Living in a glass house

Jeff Roberts , March 4th, 2009

Architecture is about creating space. Whether its space to live, work or play, architects design structures to be experienced. To remove the experiential element from a structure is to render it a sculpture rather than a piece of architecture.

Few materials are as directly responsible for influencing the way in which users experience a structure than the glass used in its facade. Whether its intent is form or function – and especially if it’s being combined with cutting-edge technology – the versatility of glass is unparalleled. But none of this is new information. 

There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that says: “You want your horse to look good, but you also don’t want him to have to eat grass.” In an architectural context, this simply means that a pretty building may look nice, but a building that functions efficiently is equally important.

While state-of-the-art materials, including glass, may be more expensive initially, contractors, developers and value engineers would do well to approve those higher glass budgets, especially if they want a building that considers the comfort of its users.

ARCHITECT caught up with building professionals around the world to talk about the importance of using the ‘right’ glass for the right project in the Gulf. 



Who’s making the decision?

Richard Wagner, architect at dxb lab and former vice president of the Architecture Association of the UAE (aaUAE), describes an ideal scenario. “In an ideal nutshell, the architect specifies the type of glass, the engineer verifies that choice, the contractor builds it, and the developer sells a quality project as desired by the clients.”

It doesn’t take an astrophysicist to know that in Gulf architecture, things don’t often work that way.

In a region where quality can quickly be supplanted by quantity, architects often struggle with contractors and value engineers convincing clients that using a less advanced product will have little influence on how the building looks or performs.

Thom Bohlen, (AIA, NCARB) chief technical officer at the Middle East Centre for Sustainable Development (MECSD), understands the importance of consulting with qualified professionals when considering glass.
 
“Architects normally specify glazing for their buildings, but typically they get input from structural engineers, glazing contractors, glazing suppliers and, of course, from the green building consultant,” says Bohlen. “The appropriateness of the U-values of the system, transmittance factors and shading coefficients can all greatly affect energy consumption in buildings.”

All too often, however, developers or contractors in the Gulf decide on a type of glass or facade system depending on budget or preference of origin. Specialty engineers are consulted only in the most complex scenarios and architects are left voiceless in the great debate about money.  

How important is the ‘right’ glass for the right project?

Matching the glass system with the style of the building and the context in which it sits is extremely important. The quality of the glass, in terms of structural/physical/thermal properties, is paramount to achieving a building that looks and functions properly.

“Especially in hot regions like the Gulf, the energy performance and comfort levels of a building clothed in glass are totally dominated by the choice of glass,” explains James Law, chairman and founder of Hong Kong-based James Law Cybertecture International (JLCI).

Having designed several projects for the Middle East and India – and employing a highly futuristic brand of architecture that melds the form and function of a building with cutting-edge technology – using glass that does what it promises is crucial for JLCI. “Using the wrong glass can have disastrous outcomes, including making the building inefficient and unpleasant as well as using unnecessary levels of energy to keep occupants cool,” adds Law.

Because glass can range from fully transparent to fully opaque or reflective, and can be specified in virtually any tint or colour, aesthetics is less of an initial concern than function. As Kareem Negm, LEED AP and architect at Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners), points out, ‘function’ in the Middle East means more than just energy-efficiency.    

Of course, double glazed, low-U glass should be specified externally to reduce solar gain but because of religious and cultural privacy issues, residential projects will almost always opt for fully reflective or very dark tints, regardless of efficiency levels of the glass. Internally, however, aesthetics take priority.

“Fritted glass for shower enclosures can be used in hotel room to deliver light and maintain privacy,” explains Negm. “For commercial applications, sandblasted logos and engravings enhance branding and corporate identity.”

Wagner agrees that the choice of glass is important where aesthetics are concerned, but given the architectural trend of using massive curtain walling in the UAE, the environmental and climatological aspects of glass cannot be ignored and the building standards need to follow suit.

“Standards for thermal insulation of building envelopes – which includes glass – are far too tolerant given the harsh summer climate we endure,” explains Wagner. “This allows for many loopholes during the construction process and ultimately can cause buyers and operators horrendous long-term running costs.”



Is glass a liability in Gulf architecture?

In the more moderate climates of Europe, North America and parts of Asia, glass can be an extremely versatile material that can simultaneously addresses efficiency and design challenges. But, climates in the Gulf  are harsher; they require materials that function at higher levels and, therefore, require careful consideration during design and specification.

Chad Oppenheim, founder and principal of Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture + Design, often says: “Building glass refrigerators in the desert doesn’t make a lot of sense.” His logic is doubly poignant given his experience working in a solar-heavy climates and the number of projects OA+D has completed in Miami.     

So, the obvious question remains, is glass a liability in the Gulf? The architects, engineers and LEED APs interviewed for this article suggest it just might be.

“I think any material can be a ‘liability’ if used improperly or unwisely, or where all considerations in the use of that material are not considered,” says Bohlen. “Well if you look at it from an environmental point of view then yes. We’re creating glass boxes that are heat magnets. They look nice but often trap the heat inside and thus cost a lot of money to cool. This cooling process harms the environment in a tremendous way,” agrees Negm.
 
Wagner takes the argument a step further to suggest that the ‘liability’ aspect of glass doesn’t rest wholly with the material itself. “There is always an element of liability in glass, no matter where you are located,” he explains.

“The reason that there appears to be a lack of versatility in this market can be largely attributed to the fact that the local manufacturing industry has not developed a diverse and feasible enough repertoire, which in return has hampered construction of avant-garde designs.... At the same time we have to consider the environmental aspect of shipping tonnes of products halfway around the globe, which adds another great liability,” adds Wagner.

The final word

It seems clear that the key to using glass correctly and responsibly lies in the ability of architects, contractors, developers and engineers to be collectively mindful of its climatic challenges and specify the product in conscientious ways.

“Just like any where else, glass can be a versatile material in the Middle East, but it must be used in conjunction with the correct application and specification to meet the specific requirements of the region,” Bohlen insists.

“The [challenges] include high heat and humidity, blowing sand particulates and plenty of solar gain. Anytime you can avoid the sun’s rays from directly striking the glass you have gone a long way towards making the facade and interior more efficient.”

 
Somfy

Somfy’s internal blinds allow users to alter the look and feel of any setting. The blinds help control heat transfer, reduce glare and help protect your furniture and floor coverings from fading – all at the touch of a button. Somfy’s internal blinds come in several styles including: aluminium/wooden venetian blinds, pleated blind, roller blind, fabric Roman blind, nets or curtains. For the full range of products/services, check out www.somfy.com.   

Schüco

Schüco’s fully integrated PV systems turn sunlight into electricity, delivering free electricity to your home. It’s third-generation, highly integrated thermal systems captures heat from the sun, uses it to heat water and then stores the water in a high-efficiency tank for use in the home. For the full range of products/services, check out www.schueco.com.

Scheuten

By applying advanced coating technology, Scheuten can now develop and produce coatings which combine ample light penetration with effective solar control. Scheuten Glass offers a combination of solar and efficient heat reflecting properties with Isolide Brilliant glazing, representing the latest in technology in this area. Every combination of Isolide Brilliant possesses a U-value equal to that of the superior Low-E categories. Isolide Brilliant affords architects almost unlimited possibilities for designing transparent facades without making concessions to interior climate control. The colour of this insulating glass product appears neutral from the outside. For the full range of products and services, check out www.scheuten.com.



Saint-Gobain

Be it thermal insulation, acoustics, safety/security, self-cleaning or solar control, Saint-Gobain Glass has an extensive range of high performance solutions for the construction market. Products directly related to solar control include: Planitherm Total, Planitherm 45, Cool-Lite, Bioclean Cool-Lite and Priva-Lite. For a complete list of products and services, check out www.saint-gobain-glass.com.  

EnergyGlass

Specialists in building integrated photovoltaics (BiPV), EnergyGlass uses poly vinyl butyral (PVB) for its PV modules. PVB is typically used for layering the safety glass in curtain walls, glazing for roofs, parapets/balconies, shading windows, greenhouses and noise barriers. EnergyGlass products have been researched, developed and supported by the Universities of Milan and Turin. For a complete list of products and services, check out www.energyglass.eu.

Romag

Romag is a UK-based manufacturer of specialist transparent composites to the security, renewable energy, architectural and specialist transportation markets. Romag’s key areas of activity are the supply of PV solar panels and glass and glazing products to the renewable energy, architectural, safety/security and transportation markets. For a complete list of products and services, check out www.romag.co.uk.