Roofs and skylights
Glass roofs and skylights
Introduce more natural light into the core of a building
Roof glazing and glass skylights can safely be used throughout the roof of a building, providing a natural source of daylight that helps reduce the need for artificial lighting, while still addressing solar control and thermal insulation needs. By introducing natural daylight into the core of a building, glass roofs and skylights can help create brighter, more inviting interiors.
Which glass should be used for roof glazing?
As roof glazing is directly exposed to the sun for a high proportion of the day, careful selection of the glass is crucial, otherwise the benefits of providing more natural daylight into a building can be quickly offset by the excessive heat gain, which would make interior spaces uncomfortable for occupants. In order to select the right glass to help create a comfortable and safe environment, several factors should be considered:
Limit Overheating
In warm climates where roof glazing and skylights are exposed to the sun the whole year round, Guardian Glass recommends using a high-performance glazing solution with a maximum solar factor of 25%. This will help limit the overheating of interior spaces and can contribute to reducing the need for air conditioning by helping to keep the heat outside and the cool air inside.
Help Reduce Glare
For the visual comfort of building occupants and reduced glare, Guardian Glass recommends using a high-performance glass with a low Visual Light Transmission (VLT).
Our glass products for roofs & skylights
Guardian SunGuard®
Our Guardian SunGuard glass products offer different levels of solar control and light transmission, and various aesthetic options to suit many applications, including roofs and skylights.
Safety standards for overhead glazings
Architects and designers need to consider the relevant international and/or local glazing standards relating to overhead glazing. These typically address the various building types, classifying these into different load levels, providing guidance on maximum allowable deflections and stresses for overhead glazing. Therefore, the thickness of the glass and the integrity of the insulating glass unit must be considered. For safety reasons, laminated glass (preferably heat strengthened) must be used for the internal pane of the insulating glass unit (IGU) and the outer pane of the IGU is usually a monolithic glass fully tempered.
The support system for the glass needs to be sufficient in order to prevent distortion under load. Unlike vertical glazing, loads caused by maintenance, water and the ‘dead’ load (the self-weight of the glass as a permanent load) need to be considered. If the glass roof forms part of an accessible area, it must be treated as a glass floor.
Want to know more about glass?
Guardian offers you a wealth of technical notes, tools and online learning to enhance your knowledge about glass and help you specify the most appropriate glass for your project. Connect to the Resource Hub to learn more!
Some of our eye-catching roof & skylight projects:
The Grand Hôtel-Dieu
France
Chadstone Shopping Centre
Australia
Want to see more architectural roof glazing projects? Visit our project section
