Low-Emissivity Glass from Vitro Architectural Glass Plays a Vital Role in Biophilic Design
PITTSBURGH, January 9, 2024 – As North America’s largest glass manufacturer, whose products are the most specified brand of commercial glass in the industry, Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) recognizes the vital role its low emissivity (low-e) glass plays in contemporary architecture and building construction, particularly the growing trend of biophilic design.
The Spheres, Amazon’s glass-domed headquarters in downtown Seattle, was constructed with Solarban® 60 and Starphire Ultra-Clear® glasses by Vitro Architectural Glass. The Spheres features five floors of meeting, relaxation and collaborative space, and contains terraces, a waterfall, river features and a forest garden consisting of more than 40,000 plants. (Photography: Bruce Damonte)
The DPR Sacramento Zero Net Energy Office in California features Solarban®70 glass by Vitro Architectural Glass. Considered one of the city's most environmentally sustainable buildings, DPR has positioned the office as a “Living Lab” for wellness, eco-friendly, and biophilic design.
Biophilic design is an approach that incorporates elements of nature and natural environments into built environments. The growing practice of biophilic design in architecture is about maintaining a connection to nature and light through a building. Such steps include increasing daylighting, incorporating indoor plants and water, and providing natural views. Glass is the most popular transparent building material used in contemporary architecture and construction, making it an optimal choice for biophilic design.
“Occupant health and wellness continues to be a top priority for architects, and we’ve seen a growing number of biophilic strategies being incorporated into retrofits and new designs,” said Annissa Flickinger, Manager, Architectural Market Development East Region, Vitro Architectural Glass. “Vitro’s industry-leading low-e solutions are an ideal choice for biophilic design because they enable optimal daylighting, energy efficiency, and thermal insulation performance, which complement the philosophy behind biophilic design and support the inclusion of views of nature.”
Glass is also an ideal effective material for making interior spaces private without closing off views to exteriors and each other, allowing for separate spaces that are engaging yet hygienic in a pandemic-era world.
With more businesses and organizations requiring workers to return to the office, biophilic design will play a significant role in designing future workplaces to help attract workers and support worker satisfaction and overall performance.
For more information about Vitro Architectural Glass products, visit www.vitroglazings.com or call 1-855-VTRO GLS (887-6457).
About Vitro Architectural Glass
Vitro Architectural Glass, part of Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: VITROA), is the largest glass producer in the Western Hemisphere, manufacturing a range of industry-leading, energy-efficient, high-performance products such as Solarban®, Sungate® and Starphire Ultra-Clear® glasses. Committed to continually raising the industry standard for sustainability, Vitro was the first U.S. glass manufacturer to have its complete collection of architectural glass products earn Cradle to Cradle Certified® status and the first North American manufacturer to publish third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for flat glass and processed glass products. Additionally, as of April 2024, all Vitro architectural glass products meet the Top 20% Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) material Global Warming Potential (GWP) threshold the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) established pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and related guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Vitro operates seven glass production facilities across North America, four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada and one of the world’s largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit VitroGlazings.com.
Media Contact:
Robert J. Struble
Vitro Architectural Glass
412-820-8138
rstruble@vitro.com
www.vitroglazings.com