When you design a sports pavilion for your school, you should consider using acrylic, a high performance plastics substitute for conventional glass, in the windows and French doors of the building.

Acrylic glass is relatively more expensive than normal glass, which may cost you as little as $109 per square metre for laminated glass [http://www.clearglass.com.au/about/specials], but has a number of other benefits.

Acrylic is lighter than normal glass

The weight of panes of acrylic glass is fairly significantly lighter than normal glass. It is easier to transport and to store, which will mean that your overall building time and cost will be reduced.

Acrylic glass has a higher impact strength

A pane of acrylic glass can withstand a harder impact than one of normal glass. This is particularly important with a building like a sports pavilion, where the windows and doors are vulnerable to the impact of balls and other pieces of sports equipment.

Acrylic will also not shatter like glass can, but will break into relatively large pieces that have mostly blunt edges. This means that there is less chance of injury with acrylic panes. The lighter weight of the acrylic also means that the impact of a pane falling on someone will cause less damage than real glass can.

Acrylic glass is softer and needs to be treated gently

The one characteristic of acrylic glass that does not compare as favourably to normal glass is that it is softer and can therefore scratch more easily. This simply means that the windows and doors in your pavilion must be cleaned gently. Your students should be discouraged from scratching against the doors with their kit bags.

There are scratch-resistant coatings available for acrylic glass.

Acrylic glass insulates better than normal glass

A sports pavilion is the perfect place for the parents of your school to sit in comfort and to watch their children play sport. The use of acrylic glass in the doors and windows of this building will mean that the parents are protected from  the severe heat of summer and the cool of winter and can concentrate on watching their children play in comfort.

You do have the option of using double glazing in the windows and, possibly, the glass doors of the pavilion, which will offer even better insulation than acrylic glass. It will also cost a lot more, though.

Acrylic does not discolour with age

Laminated glass will eventually yellow slightly with age, which acrylic glass does not do as easily.