Al Abbar Architectural Glass (AAG) – e-Cool Insulated Glass Units [ECG-Premium] – [Cat.1 - Manufactured/Assembled] | ecospecifier

Al Abbar Architectural Glass (AAG) – e-Cool Insulated Glass Units [ECG-Premium] – [Cat.1 - Manufactured/Assembled]

Overview:

High performance low emissitivity, double glazing units suitable for residential or high-rise application, for controlled high/low light transmittance.

Product Description:

Insulated glazing units (IGUs) with various glazing and gas fill options based on float glass substrates, available with enhanced light transmittance, low emissivity spectrally selective soft-coatings to maintain controlled high or low levels of external daylight transmittance.

Heating, air conditioning running costs and interior lighting and energy requirements can be reduced due to the high solar control and low emissivity properties created by the magnetron sputtered coating process.

Clear float glass contains approximately 20% cullet (recycled or waste glass). The bulk of the cullet is sourced from the manufacturer’s post-industrial waste with the remainder sourced from various post-consumer sources (~6-10%).

Colours include clear, grey and bronze in a range of light and dark shades of green or blue with various solar, thermal and daylight performances.

Click here for Supplier contact details or make an enquiry directly to the supplier using the Product Enquiry Form at the bottom of the page.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Options	Clear or tinted float (double glazed), laminated, double glazed specifically for windows, curtain walls and structural facades. Air or argon cavity fill gas options also available
Colours	Clear, low-iron, dark green, green, blue-green, dark blue, azur, privablue, grey, bronze.
Warranty	Limited guarantees available on request provided all necessary conditions are observed including handling and installation.
Expected Life	Generally, life of building or until refurbished.
Indicative Costs	Contact supplier
Purchase Options	Contact supplier
Constituents	Glass ~97% with silver low E coating Aluminium spacer tubes ~3% Silica Gel Dessicant less than 1% Sealant less than 0.1% (poly-urethane sealant for standard and gas-filled IGUs or silicone sealant for structural IGUs)
Technical Specifications	e-Cool #2 e-Cool #3
National & International Standards	Quality Labels Safety Glazing Certification Council certification Coating EN1096 class D Insulated Glass Units (IGU) EN1279: Part 1, 2, 4, 5, part 3 - gas filling Lamination EN12543 EN14449 Heat treatment EN12150 (full tempering) EN1863 (heat strengthening) EN14179 (heat soak testing)
Country of Origin	UAE
Projects	Crescent Mall – Dubai Festival City Mall of the Emirates – Dubai. Dubai International Airport – Concourse 2 DLC – Dubai World Global World Trade Center Residencies Festival City – Waterfront & Crescent Walk For more projects, visit AAG website
Preparation	Contact supplier

ECOSPECIFIER LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT

INTEGRATED DESIGN AND POLICY ISSUES

These types of glass contribute directly to reducing energy consumption. Superinsulating coatings save energy and solar control coatings save energy used for air conditioning. This provides significant annual savings in CO2 emissions, in addition, glass with high transmissivity contribute directly to the performance of daylighting thereby reducing artificial lighting loads.

This product does not totally eliminate thermal transmission as there will still be some heat energy conducted and radiated to interiors. Heat transfer is best minimised by external sun control in the form of louvers or screens to stop direct sunlight altogether coming in contact with the façade and glazing externally.

HUMAN HEALTH

Health

The IGUs are constructed using primary and secondary sealants. The secondary sealant, Tremco Proglaze II, is a two part sealant and contains Tetraethoxysilane (10 - 30%) in the curative part of the sealant. Tetraethoxysilane is a harmful substance by inhalation and also irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. The sealant poses a potential health concern during the manufacturing stage of the product. The risk can be greatly mitigated through appropriate work procedures and conditions (i.e. protective clothing and ventilation). The sealants are unlikely to create any issues in place given very limited exposed area of sealant to indoor air.

The un-reacted raw materials of this product include Crystalline Silica and Titanium Dioxide . Crystalline silica exists in a variety of other common materials such as concrete, render, grout, tile, glass etc. This issue relates to the cutting, grinding and other occupational production activities of products containing crystalline silica and is not an issue as installed in buildings.

The IARC classifies crystalline silica inhaled in the form of quartz, from occupational sources, as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). However, the Australian body, ASCC/NOHSC (National Occupational Health and Safety Commission) have not classified crystalline silica as a carcinogen.

In 2006 The IARC reclassified Titanium Dioxide as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). This issue relates to the inhalation of pure powdered and ultra-fine titanium dioxide dust during manufacture and is not considered a risk, as the Ti02 is not in a respirable form when bound into the product. Take into account that eCool IGUs installed in buildings do not cause titanium dioxide – related issues.

Accordingly the sanding, grinding and other occupational production activities of products containing Crystalline Silica and Titanium Dioxide, may present issues if appropriate precautions are not taken. Precautions for workers such as reducing exposure to product in dust form and using appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) mitigate potential issues to low risk in accordance with an ecospecifier Risk Assessment. Refer to Material Safety Data Sheet for further information

Glass production requires materials (sulphur-dioxide, hematite) which may be harmful to humans by inhalation. Aluminium production has adverse health impacts in areas immediately adjacent to smelters. Aluminium represents a small component in the overall IGU.

Comfort

This product aids thermal and visual comfort by allowing an extensive choice of thermal and solar performance characteristics depending of particular internal environment design requirements.

Indoor Environment Quality

Reduced conductive and radiant solar heat transmittance without degradation of daylight penetration combined with various glare control options allow for wide control of IEQ conditions.

Glass is inert, non-toxic, easy to clean and maintain and having a dense surface, which inhibits contamination provides a neutral surface relating to indoor air quality.

The sealants used contain 0g/l of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and will therefore not adversely affect Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).

Electromagnetic Radiation

Not applicable

Safety

Laminated glass provides enhanced breakage safety compared to toughened or float glass.

Accessibility

Not applicable

ECOLOGICAL QUALITY

With glass production, furnaces are required to perform at extreme temperatures to produce the final product with a result of that CO2 and other fossil fuel combustion by-products are released into the atmosphere. The raw material (silica) extracted from sand mining, is also responsible for requiring enormous energy in the extraction process.

Terrestrial

Emissions – Glass is an inert product, emissions of built-in e-Cool IGUs do not occur. There is no pollution to the soil.

However, IGUs contain aluminium as spacer tubes. The production of alumina from bauxite ores uses a chemical treatment, known as the Bayer Process (see Glossary). The fluoride based alkaline mist associated with this process may have adverse land and vegetation impacts.

Physical - The sourcing of silica sand suitable for glass manufacture is a damaging process in terrestrial locations with suitable sand. However, the physical areas are not large and given 20% of this product is recycled, this impact is somewhat reduced.

Mineral extraction of bauxite will disrupt landscapes and alter ecosystems. Because bauxite deposits are found near the Earth’s surface, mining requires removal of topsoil and overburden before deeper excavation occurs.

Aquatic

Emissions –The production does not produce waste water. There is no pollution of water/groundwater.

Physical – Bauxite residues of red mud are disposed of in dams. Bauxite residue (chemically stable and non-toxic) is pumped to disposal dams where the mud is allowed to settle.The excess alumina-rich water is discharged into marine environments.

Atmosphere

Greenhouse (GHG) – Small quantities of CO2 are released during the melting process of the glass. Energy for the production process is supplied by electricity and gas. The furnaces are gas fired.

Alumina processing requires high-energy consumption and therefore greenhouse gas emissions are associated with the production of refined alumina.

Greenhouse intensity – approx 28.47kgCO2e/m²

*Calculation based on a 1.8m x 1.8m x 6mm IGU with tinted external float glass, toughened internal glass and anodised spacer tubes. Calculation excludes dessicant, gas filling and sealants. Greenhouse Intensity figures used for calculation include; float/tinted glass 1.735kgCO2e/kg, toughened glass 1.918kgCO2e/kg and anodised aluminium 9.359kgCO2e/kg (Source: Alcorn, New Zealand)

Transport intensity – Transportation is significantly reduced due to local (within 500 miles) sourcing of majority of raw materials and all of the finished units. This also reduces other factors such as additional packaging for overseas freight, further chance of damage in long distance transit and need for replacement including downtime. Transport mode predominantly road-based (high GG emissions) but limited due to reduced distance resulting from predominantly local production.

Table below provides land transportation greenhouse intensity figures to help calculate the greenhouse gas intensity of land transportation.

Light commercial vehicle	Rigid Truck	Articulated Truck
0.001451kgCO2e / kg.km	0.000195kgCO2e / kg.km	0.000169kgCO2e / kg.km

Transport intensity figures sourced from Australian National Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990, 1995 and 1999 and WWF International, Inland Navigations and Emissions, 2005.

Operational efficiency – Building Operations: Being capable of creation of highly energy efficient glass and insulated cavity combinations, significant cost and energy savings can be achieved. However, actual performance is dependent on the design and specification of the glass types and cavity size and air/argon gas fill used.

Re-use Efficiency – Glass for buildings generally end as land fill although most glazing is capable of being re-used. Problems lie with cost of disassembly and re-use compared with new product. Little pre-consumer waste is re-cycled in UAE and laminated glass cannot be re-cycled.

Toxics and Pollutants - Greenhouse and combustion emissions from energy sources used during manufacture. Major savings in greenhouse and combustion emissions from energy sources used during operation.

Aluminium spacer tubes are not sources of toxics or pollutants in use. However, the process of alumina refinement generates plant emissions, including coal dust, fugitive lime dust, alumina dust and aerosol generated from plant process liquor.

Ozone Depletion – Reduction in size of air-conditioning may reduce ODP of refrigerants if used in HVAC (e.g. CFCs and HCFCs).

Urban Heat Island Effects – Not applicable

Noise - Double glazing and laminated glass have significant benefits in reducing airborne noise transmission to interiors.

Biodiversity

Open cut mining of raw materials and minerals used in the fabrication involves habitat destruction in the local areas of mining, leads to modified soil profiles, topography and drainage which impacts natural vegetation and biodiversity.

RESOURCE DEPLETION

Resource Efficiency

Glass is manufactured from a non-renewable, but abundant resource minerals. e-Cool IGUs however, contain 20% recycled glass. Glass and aluminium have high embodied energy content and hence use of fossil fuel reserves in the generation of process heat in glass melting. Semi and precious metal content of sputter coats are nano-coatings and use extremely small volumes. Resource savings due to energy efficiency of IGUs will offset these short term impacts.

Embodied Fossil Fuel Energy

The production and supply of double glazing for building applications is high in embodied energy – approximately 469.84MJ/m² (Source: Bath University, UK).

Energy consumed in the production process weighed against the benefits of reduced emissions with e-Cool glass incorporated into the building and the consequent reduction of the normal air conditioning requirements and increased natural lighting provides overall fossil fuel consumption benefits.

Each building project has its individual requirements which would need to be assessed.

Embodied Water

Not applicable

Durability

Glass is a high durability material. While it does re-crystallise and become more brittle over long periods of time – in normal use, it should provide an extremely durable façade material. The durability and efficiency of the IGUs depend on the quality and life of the sealing technology.

eCool’s IGUs are comprised of primary PIB sealants and secondary sealants in Polyurethane or Silicone sealing materials.

Reusability

In theory, un-broken glass can be re-used, however practically, most glass from buildings after its first life cycle generally end as land-fill. IGUs are re-useable if extracted from the frames intact and seals are not broken.

Repairability

IGU panels generally need to be replaced if damaged.

Design for Dematerialisation

Not applicable

Design for Disassembly

Recyclability

Glass is recyclable as a commercially valuable product. Crushed glass (cullet) can be mixed with virgin glass materials to produce new glass products. Generally, window glass and alkali glass are down-cycled into fibreglass insulation or powdered for use as filler in paint and roads. The IGUs are recyclable, but currently unlikely to be recycled in UAE.

Maintenance

Contact supplier

Product Takeback Scheme

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

CORPORATE AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Audits and Environmental Reporting

Convictions

Environmental Policy

Social Enhancement Programs

Technology Transfer Programs

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Under process.

ECOSPECIFIER ISSUES OF CONCERN / RED LIGHTS

Aluminium production is known as carcinogenic to humans (source: IARC - International Agency for Research on Cancer), however, aluminium spacer tubes are not harmful to humans or to the environment in use.

ECOSPECIFIER GREENRATE GREEN BUILDING SCHEME PRE-ASSESSMENT

ECOSPECIFIER LEED® PRE-ASSESSMENT

LEED® for Commercial Interiors - Version 3.0