Security is a paramount concern for any business owner, small and large. They want to protect their assets and sensitive information from the elements and thieves, and they want their workers to operate in a peaceful environment to improve business success.
Over the years, commercial space building materials have changed to address security concerns. But one has managed to stay afloat: commercial glass. Using glass in a business provides benefits beyond aesthetics. The glass allows more light into a building, improves the curb appeal, and reduces energy costs, among other things.
In this article, we’ll discuss how business owners can ensure security and peace of mind using commercial glass. We’ll discuss the importance of security in commercial spaces and provide information to help get the best type for a secure and welcoming space.
Importance of Security and Peace of Mind in Commercial Spaces
Before we look at how glass for commercial use can help secure a business space, let’s look at why a business needs to provide secure and peaceful environments.
Property Protection
Businesses must protect their assets, equipment and inventory from malicious actors. Securing a business mitigates financial losses and maintains business continuation.
Customer Confidence
Customers and partners are likelier to work with an enterprise that prioritizes security than one that doesn’t. A safe business space means that any information or property customers entrust to you is secure. Customer confidence also affects your reputation. A secure business promotes a good image.
Employee Wellbeing
Employees need a secure environment and peace of mind for improved productivity. Peaceful surroundings eliminate stress and provide morale to accomplish tasks and collaborate with others. It also helps retain the workforce.
Regulatory Compliance
Businesses operate in very highly regulated environments and, therefore, need to secure their working spaces. They must meet these security standards and regulations or face fines and other legal repercussions.
Insurance Benefits
Most insurers award businesses with proactive security practices with lower premiums. Improved security leads to a lower risk of breaches and incidents.
Security Glass for Commercial Use
Glass for commercial settings used to be all about aesthetics and lighting. It created inviting spaces and let natural light into the areas. However, the evolution of glass technology has provided security glass that provides the traditional benefits but is also sturdy enough to withstand security threats.
Let’s start with the types of glass option for commercial security.
Types of Commercial Glass for Businesses
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is made from bonded glass layers, making it hard to shatter. The glass layers are fused using polyvinyl butyral resin under immense heat and pressure. The PVB holds the glass together when broken, reducing the risks of accidents from shattered pieces.
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass or toughened glass is created by heating glass uniformly and then cooling it rapidly with cold air for a few seconds. The process is known as air quenching, which compresses the outside, placing tension in the glass. The glass can withstand impact, heat and the elements.
Fire-rated Glass
Fire-rated glass is designed to withstand and prevent the spread of fire and smoke. This glass is utilized in creating barriers or compartments that contain the fire to the point of origin. As a result, the rest of the premises and occupants are protected.
What are the Benefits of Using Commercial Glass for Security?
The advantages of using glass for commercial security go past offering just security. This section discusses the importance of choosing secure glass for your commercial building.
Energy Cost Saving
Business premises must have a good atmosphere. Customers want to shop in a comfortable environment, and employees need a conducive space to work successfully. As such, owners must invest in air conditioning, which adds up to high electrical bills.
Some types of security glass help regulate the temperature inside your building, reducing the need for AC at all times. Tinted glass will prevent some heat from reaching inside the building, while the layers in laminated glass help regulate temperature better than regular glass.
More Protection
While the primary purpose of security glass is to protect the inside from unauthorized use, it offers more protection.
First, tempered and laminated glass help with noise reduction, thanks to their soundproof properties. Both are twice as good as regular glass and are ideal for businesses that need silence, like music studios.
Secondly, fire-rated glass helps protect parts of a building in case of a fire outbreak. This glass can withstand fire and high temperatures and contain it in a particular area.
With the exception of tempered glass, these other types of glass don’t break into tiny pieces when they shatter. This reduces the risk of debris causing more harm.
Better Layout and More Natural Light
Using security glass not only helps businesses reduce lighting costs but also provides the best lighting. Natural lights improve the workers’ moods and give customers and visitors a good experience on the premises. Both instances improve your business success and create a good brand image.
Security glass also creates partitions that provide private space while maintaining an “open” layout. Open layouts have proved to enhance unity and the feeling of community in businesses.
Improved Curb Appeal and Value
Any business that may want to sell its premises in the future needs to increase its value. One good way of achieving this is by using commercial glass in your building. Incorporating the glass inside the premises helps improve its design, and the outdoors increases the curb appeal, attracting more potential buyers. More potential buyers means more offers, allowing the seller to get the best deal. Curb appeal also attracts customers who are more eager to find out what is behind the glass.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Commercial Glass
Builders and business owners should adhere to specific considerations when choosing which glass to use in their businesses. Different types of glass have other purposes, meaning they are best suited for various situations.
Here are a few questions buyers need to ask themselves.
What is the Nature of Your Business?
Different types of businesses need varied levels of security. Some businesses will need higher security than others, depending on what they sell. A good example is if a business wants glass to protect bank cashiers from armed thieves, they’ll have to go for a sturdier type compared to a corner store concerned with smash-and-grab robberies. Buyers always need to assess the level of security required to ensure they get the type of glass best suited to the job.
Where is the Glass Being Used?
The exact place where the glass will be placed/used is crucial to choosing the best type.
Usually, the glass used for the exterior differs from the glass used for the interior. For example, a store looking for storefront glass will need a more transparent type that allows clear visibility while still being strong.
The risk of impact in the area also determines the type of glass to use. An area with a higher risk of impact needs a stronger glass than an area with a lower risk. For example, doors experience more impact compared to windows.
What is the Budget?
Like all business decisions, the budget allocated to building determines the type of glass a business will use. The different types come at various prices, meaning buyers must conduct market research before deciding.
Ease of Repair or Re-installing
Aftercare of the glass is essential. If something happens, the type of glass a business chooses must be easy to replace. If, for example, the door glass breaks, the business should find commercial glass door replacement within their area.
Get the Best Glass from Reliable Glass in Phoenix and Tucson
Any business looking for the best glass in Phoenix or Tucson can use our commercial glass services at Reliable Glass. We provide glass for various uses in commercial spaces and residential glass for home building. You can read more about our glass throughout our site, and reach out for a free quote on the glass you want!