When you choose a specific glazing system, especially with Low-E glass. We need to know detailed glass performance data except for the glass color, here are some tools we can use to get double or triple-pane glazing performance (U value/visible light transmission/reflectance/shading coefficient/solar heat gain coefficient/solar light transmission/reflectance, etc.)
WINDOW software from Berkeley Lab
https://windows.lbl.gov/tools/window/software-download (A tool used for total window system & IGU glazing performance calculation)
https://windows.lbl.gov/tools/optics/software-download (A tool used for manipulating optical layers and calculating spectral data)
https://windows.lbl.gov/tools/IGDB/software-download (A collection of optical data for glazing products)
https://windows.lbl.gov/tools/therm/software-download (Two-dimensional conduction heat-transfer analysis tool)
Why choose it?
Almost all the glass from different continents is included in the WINDOW system. No matter which glass you’d like to use, you can get the glass performance indicator easily.
Following manufacturers are including in the software (but not limited to those):
AGC Glass/Asahimas Glass
Cardinal Glass/China Aviv Glass/China Glass/China Jinjing Glass/China Kibing Glass/China WHTB Glass/China South Glass/China Xinyi Glass/China Yaohua Pilkington Glass
Glas Trösch/Guardian Glass
NSG
PFG Glass/PPG Glass
Saint Gobain Glass (SGG)
Tecnoglass
Viracon Glass /Viridian Glass/Vitro Glass (formerly PPG Glass)
Availability: Metric Unit & Imperial Unit, ASHARE standard & EN standard.
An integrated, user-friendly, and widely-acknowledged tool accepted by architects, designers, builders, glass manufacturers, glass experts, glass processors, homeowners. Most importantly, they are all FREE and you can get an updated version from the official website at any time.
Construct IGU from Vitro Glass (formerly PPG)
The database including PPG Glass/AGC Glass/Cardinal Glass/China Yaohua Pilkington Glass/CSG Glass/Guardian Glass/China Jinjing Glass/Pilkington Glass/Saint Gobain Glass.
Availability: Metric Unit & Imperial Unit, ASHARE standard & EN standard.
An online FREE software you can reach easily, simple, and easy to use.
CalumenLive from Saint Gobain (SGG)
Only the SGG glass series are included in the system.
Availability: Metric Unit & Imperial Unit, ASHARE standard & EN standard.
Bonus: you can get the glazing ACOUSTICS reference data and Glass color.
Guardian Performance Calculator
Overall Guardian glass series are included in the system.
Availability: US standard and SI metric standard. With Air/Argon/Krypton/Xenon different filling gas to choose from. Normal 10% and 90% combinations and even customized gas filling proportion.
Bonus: you can easily construct the glazing system by choosing a single piece, laminated glass, double pane IGU, triple-pane IGU, double pane, and triple IGU with 1 side laminated glass, double pane and triple IGU with 2 sides laminated glass, etc.
Sun Management Calculator from Pilkington
Only the Pilkington glass series are included in the system.
Availability: Metric Unit & Imperial Unit, ASHARE standard & EN standard.
Bonus: you can get FOUR different glazing heat transfer (U value) type: Summer U value in Metric/Imperial unit & Winter U value in Metric/Imperial unit
Conclusion
With more and more strict carbon emission and light pollution policies, architects and homeowners often use the above tools to calculate the glass thermal performance when choosing the ideal glass.
