From Billet to Building – Part 3: Insulated Glass Units

The construction of high-performance building envelopes is a multi-step process, starting with raw materials such as aluminum billets and glass silica, and results in prefabricated curtainwall unit assemblies that hang from the building structure, most often the floor slabs. This process requires a network of material vendors, processors, fabricators and installers to coordinate diligently. In the five-part video series From Billet to Building, the Advanced Technology Studio of Enclos will animate each step, culminating in several installation strategies.

Part 1: Part Manufacture and Fabrication
Part 2: Float Glass

Part 3: Insulated Glass Unit

  • Aluminum spacer is bent into shape
  • Spacer is filled with desiccant
  • Primary seal is applied to the spacer
  • Spacer is placed between two panes of glass
  • Unit is then sealed along the edges

Part 4: Curtainwall Assembly
Part 5: Curtainwall Installation