Glass blocks are elements of design that provide a series of technical characteristics often found in other building materials. They provide important solutions for two fundamental construction needs: energy saving and security. Besides the possibility to moderate light, which depends on the design, color and finishing of the glass block as well as how the wall or structure is created, glass blocks can also provide significant levels of thermal and acoustic insulation, impact resistance, and resistance to fire.

Given these high performance features, glass blocks can also be utilized in critical contexts such as railway stations, seismic zones, or in any project requiring specific technical characteristics. The most important characteristic in a security material like the glass block is its capacity, be it a single element or a component in a wall, to resist mechanic strain, thermal shock and provide an effective barrier in case of fire giving inhabitants time to run to safety.

As for energy saving, specific glass blocks can guarantee thermal insulation levels superior to those of conventional walls of equal thickness, therefore contributing to the conservation of the environment and the overall comfort of the interior space.

The internal air chamber of the glass block provides elevated levels of acoustic insulation which permit the use of these blocks in loud and noisy environments. Seves dedicates a complete line of high-performance glass blocks, called “Technology”, to these technical characteristics. It also employs a group of technicians dedicated to the research and improvement of these features, who collaborate one-on-one with design professionals to find the best solutions for their specific project needs. During construction of the Hannover station designed by Hansjörg Göritz, the same glass blocks were needed for both vertical and horizontal structures thus leading to the creation of a customized glass block, a certified “paver” with increased resistance to impact thanks to modifications to the internal structure.

Seves was the first glass block manufacturer in the world to obtain ISO 9001 certification, and has since established its own quality criteria to which it abides, even more demanding and restrictive than the norms. As a result, Seves’s production line is in first class with respect to the European standards EN1051.

Seves’s presence in over 100 countries has forced it to adapt its production to the regulations and standards of each country to obtain the proper quality certification for both the product and the manufacturing process. With this extensive experience Seves continues to move forward, beyond the existent, towards satisfying new requests and accepting new challenges.