Heat and glare for Schools
10 April 2008
Under the £45billion Building for Schools (BfS) initiative the Government plans to refurbish or rebuilt many schools in the country.
But for the majority of students in educational buildings not benefiting from new buildings, the students will be left disadvantaged.
Left: Glass lets through more than 90% of the sun’s rays.
A classic example is glazing and windows. This is not just a cosmetic matter as pupils in some schools will benefit from the latest technology in solar control glass whilst others will have to put up with excess heat and glare. Who can say what affect heat and glare is having on students in educational establishments where reflective computers and whiteboards are extensively used? Some students will study and take exams in ideal conditions whilst others may at best be have to endure a lottery of blinds.
Transmitted heat and glare can cause serious problems. In one hour a person gives of about 8W of heat energy per square metre, similar to a computer, whereas a window representing 40% of wall space on a South facing elevation can transmit 63W of heat to a square metre of floor space. Research from the USA, albeit a bit dated and measured on adults, found that productivity reduced by 40% at 75°F compared to 68°F.
The irony is that a simple solution exists which can be installed with little disruption to ongoing activity. Modern high-technology solar control window films have better solar control properties than those available from any glass and can filter out up to 75% of transmitted glare and heat.
The one underlying nagging thought is: why do schools allow heat and glare to travel through glass in the first place? Why not use window film to filter this out if, as has been proven, the saving in energy consumption will mean the application will pay for itself over time. And, if it the application has a measurable pay-back, how can we justify not offering this benefit to the students in the majority of educational buildings that will not, in the foreseeable future, benefit from the BfS programme?
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- 13/03/2008 - The problems with windows
- 08/01/2008 - Found in thousands of schools but is window film being used to maximum effect? Part 3.
- 08/01/2008 - Found in thousands of schools but is window film being used to maximum effect? Part 2.
- 08/01/2008 - Found in thousands of schools but is window film being used to maximum effect? Part 1.
