a building can be quickly offset by the excessive heat gain, which would make interior spaces uncomfortable for occupants. In order to select the right glass to help create a comfortable and safe environment, several factors should be considered:

Limit Overheating

In warm climates where roof glazing and skylights are exposed to the sun the whole year round, Guardian Glass recommends using a high-performance glazing solution with a maximum solar heat gain of 0.25. This will help limit the overheating of interior spaces and can contribute to reducing the need for air conditioning by helping to keep the heat outside and the cool air inside.

Help Reduce Glare

For the visual comfort of building occupants and reduced glare, Guardian Glass recommends using a high-performance glass with a Visual Light Transmission (VLT) ranging from 24 to 30%.

Our glass product for roofs & skylights

Architects and designers need consider relevant international and/or local glazing standards relating to roof glazing. These typically address the various building types, classifying these into different load levels, providing guidance on maximum allowable deflections and stresses for overhead glazing. Therefore, the thickness of the glass and the integrity of the insulating glass unit must be considered. The Guardian Glass team and supplier partners are available to help you navigate these considerations.

The support system for the glass needs to be sufficient in order to prevent distortion under load. Unlike vertical glazing, loads caused by snow, maintenance, water and the ‘dead’ load (the self-weight of the glass as a permanent load) need to be considered. If the glass roof forms part of an accessible area, it must be treated as a glass floor. Laminated safety glass is often recommended for roof glazing, although toughened glass is sufficient for some overhead glazing applications.