Fire-resistive glass and frames (those that defend against flames, smoke and radiant and conductive heat transfer) can be used in applications where building codes require a fire-resistant wall with no ‘openings’ to enclose a space, including:
In these applications, it is typical to use multi-laminate, fire-resistive glazing, like TGP’s Pilkington Pyrostop. Such glass provides nearly the same level of clarity as ordinary float glass, carries fire ratings up to 120 minutes, passes the fire and hose stream tests and offers up to Category II impact safety ratings. It also provides a barrier to heat, enabling it to pass the test standards for solid walls and exceed 25 percent of the total wall area. When paired with fire-resistive frames, building teams can use such glass to create large expanses of see-through fire-rated walls in areas that would otherwise require concrete, gypsum or other opaque fire-rated materials to meet code.
Given the many design benefits of transparent fire-rated glass wall panels, new combinations of fire-resistive glass and framing are constantly entering the market. For example, modern fire-rated curtain wall systems like TGP’s Fireframes® Curtainwall Series and Fireframes Aluminum Series feature well-defined corners and crisp edges for smooth integration with surrounding applications. Fireframes TimberLine™ Series makes it possible for design teams to create fire-rated transparent wall panels with the heralded beauty of wood. Recent developments, such as the Fireframes SG Curtainwall® Series and Fireframes ClearView® System take innovation one step further, enabling fire-rated glass walls with a seamless glass aesthetic.
