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CONTACT:
Jeff Krakoff, (412) 434-7718
Krakoff Communications, Inc.
Bob DeGusipe, (724) 327-6100
Pittsburgh Corning Corporation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 10, 2000
More Sunlight, Increased School Safety: Both Possible?
Students with more daylight in their classrooms progress faster in reading and math - 26 percent faster on reading tests and 20 percent on math tests - than students with the least amount of daylight, according to the results of a recent study involving 21,000 students in three states. But, does adding more windows to increase the amount of daylight coming into classrooms also increase security risks and contribute to vandalism? It may, if the windows are the traditional single, or even double-pane type. Which is why many school administrators are turning to solid glass block windows in new buildings or as a replacement in existing structures.
Solid glass block transmits 80 percent of available light coming into a classroom. At the same time, it can take a whole lot of abuse. Thrown rocks bounce off its surface and spray paint wipes off with a strong cleaner. It even stands up to the impact of a bullet fired from a .357 magnum revolver, a 9mm handgun, or from a 30.06 caliber high-
powered rifle, according to independent tests ordered by the nation's sole manufacturer of glass block, Pittsburgh Corning Corporation.
And, while glass block may cost more initially, in the long run it can actually save money for a school district - and taxpayers. When glass block is used, one subcontractor can install the entire wall, including the windows. Problems with coordinating delivery and construction schedules are eliminated, and so are delays in construction, which can add considerable costs to the overall project. Once in place, if a glass block in a window happens to get broken, it's simple and much less expensive to replace the broken block instead of the entire window.
The daylighting study on reading and math test scores was commissioned by a West Coast utility, was conducted over the course of a school year, and actually focused on skylights. But skylights can leak if they are not installed properly and, besides, cutting holes in the school roof may not be the most practical way to increase the amount of light coming into classrooms, especially in a school with multiple levels and lots of classrooms.
Solid glass block, then, offers a solution to the design problem of how to increase the amount of natural light in a classroom without providing more opportunities for break-ins and vandalism…and in a cost-effective manner that ought to appeal to most school board members and other school administrators.
Architects like glass block because it's aesthetically pleasing. Used as an exterior non-loadbearing glass wall, it allows outside light to pass through during the day, and lights classrooms like no other solid partition can. After dark, light from inside the building casts a warm glow on nearby outdoor surroundings, and also adds a little more light outside for security purposes.
Talk to your local school officials about using glass block in new buildings, or in renovation projects. Building security won't be compromised. If anything, the solid glass block windows should make the building even more secure. And, you just may see some dramatic improvement in student reading and math performances, too!
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