Energy saving and comfortable living space 

The reality is that the glass industry is facing a huge crisis due to the recession in the construction market that has been going on for several years.

The recession in the construction industry is leading to bankruptcies in both large and small construction-related industries, and the glass industry is also suffering a lot of damage. In the market of long-term recession, the construction market shows signs of a slight rebound this year, and the frame of great change in architecture is the realization of eco-friendly residential spaces centered on energy conservation.

In line with the government's intensive energy conservation policy, the energy saving rate is being upgraded step by step from the construction standards of eco-friendly houses to the energy consumption efficiency rating system for windows and doors, and further to the zero energy house, a major factor that can save energy in construction. The change in the glass and window market, which is considered one of the most important, is expected to serve as a great framework for the industry to actively cope with and enhance competitiveness in the future.

The basis of energy saving of the overall building is to reduce the amount of energy used in the building, to maintain a comfortable living space, and to devise various measures to significantly lower energy use. It is fundamental to use high-efficiency products of various materials used in construction such as walls and insulation for energy saving in buildings. Recently, the proportion of glass application is increasing according to various trends such as aesthetic engineering design, securing the right to view inside and outside, and legalization of balcony expansion.

The amount of heat loss through windows accounts for about 25% of the total building heat loss. Some say that it is necessary to reduce the area of ​​glass to increase insulation, but rather than reducing the actual area of ​​glass to cause suffocation, it should be changed in a direction that can save energy and obtain various benefits through the application of appropriate glass.

The part where energy saving has been neglected in buildings can be attributed to the weak compulsory provisions and voluntary participation. Since the construction market itself revolves around the pre-sale market, it was a structure in which construction could be carried out at the lowest possible cost to increase profits. . However, the recent construction market is rapidly changing as energy conservation has become a national policy. When the goal of energy saving is achieved, various incentives such as an increase in floor area ratio are rapidly changing to mandatory, and the public awareness itself has greatly increased interest in buildings that can reduce energy use and lead a comfortable life. are doing

The glass market, which is closely related to building energy in a changing market, is also facing a major change. In the general double-layer glass market, the application of high-functional glass such as low-e double glass, gas-injected insulating glass, and triple glass is accepted as essential, and the coated glass market is growing significantly.

Appropriate coating glass needs to be applied according to the season and purpose

The most important part for energy saving of a building is double-layered glass, and the application of low-e glass, which enhances the insulation effect in the double-layered glass applied to the part in contact with the outside air, is becoming an essential item.

Among the flat glass currently being produced, the product with the best thermal insulation properties is probably Low-E, an energy-saving glass. Low-e glass is produced by coating a very thin and invisible metal film or metal oxide-treated film on the surface of the glass using a low-emissivity coating method. It is a functional glass manufactured so that there is almost no heat transfer through the glass when the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is large by increasing the infrared reflectance although the visible light transmittance is similar to that of ordinary glass by coating the surface of the glass with a material such as metal.

The biggest feature of low-e glass is that it reflects infrared rays generated from indoors in winter and sends them back indoors, and in summer, it blocks radiant heat from outdoor solar heat from entering the room, thereby improving the insulation performance of windows and doors.

General single-roy glass plays a role in preventing dew condensation and maximizing the heating effect. However, the cooling effect in summer is at a very small level, so it is not possible to see a large effect. On the other hand, solar glass blocks magnetic rays, solar heat, and direct sunlight, greatly contributing to the saving effect of cooling energy. Here, Double Low-E maximizes the effect of cooling and heating for four seasons with a complex function. Most of the heat loss through windows is occupied by glass, and the application of high-functional low-e glass to such glass increases the insulation performance of windows and doors, and is positioned as the most basic item of eco-friendly and energy-saving buildings.

In particular, it is necessary to apply appropriate glass according to the location, shape, and use of the building. Korea is a country with four distinct seasons, and it can accommodate all four seasons, and the application of functional glass appropriate for the purpose of use of buildings such as winter and summer must be made. From low-e glass, which brings the best effect of heating, to reflection and solar glass that protects from the hot sun in summer, and composite functional glass with high effectiveness in cooling and heating, the application of high-functional glass that shows optimal energy efficiency should be prioritized first. .

In general, for residential buildings that live at night, it is necessary to apply low-e glass that emphasizes heating. need. Energy saving can be maximized only when the optimal coating glass is applied according to the location and direction according to the purpose of the building.

The changing glass market, give glass a function

In order to capture the energy counting through the window, there is clearly a limit with ordinary transparent glass. The key keyword in the rapidly changing glass market is to secure the best system that saves energy by applying a function to the glass.

The core of such high-functional glass will be low-e coating and other coated glass, and how to prevent more effective counting of heating and cooling energy, and how to keep transparency, a unique function of glass, at the same time, will be the key to creating a pleasant viewing area. The evolution of coated glass from general single low-e glass to double and triple low-e glass continues, and the market for coated glass with appropriate functions such as reflection, infrared and UV blocking is gradually growing.

In addition to general coated glass products, coating solutions and window films, which are growing mainly in the building repair market, are also showing rapid growth. In the past, the coating solution has been applied in the repair market by providing the effect of blocking solar heat and increasing insulation to existing glass windows through a simple application process. In addition, window film has various functionalities and can create comfort while making use of existing windows, so it is growing as a popular item in the repair market.

In the past, the application of coating solutions did not increase significantly as there were more cases of questioning the durability of the coating solution, but recently, the coating solution, which relied on imports from Japan, etc. As high-quality products that can produce glazing are released one after another, a significant growth is expected as a niche market in the coated glass market. The application of the coating solution and the window film each have their own strengths and weaknesses. The application of these two products is expected to increase steadily, mainly in the repair market.

In addition, the coating solution product is preparing to expand its application to the new market in addition to the repair market. It can be said that the utility is high because it is equipped with a coating facility that can automatically apply to flat glass and can be coated and supplied without any restrictions on glass. When applied to the existing low-e glass, a higher effect can be exhibited, so there are many potentials that can be selectively applied to increase efficiency.

Efforts to lower the thermal transmittance rate, win with the best function

Even if coated glass including general low-e glass is applied to save energy in buildings, it does not prevent all energy loss.

At a time when single-roy, double-roy, triple-loy, and multi-functional glass are gradually changing to high-functioning glass, argon and krypton gas are injected into the double-layer glass to further increase energy saving, and the insulation effect is further enhanced, and the application of an insulation spacer is also essential. is positioned. Furthermore, the change to a system that saves more energy to three-layer glass, vacuum glass, and BIPV multi-layer instead of general double-layer glass and can produce energy in line with the zero energy house in the future is in progress.

In the meantime, the triple glass system, which had a strong image used for specific buildings as an expensive image, has recently been combined with the green growth of the government, leading to a ??low energy eco-friendly house?? It is accepted as an essential element for implementation. Accordingly, the demand for triple-glazed window systems with superior thermal performance compared to general window systems is expected to increase. Also, as construction companies prefer single-pane windows with triple-glazed windows as a replacement for double-glazed balconies, the demand is expected to increase continuously.

The most basic structure of triple glass is a structure with 3 sheets of glass and 2 layers of air layers, which constitutes triple layered glass. Since each manufacturer has various differences, it is manufactured in various thicknesses from 31mm. In particular, in recent years, various attempts have been made to increase the performance and reduce the thickness through the application of high-functional glass. Among the three pieces of glass, two or more pieces of low-e glass, such as general single-roy glass and double-roy glass, and the application of argon and krypton gas can significantly lower the thermal transmittance, so the efficiency is excellent. In particular, since triple glass is made by integrating three pieces of glass, the glass must not be separated even by wind pressure such as typhoons.

Compared to general double-layer glass, triple-glazed glass has excellent thermal insulation properties by 30%, sound insulation by 16%, and anti-condensation effects. In particular, double-glazed windows open and close twice, making cleaning inconvenient and providing simple ventilation, while triple-glazed windows are easy to clean by opening and closing once, and ventilation efficiency is high with the turn and tilt combination function. In addition to this, the single structure is advantageous for securing the right of view, and there is no risk of falling through the opening and closing angle adjustment.

Vacuum glass is a glass that maximizes the insulation effect by minimizing heat loss due to conduction and convection occurring in windows and doors by removing the medium that can transfer heat by vacuuming between two sheets of glass. BIPV double-glazed glass is a double-glazed glass to which a building-integrated solar module is applied. Although there is still a limit to the size of the module, it is the direction the glass market should move forward to save energy in the future.

Adequate response to the changing glass market enhances industry competitiveness

The recession in the construction market has continued in recent years. Even in this recession, the global trend is a war against energy, and each country is making strenuous efforts for low-carbon, green growth. The change in the construction market, which accounts for a high percentage of energy consumption, did not come suddenly, and it will be an opportunity for the industry to increase its competitiveness even in the midst of a recession.

First of all, it is necessary to properly respond and prepare for the expansion of the coated glass market. It is necessary to secure a system for processing coated glass, including low-e glass, and to have a quality system for high-quality processing. Since the processing of coated glass is in a state of being coated on the glass, unlike ordinary glass, it must be handled with special care and there is a high possibility that defects may occur if the processing is not performed accurately. In particular, it is necessary to maintain the cleanliness of the coating surface, and there are many things to pay attention to, such as transportation and transport along with processing. In addition, it should be prepared to enable various coating glass processing according to the eye level of consumers, and the application of appropriate glass according to the situation will increase the profits of the industry.

The most important part of changing the market is that the industry must find a way to coexist. The most vulnerable part of manufacturing centered on processing is low-price competition. The low price competition of general double-glazed glass is still maintained in the high-functional low-e double-glazed glass market, and the reality is that even with the expansion of facilities and processing systems, it is not possible to leave an appropriate margin. In such a case, it is necessary to prioritize quality competition rather than unit price competition, and to raise the profit structure by keeping the industry as a high-quality, high-value-added industry, and maintaining an appropriate unit price as a quality. It is no longer a market that can be created and ignorant. Because we have to take full responsibility for quality, the delivery of low-priced products will eventually lead to the collapse of the industry itself.

It is important to build trust with consumers, but as a result, the direction the industry is aiming for and the creation of an environment where there is trust in each other and fair competition must be preceded.