PITTSBURGH, May 6, 2026 – Lehman College’s new Nursing Education, Research & Practice Center, which features Solarban^® 70 glass by Vitro Architectural Glass, was recently spotlighted on America ByDesign, a nationally televised series on CBS, highlighting how design and construction teams used high-performance materials, including Vitro Glass, to enhance openness, connectivity and functionality in an educational setting.

The state-of-the-art academic facility incorporates Solarban^® 70 glass throughout its exterior façade and interior learning environments, including classrooms, stairwells and simulation labs, enhancing daylighting, energy efficiency and modern learning, and reflecting a biophilic, student-centered approach to design.

“Biophilic design principals were paramount to the overall emphasis of this space,” said Bridgette Van Sloun, Associate Principal, Urbahn Architects. “We really wanted to connect nature within the building as much as possible. We worked with Vitro Architectural Glass in designing these very large, expansive glass features, while also making sure that the technical performance met the needs of occupants.”

Solarban^® 70 glass has a neutral aesthetic and delivers a visible light transmittance (VLT) of 64% and a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.27, allowing abundant natural light into the building while helping meet performance goals related to comfort and energy use and maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.

Introduced in 2005 as the world’s first triple-silver, low-e glass, Solarban^® 70 glass is the most proven and commonly specified glass of its kind on the market with nearly one billion square feet shipped since its inception.

Project Credits

• Architect: Urbahn Architects
• Glass Fabricator: Blue Star Glass Inc.
• Glazing Contractor: Above All Storefronts Inc.
• Photography: Ed Caruso

View the America ByDesign episode here.

Solarban^® is a registered trademark of Vitro.

Cradle to Cradle Certified^® is a registered trademark of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

About Vitro Architectural Glass

Vitro Architectural Glass is the largest glass producer in the Western Hemisphere, manufacturing a range of industry-leading products serving the construction, solar, transportation, defense and security markets worldwide. Committed to continually raising the industry standard for sustainability, Vitro was the first U.S. glass manufacturer to have its complete collection of architectural glass products earn Cradle to Cradle Certified^® status and the first North American manufacturer to publish third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for flat glass and processed glass products. Additionally, as of April 2024, all Vitro architectural glass products meet the Top 20% Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) material Global Warming Potential (GWP) threshold the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) established pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and related guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Vitro operates seven glass production facilities across North America, four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada and one of the world’s largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit VitroGlazings.com.

Media Contact:
Robert J. Struble
Vitro Architectural Glass
412-820-8138
rstruble@vitro.com
vitroglazings.com