It is much easier for students to refocus their attention back on the teacher when engaged in tasks requiring soft attention rather than those requiring more focused attention. When vandalism or violence is a potential problem, classrooms can be designed to focus inward toward an interior courtyard. Classrooms can have windows facing the courtyard which are protected from the street. Skylights located on the far side of the room from the windows can supplement light from the windows, if desired. And while it s true that windows are not as good at conserving energy as are insulated walls, their energy loss is not as severe as one might think.
Schools are usually interior load-dominated buildings.
As a result, the additional load associated with having windows is not sufficient to offset the benefits they provide. Furthermore, windows that are well designed need not have a major detrimental impact on energy consumption. In hot climates, windows can face north, or, for south-facing windows, be shaded to reduce direct solar penetration into spaces. In cold climates, south-facing windows can be designed with overhangs that allow light and warmth to enter a space when the weather is cold yet shade the windows when the weather is hot. Double-glazed windows with thermal breaks are a good investment in all but the most temperate of climates.