Gold glass cuts energy expenses

The recently inaugurated Las Vegas Mirage Hotel is equipped with a device to reduce air-conditioning and heating costs, according to a report by The Gold Institute in Washington, D.C. In the summer, Mirage’s 350,000 sq. ft. of exterior gold-coated glass reflect off 92% of solar heat. In the winter, the gold glass bounces internal heat back into the rooms, retaining warmth within the building. Had ordinary glass been used instead, Mirage would have required an air-conditioning plant about eight times larger than the one installed in the Mirage.

The Royal Bank Tower in Toronto, Ont., is also shielded by gold-coated glass, to save energy expenses.