White paper compares economic, environmental benefits of tinted low-e glasses

PPG Industries has published a new white paper, A Comparison of Energy, Economic and Environmental Benefits of Tinted Low-E Glasses, which summarizes a comparative analysis of four commonly specified tinted, low-emissivity (low-e) glasses.

The 24-page technical document reviews a study conducted by the Architectural Energy Corporation (AEC) that compared the energy-saving performance of Solarban z50 glass by PPG to three common architectural glazings: dual-pane tinted glass, pyrolytic low-e tinted glass and Magnetron Sputtering Vacuum Deposition (MSVD) low-e tinted glass.

The study showed that, because of its high visible light transmittance and solar control characteristics, Solarban z50 glass can reduce annual energy consumption in a standard glass-walled, eight-story office building by up to 10 percent, or more than $60,000, when specified instead of dual-pane tinted glass. The study also showed the use of Solarban z50 glass can reduce initial heating, ventilation and air conditioning requirements, offering architects and building owners potential upfront savings of more than $300,000 depending on geographical location.

The study also demonstrated environmental advantages when specifying Solarban z50 glass. Because of its energy-saving characteristics, in the same glass-walled eight-story office building, Solarban z50 glass was shown to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by up to 430 tons. Over a typical 40-year building life cycle, these carbon reductions could total more than 17,000 tons, the equivalent of removing almost 3,000 passenger cars from the road over the same time period.

Solarban z50 glass was engineered by PPG to meet architects´ demand for new exterior aesthetic options with low exterior reflectance and excellent daylighting and solar-control characteristics. With an exceptional light-to-solar gain (LSG) ratio of 1.64, Solarban z50 glass offers a combination of visible light transmittance and solar control that is up to 30 percent better than that of current competitive products.

To order a copy of the white paper or to learn more about the energy-saving and aesthetic benefits associated with Solarban z50 glass, call 1-888-PPG-IDEA (1-888-774-4332) or visit www.ppgideascapes.com.

About PPG

Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals, optical products, specialty materials, glass and fiber glass. The company has more than 150 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates and operates in more than 60 countries. Sales in 2007 were US$11.2 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.