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Acoustic Glass for Offices: A Sound Investment

Workplaces, be it a corporate building or a home-corner, are spaces where noise and distractions, though unavoidable, must be considered unacceptable. After all, external noise interrupting important client meetings to confidential information being leaked through the walls is not something any employer or employee looks forward to.

Moreover, high levels of noise on a consistent basis are proven to hamper worker productivity. Several studies conducted over the years show that there is a direct correlation between high decibels and low productivity levels. Employees tend to face concentration issues, increased headaches, low levels of creativity and productivity, and blurry vision as a result of noise. This is simply the noise generated within the workplace itself; the situation can be way worse for those offices that lie on a busy street or near a construction site.

As mentioned earlier, noise in its myriad of forms is unavoidable; so, is there no hope? Fret not! For peaceful and productivity-friendly office interiors, simply switch to new fenestrations – from standard glass windows, doors, and partitions to those installed with a unique kind of glass exclusively designed for noise insulation – acoustic glass.

What is Acoustic Glass?

Acoustic glass is uniquely manufactured by sandwiching two layers or sheets of standard annealed glass panels with a special interlayer of Poly Vinyl Butyral (PVB) in-between. This PVB interlayer acts as an acoustic layer that bonds the two glass panes together, making it a single unified glass unit. The PVB membrane absorbs external noise and prevents the sound vibrations from passing to the other side like ordinary glass. Simply put, the PVB layer weakens sound waves as they travel through the glass. 

The acoustic glass that you choose to install in your office can be of several types of thickness and glazing, based on the amount of soundproofing you need. You can opt for a thick acoustic glass to have a completely silent room; otherwise, you can opt for a relatively less thick acoustic glass pane. 

Make a ‘Sound’ Investment in Your Health and Well-Being

Besides providing noise insulation, which makes for a comfortable working environment, acoustic glass in offices also offers other advantages, as listed below. 

Enhanced Safety

Perhaps one of the critical benefits of acoustic glass is its superior safety profile. Laminated acoustic glass is sturdier, more durable, and a safer option when compared to standard annealed glass. Moreover, since acoustic glass contains an inner PVB layer, it does not break easily. In case of rare occasion of breakage, the glass pieces remain stuck to the PVB layer and don’t fall out, giving it a spider-web-like appearance; chances of injury are zero.

Better Security

Since acoustic glass is generally made using laminated safety glass, it is safe, both in terms of acoustic comfort and theft or burglary. Installing acoustic glass in the doors and windows of your office will ensure safety from intruders, thereby protecting workers, cash, and essential documents. 

Comfortable Interiors

Because of the double-glazed unit, acoustic glass also offers excellent insulation, especially thermal comfort. As a result, optimal interior temperature can be maintained throughout the year – the office will remain cool during summers and warm during winters. This will reduce dependency on artificial heating and cooling systems, which is one of the major concerns for many corporates, especially high-rise buildings.

All the benefits mentioned above make acoustic glass an attractive option even for home offices, especially if your home or office room is facing a busy street or you live in a joint family where noise is commonplace.

Use Cases for Acoustic Glass in Offices

Acoustic glass finds several applications in offices. Since modern corporate offices are generally built upon an open-floor concept, noise insulation glass solutions can help maintain continuity without enabling noise to cause distractions and hamper productivity. Firstly, they are excellent for cabin windows and doors, especially since doors and windows are the prime areas through which noise escapes. The same applies to windows and doors of conference rooms to eliminate disturbance and prevent confidential information from leaking out. However, acoustic glass can also be used in office partitions or walls to create a completely cellular space that seamlessly connects one space to the other without allowing noise to create disturbance.

If you are looking to install acoustic glass in your office, AIS Glass is where you should be heading to. As India’s largest integrated glass manufacturer, we always give you a complete 360-degree solution for all your glass requirements. Our acoustic glass offering – AIS Acousticglas is made from high-grade laminated glass and has incredible sound-absorption properties. Available in a wide variety of thickness and sizes, AIS Acousticglas can reduce external noise by up to 90%. This makes our acoustic glass offering the ideal solution for your office spaces. 

So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today!

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Acoustic Glass: A Solution for Both Commercial and Living Spaces

Do you know that almost all Indian cities violate noise pollution standards? The government-mandated noise safety levels must not exceed 55 decibels during the day, and 45 decibels at night. The reality, however, is far from ideal. Metros and mini-metros easily go up to 79 decibels, while the smaller towns are not too far behind. 

Noise pollution can be overwhelming and causes stress and fatigue. Whether you are in the office or at home, noise-free surroundings are imperative for productivity as well as relaxation. The long-term solution to the Indian problem of noise pollution is better traffic management and patient-driven road sense from citizens. However, the short-term solution that can provide you with long-term relief from all the unwarranted noise is acoustic glass windows. If you live or work in a particularly cacophonous neighbourhood, fortifying your windows with soundproof or acoustic glass is imperative.

What Is Acoustic Glass?

Acoustic glass is highly effective in muffling the sound of horns honking, rain clattering, loudspeakers blaring, etc. It provides impeccable sound insulation. This type of glass is manufactured by having two layers of glass that have been laminated together with a PVB (Polyvinyl Butyral) film in between. This PVB interlayer acts as an acoustic membrane that bonds the two glass panes together, giving a single-paned appearance. The PVB membrane absorbs noise and prevents sound vibrations from passing through to the other side. 

Acoustic glass can be installed in several types of thicknesses and glazing, depending on the amount of soundproofing required. For instance, a very thick acoustic glass pane is used inside a music studio, to create eerie silence for exceptional music recording. However, relatively less thick acoustic glass panes can be installed inside your home or office, where there is no such recording.

Benefits of Acoustic Glass

Apart from the obvious benefit of keeping noise pollution at bay, and providing a more comfortable overall dwelling experience, acoustic glass doors and windows have other advantages, as listed below –

Increases Safety

This is a commonly overlooked advantage of acoustic glass, even though it is fairly obvious. Laminated safety glass provides a higher safety profile, as compared to both annealed as well as tempered glass. Since it contains an inner PVB layer, acoustic glass does not break easily. Even if it does break, the glass pieces remain stuck to the PVB interlayer and do not fall out, having a spiderweb-like appearance. For this very reason, acoustic laminated glass is also very popular with automotive and appliance manufactures. 

Increases Thermal Comfort

Acoustic glass windows and doors insulate your home optimally. During summers, they keep interiors at a comfortable temperature range by not letting cool conditioned air leak out. During winters, when it is cold outside, these windows do not allow warm air to escape out of your home or office, thus, keeping pleasant. This also makes acoustic glass energy-efficient. Since the interior temperatures are never fluctuating between extremes, your heating and cooling devices also become more efficient.

Unsung Health benefits

As discussed, acoustic glass improves our mental health by dampening nerve-shattering decibel levels. But, it also protects from harmful ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) rays. Not only is that great for you, but also your upholstery and other home and office furnishings. Modern architecture prefers glass over other materials to open up spaces. This ends up exposing your furnishings to a great deal of sunlight. Acoustic laminated glass lets in all that glorious natural light but reflects away UV and IR rays, keeping your interiors fresh for years.

Better Security

Acoustic glass is tough and can be constructed with multiple panes in all manners of thickness. Its sturdiness provides you with a sense of enhanced security. Specially toughened laminated glass is also used to manufacture bulletproof vehicles.    

An Important Thing to Keep in Mind

An important thing that you should discuss with your vendor before installing acoustic glass is the STC or Sound Transmission Class rating of the glass used. The STC rating measures the intensity of sound stopped at 10 most common frequencies, measured in decibels. Glass panes with a higher STC rating stop noise better. Having this conversation with your vendor will speak volumes about how truly knowledgeable the installation company is. Also, ask them about the nature of the warranty on their products and services.

Final Thoughts

Acoustic glass windows must be installed by a professional service like AIS Glass. As a subsidiary of India’s largest integrated glass manufacturer – Asahi India Glass Limited – we are well-equipped to address all your glass-related needs. You can request a quote for your specific requirement or simply talk to us about our installation processes, the quality of our technicians, and our turnaround time before committing.

Pining for relief from street noise? Get our acoustic glass solutions installed in your home or office. Our acoustic glass is made from the best quality laminated glass, featuring a PVB layer that has exceptional sound absorption qualities and can reduce external sounds by up to 90%.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today!