In a white paper titled “The Benefits of Glass: A Literature Review on the Qualitative Benefit of Glass on Building Occupants,” Guardian Industries, along with the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, concluded that the use of glass as a building material positively impacts learning, healing, productivity and well-being, according to a Sept. 24 Guardian release.
Guardian and the University compiled research on the occupational, physical, psychological, economic and social benefits related to daylighting and outside views, as well as other non-energy-related benefits of exterior glass, by looking at evidence of improved learning and test scores, reduced hospital stays and increased patient comfort, and reduced absenteeism among the variety of positive impacts of glass on workers, patients, students and consumers, according to the release.
“An important goal for sustainable buildings is not only the ability to save energy and preserve our natural resources, but also the ability to design and build healthy, productive environments,” said Chris Dolan, director, commercial glass marketing, in the release. “Having an extensive qualitative analysis of these studies encourages those of us in the glass industry, the architectural and design community and building owners and managers to have a conversation about all the benefits of glass as a building material.”
The majority of research investigated—peer-reviewed articles, industry-specific books, government-sponsored resource websites and a number of earlier literature reviews completed on similar topics—dates from 1999 onward and identifies both the state of current knowledge in this area, as well as gaps and opportunities for further work.
