From zero knowledge to confident selection. Follow the levels in sequence.
Level 1 — Foundation
WHAT IS GLASS? Understanding the Product
All architectural glass starts as float glass. What matters for facades are the coatings, thickness, and assembly that control heat, light, and safety.
Glass Type
How It Works
Key Benefit
Typical Use
Clear Float Glass
No treatment — base product
Lowest cost
Internal partitions only
Tinted / Body-tinted
Color oxides in molten glass
Reduces glare, absorbs solar
Budget facades, low-rise
Reflective Coated
Hard coat via pyrolytic process on float line
Reduces solar gain + privacy
Commercial buildings
Low-E (Single Silver)
Soft magnetron sputtered silver layer
Controls heat transfer U-value
Offices, hospitals, hotels
Low-E (Double Silver)
Two silver layers — premium performance
Best SHGC + VLT balance
Large projects, GRIHA rated
DGU (Double Glazed)
Two glass panes + sealed air/argon gap
Insulation, noise reduction
All energy-rated buildings
Triple Silver DGU
Three silver layers in DGU unit
Near-passive performance
LEED Platinum, niche projects
Level 1 — Foundation
KEY TERMS The Numbers That Matter
Parameter
Full Form
What It Means
Better = Lower or Higher?
Typical Range
SHGC
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient
Fraction of solar energy that enters as heat (0–1)
Lower = Less heat
0.20 – 0.70
VLT / Tvis
Visible Light Transmission
% of daylight that passes through
Higher = More daylight
20% – 75%
U-value
Thermal Transmittance
Heat conducted through glass (W/m²K)
Lower = Better insulation
1.0 – 5.8
LSG
Light to Solar Gain Ratio
VLT ÷ SHGC — efficiency of glass
Higher = More efficient
0.8 – 2.2
SC
Shading Coefficient
Older term = SHGC ÷ 0.87
Lower = Less heat
0.25 – 0.80
Rw
Weighted Sound Reduction
Acoustic insulation in decibels
Higher = Quieter
28 – 52 dB
Level 2 — Intermediate
THICKNESS What Thickness Do I Need?
Thickness
Application
Wind Zone Suitability
Max Panel Size (approx)
Notes
4 mm
Fixed internal glazing, shop display cases
Low wind zones only
1.2 × 1.8 m
Not suitable for facades
5 mm
Small residential windows
Low to medium
1.5 × 2.0 m
Min for facades in low-rise
6 mm
Standard residential, low-rise commercial
Medium
2.0 × 3.0 m
Most common single pane
8 mm
Mid-rise office, hotels, framed system
Medium-High
2.4 × 3.6 m
Good balance of weight & strength
10 mm
High-rise curtain wall, structural glazing
High
3.0 × 5.0 m
Required above 30 m in many cases
12 mm
Large panel SGU, structural point-fix
Very High
3.2 × 6.0 m
Engineering required
6+12A+6 DGU
Energy-rated buildings, 24 mm total
Medium-High
2.4 × 3.6 m
Standard ECBC compliant DGU
8+12A+6 DGU
High-rise, premium residential
High
3.0 × 4.8 m
Recommended for zone 4 & 5
Minimum Requirements by Building Type
Ready-made prescriptive decisions by building category. Start here — then customize with climate data.
Building Type
Min SHGC
Min VLT
Max U-Value
Min Thickness
Glazing Type
Priority
Justification
Residential (Low-rise, 1–4 floors)
≤ 0.40
≥ 45%
≤ 3.5
5 mm SGU or 6+12+6 DGU
TintedSingle Low-E
Daylight + Privacy
Residents need natural light; glare control secondary
Residential (High-rise, 4+ floors)
≤ 0.35
≥ 40%
≤ 2.8
6+12A+6 DGU min
Single Low-E DGU
Energy + Safety
Higher wind, energy bill sensitivity, ECBC applies above 500 m²
Office / IT Building Typical Indian Project
≤ 0.25
≥ 35%
≤ 2.2
8+12A+6 DGU
Double Silver DGU
Energy + BEE Star
AC loads dominate; ECBC mandatory; BEE 3-star+ requires low SHGC
Hotel / Hospitality
≤ 0.30
≥ 50%
≤ 2.5
6+12A+6 DGU
Single Low-E DGUDbl Silver preferred
Aesthetics + Comfort
Guest room views essential; solar control critical in south/west facades
Hospital / Healthcare
≤ 0.30
≥ 55%
≤ 2.5
6+12A+6 DGU
Single Low-E DGU
Infection control + Daylighting
High daylight reduces HAI; thermally stable interiors essential; UV control
Shop Front / Retail
≤ 0.45
≥ 65%
≤ 3.5
8 mm SGU min or DGU
Clear ToughenedLow-E optional
Visibility + Display
Product visibility paramount; balance heat with deep eaves or shading fins
Industrial / Warehouse
≤ 0.50
≥ 30%
≤ 4.0
5 mm SGU or polycarbonate
Tinted Float
Cost
Large volumes make energy upgrades costly; natural ventilation preferred
Educational / School
≤ 0.35
≥ 55%
≤ 2.8
6+12A+6 DGU
Single Low-E DGU
Daylight + GRIHA
GRIHA and Green buildings prefer high daylight autonomy; glare control needed
Quick Rule
South & West facing glass: Always choose SHGC ≤ 0.25. North facing: SHGC up to 0.40 acceptable. East facing: SHGC ≤ 0.30.
Critical Note — ECBC Compliance
The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC 2017) mandates glass performance for buildings with connected load ≥ 100 kW or conditioned area ≥ 500 m². If your project crosses this, you MUST comply — no option to choose lower-performing glass.
City Climate & Solar Behaviour
Click your city to load solar intensity data and recommended glass parameters for that climate zone.
Codes, Norms & Green Building Standards
What you legally must meet — and what earns you green ratings.
🏛 IBC / NBC India — Safety & Structural
IS 2553 Part 1 & 2: Safety glazing requirements for critical locations
IS 14900: Tempered/toughened glass spec — must be used in all doors, low-level glazing, skylights
IS 16231: Laminated safety glass standards
NBC 2016 Part 3: Fire-rated glazing requirements in staircases and atria
IBC Section 2404: Thickness tables for wind-load compliance (referenced in structural drawings)
All glass ≤ 900 mm from floor or in doors must be toughened or laminated
⚡ ECBC 2017 — Energy Conservation
Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR): Max 40% recommended; above 40% requires performance path
SHGC limits: 0.25 for composite/hot-dry, 0.30 for warm-humid, 0.40 for temperate
U-value: Max 3.3 W/m²K for fenestration (prescriptive path)
VLT: Min 0.27 for occupied spaces
Overhangs and fins can trade off with glass performance (tradeoff compliance path)
Mandatory for buildings with conditioned area ≥ 500 m²
🌿 GRIHA Rating — India's National Green Standard
Criterion 8: Optimize building design to reduce conventional energy demand
Points awarded for SHGC ≤ 0.25 on east/west/south facades
Daylight Autonomy: ≥ 75% of regularly occupied spaces should have DA ≥ 300 lux
DGU with Low-E earns 2–4 GRIHA points
Solar PV integration and BIPV glass considered under energy generation criterion
LEED v4 EAp2: ASHRAE 90.1 compliance required as baseline (similar to ECBC)
Daylighting IEQc8: VLT × Area / Perimeter must meet thresholds
Exterior view glazing: VLT ≥ 0.30 for at least 90% of occupied floor area
IGBC Green Homes: SHGC ≤ 0.40 or external shading required
IGBC Green Factory: Rooflights with SHGC ≤ 0.45 for naturally ventilated zones
Double Silver Low-E DGU almost always ensures compliance across all systems
Advanced
🏗 BEE Star Rating for Commercial Buildings
BEE Star Rating
EPI (kWh/m²/year)
Glass Requirement
Typical SHGC Target
1 Star
250–300
Basic tinted or reflective
≤ 0.40
2 Star
200–250
Single Low-E DGU
≤ 0.35
3 Star Common Target
150–200
Single Low-E DGU
≤ 0.30
4 Star
100–150
Double Silver DGU
≤ 0.25
5 Star
< 100
Double Silver DGU + Shading
≤ 0.22
Solar Heat Gain Calculator
Calculate heat load through your glass and find out if it meets building code requirements.
Project Inputs
Results & Code Check
Peak Solar Heat Gain—
Annual Cooling Load Contribution—
Effective SHGC (with shading)—
Light-to-Solar Gain Ratio (LSG)—
Daylight Quality—
ECBC Compliance—
GRIHA Potential—
Recommendation—
Fill in your project details and click Calculate.
Sun Path, Solar Angles & Shading Design
Advanced inputs for precise facade engineering. Know where the sun hits before specifying glass.
Sun Position Calculator
Solar Angles at Noon
—
Altitude (°)
—
Zenith (°)
—
Declination (°)
—
Min Overhang Depth (m)*
*For 1.0 m tall south-facing window. Scale proportionally.
Advanced — Sun Path Diagram
Annual Sun Path (Stereographic)
Blue arc = winter solstice. Orange arc = summer solstice. Green arc = equinox. Dashed lines = altitude circles.
Advanced
Shading Device Design Guide
Facade Orientation
Solar Problem Period
Recommended Shading
Depth Formula
LSG Target
South
Winter noon (low angle)
Horizontal overhang
D = H × tan(90° - Lat - 23.5°)
≥ 1.8
West Critical
3–6 PM all year
Vertical fins + mid-pane blind
Fin depth = 0.3 × window width
≥ 1.6
East
6–10 AM all year
Vertical fins or trees
Fin depth = 0.25 × window width
≥ 1.6
North
Minimal direct sun
Usually none needed
N/A
≥ 1.4
Roof / Skylight
All year — intense
SHGC ≤ 0.20, fritting
N/A
≥ 2.0
Indian & International Glass Products
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Glass Sheet Wastage Optimizer
Auto-optimize cutting plans from standard jumbo sheets. Only active for projects ≥ 1,000 m². Double Silver recommended above 1,200 m².
Project Inputs for Optimization
Double Silver Recommendation Triggered
Project area ≥ 1,200 m². At this scale, upgrading to Double Silver Low-E DGU adds roughly ₹80–120/m² (≈ 8–12% premium) but saves 15–20% in HVAC sizing costs. Strongly recommended.
Optimization Available
Project ≥ 1,000 m² — full cutting plan optimization enabled.
Project Below 1,000 m²
Cutting optimization is most effective for large-scale orders. Order standard sizes directly for smaller projects.
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