Solarban® 60 glass, solar control, low-emissivity (low-E) residential window glass by PPG Industries was used in the design and construction of Castaway III, one of four upscale Zero Energy America model homes built in central Florida by Marc Rutenberg Homes of Tampa.
Solarban® 60 glass, solar control, low-emissivity (low-E) residential window glass by PPG Industries, was used in the design and construction of Castaway III, one of four upscale Zero Energy America model homes built in central Florida by Marc Rutenberg Homes of Tampa.
Designed to achieve LEED® platinum certification, the highest tier in the US Green Building Council (USGBC) rating system, the 4,500-square-foot Mediterranean-style residence features many advanced building products that help the home produce as much energy as it consumes, including solar panels, light-emitting diode (LED) interior lighting, zoned air conditioning and heating, and clay roof tiles that deflect solar heat.
Ashley Rutenberg, LEED AP, specified Solarban 60 window glass for Castaway III after consulting with her father, Marc, and window manufacturer PGT of Venice, Fla. “We chose Solarban 60 glass because it was the premier glass with low-E coating in the PGT catalogue,” she said. “We design our homes with so many windows in a space – often creating rooms with more window than wall – so that our homes will be full of natural light in the daytime. Solarban 60 glass allowed for an SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) that would meet ENERGY STAR™ requirements and provide the clear appearance we wanted for a light-coloured Mediterranean home.”
Rutenberg also said she selected Solarban 60 glass to glaze an entry door crafted from locally reclaimed cypress wood as well as five sets of French doors that lead to the lanai and outdoor pool from several areas of the home. “We wanted the French doors to match the architectural and energy-efficient standards of the home,” Ashley Rutenberg said. “They were specified to the same level of performance and look as the windows.”
The result, she said, is a stylish luxury residence “with beautiful walls of full-height windows, French doors and transoms that is incredibly energy-efficient, hurricane-resistant and lets in bountiful natural sunlight.”
In a standard 3/4-inch insulating glass unit (IGU) with clear glass, Solarban 60 glass has visible light transmittance (VLT) of 72%, an SHGC of 0.39 and a U-value of 0.25 that is nearly 50% better than regular clear-glass IGUs.