17/04/2018
Glint and Glaring by Glass Surfaces
Glass surfaces can reflect and redirect light, causing the illumination of normally shaded places, or causing the light to irradiate from unusual directions. Optical elements, such as glass, are liable to bundle light and its heating effect, a matter that has already caused problems in isolated incidents (see link). Solar panels too - their surface is made of glass - have been reported to cause unreasonable glaring, resulting in the removal or necessary alteration of the solar field. Even though glass is intended to let light pass through (transmission) a smaller part of the light is filtered (absorption) and another part is sent back (reflection). The share of light which is reflected, increases when the incidence angle (the angle between the light rays and the glass surface) is flat. During the course of a day, with its many positions of the sun, this will be the case for many surfaces.
News: Glint and Glare Assessment for a Glass Facade next to the highway.