Off topic question, but I figured if I get any response on this, it is most likely from the S-class forum.

I'm installing glass garage doors on the house we are building and my builder has suggested I go for the tempered glass instead of the double pane, because he doesn't think the insulation benefit is necessary in a garage (even though it is is a built-in garage). Also apparently tinting double pane glass can causes the boron gas to leak and I am planning on tinting the doors since the factory tint is only 70%.

What is your experience with these? Any advice?

Does anyone here have glass garage doors? As in Aluminum and Glass like this:

 

Love that style door myself. Just built a garage here in Fla. and explored the glass look for the old style gas station garage theme. Garage is at one of my rental properties not my home. I was going to have to do impact glass to meet code, costs and timeline did not allow it. But I do have impact glass sliders at my home which are double pane. The panes are sealed along edge in urethane and I cannot see how tint would cause it to leak? Its sealed. I did have my sliders tinted last year and have had no issues through this last brutal summer. Personally I would contact the manufacture and do my own research. I would not give up the isulation benefit because a builders opinion was wrong or he did not understand how you intend to use the space. My garage is air conditioned and has an insulated door. Car guys are a different breed. We use a garages differently. I wash my car at the big garage, drive home to the man cave and pull in on a 95 degree day to an air conditioned garage, epoxy floors, white walls, and bright lights so I can detail, vacuum, and polish my car like a gentlemen. Neighbors think its insane. Car guys are different. Atlanta gets hot! Call the manufacture. If they offer impact glass, I would get it. It is a fantastic security feature. We get it for hurricanes, but it cant be broken easily preventing burglaries.

 

Are you going to spend time in the garage? If so, the double paned glass will keep it nicer in there. Double paned glass is tinted all the time, I would discuss with the window manufacturer and also with a professional residential/commercial tinting company.

 

From your question it sounds like the builder is giving you a choice between tempered glass or double pane glass. These options are not mutually exclusive.

I built my house 25 years ago with glass doors and windows comprising 75% of the outside walls. All doors/windows (including the garage) were custom fabricated on site with glass panes that are approximately 18" by 27" mounted using silicone in epoxy laminated wood frames. Yours appear to be about 24" by 36" - for all practical purposes the same. In Florida we are concerned with insulation (R value) and solar UV rejection. In Atlanta I would guess you have the same concerns most of the year. When looking into a window the first surface we see is "surface 1" while the back side of the glass is "surface 2". If the window is double pane the inside piece of glass has surfaces 3 and 4. If the window is coated it usually goes on surface 2.

All my windows are fabricated with double pane tempered glass - 1/4" on the outside and 1/8" on the inside. Building code here requires all windows below the 36" level be tempered. On surface 2 all windows are Low-E coated. Low-E rejects most UV sunlight and keeps the A/C load within reason. The glass is actually a better insulator than the concrete block wall with 2" of foamed in place insulation. My glass has a slight greenish-brown tint. There are many different degrees of clarity and tint available.

One of the advantages to using all tempered glass is security. A sledge hammer can not break my windows.... On the othere hand, I can't break a window to get out. Doors must be kept in working condition.

The double pane glass of 25 years ago is a totally different animal from today's. My original windows started to turn cloudy around the 15 year mark. About half have been replaced at this point. The new glass panels have improved silicone seals around the perimeter (originals not silicone) and are installed with much more flexible 3M silicone so when the doors flex the window seals do not break. At this point I can not say how long the glass will last, but it does not appear that they will cloud up anytime soon.

My suggestions for your application: (1) Use tempered glass. This is probably a requirement for the panes near the ground anyway. (2) Use double pane glass if the doors face east or west. This will greatly reduce heating from solar gain. (3) Use a Low-E coating. Small expense up front but A/C bills will make up for it fairly quickly - even if the garage is not heated or cooled, the air inside will be directly against the main structure. (4) Tint to match the windows in the house or to shield the contents from the street, as desired. (5) Specify the aluminum frame in the double pane glass assembly to be black or raw aluminum to match the aluminum door frame.

Most important: Have fun!

 

There are a number of glass garage doors like that near us. The look great on houses like the one in the picture. None of the doors here use double pane insulated glass.
I am surprised none of the vendors mentioned using laminated glass. That type of glass is used in some homes here in SoCal. Our house has all laminated glass windows and doors. They are very strong and quiet. The mylar between the two glass laminations provide a thermal break so the glass has a "u" value low enough to meet local codes in place of double pane windows. Most of our windows and doors have a tint film laminated between the panes but some bedroom and bath widows used a white frosted film for privacy. Likely you would want a similar film for the garage doors.
The laminated glass can be used wherever tempered is required and we had to notify the fire department it was installed because it is so difficult to break through.