SerraLux, a leading global daylighting technology company with offices in the US and Europe, has installed its SerraGlaze daylight redirecting window film in six Las Vegas charter schools. The company says this move signals the start of its expansion into the education space.
SerraGlaze redirects natural daylight deeper into classrooms and other architectural spaces, reducing the need for artificial lighting and cutting electricity bills. It is reported that increased natural daylight has been shown to improve student performance, well being and overall levels of concentration.
A study by Heschong Mahone found that students in daylighted classrooms progress 20% faster on math tests and 26% faster on reading tests than students in classrooms with the least amount of daylight.
The first five schools were completed in September 2015, and an additional school was completed in January 2016. SerraLux has also been asked to quote three additional Las Vegas schools.
If installed in all nine schools, SerraGlaze is expected to save the schools up to $60,000 in energy costs annually, 450,000 kilowatt hours in electricity usage annually, and 312 tons of carbon dioxide annually. SerraGlaze was specified by the schools’ architectural firm and there is expected to be a simple payback on energy savings in less than five years.
Bob Ford, CEO of SerraLux, said: “There is a growing consensus among all parts of the education industry – from architects to teachers – that natural lighting is essential to a productive classroom environment. Numerous studies have indicated that students learn faster and retain the learning longer when the classrooms have effective natural daylighting.
“SerraGlaze will pay for itself within five years through energy savings and thereafter the savings on electricity bills will be a welcome boost to school budgets. We are delighted to have worked with these forward-looking, dynamic Las Vegas schools. I’m proud that SerraLux has played a part in making their classrooms a more welcoming and learning-conducive environment for students.”
