Virginia apartment complex first to showcase SOLARBAN 70XL/SUNCLEAN glass

By transmitting high levels of daylight while blocking the sun’s heat energy, windows made with Solarban 70XL glass can reduce summer cooling costs by as much as 25 percent. During winter months, Solarban 70XL glass can cut furnace heat loss through windows in half, which can lower heating bills.

SunClean glass is formulated with a proprietary coating that becomes “photocatalytic” and “hydrophilic” after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Photocatalysis enables the coating to gradually break down organic materials that land on its surface, while hydrophilicity causes water to sheet when it strikes the coating so that decomposed materials are naturally rinsed away when it rains.

Mason said the windows, which were fabricated by BF Rich Windows & Doors, Newark, Del., provide “eco-friendly” advantages that are marketable to potential tenants. “The biggest benefit is lower energy costs, but tenants also like to have clean windows,” he said.

The Radius apartment complex offers environmentally advanced features such as energy-saving, variable-refrigerant HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) systems; electric car charging stations; clothes washers that are ENERGY STAR certified; low-VOC (volatile organic compound) interior paints; water-efficient plumbing fixtures; programmable thermostats; and on-site recycling services.

“Lots of developers want buildings that save energy and reduce maintenance, but they usually decide against the necessary investments because tenants often benefit from them more than they do,” Mason said. “This developer was committed to making this project as ‘green’ as possible.”

The windows fabricated by BF Rich with Solarban 70XL/SunClean glass are certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) under Certified Products Directory (CPD) number 1-00217-00002. Whole-window performance data for the window assembly shows a SHGC of 0.15, VLT of 0.34 and a U-factor of 0.22. Design pressure (DP) is 55, and the condensation resistance factor (CRF) is 51.

To learn more about Solarban 70XL and SunClean glasses, visit www.ppgideascapes.com or call 1-888-PPG-IDEA (774-4332).

The Radius Urban Apartment complex in Newport News, Va., is the largest single installation of windows fabricated with SOLARBAN(R) 70XL glass and SUNCLEAN(R) self-cleaning glass by PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG). The windows, fabricated by BF Rich Windows & Doors, Newark, Del., are certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) under Certified Products Directory (CPD) number 1-00217-00002. Whole-window performance data for the window assembly shows a solar heat-gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.15, visible light transmittance (VLT) of 0.34 and a U-factor of 0.22. Design pressure (DP) is 55, and the condensation resistance factor (CRF) is 51.

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