Glass for Europe publishes a new paper on the role of solar control glass in passive cooling of buildings

With the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) placing increased emphasis on summer comfort and a new Heating and Cooling Strategy under preparation, Glass for Europe has seized the opportunity to publish a new informative paper highlighting how advanced solar control glazing can play a decisive role in addressing this challenge through passive means before resulting in active systems or additional materials for shading purposes.

As Europe faces rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves, building overheating is becoming a critical challenge for occupants, designers, and policymakers alike. In its latest paper, The Role of Solar Control Glazing in Passive Cooling of Buildings, Glass for Europe highlights the decisive role of solar control glass in addressing this challenge. While building energy performance has long focused on winter insulation, the paper underlines that solar heat gains through inadequate glazing are a major driver of summer overheating.

Solar control glazing is designed to selectively reduce unwanted solar radiation while maintaining high levels of daylight and visual comfort. When integrated into building design from the outset, it can significantly limit indoor temperature peaks and reduce the need for mechanical cooling.

The paper demonstrates that solar control glazing delivers multiple benefits: improved thermal comfort for occupants, lower cooling energy demand, reduced carbon emissions, and the possibility to downsize cooling systems.

Beyond technical performance, Glass for Europe also highlights the policy dimension, with an annex dedicated to EPBD guidance on the energy calculation of transparent building elements and the importance of properly accounting for the solar factor of glazing in building performance assessments.