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CLICK HERE for Technical Description of EN 1279 part 2
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CLICK HERE for EN 1279 FAQ page

SGG Planitherm Ultra N - Another Breakthrough from SGG

With the arrival of CE marking of IGUs (EN1279) on March 1st, it has been agreed that thermally insulating glass units should now state U-values with 90% argon-gas filling.

This means that the declared optimum centre-pane U-value of IGUs incorporating many existing high performance low-emissivity (low-E) products, such as SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL, will subsequently round down to 1.2 W/m2K. It is important to note that the performance of the component products themselves has not changed. With this in mind, SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS UK has launched its most advanced low-E glass yet, SGG PLANITHERM ULTRA N.

SGG PLANITHERM ULTRA N is already considered to be the benchmark low-E product on the continent. It represents the latest development in low-E coating performance further extending the SGG PLANITHERM family.

The optimum centre-pane U-value of 1.1 W/m2K when 90% argon-filled of SGG PLANITHERM ULTRA N allows manufacturers even greater flexibility to meet the current requirements of UK Building Regulations relating to thermal insulation. Its superior performance is of particular interest for commercial applications using poorly insulating frame materials such as aluminium or steel, or projects where a 1.1 W/m2K U-value is specified.

With its neutral appearance in both transmission and reflection and excellent light transmittance of 80% (only 1% less than an ordinary float glass IGU), SGG PLANITHERM ULTRA N sets a new standard for glazing applications including façades, windows, structural glazing and overhead glazing.

Derek Dragten, Marketing Manager of Saint-Gobain glass, said. ‘The addition of SGG PLANITHERM ULTRA N to the SGG PLANITHERM family means that SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS can continue to provide optimal low-E solutions for the specific needs of our customers: With its optimised balance of low U-value and high g-value SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL remains the product of choice for domestic applications where window energy ratings are to be considered and SGG PLANITHERM ULTRA is ideal for applications where a superior thermal insulating performance of 1.1 W/m2K is required.’

For more information please visit http://www.saint-gobain-glass.com or email glassinfo.uk@saint-gobain-glass.com.

SGG Planitherm Total Re-Branded as CE Marking Arrives

In the context of CE Marking, most flat glass products sold in the European Union must now conform to European technical standards known as harmonised European Norms (hEN), as dictated by the Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN).

As a member of the Association of European Flat Glass Manufacturers (GEPVP) Saint-Gobain Glass remains committed to the various initiatives and directives required to ensure that all products are marked accordingly. All mandatory products are now being CE marked at all European SGG plants and much technical and practical support has been provided to customers as they too prepare for compliance.

The 1st of March signifies the next big step as EN 1279 becomes mandatory for producers of Insulating Glass Units (IGUs), the culmination of many months of preparation, testing and quality checks for most of the glass industry. Of particular importance to low-E coating manufacturers is part 3 of this standard, which refers to the measurement of gas concentration and gas leakage within an IGU, thus requiring performance data for some products to be presented at new levels.

Most glass processors now use inert gas (Argon) as standard in order to improve the overall U-value performance of low-E IGUs. Until now glass manufacturers have made technical calculations based on 100% gas-filling within an IGU.
However, as EN 1279 comes into force, it has been agreed that a gas-filling level of 90% must be used. This will have an effect on the declared U-value of most high performance low-emissivity products on the market today, despite the fact that the products themselves have not changed.

Derek Dragten, Marketing Manager for Saint-Gobain Glass explains, ‘The new regulations will affect the U-value calculation at 90% gas-filling of an IGU incorporating our market-leading SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL 1.1. It will subsequently round down to 1.2 W/m2K and as such will now simply be re-branded as SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL. In contrast it so happens that the declared U-value of SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL 1.3 remains unchanged. For those who require even higher performance products, we are currently preparing for the launch of some of our most advanced coatings yet’.

He adds, ‘As a leader in glass coating technology, Saint-Gobain Glass welcomes these important changes, which promote transparent, comparable and independently audited standards for our industry’.

More information about CE Marking and SGG PLANITHERM TOTAL can be found at http://www.saint-gobain-glass.com/ce

Edgetech Customer Oakland Glass Passes EN1279 Part 3

Oakland Glass is the latest Edgetech customer to pass EN1279 Part 3. The standard applies to sealed unit manufacturers making gas filled units and is scheduled to become a legal requirement in March.

Relating to the gas leakage rate of sealed units, Part 3 is proving particularly difficult to achieve. In passing the standard, Oakland Glass joins an elite number of companies to achieve it so far.

Jim McClochlan, Quality Manager at Oakland Glass, explains why achieving this particular standard is important for the company: ‘We've worked closely with Edgetech's technical team and invested significant time and resources to achieve this standard so our customers can continue to enjoy the highest specification units available.

As well as helping us meet the new legal requirements, Part 3 should open up some new marketing opportunities for Oakland too.’

‘Oakland's fabricator customers are already making energy rated windows to stay ahead of the energy efficiency drive among consumers,’ says Edgetech UK's Managing Director Andy Jones.

‘So it was important for Oakland to achieve the correct certification to ensure its customers can sell Window Energy Rated (WER) products with confidence. We are pleased that Oakland has become the latest manufacturer of Super Spacer units to achieve this challenging standard, enabling the company to supply the fast growing WER market when EN1279 Part 3 comes into force this year.’

Tel: 02476 705570

EN 1279 Still a Mystery to Many

According to research carried out by global sealants & adhesives expert Bostik, around one in five UK IGU (Insulating Glass Unit) manufacturers still hasn’t taken any steps towards achieving EN 1279 compliance.

Despite the fact that the twenty-one month compliance period is nearing an end, i.e. the time between the regulation’s publication and its legal implementation, it seems that many IGU manufacturers have not yet begun to work towards achieving EN 1279 requirements.

Richard Sellman, marketing manager at Bostik, believes the results could be due to the regulation’s lengthy development. He comments: 'EN 1279 has been ‘under construction’ for so long that many manufacturers have not grasped the urgency of implementing any necessary changes.

'But the regulation is now here and IGU manufacturers must react appropriately and quickly if they are to continue trading legally. The good news is that this needn’t be stressful as support packages, such as that produced by Bostik, exist precisely to help manufacturers though the compliance process.'

Not all companies have been slow off the mark; many have responded to the arrival of EN 1279.

For example, the Bostik research programme also discovered that over ninety per cent of IGU manufacturers polled now use Hot Melt sealants, a fact which Bostik believes is related to Hot Melt’s impressive performance when tested to the requirements of EN 1279 Parts 2 and 3.

Around one in twelve IGU manufacturers surveyed by Bostik have or are planning to cease production and buy units in, thus avoiding the need to instigate an internal compliance programme.

For further information on EN 1279 or on Bostik’s EN 1279 support package for IGU manufacturers, please contact Richard Sellman on 01785 272 727.

Intercept Warm Edge Spacer Achieves BS EN1279 Part 3

Intercept Spacer Systems have now passed BS EN1279 Part 3, the section of the standard that deals with insulating gas leakage.

The leakage rate called for in the Standard is set at 1% per year. The GED manufactured Intercept units achieved remarkable results at better than half the requirement.

Chris Wale, GED UK Sales Manager says: ‘This is fantastic news for GED. Having previously passed Part 2 (moisture absorption), we have now passed all BSI test criteria for EN1279.’

The BS EN1279 European Standard is adhered to throughout Europe and is compulsory for all European IG manufacturers from March 2007.

The patented Intercept U channel Spacer System was invented by PPG in 1992 who coined the term 'Warm Edge'. Since then over 10 billion feet of Intercept Warm Edge Spacer has been incorporated into high performing IG units, predominantly in the North American market where 8 out of the top 10 fabricators now use the system.

GED Integrated Solutions is the processing machinery developer responsible for turning the Intercept Warm Edge design concept into an award-winning and highly profitable manufacturing process for its customers. GED's i-3 Technology platform for Intercept manufacturing integrates the entire window plant. The entry of GED into the UK market is a recent occurrence but already Intercept units are being produced in sizeable quantities with availability in the country's biggest building supplies and home improvements retail chain.

Email: cwale@geduk.com
Web: http://www.geduk.com

Solaglas Canterbury Runs a Tight Ship

With CE marking of sealed units on the horizon and BS EN 1279 about to come into force, Solaglas Canterbury has been making sure that all is in order well in advance of the dates of applicability.

Realising the importance of having the necessary accreditation for gas-filled units, Solaglas Canterbury moved fast to make sure it was ready, ahead of many of its competitors. The business is one of a relatively small number to have been accredited to BS EN 1279 Part 3, having passed the stringent tests for gas-tightness of units.

It is partly due to this pro-active stance that Solaglas Canterbury is able to maintain sole-supplier status to such accounts as the Abbott Group, a major fabricator/installer for the new housing sector. Abbott Group was awarded the 'Manufacturer of the Year' award at the prestigious Taylor Woodrow Supplier Awards for the manufacture, supply and installation of glazed PVC-U windows and doors.

Attain Window Energy Rating with No Risk, No Re-Test, No Waiting

If like many window companies around the UK you now wish to adopt the Window Energy rating system as your preferred way of measuring the performance of your window or purely as a marketing tool then time may be of the essence for you.

You may not be aware but all insulated glass sealed units supplied under this scheme must be manufactured to EN1279 part 2 & 3 by a certified supplier. The definition of these terms are as follows;

Part 2 is for standard sealed units which will soon become the minimum standard and Part 3 is gas filled units this alone takes up to three months.

If you wish to attain the highest energy rating with your windows then you will have to use gas filled sealed units and warm edge spacer tube conforming to Part 3 En1279.

As yet there are very few companies in the UK that have specifically passed the Part 3 test using warm edge spacer bar thus reducing the choice of qualified suppliers for window companies to choose from.

However under the exchangeability rules of En1279 all sealed unit manufactures are able to substitute Thermix TX.N instead of Aluminium/metal tube in their sealed units without any re-test or the need to change the type of sealant they currently use.

Thermix TX.N can be used with all Two-Component Ps or Pu systems as well as Hot melt systems, which means if you have been using Polysulphide for the past ten years with no trouble you can continue to do so whilst still supplying high performance energy efficient sealed units.

Therefore all Window companies can continue to purchase sealed units using time trusted sealant combinations with no requirement to wait for IG manufactures to submit new systems taking as much as four months for results to be available.

Simply by asking your current sealed unit supplier who presumably has EN1279 Part 2 & 3 to use Thermix TX.N you will be a step closer to an A grade window incurring a small cost increase for using a superior warm edge product over aluminium but with no wait to start offering your customers Energy rated windows.

If you would like further information please contact Mark Hickox on hickoxm@thermosealgroup.com or visit the http://www.thermix.de web site.

Reflex is Top of the Class with EN1279 Pass

Branded conservatory roof glass manufacturer Reflex has successfully passed part 2 of the new EN1279 standard that comes into force March 2007.

‘The test results were fantastic using the Super Spacer warm edge technology’, announced a clearly delighted David Priscott, recently appointed as Sales manager for Reflex Glass.

‘For example, the moisture penetration results were on average 4.52% out of a maximum 25% allowed. The lower the percentage penetration the better the seal. One of the reasons the company believes that this is so good compared to traditional aluminium spacer bar is because the Super Spacer gives a superior seal and is backed with a multi layer barrier film to help prevent moisture penetration into the cavity.

‘When coupled with the best hot melt sealant technology currently available on the market, we are confident enough to give our units a 20 year warranty!’

Reflex Glass specialises in high performance conservatory glass designed to reduce solar heat gain and reflect damaging UV radiation.

Reflex Glass has been working with CEN solution consultants for nearly a year and with the help and support of Edgetech the company is currently engaged in continual product development.

The company is already working on Part 3 Gas Filling which it says should be complete by mid-November 2006.

Tel: 0116 269 6297
Email: roofmaker@btconnect.com
Web: http://www.reflexglass.co.uk

EN1279 Part 4- Does your Sealant Conform?

With the date for self-declaration to EN 1279 coming ever closer for unit manufacturers, Thermoseal Group has announced an important, but as yet little talked about aspect of EN 1279 compliance. IG unit manufacturers have to be in a position to declare that the sealant used meets the requirements of EN 1279 Part 4 - Methods of test for the physical attributes of edge seals.

In short, the sealant has to meet specified criteria for mechanical strength, adhesion and moisture vapour transmission rate. There is an unwritten obligation on sealant manufacturers to provide this information and, most importantly, this should subsequently be verified by an independent notified body test house.

Thermoseal Group, sole distributor of Kommerling Isomelt butyl hot melt sealant can now demonstrate that all necessary tests have been carried out by TNO in Holland and that Kommerling Isomelt is indeed suitable for use in the manufacture of insulating glass units. I.G. unit manufacturers should take note that just having your units tested to EN 1279 Part 2 and operating an FPC system to EN 1279 Part 6 is not sufficient without this highly important external verification.

Sales Director Mark Hickox states ‘We have been aware for some time now that this particular area of compliance has been particularly difficult for hot melt sealant manufacturers to comply with. It is generally difficult to prepare consistent samples to establish the initial criteria and then have the confidence to submit to an independent test house to verify the information supplied. We are delighted that Kommerling have been able to demonstrate this with Isomelt and that we can now move forward with confidence. This information is available to our customers now! Most other hot melts suppliers as yet have not published this information, maybe they are not up to the standard? So time is running short but at least there is now a credible alternative with over a decade of sales history in the UK market available should your existing supplier not come up with the goods’.

http://www.thermosealgroup.com/

West Country Windows Passes EN1279 Part 3

Fabricator West Country Windows has passed EN1279 Part 3 just a few months after passing Part 2: no easy achievement. Colin Kellaway at West Country Windows says: ‘Edgetech's Super Spacer(r) made it so much easier for us. We passed with flying colours. We sent five units to be assessed, of which two were selected for testing. Our units averaged 93.6% gas fill. Gas loss ratings can be no greater than 1% per annum under EN1279 Part 3: ours averaged 0.3%.’

‘It is so important to keep ahead of the competition,’ continues Colin. ‘Early preparation for market change has to be a priority in our industry nowadays. We can see many unit manufacturers being caught out by a mad rush at the end. If a company has not passed the relevant Parts of EN1279 by February 2007, they will simply have to stop manufacturing until they have. The assessment process takes 16-18 weeks, so we knew we had to apply well in advance. Assessors can only test so many in the time we have left.’

Tel: 02476 705570

Super Spacer® Helps Carera Windows Pass EN 1279 Part 2

West Midlands based Edgetech customer Carera Windows recently achieved EN 1279 Part 2, to stay ahead of regulations and competitors.

Mark Crumpton, Partner of Carera Windows explains: ‘Using Edgetech's Super Spacer(r) with the moisture strip enabled us to get this standard. The EN1279 Part 2 will soon be compulsory, and we took the view that it was better to achieve the standard sooner rather than later. Building regulations and standards are changing in leaps and bounds. We felt that as a business we needed to have strategies in place to continue working to the high standards that we already achieve and getting Part 2 of the EN1279 is the final proof that we truly deliver what we say we do.’

Carera enjoyed a 10% growth in business in 2005 over sales in 2004, which is even more impressive in such a struggling market.

Tel: 02476 705570

Bystronic to Demonstrate Why Companies Need to Comply To EN1279

Bystronic Glass UK will be holding a number of open days at its head office in Telford, on 11th and 12th October 2006. Here key personnel at the company will define and demonstrate the significance of gas filling and how it relates to the new mandatory European Directive EN 1279-3 which comes into effect April 2007.

Whilst energy ratings are currently the hot topic of the moment Steve Powell, Managing Director, Bystronic Glass UK considers many window manufacturers think they have developed winning strategies to enable them to manufacture products under the BFRC rating scheme, however he sees a number of key issues that many have not considered which could have a significant impact.

Whilst the marketing hype circulates around how to achieve an 'A' Rating, Bystronic will demonstrate that 'Gas Filling' is a common feature in production methods but few companies have considered its crucial importance.

Gerd Mentel, Bystronic's specialist in gas filling processes, will be flying in from Germany to provide expert advice and he will highlight the importance of compliance, how it can be achieved effectively and will show how the Bystronic gas filling range can help customers achieve the new standard.

Bystronic Glass recommends visitors bring IGU samples along to see whether their own existing production processes meet the gas filling and retention requirements of the new legislation.

It has been estimated that as many as 3000 companies manufacture Insulated Glass units, most of these are likely to produce IGU's with gas filling but only a small number have so far sought to achieve approval under the EN1279-3 test procedure.

Bystronic is in a leading position to demonstrate what will be required in order to achieve these new standards.

Steve Powell, comments, ‘The UK glazing market has a significant potential for growth and has previously shown its ability to adapt, however, failure to comply with the introduction of the new standard could have far reaching consequences for those who fail to see its relevance and importance.’

The Open Days have been developed as a pre-cursor to Glasstec where Bystronic will demonstrate on Stand 14E24, Hall 14 further manufacturing developments that encompass all parts relating to EN1279.

Steve Powell concludes, ‘EN1279 will have significant consequences on manufacturers who choose to ignore its implementation. We believe our Open Days will offer businesses the opportunity to ensure that they can comply with the new legislative regulations.’

Tel: 01952 677 971
Email: sales@bystronic-glass.co.uk

CLICK HERE for Previous EN1279 Articles

CLICK HERE for Technical Description of EN 1279 part 2

CLICK HERE for EN 1279 Background Info page

CLICK HERE for EN 1279 FAQ page

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