Large Area Roofl ights – New Opportunities for Laminated Glass

Philip Corkhill & Neil Barton

Historically sunroofs have been no more than small rectangular openings incorporated into vehicles to increase brightness, in the case of glass systems, and ventilation. Irrespective of the advancements in sunroof design and complexity since the 1970's the glazing itself has remained substantially the same. Toughened glass between 4 and 6mm with varying degrees of light transmission and solar energy absorbtion. With the increased incorporation of climate control systems within vehicles in the 90's the sales of standard sunroofs had begun to decline especially within Europe. However, this trend is now being reversed with the evolution of Large Area roofs sometimes termed Panorama roofs. These are 2 or 3 times the size of traditional sunroofs and are fixed, opening or combinations of both which increase the feeling of space and light within the vehicle especially in the rear. These new roofs obviously bring new demands on the glazing as well as new opportunities, both of which will be discussed, in this paper.

Some of the key issues that impact the type of glazing incorporated into these new designs are weight, noise solar control and cost. Traditional toughened glass although being able to meet many of the demands can limit the opportunities for adding value and functionality. The advantages and disadvantages of the use of both toughened and laminated glass in large area rooflights will be discussed. The paper also hopes to illustrate that creating opportunities for adding value and features, which benefit the consumer, offsets the potential cost penalty for laminated large area roofs.

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