Reflective Glass

Reflective glass is a type of glass that has a thin layer of metallic oxide coating applied to it. This coating gives the glass a mirror-like appearance, and it can be used to enhance the amount of heat reflected by the glass.

4 Benefits of Reflective Glass

Reflective glass has a number of benefits for homeowners, including the following:

• The special metallic coating applied to reflective glass enhances privacy as people cannot see inside the building from the outside but inside the building can still see outside as if it were regular glass.
• Reflective glass reduces glare from the sun, which eliminates the need for blinds and other window coverings.
• Can be combined with solar-controlling low-e coating to reflect radiant heat and keep air-conditioning costs low.
• Reflective glass provides impressive aesthetics when used on large buildings and is popular with architects who use it to give a modern look to skyscrapers

Disadvantages of Reflective Glass

• Blocks solar heat which means room will need more heating in winter. This means solar glass may not be the most economical option if you live in a cold climate.

Difference between reflective glass and low E glass

Vacuum magnetic sputtering is used to make both heat-reflecting glass and low-e glass. They are both coated on the surface of the glass with a metal oxide, but the metals employed for the coating are not the same.Reflecting glass has a coating mainly comprised of metal oxides, whereas low-E glass contains an additional coat of metallic silver that reflects the interior temperatures back into the room, keeping it warm or cold.

Is Reflective Glass Expensive?

The cost of reflective glass is similar to low-E glass and is approximately $150/m². This makes it 3x the cost of ordinary float glass but still a little cheaper than double glazing. It is important to determine your budget and consider different types of glass before choosing reflective glass.