COLUMBIA’s
SUPERIOR GLASS
TECHNOLOGY

Columbia offers the widest selection of high performance glass options for skylights, including the latest in ENERGY STAR® Canada certified requirements.

Superior Skylight Glass Technology Hero Bg

Columbia offers the widest selection of high performance glass options for skylights, including the latest in ENERGY STAR® Canada certified requirements.

Columbia offers the most energy efficient glass options for skylights

 

WeSell Standup V CyanColumbia is proud to offer certified double glazed LoE3 i89 (close to triple glazed performance) and LoE3-366 triple glazing (temp/temp/temp & temp/temp/laminate options). Most Columbia skylights with these glazing options meet the ENERGY STAR Canada requirement and are available on all standard and custom sizes, including our fixed, manual, and venting skylights.

By choosing an ENERGY STAR Canada skylight you save on energy costs and protect the environment. You can be confident knowing your home is insulated against heat loss in the winter and solar heat gain in the summer. And, if you choose the venting skylight, during the summer you can cool your home naturally by releasing heat build up from your upper floor and let in healthy fresh air and light. Columbia is the only Canadian skylight company manufacturing products that meet the current ENERGY STAR Canada certification standards.

 

 

Cardinal Ig LogoENGINEERING THE FUTURE OF GLASS

Cardinal is Columbia’s glass supplier, the world leader in high performance glass technology is engineering the future of glass. Cardinal maintains a clear vision: design and fabricate the most advanced residential glass products in the industry.

  • With more than 6,000 employees located at 37 manufacturing locations around the United States.
  • Three R&D centres in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida provide the basis for new advances in glazing fenestration.
Cardinal Coating Plant
Cardinal coating plant
Clean Coating Treatment
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Cardinal Plasma Coating Techology Factory
Cardinal plasma coating technology
Skylight Glass Tempering Surface
Tempering furnace

Interesting facts about Cardinal energy efficient LoE coated glass

  • LoE coating is only 1/10,000 of the thickness of a human hair, and hardly affects light transmission.
  • The coating uses many natural compounds including silver and zinc.
  • Coated glass is never touched by human hands during the coating process.
  • Coated glass undergoes constant quality testing throughout the entire process.
  • During the coating process, incredibly low pressure allows for the plasma coating to form using a process called Magnesium Sputtering.

Columbia has selected from Cardinal’s extensive range of products the most ideal energy efficient glass for the Canadian climate

In collaboration with Cardinal, Columbia selected the two optimal high performance glass products for our ENERGY STAR Canada certified skylights. Columbia uses a wide range of other Cardinal glass for less demanding applications, but only the double glazed Energy Plus LoE3-i89 and triple glazed LoE3-366 (temp/temp/temp & temp/temp/laminate) are utilized in our ENERGY STAR Canada skylights.

Triple Glazed LoE3 366 Icon@2x

Cardinal
LoE3-366

ULTIMATE GLASS FOR ALL CLIMATES

Cardinal LoE3-366® glass is the ultimate performance glass, designed for fluctuations in hot and cold temperatures, such as we experience in our northern climate. It just might make all other LoE glass obsolete. It is the ideal choice for Canada’s extreme climate.

LoE3-366 delivers the ideal balance of outstanding solar control and high visibility. It provides the highest levels of year-round comfort and energy savings.

 

Available in Tempered/Tempered/Tempered and
Tempered/ Tempered/Laminate

Tempered Glass Skylight Loe3 366 Rendering

  1. Triple pane glass with two chambers filled with argon gas. It delivers the best triple glazed U-Value in the industry.
  2. The 2 coat advantage. LoE3 triple coating on surface 2 & 5 – two of the three panes of glass.
  3. Best U-Value in industry.
  • Offered in all standard and custom sized models since 2010.
  • 10 Year hail warranty.
Warm Home Skylight Icon

During the cold months we want a warm comfortable home
  • We love a warm comfortable home during Canada’s long winters. High quality triple glazed skylights with LoE coatings have a direct impact on how your home feels. Typically, 75% of the exposed surface of a skylight is glass, and the temperature of the room-side pane of the glass directly affects the air temperature in the room. The better insulated the skylight glass, the warmer your room will be.
  • The Efficient Windows Collaborative suggests that when glass surface temperatures fall below 11°C (52°F), there is a risk of thermal discomfort. LoE3-366 triple glazed glass offers the best protection against the coldest outdoor conditions.
Reflect Sun Icon

To minimizes the strength of the sun, while keeping the view and brightness
  • We all love sunlight, but when the temperature soars and the sun is high and intense, ordinary skylight does not handle the extreme heat as well.
  • Cardinal’s LoE3-366 has been specially formulated to reflect the sun’s heat without affecting the view. It lets more light in and keeps more heat out, so your home stays cool and comfortable. Cardinal’s patented LoE3-366 coating provides the ultimate in performance of all LoE products.
  • LoE3-366 provides exceptional fading protection as well. It blocks 95% of the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays (a leading cause of fading), so it will help your furniture, carpets, curtains and wall coverings stay beautiful for years to come.

Tempered Laminated Glass Skylight Loe 366 Rendering

  1. Triple pane glass with two chambers filled with argon gas.
  2. Laminated glass provides additional security: inner layer of PVB (Polyvinyl Butyral) holds the glass together in case of breakage.
  3. Reduces the effects of sound by up to 30%.
  4. The LoE3 triple coating on surface 2 is virtually invisible.
  5. Combined insulation properties of the LoE3-366 coating, argon gas and lamination produces impressive energy efficiency.
  • Offered by Columbia in all standard and custom sized models since 2010.
  • Meets Vancouver building code.
Warm Home Skylight Icon

During the cold months we want a warm comfortable home
  • We love a warm comfortable home during Canada’s long winters. High quality triple glazed skylights with LoE coatings have a direct impact on how your home feels. Typically, 75% of the exposed surface of a skylight is glass, and the temperature of the room-side pane of the glass directly affects the air temperature in the room. The better insulated the skylight glass, the warmer your room will be.
  • The Efficient Windows Collaborative suggests that when glass surface temperatures fall below 11°C (52°F), there is a risk of thermal discomfort. LoE3-366 triple glazed glass offers the best protection against the coldest outdoor conditions.
Reflect Sun Icon

Beats the strength of the sun, while keeping the view and brightness
  • We all love sunlight, but when the temperature soars and the sun is high and intense, ordinary skylight glass just can’t handle the extreme heat.
  • Cardinal LoE3-366 has been specially formulated to reflect the sun’s heat without affecting the view. It lets more light in and keeps more heat out, so your home stays cool and comfortable. Cardinal patented LoE³-366 coating provides the ultimate in performance of all LoE products.
  • LoE3-366 provides exceptional fading protection as well. It blocks 95% of the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays (a leading cause of fading), so it will help your furniture, carpets, curtains and wall coverings stay beautiful for years to come.
Tempered Glass Icon

What is laminated glass and its benefits
  • Laminated glass is an excellent alternative to normal annealed glass, offering a tough, robust structure that is hard to break.
  • Laminated glass is constructed of two panes of glass that are bonded together with a PVB interlayer (Polyvinyl Butyral) to form a permanent bond. The interlayer works to support and hold the glass together when broken.
  • The strength of laminated glass makes it almost impossible to shatter, providing increased security. Even if a break was to occur, the interlayer maintains the strength of the structure so penetration is almost impossible.
Sound Reduction Icon

The ultimate in sound reduction
  • Laminated glass dramatically reduces noise pollution by causing sound waves to become disrupted and therefore silenced when they travel through the material.
  • Enjoy the calming experience of living in a quiet home.
Damage Protection Icon

Eliminates risk of falling glass
  • Laminated glass is the preferred choice for a skylight application because in the event of breakage it will crack but not shatter into individual pieces, reducing the risk of injury from falling glass, maintaining the glass unit in the skylight frame.
Cardinal Glass Loe I89 Logo@2x

Cardinal
LoE3-i89

ENHANCED WINTER PERFORMANCE GLASS

LoE3-i89™, Cardinal’s superior performance double pane glass – with 2 coated surfaces (not the typical 1). It offers more light transmittance and less reflectance. The cavity is argon filled and the spacers use the latest material and fabrication techniques.

LoE3-i89 offers performance close to triple glazing.  It uses LoE3-i89 and 366 coatings to achieve this impressive result.

Tempered Glass Skylight Loe I89 Rendering

  1. Dual pane with argon gas.
  2. Superior LoE3 i89 coating is virtually invisible.
  3. LoE3-366 Clear plus i89 coating with no loss of clarity.
  4. High performance double glazing glass close to triple pane performance.
  • Offered by Columbia in all standard and custom sized models since 2011.
Triple Pane Energy Efficient Icon

Triple pane energy efficient performance from double glazing
  • i89 will allow you to meet the minimum ENERGY STAR Canada requirements on select Columbia fixed skylight models, but triple glazing is by far the better choice.
  • Reflects escaping heat back into the room and lowering U-Value.
Low Emissivity Glass Icon

What is LoE and why is it so good?
  • LoE, or low emissivity glass, has been coated with a low-emittance material designed to reflect heat. A skylight made with low emissivity glass repels ultraviolet rays that cause heat during summer months, but absorbs them and lets the heat in during winter.
  • LoE glass can help you lower your energy bills all year long, summer and winter.
Scratch Resistance Icon

Scratch resistant and is easy to clean
  • The LoE3-i89 coating is formulated to be durable and scratch resistant, it has been extensively tested and enjoys the same scratch resistance as regular annealed glass.
  • LoE3-i89 is easy to clean and there’s no haze to reduce clarity.
Reduce Condensation Icon

Reduces condensation caused by humidity in the home
  • If the humidity in a home is too high condensation can occur along the bottom edge of the skylight glass. Insulating glass units with a LoE3 coating and a warm edge spacer greatly reduce the risk of perimeter condensation.

Why make the investment in energy efficient glass?

The one question we get asked the most is about the benefits of energy efficient skylights and are they worth the extra cost.

The answer is a resounding ‘yes’, they are worth the difference in price over conventional double glazing. Not just because of the energy cost savings, or making your home more comfortable – you are making the right choice for a sustainable future. Energy costs will continue to rise, so you are guaranteed of future savings.

Energy Saving Skylights

Get that warm feeling – decades of energy savings and a positive environmental impact
  • When embarking on a renovation or building a new home do what is right for your family and the environment, use the latest ENERGY STAR Canada rated products.
  • During the extreme heat of the summer or the deepest cold of the winter months, your home will remain at a comfortable temperature with the beauty of natural light.
  • The next time you will have to consider replacing your skylights is when you have your roof redone.

Energy Star Canada Rated Skylights

Do the right thing for the planet and the future
  • Yes, ENERGY STAR Canada rated products tend to be more expensive – but you want to do the right thing to protect our environment. We must all do our part to secure a brighter future for our family and the planet.
  • A skylight is a 20+ year purchase, the impact of your decision will last the life of your home.

Money Saving Skylights

A long lasting investment that saves you money
  • Skylights that utilize the latest technology do cost more at the outset, but they will save you money over the long term.
  • Triple-pane skylights and windows can help you save up to 2-3% on your energy bill annually. Energy costs will go up during the long life of your skylights.

Constant Even Warmth Skylights

A constantly even warmth provides exceptional comfort
  • When you install modern energy efficient skylights, windows and doors, in combination with the latest insulation, your home will feel more comfortable. The warmth will be consistent throughout the house, no drafts or cold zones.
  • This consistent temperature and air quality is a luxury that has to be experienced.

Energy Efficient Glazing Skylights

A quieter calmer more comfortable home for your family
  • Columbia’s energy efficient glazing options reduce exterior noise.
  • Customers comment that one of the benefits they did not realize in replacing their skylights would be the impact in the livability of their home from the reduced external noice.
  • Sound can have an adverse impact on our stress level. Reduced sound pollution makes for a more relaxing calm environment.

Natural Light Skylights

Positive health benefits of light
  • Natural light has been proven to increase happiness and productivity. Living in the north we need to bring light into our homes.
  • Increasing the amount of natural light in your home offsets the impact of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which affects many people in the winter when they do not receive enough sunlight.
  • Natural light has been shown to lower the risk of nearsightedness in children and young adults by helping the eye produce dopamine, which aids in healthy eye development.
We suggest you review the following pages on the ENERGY STAR Canada website - Choose ENERGY STAR, List of ENERGY STAR Participants, Awards Section 2021 and 2022 winners.
ENERGY STAR CANADA WEBSITE