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The severity of hurricanes and tornadoes in North America in recent years seems to have increased. Although storms vary in number, size, and intensity, continuing construction is occupying more land surface and raising the likelihood of a direct hit on a portion of the population.
As a building material, glass block is durable, sustainable, fireproof, and an excellent insulator. The material’s transparent nature offers superior energy efficiency while admitting light and muffling most of the sound from outside. By itself, as the primary cladding for new construction, glass block’s beauty and functionality have contributed to its growth as an essential building component throughout the world.
You may be asking yourself, can glass blocks be used outside? Because of its unique inherent qualities, glass block is also important in other, less traditional applications for construction. One unique application has been the implementation of glass block is outdoor wind or rainscreens. This glass block application has proven an effective solution for protecting buildings from driving rain and accumulated moisture. Glass block is now offered in multiple different patterns, styles, and shapes, making it the perfect customizable glass component to add to any design.
Glass may look delicate, but GBA Structural Glass for walkways and stairs is rugged and durable, capable of handling weight and impact just as well as any other building material. The effect of glass walkways and stairs is both dramatic and elegant, allowing light into otherwise dark areas and creating interesting visual effects within the space. We can customize glass flooring designs to meet any requirement with our Structural Glass flooring. Most people desire natural light in every room, but are unable to achieve this goal. The addition of an interior glass floor is perfect for rooms where the floor plan does not allow for windows or natural light. Internal glass floors allow the light to penetrate downwards, opening up the space to a brighter and more natural aura.
As the debate over safety and security in schools continues and the search for solutions continues, school officials and construction engineers are looking for answers to reconfigure access, redesign interior floorplans, and introduce measures to protect students from armed intrusion. Since the Columbine attacks in Colorado in 1999, over 275 school shootings have been reported. While some of these incidents were accidental gun discharges, events such as Sandy Hook Elementary (CT), Parkland (FL), Red Lake (MN), and so many more have left 250 students and teachers dead and many more wounded.
It is no secret that vandals tend to attempt to break into homes and businesses through basement windows. Usually, these are less conspicuous locations on the building, and the windows are at “ground level,” which makes them far more accessible to break and enter. Furthermore, owners may not notice a broken basement window has been damaged as quickly as other windows in the building.
Glass block as a construction material has gained considerable interest from designers and architects in recent years. Used as an aesthetically pleasing cladding to create award-winning buildings around the world, architects and interior designers have found that glass block and glass brick offer many practical and functional advantages that other building materials do not. Light admission and diffusion, transparency, beauty, strength, durability, and sustainability are principal motivators for using modern glass block for interior and exterior structures.
A tornado may occur anywhere at any time although some areas of the country are more prone than others. Tornadoes commonly occur in the central high plains of the United States to many eastern states from Colorado to Ohio and Georgia. Incredibly destructive storms have leveled buildings and towns outside this region, as well.
The time is near when homeowners in hurricane-prone areas should begin to think about protecting their families, homes, and property. Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 26 to June 1, is the perfect time to take action to safeguard everything around you to minimize the potential for damage.
Daylighting design strategies pertain to managing the admittance of natural light in the form of direct or diffused sunlight into a home or building. With the strategic use of skylights, windows, and glass block, artificial lighting requirements can be reduced without compromising heating and cooling capability.
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