PRL Architecture and Design Blog

Home / A high-elevation building may need solar control during the day, insulation through cold weather, and glazing that withstands the site’s wind loads. Insulating glass units also need attention to the difference between the elevation where they are fabricated and where they will be installed. For projects in Colorado,…

Home / A glass entry door can brighten a foyer, but it can also leave a hallway or living area visible from outside. The glazing affects heat transfer and solar heat gain as well, making its selection part of both the entrance design and the project’s performance requirements. When comparing…

Home / A desk beside a large window may receive enough daylight to work without overhead lighting, yet direct sunlight on a computer screen can make it difficult to read. Farther inside the same office, employees may still need electric lighting during the day. Both situations illustrate a challenge in…

Home / After a night of freezing temperatures, a commercial entrance door starts closing more slowly than usual. Employees notice that the latch doesn’t always engage, and water has frozen near the threshold. The door worked normally just a few weeks earlier. Winter can expose problems with commercial aluminum doors…

Home / Someone takes a call at their desk and needs to discuss a private matter. With coworkers just a few steps away, they look for a room where they can continue the conversation. Glass partitions help keep work areas open while creating separate rooms for meetings, calls, and focused…

Home / During a storm, wind pushes and pulls on windows, doors, and glazed façades while driving rain against their joints and seals. Glass panels and framing bend under those loads, and windborne debris may create an additional impact hazard. Selecting systems for these conditions requires attention to the complete…