Specifying glass for airports and transport hubs

Are you specifying glass for an airport or other transport hub? Explore key use cases and the glass you need to match.



Whether you're involved in glass manufacturing or simply specify it for projects, one thing is clear: glass is a multi-purpose product.

At its most basic, glass acts as a barrier – often, but not always, transparent. This use, however, is just one of many.

Glass is also used to increase safety, block noise and resist impacts. It can contribute to energy efficiency and fire safety, too.

Given the multiple hats that glass has to wear, it's no surprise that the right kind of glass is as important as the right dimensions. Furthermore, what's right for one project is wrong (and non-compliant) for another.

In the case of airports, glass is typically laminated, toughened and acoustic. These kinds of glass are used to protect passengers against falling glass, block out aircraft noise and protect against high-speed impacts.

Increasingly, airports are built for energy efficiency. Glass plays its role in this regard, too – not least because high-quality laminated and toughened glass boast high thermal efficiency.

A similar story is told in other kinds of transport hubs. Impact resistance, soundproofing and security are all priorities, while fire-rated and security glazing are mandatory in certain applications.

Specifying glass for airports

It's no surprise that airports use plenty of glass. But seeing the different applications written down is a reminder of just versatile a material it is.

Terminal facades and windows

Terminal facades and windows are made from toughened and laminated glass. These are kinds of safety glass that differ in how they're manufactured and how they break.

The toughened and laminated glass is often acoustic, meaning it's fitted with a soundproofing interlayer to reduce jet engine noise.

Security and checkpoints

Glass in control rooms and scanning areas has to do double duty. First, it must protect staff from X-ray radiation, and secondly, it needs to provide them with full visibility of the process.

In this context, glass is typically lead-lined or radiation-shielded

.

Stairwells and partitions

Safety glass is required to make stairwells and partitions safe. But they also need to be fire-rated. Interior walls, partitions and railings are all fitted with fire-rated laminated glass to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in an emergency.

Alongside these structural applications, glass is also used for runway lights and aeroplane windows.

Glass for transport hubs

Transport hubs are similar to airports. They require laminated, toughened and acoustic glass for partitions, balustrades, railings, facades, skylights and other applications.

And like airports, transport hubs must comply with building regulations. More specifically, all glazing below 800 mm from the floor – and within 300 mm of doors – must be made from safety glass.

The glass itself has to be compliant, too. This means toughened glass must comply with BS EN 12150 and laminated glass with BS EN 14449 in the UK and Europe.

Increasingly, glass is used to create impressive external facades, curtain walls and other building envelopes for transport hubs such as train stations and coach stations.

All building projects need to be safe. But airports and transport hubs need extra precautions given the sheer level of footfall they experience and the sheer number of people who use them.

What is toughened glass?

Toughened glass (also known as "tempered glass") is around five times stronger than standard annealed glass. That's thanks to its unique manufacturing process, where it's heated to around 650°C (1,200°F) and then rapidly cooled with blasts of cold air.

This process affects the physical stress of the glass in such a way that it breaks into smooth smithereens rather than jagged shards. This has the advantage of helping to keep building users safe. It's also much easier to clean up.

What is laminated glass?

Alongside toughened glass, laminated glass is the main kind of safety glass. Whereas toughened glass breaks into smithereens, laminated glass is designed to crack but remain in its frame.

This breakage behaviour is achieved by bonding a plastic interlayer between two sheets of glass (often themselves toughened).

In different kinds of laminated glass, this interlayer can also provide soundproofing or fire protection.

Our work with Heathrow Airport

Here at ToughGlaze, we're always delighted when our glass is used in notable projects. One of the highest-profile projects we've contributed to is London Heathrow's Terminal 2.

In 2007, the Mayor of London pledged to demolish the 52-year-old terminal and build a bright, modern replacement.

It wasn't hard to see why. The terminal was no longer fit for purpose. Built for 1.2 million passengers a year, it was now facing around eight million. And the building itself had seen better days.

It was a huge project, forecast to cost £1.5 billion and result in a building three times larger than the terminal it was replacing.

Glass was crucial to the design – in particular, glass compliant with strict building regulations for safety, integrity and sustainability.

We provided more than 7,000 m² of glass wall cladding and structural glazing – enough to cover around 11 five-a-side football pitches.

And because the project was so big, we provided a range of products – mainly toughened and laminated glass in a range of thicknesses. Everything had to be produced at scale and on time. In many cases, the glass was screen-printed or fabricated with black-and-white interlayers.

The glass also had to be heat soak tested. This significantly reduces the possibility of spontaneous breakage, helping to ensure passenger safety for millions.

Last but not least, we contributed a set of laminate panels to commemorate the late Queen's opening of the terminal.

We're proud to have played our part in such a complex and large-scale project – not least because it's a testament to the quality of our products.

At ToughGlaze, we supply a wide range of glass for an equally wide range of industries. Explore glass industry applications we support, or get in touch to discuss your project with our experts.