NEW BUILDING

RESIDENTIAL

WINDOW

GLAZING

argon-filled low E-glazing

 air-filled glazing

double glazing

single glazing

[Recommendations] [Advantages/Disadvantages] [Comments] [Some data]

Keep track of the advice

RECOMMENDATIONS

Window glass is not recyclable. Use old windows to remodel at a cabin or a mini-greenhouse.

Window glass needs to be thrown in the garbage, try to find a second use as: reflective signs, asphalt and backfill.

Low -E improves the insulation qualities.

Specify that contractors should attempt to salvage and reuse glass building products removed during remodeling.

The use of special glass is soon payed by saving energy for cooling/heating.

During extraction of raw materials environmental effects include soil erosion and pollutant runoff mining, and habitat changeThis is significant energy consumption since many mines are situated in southern Africa.

The manufacture of glass requires a lot of energy.

 

ADVANTAGES

Glass sand, limestone, and soda ash are finite resources, but supplies are adequate to meet future demands.

Glass is inert and does not have indoor air impact.

The unique characteristic of glass, like transparency (natural illumination) has to be balanced with its relatively low R-value (energy saving). In glass selection R-value has to be considered as one of the most important factors.

Can be reuse for the same purpose or recycle for the production of new, different glasses products (external recycling).

 

DISADVANTAGES

Mining of glass sand, limestone, and soda ash result in particulate emissions, soil erosion, habitat alteration,pollutant runoff, and air pollution associated with energy consumption for mining, processing, and transporting materials.

Glass manufacturing can release air pollutants that contribute to numerous environmental problems. Emissions come from energy production.

Manufacture is high energy consuming due at the high temperature required for processing the raw materials.

After demolition much glass is disposed in landfill, without reuse or recycle, this is the actual trend.

 COMMENTS

After clean up it is possible to reuse glass. It is also possible to recycle glass but not on the same industry sector because we have performance decay.

Recycle glass use is in the bottle industry, or for other kinds of containers, with transparency requirement inferior at the one required from the building industry.

Scrap glass is recycled back into the glass making process.

Glass removed from building is usually disposed of in landfill. Try to reuse it. Recycling is not feasible now.

Recycle is not feasible now because the production can tolerate very little contamination levels. Recycled glass wastes can be released only into low-grade glass.

 SOME DATA

 

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