Guardian SunGuard Helps Transform a Cereal Museum Into an Educational Laboratory

Designed to help educate talented high school students from 16 neighboring school districts and allow for the design, manufacture and distribution of science-related curriculum materials, the 64,000-sq.-ft. building is an adaptive reuse learning and distribution facility.TowerPinkster Architects used a variety of materials to redevelop the agrarian aesthetic of a cereal museum, including Guardian SunGuard SNR 43 on CrystalGray and SunGuard SuperNeutral 68.



SunGuard SNR 43 on CrystalGray makes up the front-and-center glass curtain wall. The glazing’s 31 percent visible light transmission and ultra-low 0.20 solar heat gain coefficient made it an ideal choice for the “greenhouse” part of the project. SunGuard SuperNeutral 68 was specified for the perimeter of the building, which has a high 68 percent VLT and a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.38.



Different glazings provide a range of visible light transmission and optimal thermal performance to help HVAC systems better manage energy performance, as well as provide comfort and all the benefits of natural light to the students and other building occupants.



“Guardian glass played a very important role in helping us achieve our design goals,” says Matt Slagle, Senior Design Architect with TowerPinkster, the lead architect on the project. “Its neutral appearance allows for the seamless transition from the building’s original form, the former Cereal City USA Museum, to a state-of-the-art school.”



Guardian SunGuard advanced architectural glass and Glass Analytics provide facade solutions that allow architects and designers to explore the aesthetic and functional possibilities of building with light while meeting complex energy, daylighting and LEED requirements. For more information, visit www.sunguardglass.com.



About Guardian Industries Corp.:



Guardian is a diversified global manufacturing company headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, with leading positions in float glass, fabricated glass products and other building products for commercial, residential and automotive applications. Its automotive trim group, SRG Global Inc., is one of the world’s largest suppliers of advanced, high value coatings on plastics. Through its Science & Technology Center, Guardian is at the forefront of innovation including development of high performance glass coatings and other advanced products. Guardian, its subsidiaries and affiliates employ 17,000 people and operate facilities throughout North America, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Visit www.guardian.com.



SunGuard is a registered trademark of Guardian Industries Corp.