Emissivity is the value given to materials based on the ratio of heat emitted compared to a perfect black body, on a scale from zero to one.
To improve thermal control (insulation and solar optical properties) thin-film coatings are applied to the raw soda–lime glass.
Naturally, low-e glass does not have the property of reflecting near infrared (NIR)/thermal radiation; instead, this type of glass has higher NIR transmission, leading to undesirable heat loss (or gain) in a building with that type of window.
Buildings without distributed antenna systems may then suffer degraded cell phone reception.
Each core material presents its own set of benefits and drawbacks based on its ability to provide a thermal break, deaden sound, absorb moisture, and resist combustion during a fire.
When aluminum foil is used as the facing material, reflective thermal insulation can stop 97% of radiant heat transfer.
Recently, some reflective thermal insulation manufacturers have switched to a metalized polyethylene facing.
Reflective thermal insulation can be installed in a variety of applications and locations including residential, agricultural, commercial, aerospace, and industrial structures.