Glass is prevalent in today’s architectural industry. Besides being aesthetically sound, building with glass is functional and cost-effective.
Double-glazed and smart glass are the two most common types of glass used in the building industry.
Read on for an in-depth smart glass vs double glazing glass review.
What is Smart Glass?
Smart glass is a modern glass technology that enables glass windows or doors to regulate the amount of light passing through them automatically.
The advanced intelligent glass technology relies on special laminate or film properties in the glass that automatically alter light penetration.
Low e-glass is either active (uses an electric charge) or passive (uses glass film property) to achieve its light penetration properties.
The switchable technology on smart glass relies on polymer dispersed liquid crystals, suspended particle devices, and electrochromic laminates to alter light penetration.
On the other hand, passive switchable technology uses photochromic or thermochromic laminates to control light penetration.
What is Double Glazed Glass?
Double glazing is a procedure that creates an inert air gap between two sheets of glass that help control heat energy flow in or out of a building.
A double-glazed sealed unit consists of an Integrated Glass Unit (IGU) with an air chamber within a sealed frame.
The IGU consists of a space bar and inert air pocket full of argon, krypton, or xenon, which is responsible for regulating solar gain within the double-glazed structure.
Since heat transfer occurs in the inert air pocket between the two panes, double-glazed glass fixtures display better thermal insulation by keeping heat inside the room during winter.
The benefits of double glazing include improved heat transfer regulation, reduced energy costs and noise levels, heightened security, and hassle-free maintenance.
Smart Glass vs Double Glazing – Which Should You Choose?
If you’re actively involved in the construction industry, you have probably faced the dilemma of choosing between smart and double-glazed glass.
Both types possess excellent properties, making choosing the best between them difficult.
The best we can do is to list all the benefits and weaknesses of each type of glass.
1. Aesthetic Quality
Aesthetic quality is a critical architectural consideration when choosing smart glass vs. double-glazing glass.
Beautiful glass fixtures, including doors and windows, increase a building’s value, highlight architectural designs, and improve occupants’ comfort.
Even though both intelligent and double-glazed glass fixtures possess high aesthetic qualities, it’s evident that smart glass is generally more beautiful than double-glazed glass.
Besides being slimmer, the smart glass design architecture gives buildings a more sophisticated finish.
2. Strength and Security
The ability to resist breakages and forced entry is a top consideration when choosing between different types of glass. Double-glazed and smart glass provides additional strength and security compared to regular single-pane windows and doors.
Due to its advanced design and manufacturing technology, smart glass enhances security and can resist high-impact blows.
Double-glazed windows and doors are also excellent for strength and security. The multiple glass layers and resin treatment means double-glazed glass can comfortably withstand most types of impact.
Studies show that double-glazed glass displays better strength and security features than smart glass.
3. Cost
Determining the upfront cost of installing different types of glass is critical in ensuring that you stay within the construction budget. To correctly analyze smart glass vs. double glazing costs, we will assume these two glass types’ sizes, densities, and thickness are the same.
Working on this assumption, it’s safe to conclude that the cost of a smart glass unit is generally higher than double-glazed glass.
The high cost of smart glass units is due to the smart glass design architecture and material used compared to double-glazed glass. And while double glazing glass is much cheaper, it sacrifices the increased privacy that smart glass offers.
4. Customizability
Customizing a particular type of glass to meet your unique needs is critical when choosing between smart and double-glazed glass. Since these two types of glass boast different properties, each is suitable for different situations and functions.
Generally, it’s easier to customize smart glass fixtures and adapt them for your unique needs than double-glazed glass.
The unique intelligent glass technology allows smart glass windows and doors to find use in multiple settings, including areas that require high privacy, such as hospitals and hotels.
Double-glazed fixtures are generally less adaptable to different roles due to their less innovative design and structure.
5. Eco-Friendliness
Double glazing and switchable smart glass have excellent eco-friendly properties due to their unique design and materials.
By leveraging the power of natural sunlight and passive solar principles, double-glazed glass reduces the need for mechanical heating. Double glazing glass reduces heat losses and improves ventilation and lighting, directly reducing emissions from heating and ventilation units.
Switchable glass is also highly eco-friendly and helps reduce heating and ventilation unit emissions, much like double-glazed glass.
Double glazed glass uses inert gasses and retains heat better, reducing carbon dioxide and heating emissions, making it more eco-friendly than smart glass.
6. Heat and Sound Insulation
Choosing an energy-efficient glass is vital in reducing your overall energy bills. Due to their unique design, double-glazed fixtures reduce solar heat gain and drastically improve sound insulation.
And although smart glass is not as good as double-glazed glass in the heat and sound insulation department, it’s a viable option for your construction glass needs.
Smart glass reduces the heat from the environment into buildings using the heat transmission limitation in smart glass laminate layers.
7. Longevity
If you’re looking for glass built to last, smart glass and double-glazing glass are excellent options since they feature robust design and material. On average, the double-glazed and smart glass will last more than ten years.
It’s hard to conclusively say which of these two glasses lasts longer since their longevity depends on the glass thickness, materials used, and purpose in your building.
Generally speaking, double-glazed glass tends to last longer than smart glass due to its robust design.
8. Functionality
Multifunctional glass is highly desirable in today’s construction industry which values cost and material savings. Low e-glass is perfect for building security, privacy, and sustainable interior design due to its superior design.
Double-glazed glass is equally multifunctional, providing superior insulation, noise cancellation, and security. Choose between double-glazed and smart glass, depending on your unique needs.
Smart Glass Vs. Double Glazed Glass Comparison
| Smart Glass | Double Glazed Glass | |
| Aesthetic Quality | Sleek and beautiful finish. The glass creates space by allowing more light into buildings. | Beautiful design and finish that gives buildings a modern look. |
| Strength and Security | More robust than regular single pane glass due to a double glass layer. Increased security due to its shading properties. | A double glass layer makes it stronger than regular glass. Its robust frame also increases security. |
| Cost | Quite expensive due to its laminate coating and light-altering properties. | Generally cheaper than smart glass but more expensive than standard glass due to its design and features. |
| Customizability | Easily customizable due to advanced manufacturing technology. | Fairly customizable but not as versatile as low e-glass. |
| Eco-Friendliness | Quite eco-friendly since its design reduces heating, cooling, and ventilation costs. | Very eco-friendly since it dramatically reduces heating, cooling, and insulation costs |
| Heat and Sound Insulation | Average heat and sound insulation | Excellent heat transfer and sound insulation due to the inert gas layer. |
| Longevity | Lasts for more than 10 years due to its high-quality materials and solid construction design. | Lasts for more than 10 years due to the high-quality materials and construction design. |
| Functionality | Multifunctional and can be used in different settings. | Not as versatile as smart glass but can still be used in different settings. |
Double Glazed Tempered Smart Glass – Best of Both Worlds
Double-glazed tempered smart glass is a revolutionary product that combines the best qualities of tempered, double-glazed, and smart glass.
Here are a few reasons to consider using double-glazed tempered smart glass in your building project.
1. Increased Strength
Tempered glass is the hardest building glass available on the market today. This versatile building glass undergoes advanced heat and chemical treatment, making it strong and resistant to direct and indirect forces.
The double-glazed tempered smart glass reduces the chances of breakages compared to the traditional single pane, smart or double-glazed glass. And in the event of breakages, this revolutionary glass will crumble into small pieces reducing the chances of severe injuries.
2. Enhanced Security
Security is essential when selecting the appropriate type of glass for your building. The double-glazed tempered smart glass is an ideal glass type with enhanced security properties that you should incorporate into your building.
Due to its double glass design and high-quality tempered glass material, this glass type makes forced entry almost impossible. Additionally, you can order thicker glass panes for your double-glazed tempered smart glass windows, doors, or skylight.
3. Thermal Performance
Double-glazed fixtures offer the best thermal performance due to their unique design and construction technology. An inert gas layer within the double-glazed glass ensures that the transfer of cold or hot air between the two glass surfaces is regulated.
During winter, double-glazed glass retains heat within the building and keeps heat out of the building during summer. This excellent heat regulation feature will help you save on heating and cooling charges.
4. Privacy on Demand
One of the most significant advantages of double-glazed tempered smart glass is its ability to instantly toggle between transparency and opacity. With smart glass technology, you don’t need curtains or drapes for your low e-windows or doors.
The superior state-of-the-art laminate technology will provide instant privacy on demand with a single-button switch. This privacy-on-demand feature makes double-glazed tempered smart glass the perfect fixture for your office or home.
Summary
It’s critical to understand the range, functionality, and pricing of each type of glass when choosing between double-glazed or smart glass.
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Don’t hesitate to contact Chiefway, Malaysia’s leading building glass solution provider, for the best double glazing or smart glass pricing quote!
