Commercial Commentary

I’ve always been a proponent of the value that high-performance glass can bring to any space where people work and live. We’ve seen the evidence that access to natural light has significant benefits within interior environments, and we’ve seen the architectural trends that have sought to increasingly blend indoor and outdoor spaces.

Today, in a world that’s been reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, these kinds of glass solutions are perhaps more important than ever before. People around the world are spending more time in their own homes (be it within single family or multifamily dwellings), and work is being done to make public interiors less likely to promote viral spread. I believe the glass and glazing industry has an important role to play in creating safer, healthier indoor environments—not just as a response to this moment, but for the long term.

Here’s one example: according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ensuring proper natural ventilation in homes and other building interiors can help reduce the airborne spread of contaminants, including viruses.

“When used along with other best practices (such as social distancing, frequent hand washing and surface disinfection) recommended by the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)], increasing ventilation can be part of a plan to protect yourself and your family,” the EPA notes.

For this reason, I think we could see natural ventilation become increasingly desirable in all sorts of structures. But while glass used in commercial applications is often of the high-performance variety, panes are commonly inoperable. Will greater awareness about viral mitigation spur an increased demand for natural ventilation in spaces where it traditionally hasn’t existed? It’s possible. When we consider the long-term impacts this pandemic will have on how people broadly think about transmitting bacteria and viruses, I think there will be some deep considerations made on how we can make all of our interior spaces safer and healthier.

The good news is that the technology that can help make this possible already exists. High-performance commercial window systems with varying modes of operability (tilt/turn, casement, awning, hopper, etc.) are available, and they’re worth consideration by forward-thinking commercial fenestration professionals.

Elsewhere, fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels are common factors that can negatively impact interior environments. When it comes to protecting homes, families, businesses and employees, finding the right indoor humidity levels can be a challenge—but it can be better controlled with the right kinds of glass and glazing technology. It’s been shown that viruses can more easily spread through cold, dry air. Meanwhile, when interior humidity rises, moisture and differences in temperatures between indoor and outdoor environments can cause condensation to build up on the glass—potentially leading to mold growth. For these reasons, the CDC recommends keeping relative humidity in homes and buildings between 30% and 50% year-round. High-performance glass and framing materials that offer less heat transfer and condensation build-up can help reduce mold-causing moisture around the window edge, contributing to better air quality overall.

These are, of course, just a few of the benefits high-performance glass can deliver for buildings everywhere, and I firmly believe that this pandemic will have some long-term impacts on how we conceive our interior spaces. The commercial glass industry has the responsibility to respond and adapt to these changes—and I’m confident we’ll be able to do so successfully.

Joe Erb is commercial sales specialist for Quanex Building Products.

It’s hard to pay attention to much else but the COVID-19 outbreak these past couple of weeks. It’s an unprecedented situation and, as such, there’s plenty of uncertainty in the industry at the moment.

My advice: Control what you can control. Stay informed through credible sources. Do what’s within your power to follow the guidance that’s been provided by our institutions to stay safe and healthy.

With that said, much of our industry’s work isn’t possible to perform remotely. Whether it’s building high-quality products on shop floors or installing high-performance glazing on new buildings, this all involves people in physical locations doing physical tasks. OSHA recently provided guidance on how to stay safe and healthy in these situations.

What else can we do at a time like this? How can we best prepare our businesses for an uncertain future? And what opportunities might there be for us to take advantage of? Here are some things to think about:

Be adaptable. I wrote recently about the importance of being resilient and adaptable as an organization, to best succeed in evolving market conditions. Code changes, shifting design trends and the availability of new technology can all impact the way we do business, and there’s no doubt that our current situation is pretty fluid. Adaptability will be key—if your company culture has prioritized this trait, it’ll come in handy now. Processes will need adjusting, job priorities may shift and we’ll need to roll with the punches as best we can.

Make the most of your time. As of this writing, much of the building and construction industry is operating under a “business as usual” philosophy. Many jobsites haven’t slowed, according to Construction Dive—major pauses have so far been the exception. But that could change, and the commercial glass industry could be facing some downtime.

We can make the most of it. Maybe it’s time to catch up on some critical maintenance tasks on the shop floor. You could work on training for employees. Take a closer look at your strategic plan. Whatever it is, you can likely find some means of strengthening your business in some way.

Keep in communication. Maintaining clear lines of communication with your customers, vendors and suppliers is always important, but especially during periods of uncertainty. Make sure you’re checking in with all stakeholders regularly to talk through how you can continue to support each other. And though we might be limited in our abilities to connect face to face for a little while, there are plenty of other ways we can connect with technology. Consider a video chat instead of a phone call, for example.

No matter what the next few months bring with them, I know that the commercial glass industry has always been resilient. We’ll come through this on the other side together.

Joe Erb is commercial sales specialist with Quanex Building Products.  

Throughout history, architecture has been a reflection of the times. In ancient Egypt, builders defied what was possible by building grand pyramids that served as tombs for kings. Roman architecture combined artful arches with thick, fortified walls. In the 1920s and 1930s, Art Deco featured flares of drama that marked the Jazz Age.

With each passing era, there has been a combination of art and utility. Today is no different.

Hectic lifestyles and a growing concern for the natural environment have led us to architecture that is not only more efficient and sustainable, but also blurs the line between the tranquility of the outdoors and our indoor work and living spaces.

Defined as “a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with other forms of life in nature,” biophilia is a trend that has made its way into buildings and homes throughout the world. All one needs to do is walk a building and construction tradeshow or turn on a home improvement channel to witness the large lites of glass capable of bringing the outdoors in.

Why? People crave light and a greater connection to nature—and with good reason. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that we spend just 7% of our time outdoors, and the rest is spent in buildings or cars. In our daily lives, we are separated from the outside world, which can lead to negative effects on our physical and emotional health.

The building and construction industry has taken notice and is reacting to the data.

Seeking Health and Happiness

One third-party study conducted by a professor at Cornell University for View looked specifically at the health benefits of adding dynamic glass that optimizes natural light in spaces, while reducing solar heat gain and glare. The results from 313 office workers revealed 56% less drowsiness, 63% fewer headaches and 51% less eyestrain.

The same study also showed that workers with access to outside views and natural light were 2% more productive—the equivalent of an additional $100,000 of annual value for every 100 workers.

Another study detailed in Harvard Business Review placed access to natural light and views of the outdoors as the No. 1 desire for 1,614 North American workers. Forty-seven percent of employees surveyed felt not having access to natural light made them feel tired, and 43% said lack of light made them feel gloomy at work. On the flipside, proximity to natural elements, such as greenery and sunlight, was associated with a 15% increase in well-being and creativity, and 6% higher productivity.

Access to natural light clearly has merits when it comes to health and well-being, but studies have revealed that it can also lead to higher rent premiums, improved lease renewal rates and increased occupant satisfaction. The many benefits have led to most national and international green rating and certification programs adding health and well-being credits to their criteria.

Biophilia Here to Stay?

All the signs point to biophilia as being more than a passing ideal and Forbes agreed in an article from last year that cited it as a trend that is here to stay. In my opinion, it’s a sign of the times, and biophilia might just be the defining style that marks this era in the history of architecture.

But how do you accomplish true biophilic design? For further reading, I recommend this

article by the General Services Administration that lists elements in detail. Some aspects include:

• Views of living nature, such as trees, water, flowers, fish tanks and koi ponds;
• Use of natural materials, such as wood and stone; AND
• Variations in sounds, light, color, temperature and air movement.

Questions or comments? Email me directly at joe.erb@quanex.com.