Low-E coating (low-emissivity glass)
Also called: low-e glass, low emissivity, low-e, solar control coating, coated glass
A low-E (low-emissivity) coating is a microscopically-thin, transparent metal-oxide layer on glass that reflects long-wave heat (infrared) while still letting visible light through. It is the single biggest reason modern Dubai glazing keeps rooms cooler: it rejects the sun's radiant heat coming in (lowering the g-value) and slows heat transfer through the glass (improving the U-value), so the AC does less work. The coating almost always sits on a protected internal face inside an insulated glass unit, within the sealed gap — which is why you can neither feel nor clean it. Not all low-E is the same: solar-control low-E (tuned to reject the sun's heat) is what the Gulf wants, whereas the heat-retaining type is for cold climates — specifying the wrong one here is a real and costly mistake. If you're upgrading or replacing glazing, choosing the right coated glass is part of a good glass works in Dubai specification.
Related terms
Insulated glass unit (IGU / sealed double-glazing)
The sealed sandwich of two glass panes with a spacer and dry-air gap that IS double glazing — and when its edge seal fails, it fogs permanently between the panes.
G-value (solar factor / SHGC)
The share of the sun's heat that comes through glazing — in Dubai you want it LOW. The partner figure to the U-value.
U-value (thermal transmittance)
How much heat a window, glazed unit or wall lets through — lower is better. In Dubai it's the number that decides how hard your AC has to fight the sun.
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