The Project
We worked with fabricator Premier Frames to deliver 70% glazing in multi-functional heated glass in a large extension onto a Hertfordshire property, our Glow Heated Glass played a primary role.
More about GLOW Heated GlassThe brief
A customer approached Premier Frames, which delivers nationwide from its Leicestershire factory, to discuss glazing options for a homeowner adding a large 6.4m by 4.2m extension to the back of their Hertfordshire property. As the new extension would be thermally isolated from the house by an existing external grade door, the building regulations usually placed on the maximum area on new windows, doors and rooflights did not apply. Specifically designed to connect with the garden space and surrounding countryside, glazing was key, but there was also a desire to ensure the space felt while creating a warm and cosy.
With the freedom to incorporate as much glazing as possible, the homeowners envisaged bi-fold doors across two sides of the extension, a large floor-to-ceiling window and traffic door leading to a side patio, plus a roof lantern to maximise natural daylight. However, the vision to incorporate 70% glazing left minimal wall space to accommodate radiators – plus, the output from the existing primary heat source – a gas boiler – was already at capacity servicing the rest of the property. Without a costly update, it couldn’t take on the additional load from radiators or hydronic (water-based) underfloor heating within the extension.
The result
The Glow glass surface temperatures reach 35-40°C, and the system is conveniently controlled via a wall-mounted thermostat or smartphone app for convenience, with an average hourly cost of around 9p per bi-fold door. For example, a three-door bi-fold configuration running five hours per day will cost around £1.35 (based on an electricity cost of 25p/kWh). Retaining heat efficiently, Glow boasts impressive U Values as low as 0.7m2/K to ensure optimal warmth without the risk of overheating and conforms to EN12150 and EN1279 Parts 1-4, too.
This completed installation met the homeowner’s brief of creating an almost seamless connection to the garden space while ensuring a warm and comfortable environment inside the newly created open-plan space. As the glazing offers a multifunctional solution, the homeowners have complete interior layout freedom without any concerns about blocking wall-hung radiators with furniture. Glow provided the ideal balance of comfort, convenience and sustainability.