Two panels of 39mm thick low iron laminated glass have been installed to provide the viewing windows for the newly built 100 sq. m chimp house at Wales Ape & Monkey Sanctuary in the Brecon Beacons.
Hundreds of visitors are now able to watch the chimps at play on the platforms, hammocks and logs while the animals can better interact with people from behind the safety of the glass.
Registered charity Wales Ape & Monkey Sanctuary is home to dozens of chimps, gibbons, monkeys, baboons, lemurs, mandrills and several other animals rescued from zoos, wildlife parks and private owners as well as monkeys from labs in the UK and outside Europe.
The bespoke glazing was specifically designed for the building to combine high performance, maximum strength and the highest safety and security levels, while maintaining optical quality.
Sara Brittain, national sales manager at Romag, said: “The sanctuary required a tough, cost effective commercial glass solution for its new extension.
“Our glass has been designed to provide this and will contribute significantly to a much better up-close and personal viewing experience for the many visitors.”
Low iron float glass is strengthened and toughened using advanced thermal treatment processes, which creates a tough surface with optical properties that allow light transmission of up to 97%. This compares to normal architectural float glass that typically has a light transmission of 90%.