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    Specification Checklist

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    Below is listed the information required to enable the Pilkington Technical Advisory Service to offer support on the topic concerned. When seeking further advice please ensure that you have the required information available. Would you also please provide all measurement units in metric form.

    Please note that we refer to British and European Standards for the source of information. The documents are copyrighted and we are unable to provide either extracts or complete documents. They may be available in your local library or in some cases as a summary in our literature.

    For additional information on all these subjects refer to the specific sections on our web pages

    Size of glass pane.

    Style of barrier i.e. infill, free standing or full height - refer to BS 6180.

    Any glass preference i.e. toughened or laminated.

    Fixing method e.g. fully framed, top and bottom fixed, bolted, bottom clamped.

    Loads to be applied - refer to BS 6399-1. There are three loads applied to barriers depending on the location and duty required. i.e. line load, uniform load and concentrated load.

     

    Size of glass pane and glazing angle if the glass is not within 15 degrees of vertical.

    Method of fixing e.g. fully framed, two edge supported.

    Single or double glazed etc and any glass type preferences e.g. toughened, laminated etc.

    Design wind load and snow load for the location. For sloping glazing this can be the upward and downward loads separately if they are not the same. NSG Group do not have sufficient information about your building to calculate these loads due to the wide range of factors that influence the design load. To determine the wind load refer to BS 6399-2, Snow BS 6399-3 or BS 5516-1 for patent glazing.

    Mention any other factors that may influence the glass choice such as colours or coatings for solar or thermal control.

    Provide the size of the glass and the fixing method. The loads applied to the glass are obtained from BS 5234 Part 2. Note that partitions and barriers are not the same or subject to the same load requirements.
    Fins are used to brace large areas of glass that would otherwise be too large for the location or too thick to give the stiffness required for the area. We need the pane size, design wind load (see wind and snow loads). We confine our calculations to fins that are rectangular and run the full height of the glass panel. If you have the overall glazed area size we can suggest alternatives based on different splits of the glazed area into smaller panes.
    We need to know the glass sizes and the depth of water above the top of the glass. If fresh water is not used we need to know the density of the liquid. We can only provide calculations for glass supported on all four edges and small domestic aquaria.
    We require the wind and snow load (See wind and snow section) as well as the glass sizes and glazing angle. For bolted constructions we can calculate single toughened glass only up to 10 mm thick.
    We can calculate the glass thickness and type for shelves that are supported at both ends. We need to know the glass size and the likely weight the shelf will carry. If the shelf is loaded at one point or if the shelf is loaded evenly over its length then this information is useful.
    We need to know the size of each pane and that you intend to support it on all edges. Stair treads can be supported on two edges if they are narrow and the support is either side of the short span. The loading you need to provide is from BS 6399-1 in the form of a uniform load and point load. We can provide the thickness of the laminated glass construction and details of the edge beam stiffness necessary to support the glass. 

    NSG Group do not make these products directly and there are many factors that influence the overall performance. To ensure you get advice that goes beyond the glass alone we would recommend that you seek specialist advice.

    See EN 13541 for testing and glass classifications. 

    NSG Group do not make these products directly so we would refer you a specialist for this type of glass. See EN 1063 for classifications.
    There are no specific calculations for this area other than for wind loads and barrier loads. EN 356 does give an extended range of performance over the old BS 5544. The classifications range from low level attack through to extremes. It is difficult for designers to quantify non specific risks but we can give some guidance to the appropriate range of classifications based on experience.
    In its crudest form a glass should be selected that provides the attenuation to take you from the noise made by the source down to the noise level recommended for the environment. Generic information can be used for noise sources and there are recommendations for the type of room being protected e.g. bedroom, office, lounge etc. Refer to BS 6262 parts 1 and 2 and EN 12354-3 for information on airborne sound insulation. With generic values there is a risk of over specifying so for more accurate advice an acoustic consultant can be employed to survey the building or proposal and provide site specific requirements often by floor and by orientation of façade. We can help with generic information and glass performance.
    Our literature and Specifire online tool help you choose the appropriate Pilkington glass product for your building. The period of fire protection is usually specified by fire risk specialists or the local authority with reference to the building regulation Document B. To select a fire protection glass you need to be able to state the angle of glazing, the requirement for integrity or integrity with insulation, the period of time for integrity and insulation. For integrity only if you want clear glass or glass with embedded wires, if it needs to be an impact resistant glass (low level glazing or in or around doors), single or double glazed, the glass frame material (timber, steel or possibly aluminium) and if the assembly is a glass screen or if there is a door in the design. In addition to the selection of the glass we have information on glazing systems to ensure the whole assembly performs if tested by a fire. Note that the whole fire protection system and the quality of installation is critical to the performance in the event of a fire. We always recommend the use of specialist installers.