Architects seeking warm-toned, neutral glass to match natural interior finishes have traditionally faced a dilemma. They can either select tinted glass and sacrifice daylight or settle for higher reflectivity and undesired colors. 

“Architects are increasingly working with warm materials like stone, terracotta and toned metals and they’ve been searching for a glass that complements these modern palettes,” explains Erin Casci, MSVD product manager, Vitro Architectural Glass, Pittsburgh. “Historically, there have been few offerings of a warm-neutral toned low-e glass, because it’s technically difficult to achieve. Warm tones and solar control required tints or higher reflectivity, which often introduced dominant colors or mirrored effects.” 

Addressing this quandary head on, Vitro’s R&D team focused on manipulating the application of magnetron-sputtered vacuum deposition (MSVD) coatings with the goal of producing a warm-toned glass option. 

Achieving success, Vitro recently brought Solarban Champane low-e glass to market. Directly filling this market need, the champagne-colored glass delivers that warm neutral with subtle reflectivity and the same thermal performance levels that the Solarban line is known for. 

“This low-e coating is a breakthrough in warm-toned low-e technology. This unlocks a long-missing middle ground for architects because it supports contemporary palettes without forcing tradeoffs in appearance or performance,” she states. 

Like Vitro’s Solarban R77 glass offering, Solarban Champane falls in the mid-reflective range at approximately 25 percent. 

Reflective glass higher than 30 percent limits viewing from the outdoors and can be found in multi-family buildings, government offices, and corporate spaces where privacy is required.  When transparency is desired, low reflectivity coatings below 20 percent provide enhanced visibility for settings like libraries, retail establishments, and university research labs. 

Striking the balance between reflectivity and transparency are mid-reflective products. In addition to harmonizing with wood, stone and biophilic materials, Solarban Champane offers some coverage of unsightly building mechanicals, provides a more harmonious façade appearance, and blends well with spandrel glass, metal panels, and extrusions. Mid-reflective glass also helps control glare, which reduces the size of interior and exterior shading systems. 

Solarban Champane can be coated on clear glass and low-iron substrates such as Starphire and Acuity, tinted glass options like Optigray and Solarbronze, and oversized Titan glass of up to 130 inches x 240 inches. 

The mid-reflective product can also incorporate bird-friendly coatings, such as a first surface treatment with a laser edge like Vitro’s BirdSmart bird safe glass, to meet requirements in locales such as New York City, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Portland. The etchings help birds perceive the glass as a barrier as opposed to an opening they can fly through. 
 
Solarban Champane also meets Sea Turtle Code mandates in coastal Florida and Gulf state municipalities that require at least 45 percent visible light transmittance. This prevents hatchling sea turtles from mistaking the light of the moon with artificial lighting and subsequently migrating away from the water where chances of survival are much lower.