Project news: Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes to feature PPG glass

PPG Industriesofficials announced, April 11, that the Center for Sustainable Landscapes--under construction on the campus of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh--will include Sungate 500 Starphire glass and Solarban 60 Starphire glass. The two architectural glasses were selected for characteristics that will help the center become one of the world’s first certified “living” buildings, according to a PPG release.

“One of the key aspects of glass selection is to balance the solar heat gain coefficient against the visible light transmittance to get the best overall performance,” saidChris Minnerly, principal of The Design Alliance Architects, who specified the glass. “The glass assemblies have to have the best UV transmission in certain light spectrums to facilitate the growth of plants,” he said in the release.

Minnerly specified two triple-pane insulating glass units to meet performance requirements in different parts of the building. Sungate 500 Starphire glass will be installed above the sunshade and light shelves, while Solarban 60 Starphire glass will be used below.