Why do we use glass for our windows and doors?

After hundreds of years of development, glass in windows and doors has been a source of innovation in design and sustainability. History shows us that prehistoric humans would use volcanic glass to make jewellery, cutting tools and spearheads.

We have all seen changes in how we manufacture glass for windows in our lifetime, no matter how old you are! The glass industry is constantly evolving, and new materials are responding to the need to take care of our environment, while providing solutions for windows and doors in homes and work premises

Our blog this moth goes back in time to look at where we started before we talk about where we are today. The glass industry has had quite a journey through time and with the industry focus on sustainability taking us through the foreseeable future, who knows the solutions that will be created to continue developing a product that every building needs.

A brief history of glass manufacturing

Search through time and you will see examples of windows using paper, animal horn and eventually using glass in a timber frame. In the past, the quality of the glass would often have bubbles and distort the view, so the window industry saw innovation continue to develop the technology until the first sealed double glazed window unit in the 1930s.

Windows have allowed us to move beyond the wattle and daub house of the Celts in historic Britain and develop design and architecture that adds light and vision to our indoor spaces. Support from government tax reliefs over the years, hundreds of years ago, has supported the increased
use of glass in buildings, allowing windows to become more affordable and established as the perfect material for windows. Easy to clean, no warping or even tearing, glass was a durable material that allowed people to see out and let the light in with letting the heat escape.

Who started using glass in windows?

It began with the Romans. When the Romans invaded Britain, way back before the common era, they brought with them many technologies that we just didn’t have on the British Isles. Social bathing, central heating, architecture and windows.

The Romans are thought to have experimented with different combinations of elements for creating glass, using their well known ability to invent new solutions to old problems.

The use of glass became a solution as well as an art form over the years. Looking to the use of coloured glass, particularly in traditional or religious settings, this unique media has been used to illustrate stories as old as time, lighting up buildings with colour and bringing life to the window’s original functions.

How we use glass sustainably at 3D windows

Glass is recyclable and versatile, meaning it has always been a great choice to support sustainable insulation in our homes and work premises. Our team at 3D windows are on hand to support with to choose your new windows and doors being mindful of your impact on the environment.

Whether you want to balance the manufacturing impact of triple glazed window units with the measure of added insultation,
or choose a modern double-glazed solution, we can talk to you about how each of our products have been selected to ensure that we are supporting you to take care of the natural environment.

We pay attention to the materials used to house our high-quality glass, sharing our options for frames that consider the impact on the environment in both manufacturing and for recycling or reusing materials after the end of a long-life cycle as part of your building.