miniwiz 小智研發

Glass is a natural, sustainable building material with many uses. Easy to produce and recycle, glass is a top sustainable building option that can also help cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Here’s why glass is such an exciting option for architects and anyone who cares about green design.‌
 

The History of Glass

‌Glass has been around in its naturally occurring form since the beginning of human memory at least. Natural glass (like obsidian) is formed when sand or rocks are rapidly heated and then cooled. Volcanic eruptions and lightning strikes can create natural glass under the right conditions.‌
 

There is some evidence to show that prehistoric humans used natural glass as tools. Eventually, perhaps inspired by these tools, people learned how to create glass for themselves. By the first century A.D., the ancient Romans had mastered the art of glass blowing. They spread that knowledge across their empire.‌
 

Modern industry has made it possible to create perfectly smooth, uniformly shaped sheets of glass, and this has opened up tremendous potential for the construction industry. Here’s more about the way glass is used as a building material.‌

 

Glass in Construction‌

Glass has its obvious uses — such as windows and sliding doors — but it also has some less obvious functions in construction. Glass can be used for canopies, skylights, and roof partitions. It can even be used to make beams and floors. And in some cases, whole facades can be created out of glass.‌
 

The Gherkin office tower in London, the pyramid-shaped entrance to the Louvre Museum, and the Dancing House of Prague are just a few of the most famous glass structures that dazzle visitors.‌
 

To be clear, though, glass is more than just a pretty face. Glass is a truly green building material with the potential to transform the construction industry.‌
 

Environmentally Sustainable Building Materials

‌ Sustainable materials are those that are long-lasting and can be either recycled or repurposed in the event that the building needs to be demolished. Sustainable materials can also be produced without harming the environment or throwing off the equilibrium of the earth’s delicately balanced ecosystems.‌
 

Glass is made from plentifully occurring resources, like sand and glass waste. It is easy to recycle, as scraps and shards of used glass (known as cullets) can easily be heated, melted, and made into new glass objects.
 

Because glass is so easy to make and recycle, it does not drain the planet’s limited resources.
 

Which Are the Most Environmentally Sustainable Building Materials, and Why Should You Care?

 

Benefits of Glass as a Sustainable Building Material‌

Glass has a number of features that make it an environmental star. Some of these features are naturally occurring, and others can be baked in when the glass is made.‌
 

Weather Resistant

‌All glass is naturally weather resistant. It stands up to rain, snow, sleet, and wind. It can also withstand extreme temperatures.‌
 

It’s not hard to find proof that glass is durable. Just take a trip to an old church and look at its stained glass windows. There are countless cathedrals in Europe with windows that have lasted for centuries with no special precautions taken. Any material that can withstand Germany’s freezing winters and Spain’s blistering summers is demonstrably quite weather-resistant.‌
 

Glass is also naturally corrosion-resistant. Unlike iron and other forms of metal, glass will not rust, and it stands up to abrasion.‌
 

Long-Lasting‌

Unlike plastic, concrete, or many other materials that degrade quickly, glass does not need to be frequently replaced. Its long life means that businesses will save money on maintaining their buildings. It also means less expenditure in terms of greenhouse gases, because there’s no need to keep creating new materials. There’s also no need to use up non-renewable materials, like wood or iron.‌
 

Of course, if a glass structure is demolished for whatever reason, the glass can easily be recycled and put to a new use.‌
 

Recyclable

‌Thanks to initiatives on the part of local governments around the world, single-use glass bottles are recycled at a very high rate, ranging from 50% to 80%. The shards, or cullets, of glass are easy to melt down and use for new purposes.‌
 

Cullets also have a relatively low melting point, which means that recycling glass does not require as much energy as it might to create raw materials. This has led to a virtuous cycle in the glass industry. Because recycling glass is both cheap and energy-efficient, construction firms have a natural incentive to recycle all of the scraps of glass waste that they generate, which results in a major reduction in waste.‌
 

Natural Benefits

‌Buildings built with glass have one obvious benefit: They let in natural light from the sun, reducing the need for electric lighting and, in many cases, cutting back on the need for heating.‌
 

Modern glass-making techniques make it possible to block out harmful UV rays from the sun and carefully control the solar optical properties of the glass being used. Low-emissivity glass, also known as low-E glass, reflects and does not absorb long-wave infrared radiation. The result is buildings that let in natural light and heat but protect inhabitants from the potentially harmful rays of the sun.‌
 

Of course, glass can also be made as transparent or as opaque as people desire. Glass can be tinted, stained, or completely colored over, depending on the conditions needed.‌
 

As a natural insulator, glass does not conduct electricity and can protect against electrical hazards. It has many useful functions in this area and is often used in light fixtures.‌
 

It would be difficult to give an exhaustive list of all the benefits of glass in construction. Naturally waterproof and stable at different temperatures, glass is still being improved upon. Shatterproof glass is already old news. Glass manufacturers have learned how to make self-cleaning glass and glass that automatically breaks into safe pieces upon being heated to a certain temperature (for use in fire doors). There appears to be no end to the potential for this material.‌
 

Working With Miniwiz‌

Miniwiz specializes in helping businesses follow best practices in sustainable building design and find sustainable solutions to all of their needs, whether that means building materials, fabrics, furniture, or other products. Get in touch today to learn how Miniwiz can help your business grow more sustainable and successful.

MINIWIZ Medium