What is multifunctional glass or i-glass

The modern range of windows is represented by dozens of designs and technologies, and multifunctional double-glazed windows are becoming a relatively new item. Its installation can significantly improve the indoor microclimate, reduce heat loss and protect furniture and floor coverings from fading. The glass of such a window contains multilayer silver coating. It is applied to the surface using vacuum magnetron processing. Installation of windows with MF glass is available in most rooms, be it a bedroom, living room, nursery or kitchen.

What is i-glass and iM-glass?

In the era of iPhones, iPads and other high-tech products, the letter i at the beginning of the word is instantly associated with gadgets from Apple. And when it comes to windows, names like these can sometimes be confusing.

Yes, smart glass today can do a lot: show the temperature outside, hide it from prying eyes, and even turn into a slot machine. But the most useful magic of a plastic window cannot be seen with the naked eye.

In this article I will tell you what i-glass and iM-glass are, and what the difference is between them.

What is i-glass?

The main task of i-glass is energy saving. Thanks to a special coating of ions of various metals, such glass reflects thermal energy inside the room and does not allow it to escape outside, keeping the house warm.

When installing a window with i-glass, it is important to remember that the spraying should “look” inside the house, that is, be located on the inner glass. Otherwise, all your energy savings will literally end up on the street.

By the way, not all companies call i-glass that way. For example, the American giant Guardian produces energy-saving glass under the ClimaGuard brand, and the Japanese AGC calls its product Sunergy.

What is iM glass?

The closest relative of i-glass is multifunctional iM glass. It also appears due to sputtering, but thanks to a different composition, iM glass has an additional function: reflective.

I will explain without going into the details of physics. Sunlight entering a room through windows consists of rays of different lengths. Among them there is the so-called solar factor - rays that heat interior items (floors, furniture, walls and others), which disrupts thermal comfort.

Magnetron sputtering helps reflect most of the solar factor. At the same time, it practically does not affect light transmission: iM glass blocks only a small part of sunlight, and the difference with ordinary glass cannot be seen with the naked eye.

More on the topic What is a single-chamber double-glazed window - information for beginners

Installation details

Many buyers are interested in how to install MF windows and want to know how they are installed - inside or outside. Some argue that a multifunctional double-glazed window should be installed so that the protective layer reflects maximum ultraviolet radiation from the street, but this is not entirely true.

The basic function of a window with MF glass is to maintain a comfortable microclimate in the room. That is why it is advisable to mount it with the protective side inward. In this position, the multi-glass will still reflect infrared and ultraviolet rays. In other words, overheating will not occur in any case.

In addition, the position of the protective side inward is determined by the production technology. Magnetron vacuum deposition allows you to obtain a so-called “soft” coating. It is less resistant to external influences than the glass surface itself. For this reason, the functional layer should be located inside: the risk of accidental damage, for example, from being hit by a stone, becomes less. The exceptions are models with a hard magnetron coating, which belongs to the A-class. Such windows can be covered both inside and outside.

Where can i-glass and iM-glass be used?

Perhaps the ideal application for i-glass and iM-glass is a passive house. Glazing plays an extremely important role in it, because windows account for the largest portion of heat loss - up to 40%.

For owners of ordinary private houses, multifunctional glass will help save time and money. In summer, energy saving reduces air conditioning costs (and in some cases allows you to do without air conditioning), and in winter – on heating.

If your home already has windows with energy-saving or multifunctional glass, tell us in the comments how your life has changed after installation. And if not, take a closer look at i-glass and iM-glass.

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Source: okna.ru/blog/chto-umeet-okno/chto-takoe-i-steklo-i-im-steklo.html

Unique appearance of the multipack

Multifunctional glass color options:
Clear
Diamond

Blue
Sapphire Gold
Red Gold

White Platinum

Multifunctional double-glazed plastic windows can be decoratively tinted. The unique shade of glass allows it to be used in original architectural solutions for multi-story and private construction. Decorative tinted glass will highlight the style of a townhouse or cottage with new plastic windows.

Multifunctional glass or i-glass. Does it make sense to overpay?

Everyone wants to understand whether there is any benefit from multifunctional glass compared to ordinary i-glass?

Isn’t this all a stupid marketing scam, like they took ordinary i-glass, added specularity - and here’s a cartoon that costs 1000 (or how much?) rubles per meter of glass more.

Where can I see a comparison, say, what percentage of infrared radiation passes through i-glass and through multi-glass?

What percentage of thermal radiation in winter is reflected from the room by i-glass and multi-glass?

A multifunctional double-glazed window (solar-protective and energy-saving) is a double-glazed window that contains special glass with multilayer coating, which is applied to the surface of the glass using an environmentally friendly deep-vacuum magnetron process, where one of the functional layers is a highly selective layer - silver.

Multifunctional glass structure:

Top and bottom layers: oxides, nitrides. They affect specularity, light transmission and coating color.
Functional layer: silver, chrome. Reflection of short-wave and long-wave thermal radiation.
Protective layers: protection of functional layers from mechanical and chemical damage, reflection and absorption of short-wave thermal radiation.

Universal solution

Multifunctional glass miraculously combines the properties of energy-saving, solar control, self-cleaning, tinted and impact-resistant glass at the same time. This universal solution is suitable for any residential and office premises.

Appearance

Visually, plastic windows with multifunctional glass are almost impossible to distinguish from ordinary ones. Sometimes they have greenish or bluish tints.

Unlike energy-saving i-glass, this glass can be tempered and even bent, so it is perfect for making custom windows.

More on the topic: Which is better to choose - single-chamber or double-glazed windows?

Innovative technologies

Soft metal coating on the surface of the glass creates the effect of a filter invisible to the eye, selectively transmitting waves of different lengths in the composition of solar radiation. Multifunctional glass is produced using the high-vacuum magnetron process.

*Multifunctional glass is used in the basic configuration of the product.

Cost of structures

The price of multifunctional double-glazed windows depends on several factors:

coating material;
method of applying the functional layer;
the thickness of the glass itself;
additional properties - darkening, mirror tinting, etc.

Prices also depend on window parameters (sizes, number of cameras, profile type and other properties). The total price consists of the costs of a metal-plastic or aluminum frame, double-glazed windows and fittings. On average, the amount is 2000-2500 rubles per square meter.

When ordering directly from the manufacturer or purchasing from a large supplier, you can purchase the product at a discount and save additional money.

How it works?

In summer

Multifunctional glass reflects infrared solar radiation outward, preventing the room from overheating even on the hottest days.

Up to 58% of thermal energy does not penetrate into the room, and you save on air conditioning. It is important to note that the level of transparency of such glass is almost the same as regular glass.

in winter

With the onset of cold weather, glass works on the energy saving principle, retaining heat in the room. The silver coating reflects long-wave thermal radiation from heating devices into the room, preventing heat dissipation outside.

Heat loss is reduced to 22%, and heat savings reach 78% - you save on heating. The ability to transmit maximum daylight is also most relevant in winter.

Flaws

A small disadvantage of such windows is sometimes heat retention. That is, on a warm sunny day the room may be cool, the double-glazed window will not be warmed up by sunlight, as is the case with ordinary glass.

Advantages of multifunctional glass

Protecting the premises from overheating in summer.
Preservation of heat indoors in winter.
Maintaining maximum levels of natural light.
Strength and resistance to mechanical damage.
A slight mirror effect reduces the level of visibility of the room from the outside.
Reducing the cost of paying for energy consumed by heating and air conditioning equipment.
Possibility of lamination, cutting, tempering, heat treatment of glass.
Glass is recommended for use in rooms where energy saving, sun protection and natural lighting of the premises are particularly important.

Energy-saving glass is glass whose surface is sprayed with a transparent layer of metal oxides. Metal conducts heat worse than glass, so the heat passing through the glass is retained by the sprayed layer and reflected back into the room.

The most common energy-saving glasses used in the production of plastic windows are I-glass and K-glass. These glasses differ from each other in the method of deposition of metal oxide, different thermal conductivity and price.

K-glass is one of the earliest developments in the field of energy saving and is inferior to I-glass in terms of consumer properties. The use of K-glass in Western Europe has decreased in recent years to 7-10% of the total amount of energy-saving glass.

A hard coating allows you to retain approximately 70% of the heat flux falling on the window in a room, while a soft coating allows you to retain 90% or even more. Due to the higher energy-saving properties of i-glass, you can abandon a double-chamber double-glazed window, limiting yourself to a single-chamber one, which greatly simplifies the design.

I-glass is superior in technical characteristics to its brother “by the letter k”. The use of double-glazed windows with i-glass allows not only to significantly increase indoor comfort, but also to reduce energy costs.

More on the topic Are wooden windows with double glazed windows any good? Let's look at examples.

During the heating season, the heat retained by a medium-sized window with i-glass is equivalent to the effect of burning 120 kg of liquid fuel.

You should choose a double-glazed window depending on the climatic conditions of the area in which you live. Four- or three-chamber double-glazed windows retain heat better, but the more glass, the worse the sun's rays penetrate through the windows.

If the windows face north or west, losses in illumination can turn your, albeit warm, room into an uncomfortable and uninhabitable one.

Warm system price

Despite the abundance of positive characteristics and the almost complete absence of negativity from consumers, window designs with multifunctional double-glazed windows have a very affordable price, comparable to the price of a standard window unit.

The cost range, depending on the selected set, will vary within 5.5 thousand rubles per sq.m. Standard multifunctional windows, as noted by some consumers, do not provide such high protection against infrared radiation. In this regard, it is recommended to use models with thicker glass.

How to distinguish a regular double-glazed window from a double-glazed window with i-glass?

Bring the fire to the glass unit. Each glass will have its own reflection, consisting of two flames. In a regular double-glazed window, all reflections are the same color. For a double-glazed unit with low-emissivity glass, the surface of energy-saving glass coated with coating will give a reflection of a different color.

Advantages of using i-glass:

Firstly, i-glass reflects long-wave heat rays towards their emitter (that is, in winter towards the apartment where heating devices are working, and in summer towards the street where there are sun-heated stones, asphalt, etc.), which is significant reduces heating costs in winter and air conditioning in summer.

In other words, the coating leaves heat where there is more of it. The thermal insulation capacity of a double-glazed window with I-glass is significantly higher compared to a double-chamber double-glazed window.

Thus, in any climate zone, thermal comfort in the room is achieved by using double-glazed windows with energy-saving glass. The “window blowing” effect is eliminated.

Secondly, the weight of such a double-glazed window is 10 kg per 1 m2 of double-glazed window lower compared to a double-chamber one, which significantly reduces the load on the sash fittings of your window and increases its service life.

Thirdly, since the temperature on the surface of an I-glass unit is higher than on the surface of ordinary glass, this reduces the likelihood of condensation forming on the glass. In addition, this glass prevents fading of upholstery and interior items. In this case, the transparency of I-glass is comparable to the transparency of ordinary glass.

Thus, by installing our windows with energy-saving double-glazed windows in your home, you save money and create comfortable indoor conditions, which means a good mood, coziness and comfort.

Source: okna-povolzhya.ru/stati/multifunktsionalnoe-steklo/

Thermal frame

Budget MFs use an aluminum spacer frame, as in other types of window structures. More expensive models are equipped with a thermal frame , which further improves the thermal insulation properties of the product due to its special design:

the frame is made of polypropylene with a low degree of thermal conductivity;
the top is covered with resistant steel foil, which has high adhesion and thermal resistance;
the inside is filled with an absorbent to collect moisture inside the glass unit;

Due to this design, the heat-insulating properties in the area of contact between the glass unit and the profile are increased. As a result, the temperature on the surface of the window from the inside increases noticeably (according to research results from +2.6 C to + 7.7 C at an outside temperature of -23 C ), and the likelihood of condensation formation is significantly reduced.

Advantages of multifunctional glasses and double-glazed windows

In modern architecture, glazed facades of buildings have increasingly become prevalent. Light plays a big role in our lives, so it is pleasant to be in a room filled with natural light, productivity increases there, and the room itself visually enlarges.

A new product for creating a translucent enclosing structure has been introduced to the market. This is multifunctional glass.

This glass unit has a hard coating and combines two very important functions: protection from sunlight and energy efficiency. This glass fully embodies advanced technologies for creating coziness and comfort in our apartments.

Main manufacturers and reviews about them

MF is a technically complex product that can be manufactured with the required level of quality only in production conditions with special equipment. The products have been on the market long enough for us to highlight the brands that receive the most positive reviews.

double-glazed windows from Guardian have virtually no complaints. Users note that such windows actually help maintain an optimal microclimate in hot weather without resorting to the use of air conditioners. According to the manufacturer, MFs 80% more efficiently than conventional double-glazed windows.

ClimaTeck Solar windows are manufactured using our own coating technology and have proven themselves well among Russian users. Among other advantages, buyers note the high transparency of the products and compliance with all technical parameters declared by the manufacturer.

Operating principle of multi-glass

Double-glazed windows with multifunctional glass work like a thermal mirror, and the reflection goes in both directions: the thermal energy in the room is reflected inward, and the sun's rays, on the contrary, are repelled from the glass to the street.

It can be safely equated to a climate control system. It turns out that multi-glass retains heat inside the room and does not allow it to heat up from the street.

Thanks to this, such glass protects well from both heat and cold, without compromising the amount of light passing through it.

The room temperature is automatically regulated using special window glass. You get savings in several directions at once: heating costs are reduced in winter, and air conditioning costs are reduced in summer.

Interior items will not heat up when exposed to sunlight and will retain their original appearance for a long period of time. The costs of artificial lighting are also reduced due to the excellent light-transmitting characteristics of multifunctional glass.

Multifunctional solar glass partially reflects or transmits solar radiation, consisting of different lengths of electromagnetic waves.

A significant part of the infrared radiation that heats the room is reflected. Light passes through this glass just like regular glass, and very thin layers of metals keep it transparent.

Ultra-transparent multifunctional spgu glass is capable of transmitting 10% more light and not distorting the colors outside the window. The surface of the frame is laser engraved, and the surface of the spgu glass itself has holographic stickers indicating the coating.

There is also a sticker attached to the spgu multiglass indicating the characteristics and energy efficiency class. This glass looks great in the window and can be easily combined with many types of profile system seals.

Effect on plants

Green spaces are comfortable behind double-glazed windows with iM-coating:

Overheating from direct sunlight is excluded.
There is no cold radiation - the plants will not freeze even on the windowsill.
A sufficient amount of ultraviolet radiation and lighting for the development of plants and photosynthesis processes is ensured by the high light transmittance of glass.

Structure and features of a multifunctional double-glazed window

Several layers of spraying are applied to the surface of the glass. This helps to increase the durability of the coating.

Each of them performs certain functions:

Glass color, specularity and light transmission are provided by the top and bottom layers;
To reflect thermal radiation, a functional layer containing silver or chromium molecules is provided;
Protective layers are involved in the reflection and absorption of thermal radiation. They are also responsible for the resistance of glass to physical and mechanical

The side with multi-layer coating remains inside the sealed glass chamber and will last the entire life of the structure. It is possible to carry out additional heat treatment in the form of hardening. It consists of bending and heat strengthening.

Such multi-glass can be used to complete a double-glazed window with any configuration in windows with a wide variety of designs. It can be noted that the use of such glass makes it possible to use even a single-chamber double-glazed window.

This significantly reduces the load on the fittings and window hinges. Consequently, the service life of the fittings is extended and it becomes possible to design a window with larger sashes.

Main advantages

Multifunctional glass has many advantages over other glasses:

In the cold season, good thermal insulation performance;
During the warm period, they reflect radiation and heat;
High level of noise insulation;
Safe from injury;
A slight specularity allows you to protect the room from prying eyes;
Neutral and pleasant reflection;
A wide range of glass colors;
High light transmittance;
It is possible to laminate glass;
High impact resistance;
For the consumer, this is the most cost-effective type of glass;
Sufficient light is allowed in for indoor plants to develop.

Application in architecture

The use of multi-glass as glazing for various objects has recently become popular. The scope of application of these glasses is almost limitless. They are used for glazing attics, facades, and winter gardens.

Double-glazed windows equipped with multifunctional glass can be installed in private homes, administrative and commercial premises, in which the heating system is constantly used in winter and air conditioning is used in summer.

The somewhat high price of multifunctional glass will fully pay for itself in just 3 years of operation due to energy savings. In a room in which windows of this type are installed, energy consumption is reduced several times.

Source: promplace.ru/steklo-staty/multifunkcionalnoe-steklo-2003.htm

Advantages

In addition to reducing the cost of air ventilation in summer and space heating in winter, multifunctional double-glazed windows have many advantages. Thermal energy loss is reduced by at least 78% compared to conventional glass. Sunlight reflection is 58%. Another advantage is the high light transmission capacity. The products are characterized by an optimal price - the product fully pays for itself in the first 12 months of use.

Multifunctional double glazing differs:

resistance to chemical and mechanical stress due to the strength of the coating;
ensuring protection of furniture and wallpaper from fading;
beautiful appearance due to the reflection of the color of the frame on the surface of the glass unit;
variety of configuration options.

In addition, these double-glazed windows are often universal. They can be equipped with any window designs. These glasses allow you to use a single-chamber double-glazed window with the same result as a double-chamber one. This parameter provides a noticeable reduction in the load on the hinges of the window opening and its fittings. This means they extend the life of the structure.

Why use multifunctional double glazing?

Multifunctional glass is an easy way to increase the level of comfort in a room. This is an excellent opportunity to significantly reduce the costs of air conditioners and fans in the summer, as well as batteries and heaters in the winter.

Multifunctional glass combines heat-saving and sun protection functions along with a high degree of light transmittance. This way, you get great benefits without compromising the appearance and overall aesthetics of the window.

Engineers specially developed this type of glass for use in apartments, private houses and offices, that is, where you spend most of your time all year round.

In addition, multifunctional glass will be an excellent material for the implementation of architectural projects that involve glazing large spaces, such as building facades, winter gardens, shopping galleries, attics, cars and others.

And for multi-storey non-residential buildings, such as offices, shopping centers or fitness clubs, multifunctional double-glazed windows with a self-cleaning function will become simply indispensable.

The enormous popularity of multifunctional glass among architects, builders and designers is also explained by the fact that this material can be processed in any way and has a variety of colors.

In addition, different types of glass can be used in one project, since multifunctional glass can be easily combined with other types of glass.

How are multifunctional double-glazed windows made?

Modern technologies for the production of multifunctional double-glazed windows involve the use of special glass, the surface of which is coated with a special coating.

The manufacturing process is thought out to the smallest detail, and the coating turns out surprisingly thin, while it fully retains its characteristics:

Provides reliable protection against chemical and mechanical influences. Reduces the thermal conductivity of glass.
Provides light transmission and significantly reduces the shading factor.
The deep-vacuum magnetron process for applying multilayer sputtering takes place under special conditions and is environmentally friendly.

There are five layers in total:

Top layer: oxides and nitrides.
Protective layer.
Functional layer: silver, chrome.
Protective layer.
Bottom layer: oxides and nitrides.

The functional layer is responsible for reflecting thermal radiation and is the most important, so it is framed by protective layers that protect the product from mechanical and chemical influences. Characteristics such as specularity, coating color and light transmission depend on the top and bottom layers.

Advantages of multifunctional double-glazed windows:

Protection from sunlight in summer. The surface reflects more than 50% of the heat.
High degree of thermal protection in the cold season. The surface helps retain heat in the room up to 60%.
Transparency of windows from the inside, excellent illumination of the room.
Slight mirror effect on the surface from the outside.
Increasing the level of noise insulation.
The ability to transmit ultraviolet rays ensures that the room is cleansed of germs.
Multifunctional glass helps improve the microclimate, which has a beneficial effect on plants kept indoors.
Interior parts are reliably protected from fading.

Compared to ordinary glass, multifunctional double-glazed windows are highly energy efficient. This occurs due to the combination of sun protection properties with a low emission coefficient.

As a result, you save on heating and air conditioning costs. For example, in the summer you can reduce the cost of using air conditioners by 2 times!

Wide range of hard surface options. Strong and durable hard coating allows for all kinds of mechanical manipulations: cutting, tempering, glass lamination, heat treatment and other actions that are applicable to ordinary glass.

Among the disadvantages, one can note only the high cost of the product compared to traditional windows. But the cost will quickly pay off due to the economical use of electricity.

Source: oknaprosvet.ru/tehnologii/multifunktsionalnyjj-steklopaket/

Multifunctional glass ClimaGuard® Solar (Clima Guard Solar)

Guardian's latest development, ClimaGuard® Solar glass, can significantly reduce the cost of cooling a room in the summer and significantly increase thermal protection in the winter.

Compared to other materials, double-glazed windows with ClimaGuard® Solar provide excellent heat-saving and solar protection characteristics combined with high light transmittance.

ClimaGuard® Solar glass is designed specifically for standard apartments and private households. This is an affordable solution for any resident of a large metropolis or remote locality.

A distinctive feature of ClimaGuard® Solar is its virtually invisible silver-based coating. During the production of ClimaGuard® Solar, up to ten layers of metal are applied to the glass surface in a vacuum chamber.

It is this coating that makes windows with ClimaGuard® Solar glass energy efficient. The successful combination of high sun protection characteristics and excellent heat-saving properties in Klimagard Solar windows allows us to call it a multifunctional product.

Cool in summer

ClimaGuard® Solar acts as a filter. The room heats up more slowly on a hot day. In summer, the most natural desire is to find coolness. There are many ways to protect yourself from the scorching sun.

You can curtain the windows, close the blinds or tint the windows. However, in this case we are deprived of sunlight. You can use a fan or air conditioner to cool the room.

At the same time, in addition to additional drafts, we significantly increase the cost of electricity consumption. Installing an insulating glass unit with ClimaGuard® Solar glass avoids the disadvantages of traditional protection methods.

The special ClimaGuard® Solar glass coating reflects almost 60% of solar energy, which is 3 times more effective than conventional glass and is comparable to heat protection when the blinds are fully closed.

With exceptional solar control properties, windows with ClimaGuard® Solar glass remain transparent and do not interfere with the natural light in the room.

ClimaGuard® Solar makes living indoors comfortable without additional cooling, even if the windows face the sun.

The economic effect of using Klimagard Solar is obvious. Windows with this glass allow the room to be air-conditioned 3 times less often. This not only preserves the life of the air conditioner, but also significantly reduces energy costs. It should be remembered that cooling a room requires 2-2.5 times more energy than heating it.

Adviсe

Energy-saving glass is visually difficult to distinguish from ordinary glass

Before purchasing, it is important to make sure that the double-glazed window offered by the supplier is truly energy-saving

You can distinguish the latter from the usual one using the flame of a candle, lighter, or match. Of course, the easiest way to check in a store or warehouse is with a lighter. To do this, just strike a flame and bring it to the glass unit. If one of the reflected flames (and there will be several of them, since the product consists of several layers) has a different shade (pronounced red), this indicates the presence of a reflective layer. So the test shows that the double-glazed window is energy-saving.

You can accurately determine the type of glass unit if you check it with a special device. It is applied from the inside (where there is no button or indicator) to the product. Then just press the button on the device. If the glass unit is energy-saving, the unit will make a characteristic sound and the indicator will light green.

Energy-saving double-glazed windows have their own markings. First of all, such glass is indicated by the letters “K” or “I”. Additionally, the design can be equipped with a heat-saving film, in which case it is marked with the letter “P”. The designation "Ar" indicates the presence of argon between the glasses.

The standard marking of a heat-saving package may look like this - 4M - 16Ar - 4K. This means that the double-glazed window is single-chamber, has 2 lenses 4 mm thick, the distance between which is 16 mm. The inner glass is energy-saving “hard” (K-glass) 4 mm thick. The space between the glasses is filled with argon.

When installing energy-saving structures, it is important to remember that the risk of heat leakage remains with poor-quality sealing and thermal insulation of the window opening. The applied layer of plaster will not cope with this

The dimensions of energy-saving glass should not exceed 3x3.2 m. This is due to the fact that when the dimensions of the glass increase, the narrow distance frames remain narrow. In such a design, there is a high risk of depressurization of the glass unit, which means it will lose its energy-saving functions.

The optimal distance between double-glazed windows is 10-15 mm. As the latter increases, the cost of the product increases, but its thermal efficiency does not change in any way.

For residential premises in central Russia, a single-chamber double-glazed window with energy-saving coating is usually sufficient. It replaces the standard two-chamber design.

You will find even more information about energy-saving double-glazed windows in the video below.