MC026-08 - Theory and Standards for Insulating glass unit analysis
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Glass Types, Safety Classification, Sealed Unit Behaviour, and the Calculation Framework — Understanding the Glass Report Before Signing It Off
About This CPD
This practical technical CPD builds the understanding behind every glass calculation: the glass types and why each exists, the safety classification, the factors that shape a build-up, the behaviour of a sealed insulating glass unit — including the cavity pressure load that exists whether or not the wind blows — and the calculation framework in Europe and North America.
Presented by Eugene Korch (IAST), the course closes with the anatomy of a glass static analysis report and the four most common and dangerous errors found in real reports, so the reader can check and challenge a glass calculation with confidence.
This course covers:
The glass family — annealed, heat strengthened, toughened, laminated, enamelled, chemically strengthened — and why each exists
Safety classification — the European pendulum test, the North American approach, and where safety glass is required
The build-up — how acoustics, thermal performance, solar control, fire, structure, and panel size shape one specification
Sealed unit construction — panes, spacers, desiccant, seals, and gas fills
Sealed unit behaviour — the coupling through the cavity gas, and triple glazing one step further
Loads on glass — wind, barrier loads, sloped glazing self-weight, snow, maintenance, and the cavity pressure that is so often forgotten
The calculation framework — the European infill standard, the coming design code, and the North American probability-of-breakage route
Time-dependent strength — why duration changes the allowable stress, and the interlayer subtlety of laminated panes
The glass report — its anatomy, the stress limits table, and the summer and winter climatic cases
The four common errors from real reports — and the checklist that catches them
Using real anonymised report extracts and clear diagrams, this CPD focuses on the practical goal: understanding the glass report well enough to catch the error before it reaches the building.
What You'll Learn
Name the glass types and match each to its role in a facade
Explain safety classification and where safety glass is required
Describe the behaviour of a sealed unit and the cavity pressure load
List every load on facade glass and how they combine
Understand time-dependent strength and interlayer behaviour
Explain the load sharing method between the panes
Read, check, and challenge a glass static analysis report
Target Audience
This course is designed for design professionals working on residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments where the glass carries the loads and the specification carries the cost.
This Short Course is designed for:
Architects
Architectural Technologists
Envelope Designers
Facade Specialist Contractors
Junior Facade Engineers
Building Envelope Consultants
Structural Engineers
Developers
Project Managers
Building Control Officers
Regulators
Cost Consultants
Design Managers
Speaker
Eugene Korch
Programme Director, IASTEugene is a facade engineer and educator who leads educational initiatives through the Institute for Architectural Science and Technology (IAST) and Facade Intelligence, delivering training to construction professionals.
Course Details
Format: On-demand video course
Duration: Approximately 1.5 hours
CPD Points: 1.5 hours structured CPD / 1 Learning Unit
Certificate: CPD certificate provided upon completion
Access: Available on demand to members
MC026-08
Theory and Standards for Insulating glass unit analysis
Glass is the part of the facade everyone looks at and almost no one thinks about as a structural element. Every pane carries wind, sometimes people, and — in a sealed unit — a pressure load that exists whether or not the wind blows. This course builds the understanding behind every glass calculation and report.
Course Fee £120
Free for FI Pro Members
