22 April 1999: Nippon Sheet Glass has succeeded in raising the visible light permeability ratio of heat-isolating glass by 20%. According to a recent report, the development has been commercialized as…
22 April 1999: Nippon Sheet Glass has succeeded in raising the visible light permeability ratio of heat-isolating glass by 20%. According to a recent report, the development has been commercialized as the “Legart” series of products, launched last summer, in which the same level of heat-isolating performance as existing products is maintained, while realizing a high 50-55% visible light permeability ratio. Trial production has already been undertaken, and feasibility of volume production confirmed. The company will now aggressively promote the product with car manufacturers. In recreational vehicles (RV), which account for about 50% of passenger car sales within Japan, the trend to install heat-reflecting glass in rear doors is gaining momentum, the report said. By lowering the air conditioning load, it is hoped that these types of glass will contribute to reduced CO2 emissions. On the other hand, the most widely-used dark gray coloured glass includes in its composition the environment-burdening substance selenium. Nippon Sheet Glass succeeded last summer in eliminating the selenium from dark gray colored glass by adding a trace metal with no environmental impact, and an ultraviolet shut-out ratio of more than 90% together with high heat absorption has been achieved, making a 20% reduction in air conditioning capacity feasible.