| Gold Reflective Glass |
Gold’s high reflectivity and hence ability to reflect heat, coupled with its outstanding corrosion resistance, has led to the increasing use of glass coated with a thin film of gold in modern buildings. One ounce of gold suffices to cover one thousand square feet of glass, which not only reflects summer heat but also helps to retain it in winter.
The Royal Bank of Canada
building in Toronto
(Credit: courtesy The Royal Bank of Canada)
The Royal Bank of Canada building in Toronto, for example, is sheathed in reflective glass using 2,500 ounces (77.2 kilograms) of gold. The use of reflective glass has reduced cooling and heating costs by as much as forty per cent in some buildings.