Polycarbonate vs. Glass

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1

Hello, I am looking for conclusive evidence on the use of polycarbonate vs glass in behavioral health environments. Polycarbonate has a reputation of being scratched or yellowing over time.
Does anyone have an opinion they’d like to share? Or, even better, have conclusive evidence such as a whitepaper or client testimonials that validate or disprove the concerns of using polycarbonate?

My findings so far:

  • The Behavioral Health Design Guide warns that polycarbonate can be scratched.
  • The NYSOMH Guide suggests poly as a valid option and does not indicate potential drawbacks.
  • Some of our clients have had issues with polycarbonate in the past and other architects in the industry indicate the same, suggesting that some clients are replacing poly with glass.
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I’m not sure you will find any sort of research on the topic.
We don’t use polycarbonate because it easily scratches by fingernails, and often cleaning chemicals used in hospitals. I have seen some installations where a product which appears to be a polycarbonate is delaminating, and the pediatric population started peeling the layers off.
We specify glass clad polycarbonate unless the client requests we change to polycarbonate for cost savings. We then inform them of the challenges and limitations of a polycarbonate panel.

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