While I’m sure the thousand+ employees of Owatonna, Minn.-based Viracon enjoy their respective jobs, I imagine it’s been awhile since someone has been so excited about stepping foot into that facility as I was when I visited the company earlier this month. (Want to know what spurred that visit? Then be sure to look for the December issue of USGlass!) While I’ve been working with USGlass magazine on and off for nearly four years now, I hadn’t previously had the opportunity to visit a glass fabrication facility, so the tour I got made me as happy as a two-year-old given free rein in Toys R Us.
Up to this point, trade shows have been the big highlight for me as they have provided an opportunity to go out and see up close the equipment I spend so much time writing about. But it was a greater thrill to see the equipment dirty and in use, and working in such easy coordination with multiple other pieces. Some of the lines, altogether, seemed longer than my apartment. And just watching the big lites of glass moving up and over the floor to where they needed to be was amazing.
I mean, it’s one thing to get a sample of a spacer product in the mail, and another thing altogether to take in the sight of spacer frames hanging ready for application, practiced technicians putting them into place, the machinery running over the spacer and trapezoidal lites—somehow making the whole sandwich line up just right—with the sticky silicone being slapped into place. So that’s how it all works! The silkscreening process was another delight to watch. I’ve helped silkscreen tee shirts in the past; how neat to see that the process isn’t that much different with glass—even if the similarities are only there on a very basic level. That is, the screen and roller I saw putting patterns on glass at Viracon were just a bit bigger than what I used in my mom’s garage. And don’t even get me started on the peek I got at the coating line and the brilliant colors within.
I’m sure there are a few chuckles out there, since I know this is old hat for most of you. But hopefully you can appreciate that for somebody relatively new to the industry—still a bit of an outsider looking in—your business is really quite exciting.
I’ve already received a couple of invitations to visit additional companies, and many thanks in advance. As I’m sure you can all imagine, frequent deadlines keep me on my toes, but as I travel for meetings I’d be happy to extend a trip a day to take in the exciting sights like a true glass industry tourist. (Now there’s a coffee table book idea my dear friend and USG contributor Brigid O’Leary and I have yet to discuss … photos of glass shops around the country. Hmm, why hasn’t the travel channel thought of that …?)
I guess now when I’m on the interstate in the morning and I see the occasional glass carrier, I won’t just wonder where they’re going—I’ll wonder now where they’ve been!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
The Light Bulb Goes On
Well I don’t know about you, but my big plans this weekend involved buying new energy-efficient light bulbs. It’s always the same—you sit in a cold, dark room for several hours listening to incredibly inspiring speeches about the very real ways we can all improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and in general leave less of an impact on our planet while saving money, and you walk out wanting to change the world. That is to say, I was lucky enough to attend the first inaugural Energy Efficiency Global Forum & Exposition (EE Global) in Washington, D.C., last week (You can read more about the event at http://www.usgnn.com/ and in the December issue of USGlass).
Ok, maybe buying light bulbs isn’t a huge step. But that’s one of the points RK Stewart, president of the American Institute of Architects, seemed to make during his presentation, “What Kind of Ancestors Will We Be?” According to Stewart, we can start right now to reduce energy consumption—at no cost—by using the systems we have available smartly. Little steps from architects, like reconsidering window size and orientation can make the most of available sunlight, Stewart said.
One of the points I found most interesting, that was stressed again and again by speakers on all topics, was how big increases in energy efficiency can be attained through very little cost. Scot Horst, chairperson of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Steering Committee, showed real examples of buildings where energy efficiency was increased—with great financial savings—simply by looking at buildings holistically. Horst put graphs up on the screen showing the cost of investments in daylighting and IG units in a school in New Jersey. The cost savings seemed to support his point. But then Horst flipped to the next slide and explained that because the IG units led to reductions in the amount of heat pumps needed to warm the building, fewer (very pricey) holes had to be dug for the heat pumps and suddenly the cost savings were astronomical. Not only were many of these solutions cost-effective, but many relied on our industry.
The solutions presented during EE Global all made good sense to me. But then sitting and listening to Representatives promote their books about the environment and energy efficiency “idea” people talk about how easy it could be to make these changes isn’t the same as listening to product engineers and curtainwall consultants talk about the very concrete things that need to be done to make buildings more energy efficiency. So you tell me, you’re the experts—is improved energy efficiency really about changing our mindset to look for the available opportunities? Is it as cost-effective as the idea folk would have us believe? And while we’re on the topic of improving energy efficiency, do you think net-zero energy buildings are really attainable? What do you think?
One more important point. I’d like to encourage all of you meeting organizers out there to consider the value of an ice cream sundae bar at your next event. Don’t underestimate the power of chocolate and vanilla covered with m&m’s, sprinkles, whipped cream and cherries at provoking networking.
Ok, maybe buying light bulbs isn’t a huge step. But that’s one of the points RK Stewart, president of the American Institute of Architects, seemed to make during his presentation, “What Kind of Ancestors Will We Be?” According to Stewart, we can start right now to reduce energy consumption—at no cost—by using the systems we have available smartly. Little steps from architects, like reconsidering window size and orientation can make the most of available sunlight, Stewart said.
One of the points I found most interesting, that was stressed again and again by speakers on all topics, was how big increases in energy efficiency can be attained through very little cost. Scot Horst, chairperson of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Steering Committee, showed real examples of buildings where energy efficiency was increased—with great financial savings—simply by looking at buildings holistically. Horst put graphs up on the screen showing the cost of investments in daylighting and IG units in a school in New Jersey. The cost savings seemed to support his point. But then Horst flipped to the next slide and explained that because the IG units led to reductions in the amount of heat pumps needed to warm the building, fewer (very pricey) holes had to be dug for the heat pumps and suddenly the cost savings were astronomical. Not only were many of these solutions cost-effective, but many relied on our industry.
The solutions presented during EE Global all made good sense to me. But then sitting and listening to Representatives promote their books about the environment and energy efficiency “idea” people talk about how easy it could be to make these changes isn’t the same as listening to product engineers and curtainwall consultants talk about the very concrete things that need to be done to make buildings more energy efficiency. So you tell me, you’re the experts—is improved energy efficiency really about changing our mindset to look for the available opportunities? Is it as cost-effective as the idea folk would have us believe? And while we’re on the topic of improving energy efficiency, do you think net-zero energy buildings are really attainable? What do you think?
One more important point. I’d like to encourage all of you meeting organizers out there to consider the value of an ice cream sundae bar at your next event. Don’t underestimate the power of chocolate and vanilla covered with m&m’s, sprinkles, whipped cream and cherries at provoking networking.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Speechless
I’m sure that those of you who helped to vote for the Key Communications’ employee with the best Halloween costume at www.glass.com/halloween know that a picture is worth a thousand words. (I know, I didn’t dress up this year—let’s just say I’m already planning something elaborate for this time next year!) When advertising coordinator Erin Harris, winner of this year’s contest, was describing to me her plan to dress up as a rabbit in a magician’s hat, I couldn’t have pictured the top hat the one-time set designer ultimately put together as part of her costume. If you missed the chance to vote on USGNN.com, you should check out the link above for a good giggle.
Yup, sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. That’s how I felt when I saw Erin’s costume. That’s how I felt when Don Kelly of Midwest Curtainwall sent me the photos of the glass installation for the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (featured on the cover of the October issue of USGlass). Many times I’ve driven over the bridge that crosses the Potomac River, and can see the finished product anytime. But for me, seeing those photos of the glaziers in action was a fascinating glimpse of a challenging job. To read (and write) about the difficulties faced on this job was quite a learning experience, but the photos offered a different perspective.
I sure do appreciate the beautiful building photos that get sent my way, and that are often featured on our covers. What better way to celebrate the end of a tough project than by showing your peers the end result. But don’t forget that those photos of works-in-progress have great value too. How about sending them into USGlass for a chance to have them published in a future issue? That’s right, we’re looking for photos of your most unique jobs, your most challenging jobs, you or your employees hard at work on the job, the most unusual problem you’ve run across on the job and any of the other fantastic photos you look forward to sharing with your peers. Here’s the chance to show off the innovative ways that you get to your end result.
You can email photos to me at mheadley@glass.com. For a chance to be featured in a future issue, please make sure your PC formatted TIF or JPG files have a resolution of 300 dpi or higher. I look forward to hearing from—I mean, seeing—you down the road!
Yup, sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. That’s how I felt when I saw Erin’s costume. That’s how I felt when Don Kelly of Midwest Curtainwall sent me the photos of the glass installation for the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge (featured on the cover of the October issue of USGlass). Many times I’ve driven over the bridge that crosses the Potomac River, and can see the finished product anytime. But for me, seeing those photos of the glaziers in action was a fascinating glimpse of a challenging job. To read (and write) about the difficulties faced on this job was quite a learning experience, but the photos offered a different perspective.
I sure do appreciate the beautiful building photos that get sent my way, and that are often featured on our covers. What better way to celebrate the end of a tough project than by showing your peers the end result. But don’t forget that those photos of works-in-progress have great value too. How about sending them into USGlass for a chance to have them published in a future issue? That’s right, we’re looking for photos of your most unique jobs, your most challenging jobs, you or your employees hard at work on the job, the most unusual problem you’ve run across on the job and any of the other fantastic photos you look forward to sharing with your peers. Here’s the chance to show off the innovative ways that you get to your end result.
You can email photos to me at mheadley@glass.com. For a chance to be featured in a future issue, please make sure your PC formatted TIF or JPG files have a resolution of 300 dpi or higher. I look forward to hearing from—I mean, seeing—you down the road!
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