Energy-efficient Glazing - Olympia Tech Park, Chennai

Energy-efficient glazing has acquired importance over the years due to the various advantages that it has over other glazing solutions like single glazing or double glazing.

Energy-efficient glazing incorporates coated (low-emissivity) glass to prevent heat from escaping through the windows. Low-e glass possesses a coating that reduces heat transfer and transmits heat back into the room. Low-e glazing units can make interiors of homes and offices twice as energy-efficient in comparison to double glazing with no low-e coating.

One such building where the application of energy-efficient glass is prominent, is the Olympia Tech Park at Chennai in Tamil Nadu. This building is considered one of the largest green buildings in the world, having obtained the Gold Rating under the LEED CS category (an internationally recognized green building certification system for Core & Shell) by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The building is suffused with natural light which saves a lot of energy for the building. This is because, the transmission of light is at its optimum level due to the glass. Also, the solar factor-which is measured on the basis of direct solar radiation entering into the building- should be low. The U-value is also an important factor for Low-e glass to be effective. This value determines the amount of heat transferred through the glass pane from the interior to the exterior.

Besides the glazing at The Olympia Tech Park, other factors like water-saving features and construction materials, all add up to making this building energy-efficient.