Pilkington introduces new Pilkington Activ™ Blue self-cleaning glass for conservatories
Pilkington Activ™ Blue is a new self-cleaning glass that has been designed specifically for conservatories and winter gardens. It's an attractive blue glass that combines dual-action self-cleaning properties with solar control technology to prevent conservatories getting unbearably hot in the summer. It uses daylight and rainwater to breakdown and wash away dirt, while its unique blue colour keeps internal temperatures cool without compromising light and visibility.
As the name suggests, Pilkington Activ™ Blue has a faint blue tinge, which allows considerably less heat into the room compared to standard glass. In fact it reduces heat transference into the conservatory by approximately 43%. This is because the blue tint absorbs the heat and re-radiates it back outside, helping to keep the interior cooler. The attractive pale blue colour also has an aesthetic benefit as it reduces reflection giving uninterrupted exterior views.
How does Pilkington Activ™ self-cleaning technology work?
Simply put, Pilkington Activ™ Blue is covered in a microscopically thin and virtually invisible permanent coating, which reacts with the weather. This coating has two important chemical processes, which when combined, activate the self-cleaning process.
Firstly, it is photocatalytic, meaning it reacts with ultra violet rays to breakdown organic dirt (e.g. finger prints, tree resin, bird droppings etc) and loosen them from the surface of the glass. As UV rays are abundant on even the cloudiest of days this process is continuous and is not dependent on long hot summers.
Secondly it's hydrophilic, meaning it attracts water and causes it to slide seamlessly down the surface of the glass without forming into separate droplets. This "sheeting" process washes away the broken down dirt and easily removes loose particles of non-organic dirt (sand, dust particles etc).
Pilkington Activ™ Blue is available now through all good suppliers in the UK.