Design intent and security: How to balance the two with security glazing systems

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"],["i"],["a",["href","https:\/\/obe.com\/security-glazing-systems\/","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","http:\/\/www.obe.com\/","target","_blank"]],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"AIA partner Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope explains security standards and options for common threats to schools, offices, and other projects."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"There are glazing performance standards for a home in Florida to protect it from hurricane impact, yet there is no standard for glazing system performance if a shooter attempts to use force to enter the elementary school next door. While some guidance exists for government buildings, education, retail, healthcare, and office buildings lack codes or standards that protect occupants and contents. This leaves building owners and design teams on their own to navigate security glazing and how much is the right amount. This decision has a large impact on the design and cost of a building. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Starting with design intent, architects can address safety through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), incorporating passive and active security through design. This can include glazing to provide both sightlines for passive supervision and natural lighting that creates more inviting and engaging spaces to learn, work, and play. This glazing, however, needs to consider the level of security required \u2014 whether to resist bullets, opportunistic intruders, bombs, or other threats. These solutions need to be balanced against the building\u2019s intended purpose, the project\u2019s budget, and the need for these different levels of security."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[0],1,"Security glazing options"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Various kinds of laminated glass, made up of two layers of glass bonded with an interlayer that holds the glass together after impact, are available for protection against different threat levels: "]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"Bomb: Blast-resistant glazing will limit glass shards in the interior and mitigate harm to people at or near the blast site. When properly designed, framed, and anchored, blast-resistant glazing is\ncapable of maintaining the integrity of the building envelope following an\nexplosion and reducing interior damage. "]],[[0,[],0,"Bullet: There is no such thing as \u201cbulletproof\u201d glass. Bullet-resistant glazing is laminated glass, or glass with exposed polycarbonate, comprised of multiple layers that is required to be installed in a bullet-resistant frame rated to the same level as the glass. The glass layers deform and stop projectiles. There are various levels of bullet resistance that define the type of\nweapon, caliber of bullet, and number of shots the glazing has to stop."]],[[0,[],0,"Forced entry: Forced entry-resistant glazing is laminated glass, or glass clad polycarbonate, with multiple layers to slow the passage of objects or intruders. This should be installed in a frame that meets the same security requirements as the laminate so intruders cannot dislodge the glass from the frame to gain access, allowing law enforcement time to arrive to mitigate the threat. "]]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Forced entry is in many security conversations because of the volume of school incidents and the proliferation of \u201csmash and grab\u201d robberies. This can be a shooter that is attempting to shoot the glass to access a building or a burglar attempting to use a baseball bat, hammer, or other readily available tool to enter a building and commit a smash and grab robbery. In these instances, the perpetrator is repeatedly trying to impact the glass to fit through the opening or trying to remove the broken glass out of its frame to gain entry. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[0],1,"Glazing systems "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The frame system is a critical component in forced entry scenarios. In the first instance above, laminated glass would have been penetrated by the bullet but the glass would not shatter, and it would have stayed in the frame. There would have been a span of time that the shooter continued to attempt to shoot out the window, precious minutes that would allow first responders to get to the site. And in the case of the smash and grab, if someone hits glass five times with a baseball bat and the glass won\u2019t break to allow passage or come out of the frame, that person could very well decide to move on to another, easier target. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cThere is value in assuring the glass and frame are tested to the same standard,\u201d explained Kristin Nolan, director of product support for Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. \u201cThe best frame doesn\u2019t do any good if the glass breaks out of the frame, and glass that is tested to not fail for several minutes won\u2019t matter if the seam between glass and frame breaks apart before that time. Therefore, an entire system that can be tested and validated is going to offer the best protection.\u201d "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The glazing industry has long understood this for glass and has standards, like ASTM F1233 designed to test glass for forced-entry resistance. It now recognizes the importance of the frame in the system and the National Glass Association (NGA) has worked with its industry partners and ASTM International to develop a new, third-party, forced entry standard, ASTM F3561, for glazing products that requires the glass and framing system to be tested together, helping lead the industry to better standardization across products. Existing standards like ASTM E2395, "],[0,[1],1,"Standard Specification for Voluntary Security Performance of Window and Door Assemblies with Glazing Impact, "],[0,[],0,"have played a critical role to date, filling the gap for a complete system test that incorporates glass and frame to ensure performance. A variety of other tests from ASTM, UL, and WMFL are also available, making the world of testing a labyrinth to navigate if you are not sure what you need for a project."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[0],1,"Navigating solutions"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The circumstances that surround the need for security glazing can be emotional and difficult; however, AIA as well as companies like Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope offer resources to help architects and building owners understand what role different design elements like security glazing play, the performance testing standards available, and how to apply these solutions to their projects. Continuing education courses help prepare architects for the conversation, while counsel during the design phase will help owners focus on how much security is needed. For example, perhaps forced-entry glazing systems are only required for the first floor."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The proper amount and application of security glazing can then be wedded with the preferred design aesthetic and\/or energy performance, whether it\u2019s oversized glass or a branded screen-printed design. Today\u2019s most secure glazing systems can accommodate beautiful designs without sacrificing peace of mind. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"Learn about Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope\u2019s"],[0,[0],1," "],[0,[1,2],2,"security glazing and systems"],[0,[],0," "],[0,[1],0,"and the industry\u2019s most comprehensive collection of glazing-focused interior and exterior products and services at "],[0,[3],1,"obe.com"],[0,[],1,". "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[4],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]]]}