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A quieter learning environment for the pupils of Francis Holland School

11 Jan 2016
Case study

Selectaglaze secondary glazing specialists aided in creating a warmer and more energy efficient environment at the Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park, London premises.

The Francis Holland School was founded in 1878 by the Reverend Canon Francis Holland, whose vision was to create a school where girls could be educated. Located opposite to Regent’s Park, Francis Holland School is still an independent day school for girls with a sterling academic reputation.

The purpose built Grade II Listed building was built in the 1900s, and has subsequently been extended over time to accommodate the changing needs for contemporary learning. This included buying the nearby Gloucester Arms when it went up for sale in 2005. The pub dates back to around 1880 and has been converted with care, keeping many of its historic features. It is now used as classrooms, which connect two ends of the building in what was originally a V-shape.

Like many older buildings, the timeworn windows were thermally inefficient and draughty. The old existing secondary glazing was unfit for purpose allowing noise to come in from outside. The need to create a quieter and warmer learning environment to help better concentration was essential. Selectaglaze worked alongside the building consultancy Team at Daniel Watney to create a solution using secondary glazing.

Secondary glazing is installed to the room side of the existing primary glazing. When there is a gap between the primary and secondary glazing of at least 100mm the sound level can be reduced to around 45dB.

The introduction of secondary glazing immediately increases the thermal retention of a building, and on this project Selectaglaze also used a 6mm toughed low-E glass which can enhance the U-value to around 1.95.

Thirty five secondary glazed units were installed in four different styles including the newly designed and manufactured series 15. This new horizontal sliding unit has a more robust, yet still slender frame, allowing for the discreet treatment of larger windows.

Melissa Kent at Daniel Watney remarked; “The client and I are happy with the end result. The new  series 15 is perfect for the school’s requirements, and I really appreciated Selectaglaze rearranging their schedule for the day of installation in order to accommodate the school’s needs”

Selectaglaze is the leading specialist in the design, manufacture and installation of secondary glazing. Established in 1966 and Royal Warrant holders since 2004, Selectaglaze has a wealth of experience in working on all building types from Listed to new build with all units made bespoke and tailored to each project.

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