Solar solution
AGC’s Planibel low-e glass has been used in the facade of St Botolphs, a new landmark building in the City of London by internationally renowned architect, Grimshaw.
AGC’s Building Projects Team worked closely with specialist architectural and cladding consultancy, Montresor Partnership. Combining thermal insulation with high light transmission, Planibel Energy N and its toughenable version, Energy NT, achieved the building’s flat and curved double glazed vision units; while Planibel Coloured Dark Blue provided distinctive glass visors around the 14-storey structure, offering a high level of shading and solar control.
Montresor Partnership’s senior partner Harry Montresor said: “With Planibel Energy N, and its toughenable and bendable NT version, we were able to specify the same glass for all the units and so maintain a consistent appearance throughout the building,”
The glass’s low-e magnetron coating also reinforces the insulating properties of the glass, improving the building’s overall energy balance.
Balancing light transmission with the building’s required g-value was also a concern. “Energy N offers a high light transmission level, and we were able to achieve around 67% on this project,” Harry said.
