Electricity supply is often the biggest challenge in smart city architecture. In addition to cost considerations, due to the increasingly serious effects of global warming, energy conservation has become as important as clean energy generation.

In addition to subsidizing the replacement of inefficient electrical equipment and promoting energy-saving habits, governments have also been mandating greener construction methods for new buildings. Green building materials and designs increase buildings’ heat insulation and light penetration, while reducing the use of air-conditioning and artificial lighting, helping achieve energy-conservation goals.

Industrial – Academic collaboration

Oriental Green Energy Technology Inc. — an affiliate of Nam Liong Group — and National Cheng Kung University established a green energy and building materials research center. This research and development center has a team composed of professionals in the fields of health, environmental protection and green technology. They used nanotechnology to create Dresden Glass, an energy-saving mixture that has received Green Building Material certification from Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior.

Dresden Glass features nano-sized ceramic elements that give it characteristics such as a high level of light transmission, substantial heat insulation, significant ultraviolet (UV) resistance, low reflectivity, etc. Its high level of light transmission maximizes daylight and reduces energy used for lighting, while the heat insulation and UV resistance help cut down on air-conditioning costs. Laminated for increased safety, Dresden Glass also conforms with CNS glass regulations and has passed safety, warpage, heat, moisture and impact resistance tests.

Eco-friendly glass creates a more comfortable reading environment in Taipei libraries

Libraries are intended to be quiet places where people can read. However, the summer heat forces many libraries to increase their use of air-conditioning, which typically creates low-frequency noise that disturbs readers, causing complaints.

In 2016, Dresden Glass was one of the few laminated glasses in Taiwan to have Green Building Material certification. The high level of safety it affords and its eco-friendly characteristics made it an ideal choice when renovation work was carried out at Taipei Public Library’s Yanping Branch and Lanzhou Neighborhood Reading Room.

According to testing conducted by National Cheng Kung University’s Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, Dresden Glass is highly effective at insulating from external heat. After installing the glass in the renovations, the output of the air-conditioning at the library’s two facilities could be lowered while maintaining the same comfort level. This helped lower the two facilities’ electricity consumption by 10 percent and significantly reduced noise from cooling, creating an environment that is substantially more conducive to reading.

High levels of thermal and noise insulation lead Taipower to select Dresden Glass for new office building

In accordance with the central government’s energy policy, state-owned Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) was required to adhere to the nation’s highest energy conservation standards when reviewing bids for the construction of its new office building in Taipei. Amid such stringent requirements, Oriental Green Energy Technology was chosen to supply Dresden Glass for the building’s exterior doors, windows and other areas, because it provides significant energy savings, sound insulation, UV resistance and safety.

The Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy simulated the Taipower office building’s power consumption with and without Dresden Glass. It found that the Dresden Glass H Series performed better in shading coefficient (SC), thermal transmittance (U value) and relative heat gain (RHG) than its rival green building materials available on the market. The use of Dresden Glass can effectively create a 7°C to 10°C difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures.

In bustling cities, energy saving-glass not only needs to block outside heat and UV rays, but also provide excellent noise insulation. In testing with an exterior noise level of 75 decibels (dB), the Dresden Glass H Series maintained an internal noise level of 35dB — about that of a quiet room.

In addition to providing noise and heat insulation, it is also important to allow through as much sunlight as possible to reduce indoor lighting, creating even more energy savings. According to the Taiwan Architecture and Building Center, the evaluation criteria for Green Building Material certification clearly states that high-performance energy-saving glass must have visible light transmission of at least 50 percent — greater values translate into more effective indoor illumination. Dresden Glass has a visible light transmission ratio of 51.56 percent, resulting in more light entering the room, and reduced indoor lighting needs and electricity consumption.

Taiwanese higher-education institutions use smart glass to reduce electricity costs

In addition to the Taipei Public Library and the new Taipower office building, a number of academic institutions in Taiwan — including Chung Yuan Christian University and National Pei-men Senior Agricultural and Industrial Vocational School — selected Dresden Glass for the construction or renovation of school buildings. After in-house experts conducted their own assessment of the matter, these institutions chose to install energy-saving Dresden Glass with the aim of reducing their electricity costs following the completion of the construction or renovation projects.

Nam Liong Group’s vision is to become a global benchmark producer of sustainable composite materials based on a core foundation of green technologies, innovation and smart manufacturing. In line with its guiding principle that environmental protection should be the first consideration, Nam Liong Group has developed a number of products, including thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs), Global Recycled Standard (GRS)-certified materials, US Department of Agriculture BioPreferred bio-based products and OK biobased-certified synthetic materials made from organic compounds.

Nam Liong Group has also introduced a number of environmentally friendly measures into its manufacturing processes, such as a solvent-free systems and water-based adhesives for lamination. Oriental Green Energy Technology continues to implement the group’s mission through innovations in energy conservation, with the aim of protecting the environment to create a sustainable future for the Earth.

Selling points:

• Nano-sized ceramic film helps make Dresden Glass more energy efficient, safer, clearer and thinner, with excellent sound insulation and UV resistance
• Dresden Glass has a visible light transmission ratio of 51.56 percent, which drastically reduces electricity consumption while boosting indoor illumination
• Passed safety, warpage, heat, moisture and impact resistance tests under Taiwan’s CNS glass regulations
• Effective insulation creates a 7°C to 10°C difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures