What to consider for Glazing on Channel Islands projects
Be it a redevelopment of a historic fort, a remodel of traditional coastal farmhouses or a completely new, modern home, IQ work all over the Channel Islands archipelago on a variety of projects; engineering, designing and installing a wide range of structural glazing configurations to best suit any requirements.
This guide will showcase how the Channel Islands topographical challenges are accounted for by our bespoke glazing packages, without compromises on views or aesthetics. This is achieved through Marine Grade Glazing, Wind Loading and Thermal Insulation.
Marine Grade Glazing in the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are constantly affected by seafront elements, such as sea salt, deposits and other chemicals that interact with a structure’s external surfaces, meaning that all breachfront glazing must be tailored to withstand all the related environmental factors.
For both frameless structural glazing and aluminium framed glazing a low maintenance coating is recommended to smooth out the otherwise microscopically rough surface of the glass, thus preventing deposits from the area to settle on the build’s glazing elements and making them cleaner for longer, as well as easier to clean when needed.
All framings in Channel Islands projects should also be finished as ‘Marine Grade’. This means that the powder coats applied to framings must be at least 50 microns thick, which is why all Marine Grade pre-anodised aluminium framing from IQ has a PPC of 60 microns thick as standard. We advise against steel as it is much harder to protect from coastal elements,
Additional elements such as solar control should also be considered if the glass elevation is large and directly south facing, even if Channel Islands summers tend to average around a mild warmth. This solar coating is applied to the inside of the insulated glass unit and reflects solar radiation away, reducing overheating from solar gain.
A solar glass coating was included in the glazing package provided to the historic fort of the Northern Ramparts, where a bespoke structural circular roof light removes the need for artificial lighting and greatly reduces the overall energy consumption that would be caused by cooling and air-conditioning systems.
In addition, to help you choose the best bespoke glazing system for your coastal project, we must know what the wind load is.
Wind Loading for Glazing in the Channel Islands
The term ‘wind loading‘ refers to the quantified pressure that winds exert on buildings, hence the winds’ force that the glazing elements must be able to withstand.
When calculating wind loads there are many factors that need to be considered, including a build’s height, shape, and relationship to surrounding structures and the topography.
This is an essential design consideration for projects in the Channel Islands, where the exposure to the Atlantic Ocean makes the entire archipelago susceptible to strong winds and more extreme weather conditions.
All structural glass configurations are designed bespoke to suit each project’s requirements, including specific wind load requirements. In direct collaboration with the architects, who provide the wind loading details, IQ designs glass installations tailored to a project’s technical and aesthetic requirements.
Our Invisio structural glazing system has been tested under various wind load environments to provide confidence in the system’s ability to protect against high wind loads. This level of protection can be achieved in many shapes and sizes, thus not limiting a project’s creative vision. A great example of this is our bespoke glazing package for Fort Le Crocq, which features uniquely shaped frameless picture windows with both rectangular and curved arch shapes, designed specifically to suit the property’s historic heritage while modernising and optimising its structural glazing for the coastal climate.
This was possible thanks to our frameless structural glazing system, which was tested at typical wind loads of 0.8 kN and 1.6 kN loads with a maximum deflection of 1/175. This provided a table of maximum recommended sizes at these wind pressures.
Still, structural glass specifications outside of these parameters can be achieved with bespoke engineering and designs which our team of experts tailors to each project.
Thermal Insulation for Glazing in the Channel Islands
Structural glazing can not only enhance a build’s aesthetic appeal, but also its thermal performance and overall energy efficiency. This is achieved through the use of Low E Glass and thermal breaks as seen at The Moorings in Guernsey, where IQ designed and installed bespoke large vertical sliding sash windows and structural glass walls tailored specifically to the build’s beachfront location to both maximise the seascape views and optimise the home renovation thermal and energy performance targets.
Short for low emissivity, Low E glass is known to improve the thermal efficiency of glass using a transparent coating that does not alter the appearance of a glass unit. Provided within all our glazing systems, Low E glass reflects a significantly higher percentage of the heat back into the internal spaces, rather than allowing it to escape to the outside.
A thermal break is a low thermal conductive material used in our glass systems to effectively reduce the flow of thermal energy between metal framings and glass panes. This results in a minimisation of heat transfer between a build’s interiors and exteriors, and an improved overall insulation and energy efficiency.
While winters in the Channel Islands are usually mild, Low E glass and thermal breaks equip builds with the best protection when colder temperature fluctuations occur, as well as keeping the interiors cool and comfortable in the warmer months.
To enquire about our bespoke glazing packages in the Channel Islands, contact the IQ Glass International team today!
