In today's construction industry, glass is an important building material, and its performance is directly related to the aesthetics, practicality and energy saving of buildings. With the advancement of technology and the increase in environmental awareness, low-E glass and white glass have become two common options in the market. Even though they are both glass, there are some key differences between them. The purpose of this article is to detail the difference between low-e glass and white glass to help you better understand and choose.
First, the basic concept
Before we dive into the differences between the two, it is necessary to first understand their basic concepts.
1. Low-E glass.
Low-E glass, also known as Low Emissivity Glass, is a type of glass with a special coating. This coating effectively reflects some of the infrared light while allowing visible light to pass through. This property makes Low-E glass excellent at controlling indoor temperature, saving energy and blocking UV rays.
Advantages: High energy-saving efficiency: The biggest feature of low-e glass is that it has good thermal insulation and thermal insulation performance, which can effectively reduce the transfer of heat through the glass, so as to achieve the effect of energy saving.
Good sound insulation: Since low-e glass is usually thicker, coupled with its special coating, it has a certain sound insulation effect.
Anti-ultraviolet rays: The special coating technology can effectively block the entry of ultraviolet rays, protect the indoor furniture from fading, and also have a certain protective effect on the human body.
Improve comfort: Due to its good thermal insulation performance, it can reduce the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor, and improve the comfort of living and use.
Disadvantages: Higher cost: Compared to ordinary glass, low-e glass is more expensive to manufacture, so the selling price is also relatively high.
High installation requirements: Low-E glass needs to pay special attention to the direction and integrity of its coating when installing, so it has certain requirements for installation technology.
2. White glass.
White glass, also known as float glass or plain clear glass, is a traditional, transparent type of architectural glass. It has good light transmittance and flatness, and is widely used in windows, doors, and other building structures. Although white glass has certain advantages in terms of aesthetics and practicality, it is relatively poor in terms of energy saving and thermal insulation.
Advantages: Good light transmittance: White glass has excellent light transmittance, which can allow the interior to get enough natural light.
Lower cost: Compared to Low-E glass, white glass has a lower cost and is more suitable for projects with limited budgets.
Strong processability: white glass is easy to process and cut, and has strong adaptability, which can meet different design and use needs.
Disadvantages: Poor thermal insulation performance: Compared with low-e glass, white glass has significantly worse performance in thermal insulation and heat preservation, which is not conducive to energy saving.
Weak UV protection: White glass has a weak ability to block UV rays, and prolonged exposure may cause fading of indoor furniture.
2. Performance comparison
1. Energy-saving features.
The biggest feature of low-e glass is its excellent energy efficiency. Through a special coating on its surface, Low-E glass is able to reflect most of the infrared rays, reducing the exchange of heat between indoor and outdoor. In winter, it can reduce the impact of cold outdoor air on the interior and keep the interior warm; In summer, it reflects most of the sun's heat and keeps the room cool. In contrast, white glass lacks such a coating and is less effective at insulating and retaining heat.
2. Sound insulation effect.
Although the main advantage of low-e glass is energy saving, it is also better soundproofing than regular white glass. This is due to the fact that low-e glass usually uses a double or multi-layer glass structure filled with an inert gas such as argon, which improves sound insulation. Whereas, ordinary white glass is usually single-layered and has poor sound insulation.
3. Ultraviolet isolation.
Ultraviolet rays have certain damage to the human body**, furniture, etc. Low-E glass can effectively block most ultraviolet rays (up to 70%), protecting indoor items from UV damage. Traditional white glass doesn't do a good enough job in this regard.
4. Brightness and field of view.
White glass provides a brighter indoor environment and a clearer view due to its excellent transparency. Although low-e glass also has good light transmittance, due to the influence of its special coating, its light transmittance is slightly lower than that of white glass, which may make the indoor light slightly softer.
Third, the field of application
1. Residential and commercial buildings.
For modern residential and commercial buildings that pursue energy efficiency and high comfort, low-e glass is a better choice. Not only does it improve energy efficiency, but it also increases the aesthetics and practicality of the building. For buildings with strict cost controls or the need for a high degree of energy efficiency, white glass is still a cost-effective option.
2. Special applications.
In some special application scenarios, such as some greenhouses and art exhibition halls that require special lighting conditions, the high light transmittance of white glass may be more popular. In some parts of the building with high demand for shading and thermal insulation, low-e glass can play its advantage.
Fourth, cost maintenance
1. Cost. Low-E glass is more expensive to manufacture than white glass, so it is also relatively high in the market. But in the long run, due to its energy-saving properties, low-e glass can help users save a lot of money on their energy bills, thus offsetting their high initial investment to some extent.
2. Maintenance. Low-E glass and white glass are not much different in terms of routine maintenance, and both need to be cleaned regularly. However, it is worth noting that the special coating of Low-E glass may need to be handled with more care to avoid damaging the coating and affecting its properties.
To sum up, low-e glass and white glass have their own advantages and application scenarios. Low-E glass has become the first choice for modern energy-efficient buildings due to its excellent energy saving, good sound insulation effect and effective ultraviolet blocking ability. White glass, on the other hand, is still widely used in traditional buildings and some special needs due to its high transparency and low cost. When choosing, users should consider their own needs, budget and architectural characteristics to select the most suitable glass products.