2022 United Nations International Year of Glass

For more than 60 years, the United Nations General Assembly has recognised international cooperation, concerted efforts and the contributions to society made by relevant organisations and institutions in important areas, such as the International Year of Astronomy (2009), the International Year of Chemistry (2011), the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (2015) and the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (2019), through the proclamation of United Nations international years. And the International Year of Glass in 2022 is the first time the United Nations has named a year after a single material, highlighting the importance of glass materials in the development of human society.

As we all know, glass is one of the earliest man-made materials invented by mankind, and its appearance and use in human life has a history of thousands of years, from 4000 years ago in Mesopotamia to the remains of ancient Egypt, there have been small glass beads unearthed. Nowadays, with the rapid improvement of technology, it is widely used in construction, communication, transportation, life and health, new energy, aerospace, art, etc. It is a very important material in daily life and high technology, and has played an important role in the history of human civilisation and technological invention. For example, glass optical fibres have brought about a paradigm shift and triggered a global communication revolution; the development of glass optics and optoelectronics has expanded mankind's understanding of the universe; glass panels have supported solar cells and provided clean energy; bio-glass enables muscle tissue design and regeneration; insulating and vacuum glass for architectural windows and doors curtain walls has saved a lot of energy and reduced carbon emissions for the whole society since the energy crisis, etc. This transparent and empowering material has not only entered millions of homes and become an important medium for art, but has also supported the development of many technologies. Its history is linked to that of mankind.

The Inspiration of Vacuum Glass

With the progress of society, the role of glass in architecture is no longer just lighting, but also functional alternatives such as all-glass curtain walls and, of course, the more important one of energy saving! From single-piece glass to multi-cavity insulating glass and vacuum glass, the history of architectural glass development is also a history of the progress of human civilisation. In the context of global carbon reduction, architectural glass, as the most used glass category, will certainly write a strong mark in the history of glass development. It is hoped that as the activities of the International Year of Glass unfold, the public's awareness of glass will deepen, which will in turn drive the progress of the glass industry, especially the awareness of energy-efficient glass in buildings, and increase public attention and government policy support! To promote the application and progress of energy-efficient glass in buildings.

Life and Responsibility

As a vacuum glass manufacturer, ICESUN Vacuum Glass should practice its internal strength to provide the society with products of excellent quality. Vacuum glass enterprises should be deeply aware of their responsibilities and missions, as an alternative to hollow glass is also a change agent, sharpen their efforts and be a pioneer.

The majority of builders, design institutes, door and window factories recognize the importance of glass energy saving, and are guided by national policy standards, always thinking of the owners and making due contributions to the whole society in energy saving and emission reduction. Vacuum glass as a new generation of energy-saving glass, super energy-saving and super thin, its role is not only reflected in the energy-saving building operations, more importantly, can reduce the production and transportation of the whole cycle of carbon emissions, saving a lot of resources for society, with the improvement of energy-saving standards, the government will certainly increase the promotion and policy support efforts.

ICESUN has launched a series of articles on energy-efficient glass for architectural windows and doors to deepen people's knowledge of window and door glass and to know that vacuum glass is better to use!