Building Smart Glass Box Extensions

A glass extension is a modern building option that adds a ‘wow’ factor to any space, floods homes with natural light and increases its value. Long gone are the days when a conservatory was the only way to add more light and space to a home. Thanks to progress made in the structural glazing industry, glass extensions can now act as part of the home without the substantial heat loss associated with traditional conservatories. However, glass extensions can be challenging to create and require a high level of precision and coordination.

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Smart Glass Country has partnered with Lamelli Home to create complete solutions that are minimalistic, easy to install and free of many of the caveats of building glass structures. Our structures are built using Smart Glass, Glulam timber and aluminum, which offers several advantages including:

Instant Privacy

Privacy is typically of greater concern at night than during the day as reflections make it difficult to see through the glazing and it is easier to see inside of the glass extension from outside. Smart glass solves this problem by going from clear to frosted with the flick of a switch. Whenever privacy is desired, simply transform the glass using a wall switch, button, smartphone or voice command. Smart Glass can also have smart section blinds built into it or be wired to a dimmable controller to give you partial privacy. 

Cutting the Glare from Sunlight

A glass roof will naturally illuminate the space below and has a very modern look and feel. However, it is hard to control the amount of sunlight coming in through glass and install lighting, a common deterrent for many evaluating the viability of a glass roof. Fortunately, smart glass blocks the glare from sunlight when switched to opaque while still letting natural light filter through to illuminate the space.

Minimizing Heat Transfer

Smart Glass is double glazed glass that contains a layer of PDLC sandwiched between the two pieces. This helps smart glass 

Keeping Glass Extensions Warm

Glass extensions can feel chilly around the perimeter on cold days. In partnership with Lamelli, Smart Glass Country offers radiant heated floors to provide warmth in glass extensions in cooler climates.

For climates with cold winters, you may want to increase the insulation by opting for a solid ceiling with roof lights while maintaining the glass walls. This makes it easier to maintain a comfortable temperature while retaining high levels of light and outdoor views. 

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Noise Reduction

Smart glass is high performance sound reduction glass that keeps outside noise out and improves the acoustics of the glass box structure. 

Glulam timber flooring and beams can help absorb echoes and stop sound from reverberating within the glass structure. It also makes the space feel cosier with the natural warmth and look of wood. 

Customizing Your Glass Extension

While our glass structures are made with prefabricated materials, they are never cookie cutter designs. Each space is truly unique with different considerations, solar exposure, views and design goals. We customize every aspect of our extensions from openings to the properties of the glass.

Operable Glass Doors, Windows and Walls

The beauty of a glass extension is that it looks open to the outdoors when the doors are closed and is truly open to the elements when they are open. That’s why folding and sliding doors are a popular choice for glass extensions to create a seamless connection between the indoors and the yard or garden. 

Framing

Prefabricated glass structures are built using Glulam timber framing, aluminum or a combination of the two. 

Add Glazing

Any type of glass can be transformed into smart glass and glazings can be added to further enhance performance or give the glass specific qualities such as being reflective.

A glass box extension makes a statement in any setting, whether it’s an add on to a historic building, a New York City brownstone or a modern home. Glass extensions can be used to connect two or more solid parts of a house or two separate buildings. Smart Glass Country will guide you through all the steps to building a glass extension from pricing, planning permission, design ideas and sourcing contractors to do the job.