Heat-resistant glass ''imperative'' for modern buildings

Bhopal, Dec 30 (UNI) In the present era, modern and large buildings cannot be constructed in the country using heat-resistant glass, a Saint-Gobain Glass India official stated today.

''Use of more and more glass is being emphasised in construction and interior decoration of fashionable houses, malls, corporate buildings and other huge buildings though glass can be used only to a limited extent in buildings where privacy and special security are factors,'' Director (Sales and Marketing) R Subramaniam told mediapersons here.

He was in the Madhya Pradesh capital in connection with 'Transparence 2007' -- a national-level competition on use of glass in architecture and interior design -- organised by the company.

''India's average annual consumption of glass is 10 lakh tonnes of which about 15 per cent is used by the automobile industry,'' Mr Subramaniam said.

Use of glass is rapidly increasing as the modern glass-making technique makes it environment-friendly.

''Earlier, the sheet glass process was employed and now the flat glass technique is used. Ninety per cent of commercially-utilised glass is made this way,'' he added.

Speaking on the occasion, President (Flat Glass, South Asia) and Founder Managing-Director (Saint-Gobain Glass India) B Santhanam said that the results of Transparence 2007 would be declared this evening. More than 350 students of architecture from 84 Indian colleges took part.

UNI