Point Supported Glass. This system is historically our customers’ most popular choice and our most versatile structural glazing system. Rotational point supports are optimally located by our engineers to maximize glass size, optimize glass structural performance and minimize structure. Extra-large panel sizes and cantilevered free glass edges are readily achieved. Standardized and tested A316L stainless steel fixing bolts for glass of all thicknesses and buildups are typically available from our stock. They can be countersunk flush or button type with the head above the glass surface. Glass can be oriented in any plane. Hence, the system is ideal where overhead glass is to be suspended below structure.

The fixing bolts fasten to a choice of cast or plate spider styles. Novum has a wide range of stocked or previously developed spider designs as well as the capability to custom cast or fabricate. Our product line was developed so that spiders can weld or mechanically fasten to all six of our structural products or clamp to cables. Spider finishes vary: brushed, polished or bead blasted stainless steel to plated and painted or powder coated mild steel.

Applications are unlimited: walls, roofs, canopies, sculptures, handrails, glass fins and more. The PSG-System provides the ability to generate high transparency with minimal support design and has been hugely instrumental in the development of highly technical facades. Novum’s fully tested system has successfully been used globally on hundreds of projects including in high snow, seismic and hurricane zones.

Edge Clamped Glass. Arguably Novum’s most simple yet easily adjustable structural glazing system can be implemented fully flush glazed or with small economical exposed caps. The glass is mechanically clamped at discreet points along its edges, as required to meet strength and deflection needs, and typically requires no notching or drilling. Panels can be oriented vertically, sloped or overhead and can be of almost any shape. The clamp readily accommodates any changes in surface angle of the two adjoining pieces of glass it is supporting and has the capability to accommodate transverse dead loads.

The clamp material is comprised of high grade aluminum and stainless steel components with silicone bearing pads. It is versatile to either laminated or insulating glass and has even been adapted for use in hurricane zones. The system can also be realized with continuous caps which still allow free flow of air on the interior surface of the glass, reducing maintenance difficulties and potential condensation.

Weatherproof glass joints are comprised of extruded silicone gaskets and wet silicone and have been used extensively and successfully for decades.

Applications include facades, canopies, domes, vaults, freeform surfaces and more.

Corner Clamped Glass. This structural glazing system supports glass panels at their corners. The clamps are stainless steel or aluminum depending on application and strength requirements. As with all our glazing systems, Novum fully designs the panels and fittings and the crucial integration with support structure to accommodate all movements and loads. The minimal corner support maximizes individual panel transparency but structurally means that glass panel sizes are limited to prevent prohibitively heavy makeups. The system requires the clamp be external to the outer glass surface.

Applications include facades where the clamp is designed to take both dead loads and wind loads. Glass panels are typically rectangular. The facade might be a cable wall, suspended girt or architectural steelwork. The system is very efficient where a squarer panel geometry is required or when making a segmented curve in plan with smaller panels.

Linear Supported Glass. This system is typically used where a demand for close coupled glass to structure occurs or when code or client requires a secondary back up to the silicone glass joint. An elegant continuous support aesthetic is achieved. The system is comprised of aluminum and silicone profiles with stainless fasteners mechanically connecting them to substructure. The profiles can be slightly elevated from or flush to the supporting structure. The elevated method reduces the need for very tight structural tolerances on the steel, simplifies angle changes at connections and improves air flow to reduce condensation traps. Hence, is functionally better and easier to maintain. The external glazing face can be flush or with caps. The system is designed to function on planar, and even freeform surfaces, and functions at all inclinations from vertical to horizontal.

Applications are typically in facades, sloped or overhead glazing. This system is more field labor and material intense than the ECG-System to achieve a different aesthetic and added function.

Walkway Surface Glass. Special translucent glass is structurally engineered to support all live and people loads. For safety, slip design is especially important as is structural redundancy which is provided by three layers of glass so that if one layer cracks the application remains safe temporarily. Translucency plays an important factor in the design, primarily for privacy, but also for exciting lighting effects that can be achieved by surface treatments of the panel or in the interlayers.

To resolve wear and slip resistance considerations, the slip surface can be etched, fritted or cast depending on client choice, preference and any local code needs. The triple laminated walkway glass is held by gaskets and/or fittings. Typically, the glass is supported by our AES-System and used indoors. Stair treads are single panels and normally support only at their ends.

Applications for this system include pedestrian walkways, bridges and staircases.

Aluminum Supported Glass. While Novum is better known for its extensive use of structural glazing, applications do occur where the more conventional glass as a cladding with aluminum profile support is technically suited or architecturally desirable.

Aluminum profiles are extruded hollow sections and sized to meet load criteria with spans typically under 5m (16’). These profiles are typically anodized, but for higher surface protection they can be powder coated.

The system can be provided with or without external caps and can be used vertically or inclined. Four-sided support glass is normal, but two-sided is possible with typical panels being trapezoidal or rectangular. Many entrances and vestibules are well suited to the system as a large range of door products are available which provide full seal enclosure. By comparison, frameless glass entries are not fully sealed by nature or rely on portals to enable conventional doors.

Applications include entryways, storefront, pitched skylights, larger grid spacetrusses and rectilinear planar applications.