WHY IS CLEARSHADE™ IGU BETTER THAN FRIT?
ClearShade™ IGU exterior glazing offers a couple of crucial advantages over frit.
ONE: NO SHADING DEVICES REQUIRED
Frit patterns are burned directly onto the glass surface during the tempering process. While the dots are opaque, the glass surface around them doesn’t block direct rays from the sun. Daylight still passes through fritted glass, allowing glare at certain times of day. Therefore a building infill application using fritted glass will still require shading devices, whether manual shades or automated shades, to address these periods of glare.
ClearShade™ IGU is an angular selective technology in which a proprietary honeycomb core insert performs like a series of very small cellular louvers that diffuse ample, soft daylight, eliminating the need for shading devices.
TWO: CLEARSHADE™ AMPLIFIES NATURAL DAYLIGHT
Although it allows some direct sunlight and even glare as discussed above, frit reduces solar heat gain by reducing visible light transmission. Electrical lighting is often required to compensate for this reduction in natural light, increasing energy load requirements.
ClearShade™ provides up to 70% light transmission depending on the insert and glass types specified, maintaining optimal daylight throughout the day and reducing or eliminating the need for electrical lighting. Also, since Panelite’s honeycomb glazing technology diffuses light rays, it eliminates glare and improves user comfort and productivity.
ClearShade™ IGU amplifies natural daylight, providing MORE LIGHT and BETTER LIGHT.
To learn more about how ClearShade amplifies natural daylight, eliminating the need for shades, lightshelves, and artificial lighting, as well as how it out-performs frit, electrochromic glazing, and other high-performance solutions view our AIA-certified CES course (1 HSW LU) on demand: Advanced Glazing Solutions for Optimum Daylighting, Energy Performance and User Safety and Wellness.
To view a range of ClearShade projects visit our Exterior projects gallery.
> PROJECT CASE STUDY: RALEIGH UNION STATION