Pilkington UK has introduced a new thermal insulation glass with lower reflectance to boost energy efficiency in new homes and for retrofit.

Pilkington Optitherm S3 Plus, manufactured in the UK, is an off-line coated, low emissivity (low-e) glass designed to be integrated into triple glazing units (TGU). According to Pilkington, when specified in a TGU the glass can achieve Ug-values as low as 0.6 W/m²K while keeping reflectance lower than other low emissivity products on the market.

With lower levels of external reflection, the mirror effect that can typically be seen in triple glazing installations is said to be reduced. Once manufactured, the glass is as easy to handle as any off-line coated low-e glass, can be processed using standard techniques, and can be toughened without limiting its performance or appearance.

This makes it suitable for a wide variety of projects, including the construction of new homes, commercial buildings, as well as the upgrading of current homes to make them more energy efficient and lower bills for residents.

Phil Brown, European technical advisory manager at Pilkington UK, said:

“As housebuilders look to align with the country’s wider transition to net-zero, the ability to achieve high energy efficiency in homes is becoming a key priority. Triple glazing will therefore be critical in building homes that are well insulated, making them more energy efficient as well as lowering people’s energy bills.

“But this shouldn’t come at the cost of appearance. That’s why with Pilkington Optitherm S3 Plus we’re proud that alongside its insulation properties we’ve been able to design a product to overcome the mirroring effect that’s previously been seen with highly reflective triple glazing.”