When evaluating material surfaces in buildings, there are a wide variety of characteristics that should be considered such as durability, haptics, aesthetics, performance, and cleanability. One key factor is the impact on occupant health and safety in terms of air quality, daylighting, and pathogen longevity on surfaces. Glass is an inherently durable and highly sought-after building material for combination of properties like transparency, durability, ease-to-clean, and structural properties. By treating the glass surfaces of a building windows with an antiviral and anti-bacterial coating, the interior quality of the building can be greatly enhanced. The built environment can be improved by inactivating pathogens after contact with an activated coating surface which leads to reduced pathogen exposure risk. These specialized coatings can also promote NOx and VOC reductions which improve indoor air quality. Surface contact risk can also be greatly minimized by improving cleanliness of the interior building surfaces and reducing pathogen presence. By understanding the potential benefits provided by specialty glass applications, the window design can be adjusted to maximize occupant health considerations while still achieving the design criteria.

Photo courtesy of Pilkington North America