Cool for school
Prestige Windows has replaced 380m2 of glazing at West Midlands based Ridge Primary School and Gig Mill Primary School with Pilkington Suncool 70/35 solar control glass.
Pilkington Suncool 70/35 is designed to help keep buildings at a comfortable temperature without compromising on natural light.
In the warmer months, it can prevent overheating by reflecting the sun’s heat and when the weather is colder, its thermal insulation properties help to keep heat in, with a Ug-value of 1.0 W/m2K.
The project was commissioned by Dudley Council as it required a solution that could create a cool and comfortable learning environment without adding to energy bills.
The window replacement work was carried out in areas of the schools that are most at risk of overheating.
The solar control glass was installed in Ridge Primary School’s assembly hall, entrance corridor, offices, staff room and ICT suite – totalling 110m2 of glass.
More than 180m2 of Pilkington Suncool glass was also used at Gig Mill School, replacing glass in the nursery, corridors, and toilets, with careful attention taken in reducing the amount of sun glare experienced by the young nursery pupils.
Mark Chenery, project manager at Dudley Council, said: “We are incredibly pleased with the work undertaken. The attention to detail in creating a workable like-for-like replacement of windowpanes across both projects has really been appreciated.
“The project has helped bring extra comfort to both Ridge Primary and Gig Mill School, providing a much better learning environment than previously, when the buildings suffered from overheating in summer and substantial heat loss in the winter.”
Adrian Parker, regional sales manager for Central UK at Pilkington UK said: “Schools represent 36% of all public sector emissions, with £630 million spent annually on energy. So, they increasingly need to find more energy efficient ways for striking the optimal temperature for learning as we edge closer to the net-zero deadline.”
