A friend is about to built a hybrid of all three elements of a Greenhouse/Glasshouse/Conservatory. I can not quite understand the subtle differences between the three. His architect is asking for glazing specifications.
Is Horticultural glass still used for anything or has H&S banned it?
Polycarbonate is out for fire reasons. Would safety glass allow all the benefits of Horticultural glass without the inherent problems?

On Dec 2, 9:50*am, interld wrote:
A friend is about to built a hybrid of all three elements of a
Greenhouse/Glasshouse/Conservatory. I can not quite understand the
subtle differences between the three. His architect is asking for
glazing specifications.
Is Horticultural glass still used for anything or has H&S banned it?
Polycarbonate is out for fire reasons. Would safety glass allow all the
benefits of Horticultural glass without the inherent problems?

--
interld

I'd have thought that his architect would be the person to give the
answers not to be the one asking for guidence.
Horticultural glass is used in comercial horticulture.
I can't see how Polycarb would be a fire risk unless he is going to
have indoor barbecues,

On Fri, 2 Dec 2011 09:50:09 +0000, interld
wrote:


A friend is about to built a hybrid of all three elements of a
Greenhouse/Glasshouse/Conservatory. I can not quite understand the
subtle differences between the three. His architect is asking for
glazing specifications.
Is Horticultural glass still used for anything or has H&S banned it?
Polycarbonate is out for fire reasons. Would safety glass allow all the
benefits of Horticultural glass without the inherent problems?

If an architect, closely involved in a project, cannot recommend
glazing specifications, you would be well advised not to rely on any
responses to your brief, and relatively uninformative, post from those
who are not. AFAIK "glasshouse" is what Americans call our
"greenhouse".

Horticultural glass is fine for glazing a greenhouse. My greenhouses
are glazed with double walled polycarbonate and have been for 20 years
- they have never caught fire. Polycarbonate is traditionally used to
roof conservatories which are attached to houses all over the country
without any apparent fire risk. That there is one indicates that there
is more to this project than a four sided structure with a roof on
top.

Depending on the primary use of whatever this structure is,
regulations relating to energy-efficient glazing may also apply. If
any form of planning or building control process is likely, then
advice from the appropriate inspectors would be better than any culled
from a web forum.

In any event, your friend will also need to consider any liability
that may arise from the use of this structure. If it is intended to be
a "habitable room" to any extent, consider the possibility of a child
using that "room" falling into horticultural glass and getting
injured.

Conversely safety glass, with energy efficient qualities, will not
necessarily be the best glass to use in a horticultural situation.

[If you had come to this newsgroup direct rather than through
Gardenbanter, I would have suggested asking your question in the DIY
newsgroup but that option isn't available via GB.]

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Still waiting for the first frost at
the dryer (east) end of Swansea Bay.

On Fri, 2 Dec 2011 09:50:09 +0000, interld
wrote:


A friend is about to built a hybrid of all three elements of a
Greenhouse/Glasshouse/Conservatory. I can not quite understand the
subtle differences between the three. His architect is asking for
glazing specifications.
Is Horticultural glass still used for anything or has H&S banned it?
Polycarbonate is out for fire reasons. Would safety glass allow all the
benefits of Horticultural glass without the inherent problems?


If children are going to be allowed in it then it pays to have safety
glass.

Building regs specific safety glass for any glass below about 1.3m (I
think it's about that)

If it's attached to a house (conservatory) then it needs to meet
building regs anyway and for insulation purposes you'd probably need
DG.
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

"interld" wrote in message
...

A friend is about to built a hybrid of all three elements of a
Greenhouse/Glasshouse/Conservatory. I can not quite understand the
subtle differences between the three. His architect is asking for
glazing specifications.
Is Horticultural glass still used for anything or has H&S banned it?
Polycarbonate is out for fire reasons. Would safety glass allow all the
benefits of Horticultural glass without the inherent problems?




--
interld

Greenhouse and Glasshouse are interchangeable terms, both maximize light for
the growing of plants

The function of a conservatory is completely different it is literally to
conserve plants that would otherwise die and it is often only a temporary
home for them, the earliest conservatories had no glass but were niches in
walls over which sack curtains were lowered in cold weather.
So they are basically plant spaces not people spaces

To be a proper conservatory there are several key features that are often
ignored and left out by modern installers who are usually just providing a
hard to heat but light room extension.
these are
Massive amounts of ventilation including roof vents (often all the window
sashes open)
Roof slope of around 43 degrees for optimal heat penetration in the cooler
half of the year
A masonry base wall of around 2 feet in height to keep the floor area cool,
the floor needs to be tiled so it can be flooded with water.

It does not have to be attached to the house but it is convenient for it to
be, and this also helps to keep it frost free. Where they are free standing
they nearly always have a back wall to provide thermal mass.
It is essential that it has a water supply and very useful for it to have
and outdoor power supply.
It should not be heated to the same standard as the house, houses are too
hot and dry for plants in winter.

There is nothing wrong with ignoring some or all of the above just don't
call it a conservatory!
:~)


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk