Project Location:
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Glass Configuration:
10mm Clear Low-E Heat-Strengthened Glass + 30A + 8mm Clear Heat-Strengthened Insulated Glass Unit (IGU)
12mm Low-E Glass + 30A + 8mm Clear Glass + 1.52PVB + 8mm Clear Heat-Strengthened Laminated Insulated Glass Unit (IGU)
Maximum Glass Size:
8466mm × 2530mm
At Zhongbo Glass, our vision extends beyond China’s borders. We are proud to contribute our manufacturing excellence to one of the most ambitious aviation infrastructure projects in the Middle East: the Expansion of the H Concourse at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. This project demands glass that can withstand the extreme heat and intense solar radiation of the Saudi Arabian desert while providing a safe, comfortable, and visually expansive environment for millions of international travelers. We were selected as the glass manufacturer for this critical expansion, delivering two high-performance insulating glass configurations in jumbo sizes up to 8,466mm in length.
Our mandate was to supply glass that offers superior solar control, exceptional thermal insulation, and uncompromising safety — all within the vast, column-free spans of a modern airport terminal. To achieve this, we fabricated heat-strengthened insulating glass units (IGUs) featuring a 30mm air cavity, one of the widest commonly used in architectural glazing, and integrated laminated safety panels where required. Successfully delivering these panels to Riyadh is a testament to our world-class manufacturing, stringent quality control, and international logistics capability.
To address different zones within the concourse — from expansive facade areas to overhead glazing and impact-prone zones — we supplied two specialized glass configurations. Both utilize high-performance Low‑E coatings and a 30mm air cavity for maximum thermal insulation.
10mm Clear Low‑E Heat-Strengthened Glass / 30mm Air Cavity / 8mm Clear Heat-Strengthened Glass — Insulating Glass Unit (IGU)
This configuration provides an optimal balance of clarity, solar control, and structural economy for the main vision areas. The 10mm heat-strengthened outer pane carries a Low‑E coating on the #2 surface, reflecting a significant portion of the sun’s infrared heat while maintaining high visible light transmission. The 8mm heat-strengthened inner pane completes the IGU. The 30mm air cavity, sealed with a high-durability spacer, offers exceptional thermal resistance, drastically reducing heat transfer into the air-conditioned terminal.
12mm Low‑E Glass / 30mm Air Cavity / 8mm Clear Heat-Strengthened Glass + 1.52mm PVB + 8mm Clear Heat-Strengthened Glass — Laminated Insulating Glass Unit
For overhead glazing, canopies, and areas requiring enhanced safety, we supplied an IGU with a laminated inner panel. The outer pane is a 12mm Low‑E glass. The inner panel is a robust laminate: two 8mm clear heat-strengthened plies bonded with a 1.52mm PVB interlayer. In the event of glass breakage, the PVB interlayer holds the fragments securely in place, preventing any glass from falling into the passenger areas below — a critical life-safety requirement for busy airport terminals. The 30mm cavity and Low‑E coating ensure this safety panel also delivers the same high thermal performance.
The maximum glass panel size for this project reached an impressive 8,466mm in length by 2,530mm in width — a single insulating glass unit covering over 21 square meters. Panels of this magnitude are essential for creating the expansive, unobstructed views that define the modern airport experience. Each IGU, particularly the laminated variant, weighs several tonnes and requires perfect flatness, a uniform 30mm cavity, and a flawless hermetic seal to perform reliably for decades in Riyadh’s punishing climate.
At Zhongbo Glass, 8.4-meter IGUs with 30mm cavities are a proven product. This project reaffirms our ability to supply mega-scale architectural glass for the most demanding international applications.
The 10mm and 8mm heat-strengthened glass plies were processed on our super-jumbo flat tempering furnace using precisely controlled heating and cooling cycles. Heat-strengthening (semi-tempering) imparts twice the strength of annealed glass while avoiding the optical distortion and spontaneous breakage risk of fully tempered glass. For an airport terminal, where travelers look through the facade at aircraft and the horizon, this optical clarity is essential.
A 30mm air gap is significantly wider than the standard 12mm or 16mm, providing superior thermal insulation. However, it places greater demands on the perimeter seal’s structural stability and moisture resistance. Our automated IGU line used rigid, high-strength spacer bars and a dual-seal system (polyisobutylene primary seal and silicone secondary seal) applied by robotic applicators. Every unit was laser-aligned to maintain a perfectly uniform cavity width and then individually tested for dew point and seal integrity. The wide cavity, combined with the Low‑E coating, achieves an exceptionally low U‑value, reducing the cooling load on the airport’s HVAC system.
For Configuration B, we laminated the inner panel using a 1.52mm PVB interlayer in our climate-controlled cleanroom. The nip-roll pre-pressing and autoclave bonding process ensured a bubble‑free, fully adhered laminate that will perform reliably even when exposed to the indirect heat of the desert sun. The laminated panel was then seamlessly integrated into the IGU assembly.
Transporting fragile, multi-tonne, 8.46-meter glass panels from our factory in Henan to a construction site in Riyadh required a world-class logistics operation. We engineered custom, seaworthy transport stillages with full-surface support and multi-axis vibration dampening. The glass was shipped in sealed containers or on flat-rack frames, protected against humidity and physical shock during its long journey. Our export documentation and packaging met all international standards, ensuring every panel cleared customs and arrived on site dimensionally perfect, with zero transit damage.
The Expansion of the H Concourse at Riyadh Airport demonstrates the capabilities that make Zhongbo Glass a trusted international supplier:
Jumbo IGU Capacity with Wide Cavities: We routinely produce insulating glass units up to 13.5 meters in length, with cavity widths from 12mm to 30mm and beyond. Our wide-cavity technology delivers the superior thermal insulation required for extreme climates.
Heat-Strengthened Optical Quality: Our super-jumbo HS furnace delivers the distortion-free glass essential for premium architectural facades and passenger viewing areas.
Laminated Safety Glass Integration: We combine PVB and SGP laminated panels into our IGUs, providing fall-out protection for overhead and public-safety applications.
Proven Export and Logistics Expertise: We have the packaging, freight, and documentation experience to deliver jumbo glass safely to international destinations, including the Middle East.
Comprehensive Product Portfolio: From simple monolithic IGUs to complex triple-laminated structural fins, we offer a complete range of architectural glass under one roof. Our work on the Riyadh Airport H Concourse joins our extensive portfolio of landmark projects that includes the Chengdu Science and Technology Museum, the East Hall of Shanghai Museum, and the Embassy of the UAE. This demonstrates that Zhongbo Glass is not just a domestic leader — we are a global force in architectural glazing.
The Expansion of the H Concourse at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh will welcome the world with a luminous, comfortable, and safe environment — made possible in part by the advanced glass manufactured by Zhongbo Glass. We supplied 8,466mm × 2,530mm heat-strengthened insulating glass units with a 30mm air cavity and integrated PVB laminated safety panels, specifically engineered for the extreme conditions of Saudi Arabia. This project is a powerful testament to our ability to deliver world-class jumbo glass solutions to the global market, on time and to the highest international standards.
Contact Zhongbo Glass today to discuss your next international airport, commercial tower, or large-scale facade project. From standard IGUs to complex laminated configurations in super-jumbo sizes, our team is ready to be your manufacturing partner — wherever in the world your vision takes you.
