Flowers High School Blooms Under Daylighting by Kalwall
The new Charles H. Flowers High School, in Landover, Maryland, faced a challenge common to all educational facilities: namely, how to light, heat, and cool what would become a 333,000-square-foot facility. The Washington, D.C.-area school would also have to accommodate 2,400 students. Part of the solution came from the diffuse-light-transmitting, highly energy-efficient properties of Kalwall translucent panels.
Forming a self-supporting skylight system over the school's central area, Kalwall effectively illuminates interior spaces with natural daylight minus the harsh glare, hot spots and shadows often associated with traditional skylights and glazing. As an added benefit, the cost of electric lighting is significantly reduced. Even on cloudy days, Kalwall sheds an even balance of usable, natural light onto indoor areas.
Because of its superior insulating performance, Kalwall also pays for itself in energy and maintenance savings and installation cost. Each panel is designed to significantly reduce solar heat gain while generating impressive U-factors. Kalwall is also rugged, vandal-resistant, shatterproof and maintenance-free.
According to Stephen Parker, AIA, of the project's architectural firm Grimm and Parker, PC, "The design concept for Charles H. Flowers High School included the creation of a special place for student activities at the center of the school bathed in daylight. The use of Kalwall translucent skylights allowed us to create an inspiring space, full of soft, natural light, without harsh glare and substantial heat gain. We have received much praise from the students and faculty that use this space every day."
Even after the sun goes down, the aesthetic qualities of Kalwall are still hard at work. Viewed at night from the outside, indoor lighting through the panels generates a friendly glow that says, "good things are happening here."
Architect: Grimm and Parker, PC
Photography: Ken Wyner
For more information, contact:
Bruce Keller
Kalwall Corporation
1-800-258-9777
