26 | SCHOOL PLANT MANAGER MAGAZINE | SUMMER 2026 T o keep school buildings safe, facilities managers need to keep track of an ever-changing array of products, standards, and code requirements. Windows are no exception. Despite the proven benefits of daylight and views of the outdoors on student performance, glass creates vulnerable points in the building envelope. Manufacturers have produced dozens of window and glass products designed to strengthen school facilities against intruders. Because there’s so many options on the market, it’s important that decision makers can come prepared to make informed decisions for their district. I’ve spent several years working with districts to design safer schools. In my experience, the following are the most important distinctions between types of glass. This information will help you choose the most appropriate, and cost- effective, solutions for your schools. Types of Glass Architectural glass comes in three categories, based on how the glass behaves when it breaks. • Annealed Glass • The oldest, and most basic, style of glass. • Breaks into large, extremely sharp shards. • Because broken pieces can cause severe injuries, building codes have strict rules about where you can put annealed glass. Clearing Up Security Glass By: Breanna Kolk, AIA, Bond Architects, Inc • Tempered Glass • Breakable, but instead of big shards, it shatters into small pebble- like pieces. • Used in car windows, because it can be punched out during an emergency escape without injuring occupants. • Higher levels of safety, and more complex to produce, compared to annealed glass. • Laminated Glass • Glass bonded with a polycarbonate layer. • If glass breaks, the polycarbonate holds everything together in one piece. • Used in car windshields. • More complex to produce than tempered glass. With each increasing level of complexity in manufacturing come higher costs and longer lead times. Safety Glass vs. Security Glass • Safety glass refers to glass that has been treated so that it doesn’t break into large, sharp shards, which can cause severe injuries to building occupants. Safety glass can be either tempered or laminated glass. • Security glass refers specifically to certain types of laminated glass, because it means that an intruder won’t be able to immediately break a hole through the glass. All security glass is laminated glass, but not all laminated glass is security glass. Because it’s laminated, and holds together instead of breaking into sharp shards, all security glass is also safety glass. But not all safety glass is security glass — to successfully keep out an intruder, the glass needs to stay in one piece. Bullet-Resistant vs. Intruder-Resistant Within security glass, there are two main categories. One stops bullets, the other stops people. • Bullet-resistant glass does not let a bullet pass through the glass. These types of glass are incredibly strong but are much more expensive. Understanding industry terms to choose safe, secure glass for your campus ADA Room Signs Made Easy www.indoxservices.com | 314.633.4800 stlorders@indoxservices.com • ADA/Braille Room ID Signs • Match Existing Signage • Custom Colors and Sizes • Windows for Paper Inserts • Rebrand or Refresh as Needed Figure 1 — All laminated glass and tempered glass are safety glass, but not all safety glass is security glass.
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