EPiC database - Laminated glass

This material is part of the free Environmental Performance in Construction (EPiC) Database. The EPiC Database contains embodied environmental flow coefficients for 250+ construction materials using a comprehensive hybrid life cycle inventory approach.<br><br>Laminated glass is a composite safety glass, made by combing two or more sheets of flat glass with a plastic, or polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer (usually 0.38 mm thick). The layers are bonded together using heat and pressure.<br><br>Flat glass is made from a combination of silica, soda, lime, dolomite and aluminium oxide. The raw materials are melted at high temperature and the molten glass is then formed into flat glass using a variety of processes. A floating process, where the molten glass is floated on a bed of tin, is most common for manufacturing window glass. The glass is then gradually cooled (annealed) and cut to size. <br><br>Laminated glass is commonly used for windows, glass doors and transparent walls, where there is an increased chance of damage, as when broken, the glass remains intact, held together by the PVB layer. It provides added safety, security, thermal and acoustic properties over flat glass. The glass comes in a range of thicknesses, starting from 6.38 mm.