When standard isolation glass arrived in the 1970s, many thought that energy consumption would drastically drop. Unfortunately, this type of glass did not produce the results that people expected.

In normal double pane glass, approximately 45 percent of all energy is lost. Although low-e glass has been a big improvement, the unpleasant "cold feeling" has continued to remain a problem.

IQ Glas® has transformed the cold surface of the glass itself into a source of heating - making it one of the most revolutionary energy-saving technologies of the past few decades.

Glass Consult developed the concept of heating glass through electricity 17 years ago. During its first years, it was available to only a delighted few consumers in cold, Northern European countries. However, IQ Glas® has experienced a large-scale breakthrough in Southern European countries, Canada and, finally, in the United States.

Heated tempered security glass is a technological miracle. The inner pane has a thin metal oxide coating that serves as an electrical resistance that disperses heat equally; the outer pane has a special coating on its interior side that reflects the radiant heating to the inside and keeps the cold outside. A nontoxic, super-insulating gas placed between the panes achieves amazing levels of thermal insulation. The following comparisons of U-values reveal that IQ Glas® is an absolute milestone in the history of glass:

• Single glass: 1.05 (imperial) or 6.0 (international)
• Double glass: .53 (imperial) or 3.0 (international)
• HP glass: .25 (imperial) or 1.4 (international)
• IQ Glas: .14 (imperial) or 0.8 (international)

These numbers show it clearly: IQ Glas® has an incredible insulation value. Very little energy is needed to reach and keep a comfortable room temperature.

CEBTP, an official scientific control institute in France, recently conducted a thermal research study, comparing a greenhouse with traditional heating system convectors to a greenhouse with IQ Glas®. In identical climatological circumstances they observed that with the traditional heating source, the air had to be heated to 77° F (25° C) for the occupant to experience a sensation of warmth approximating 68° F (20° C). With IQ Glas®, air temperatures of only 64° F (18° C) provided a sensation of warmth of 73° F (23° C). In effect, IQ Glas® provided a feeling of 9° F (5° C) more warmth with 9° F (5° C) less energy.

IQ Glas® can serve as either a primary heating system or as a supplemental heating system, making it an energy-efficient solution for indoor swimming pools and sunrooms, office buildings and residences. Of course, other features can also be incorporated into IQ Glas® such as anti-theft, alarm systems, soundproofing, and sunblocking. It can also be manufactured with built-in blinds between the panes and with a feature that turns the glass completely opaque with the flip of a switch. Each IQ Glas® system consists of electrical control units (maximum power 23 W/ft² or 250 W/m²), the temperature of which can be set independently for each room. The electrical cables are not visible – even when installed in older buildings. Although IQ Glas® is initially more expensive than conventional glass, so many possibilities, benefits, and solutions exist that the enthusiasm of our clients speaks volumes !

To sum up, thanks to the similarity of the radiant heating of IQ Glas® to the sun, room temperature settings can be lowered 9°F (5° C) without any impact on your comfort. IQ Glas® is maintenance free, sound isolating and filters harmful UV light. The air temperature is regulated by a programmable clock thermostat, and the surface temperature of the glass can be regulated by a microprocessor.