Glazing with reinforced thermal insulation

An inescapable part of the design of any construction, the thermal performance of glazing is a key element in low-energy houses. To meet this level of requirement, the Saint-Gobain Recherche teams develop a wide range of low-emissivity coated glass that adapts to different climates.


Reducing heating consumption involves very high thermal insulation of opaque and glazed surfaces, a high level of transparency of glass to maximize natural light and free solar contributions in winter, while ensuring the comfort of the occupants in summer.
In this area, the Saint Gobain Recherche teams work closely with Saint-Gobain's Glass activity to functionalise the surface of the glass rendering it low emissive.

This type of glazing, present in several applications for new constructions but also for renovations (windows, french doors, conservatories, balconies, facades), have a surface property which reduces radiative losses, thereby improving the thermal transmittance coefficient of double glazing. SGG double/triple glazing fitted with so-called low-emissivity glass can reach levels of thermal insulation up to 9 times higher than that of single glazing.

The range of low emissivity glazing is fairly wide and is adapted to different climatic regions. Thus, for cold climates like the Nordic countries for example, the use of glazing with very good insulation and high external energy input is preferred.

Low emissivity glass is used in all Saint-Gobain glazing for residential applications. PLANITHERM LUX ®, for example, is a low emissivity glass for triple glazing applications. This product has been optimised to minimise energy losses and to maximise outside solar inputs.

The development of new low-emissivity glazing uses different kinds of expertise found within SGR: physicists, opticians, as well as microanalysis teams to characterise the thin film coatings (metals and oxides) applied to the glass and developed for these applications.