Glass Block
Description
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Glass block is a building material made of glass that is used in building walls, facades, and windows. The first glass block patent was made in 1886 but really didn’t start being used in American architecture until the Art Deco style in the early 1930s. Glassblocks are a very strong and durable material it also is very resistant to fire, sound, and the weather. A great aspect of glassblock is that it allows for light to shine through while maintaining a much higher level of privacy than a traditional window would. Another aspect of glass block that makes it a nice material to use in buildings is that it has an R-value of around 2.0 which is equivalent to a double-paned window. Glass blocks are made using the same materials as traditional glass panes but instead of being poured into flat sheet glass blocks are formed from individual molds that give the glass a block shape. These molds can have different designs, giving the glass block one of many classic styles. After the two pieces are cooled down the two sides of the glass block are glued together to form the final product.
Environmental Impact
Glass blocks can have both a positive and negative impact on the environment. The production process would be negative as the glass needs to be heated and melted, through this process there is a large amount of CO2 released into the environment affecting the atmosphere. Along with the production process, production waste for glass is a non-biodegradable material, but on the other hand, glass is a 100% recyclable material so this waste can be melted down and reused without an effect on the quality of the final product. The glass block production uses a mixture of recycled glass shards and new material, increasing the manufacturing process's sustainability.
Interior Uses
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Bathroom - Glass block is a great material to use in bathrooms to allow large amounts of light in the room while maintaining a high level of privacy.
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Pattern - Due to the molding process that glass blocks are made with. There are many different designs that the glass can have from the mold. The pattern used for this design was the diamond pattern.
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Color - Glassbock can be made into various different colors just like any other type of glass.
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View - This design uses different patterns of glass block to create a viewport within the wall of glass so people can view outside.
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Shape - Glass blocks can also be made into various different shapes allowing for designs like this where multiple different-sized blocks are creating a creative design.
Building Facade
Glass block is a common material to be used in building facades. Glass blocks are a great material for this as this building material is self-supporting meaning it doesn’t need large amounts of support to be used, unlike many other materials like glass panes. These facades allow for a large amount of light to enter the building while adding a decorative element to the design that regular glass panes wouldn’t have.
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ASTM - C240
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