Laminated Glass
Grace McDonald
General Information
Laminated glass, also commonly known as safety glass, consists of two or more glass panels adhered together by some P.V.B. (polyvinyl butyral) interlayer. These interlayers provide a 'cushion' to impact, making laminated glass extremely durable. However, this interlayer prevents laminated glass from being fire-resistant.
Laminated glass is also engineered to prevent shards of glass from flying if broken, and produces very small shards of glass for minimal risk of injury. Laminated glass is offers good sound insulation and UV protection.
Due to its safety features, laminated glass is oftentimes applied to doors, windows, and skylights in commercial buildings. Recently, laminated glass has become more heavily implemented into residential design.
Environmental Impact
Laminated glass is generally harder to recycle compared to standard glass because of its variety of materials. It is more difficult to separate these materials in the recycling process.
Since laminated glass provides insulation, it helps save energy by preventing heat loss. Its high durability also helps its sustainability and reduce the occurrence of needing to be recycled.
Polyvinyl butyral is also a more eco-friendly substitute to vinyl chloride. PVB has minimal toxic properties and is resistant to degradation.
Use in Interior Setting
1. Laminated glass is used for this stairwell to contrast the dark intensity of the MDF cabinets and stairs.
2. This laminated glass shelf was designed by Patricia Urquiola, and she used different coating techniques to create a reflection from certain vantage points.
3. Here, laminated glass was used for the sliding doors so the focus shifts directly to the mosaic tiles.
4. This design by Eckersley O'Callaghan used a single sheet of laminated glass for the structure of this slide.
Windshield
Laminated glass is used in car windshields as it will provide maximum protection in case of an accident. It can also be used as a structural glass and used in the construction of glass railings, glass floors, skylights, roofs, sunspaces, curtain walls, glass facades, etc. As laminated glass remains intact when broken, it is also great for overhead glazing in buildings. Due to their noise-insulation properties, laminated glass can also be used at hotels, airport terminals, recording studios, and more.
Testing Organizations:
Safety Glazing Certification Council - https://www.sgcc.org/
Glass Academy - http://www.glass-academy.com/
National Glass Association - https://www.glass.org/
Relevant standards through ASTM:
ASTM C1172-19 Standard Specification for Laminated Architectural Flat Glass
