Argon is an invisible, non-toxic gas with lower thermal conductivity than air. It can be used in place of air within an insulating unit to improve thermal performance (u-value).

Argon gas alone is not enough to meet energy requirements. It should be specified in conjunction with a low-e coating in order to provide optimal thermal performance.

When specifying insulating glass with argon, it is important to also consider the thickness of the space. Increasing the thickness does not necessarily improve the thermal performance. There is an optimal thickness where each gas achieves the best performance. The optimal thickness for argon is 1/2”.