At Columbia Skylights, our mission is to produce the best products for the Canadian and North American markets. Energy efficiency is a primary focus, and selecting the right glass supplier is essential. After extensive research, we chose high-performance glass units with Low-Emissivity (LoE) coatings to maximize energy conservation. Our glass features a triple LoE coating, known as LoE³, which provides enhanced thermal performance.
Columbia Skylights uses Cardinal LoE³-366 and LoE³-i89 glass in both double- and triple-glazed units, with standard tempered and laminated options available.
Low-Emissivity (LoE) coatings play an important role in the energy performance of windows and skylights. These coatings improve efficiency by reducing the emissivity of one or more glass surfaces, helping to control heat transfer while allowing natural light to pass through.
How LoE Works
LoE is a thin, nearly colourless metallic coating that allows most natural light to pass through the glass while controlling heat transfer.
In the summer, a portion of the sun’s radiant heat is reflected outward, helping keep interior spaces cooler and reducing the need for air conditioning. In the winter, interior heat is reflected back into the room instead of escaping through the glass, helping maintain warmer indoor temperatures and lowering heating costs.
Improved Energy Efficiency
By reducing heat transfer through the glass, LoE coatings help maintain a more consistent indoor temperature. This improves the overall thermal performance of skylights and windows while lowering energy consumption.
Enhanced Natural Light
Unlike tinted glass, LoE glass allows abundant visible light to enter while helping control heat and glare, creating bright and comfortable interior spaces.
Protection from UV Rays
LoE coatings significantly reduce ultraviolet (UV) radiation entering a building. This helps minimize fading of furniture, flooring, fabrics, and artwork over time.
How LoE Glass Improves Skylight Performance
Benefits of LoE Glass
Low-emissivity glass is an advanced glazing technology that enhances the performance of modern skylights. The microscopically thin metallic coating helps regulate heat transfer while maintaining excellent natural daylight transmission.
In colder climates, interior heat is reflected back into the room instead of escaping through the glass, helping maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and reducing heating demand. During warmer months, LoE coatings limit the amount of solar heat entering the building, helping keep interior spaces cooler and reducing the load on air-conditioning systems.
Advanced Coating Technology
LoE coatings are created using a high-precision manufacturing process. Particles of silver, titanium, and zinc are converted into plasma under extreme vacuum pressure. These particles are then deposited onto the glass surface using a magnetron field, allowing the coating to bond evenly while maintaining excellent light transmission and improved energy efficiency.
Year-Round Comfort
This innovative technology provides benefits throughout the year—helping keep your home cooler in the summer while retaining warmth during the winter.
