In working on an industry forecast for our January issue, I expected the comments to be discouraging. This year, more than most, the predictions have come easily for the folks I’ve talked to—including manufacturers, fabricators and glazing contractors—and all are along the same lines. While many glazing contractors still have some commercial projects scheduled for early 2009, what happens after the first quarter is anybody’s guess, or so I’m told.
This afternoon I spoke with Vicki Holt, PPG’s senior vice president of glass and fiberglass, who was kind enough to take a few minutes out of her busy schedule to answer questions about what the glass manufacturer is preparing for in 2009. To some degree, they're waiting to see like everyone else.
“It’s just a very difficult time to have good visibility right now,” Vicki commented.
But Vicki’s first prediction matched up with other comments I’ve received, that “in the commercial construction space in North America we have not seen a significant downturn yet in 2009.” While a number of contractors are telling me about project cancellations, many are still working through backlog and are only beginning to look warily for the next job to bid.
However, Vicki added that Global Insights, the economic and financial analysis with which PPG works, “is forecasting as much as a 14-percent decline for commercial construction in 2009.”
So the forecasts are pretty comparable. But what about the solutions? It may seem like the time to hunker down and focus on core businesses, but what are the areas in which branching out could be profitable during a commercial construction downturn?
Vicki presented one that is no stranger to the pages of USGlass, noting that green building construction and investments in renewable energy are likely to provide opportunities for jobs in a number of areas, including the glass industry.
When I talked with Tom Niepokoj, vice president of sales of Harmon Inc., a few weeks ago following Greenbuild, he made what I thought was an interesting observation.
“There’s no question that the country would like to more proactively pursue the green building product lines; our question is, can we afford it?” Tom said. “We’re kind of wondering if that trend will get a little sidetracked by the economy and the cost of those green elements.”
What do you think? Will initial investments in higher-priced “green” products deter architects looking to keep budgets low? Or will the long-term payoff remain inviting?
And in what ways are you preparing for 2009? Share your forecasts by emailing me at mheadley@glass.com, and I’d be happy to include your thoughts in our January issue.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Walking on Laminated Glass
Last week I took up an invitation to attend my first (and LMCI’s fourth) Finishing Industries Forum, which I found to be a really interesting experience. It certainly had a different feel to it, with the music pumping out of the speakers in the large conference room on that first day. For me the most interesting part of the meeting was sitting down in the first Glazing Advisory Committee held by the Finishing Contractors Association and hearing the glaziers openly discussing with one another the challenges that they faced. You can read all about this in my report for USGNN—so instead of reiterating on some of these interesting points I’m going to share with you what I did the day before this conference …
You wouldn’t be the first to call me a glass geek this week, so go right ahead. Because, yes, after several speechless minutes at the canyon’s edge, I did make my way up to the U-shaped glass bridge suspended 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. And yes, after slipping over my shoes the thin booties handed out at the gate (the walkway is constantly polished to allow for clear views) I may have knelt down to take a closer look at the laminated lite that makes up this unique glass floor. According to information from DuPont, the two-inch thick glass decking, approximately 10 feet wide and 70 feet deep, is made of a multilayer glass construction including three of that company’s SentryGlas structural interlayers and four layers of Saint-Gobain’s Diamant glass. That makes for one very thick and pretty impressive piece of glass.
I’ve made it my goal this year to take some time to enjoy the travels that this job throws my way. So when I learned that I’d be spending nearly a week in Las Vegas for a few back-to-back-to-back conferences I simply shrugged and started googling. As much time as I spend at conventions in this city, it was a no-brainer that I’d spend my free day a little further afield. I’d never been to the Grand Canyon, just flown over it countless times, and that was immediately at the top of my list. While I learned later from my tour guide that the South Rim is the spot from which 90% of photos of the Grand Canyon are taken, it was the West Rim that drew me. And while I can attest now that this end of the canyon also has some spectacular views, I had one object in mind when I first set out: I wanted to see the Skywalk.
You wouldn’t be the first to call me a glass geek this week, so go right ahead. Because, yes, after several speechless minutes at the canyon’s edge, I did make my way up to the U-shaped glass bridge suspended 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. And yes, after slipping over my shoes the thin booties handed out at the gate (the walkway is constantly polished to allow for clear views) I may have knelt down to take a closer look at the laminated lite that makes up this unique glass floor. According to information from DuPont, the two-inch thick glass decking, approximately 10 feet wide and 70 feet deep, is made of a multilayer glass construction including three of that company’s SentryGlas structural interlayers and four layers of Saint-Gobain’s Diamant glass. That makes for one very thick and pretty impressive piece of glass. While the faint-of-heart can avoid walking over the see-through portions of the bridge by sticking to the cement girders at the sides, I felt no worries when it came to wandering across the bridge with a clear view of the canyon floor below my feet. Truth be told, I felt a lot more secure on the thick laminated glass than I did when creeping up to the edge of the canyon itself—where were the structural engineers telling me that wouldn’t crumble?
For any of you out there interested in making the trip, there’s a lot more to see than this somewhat-work-related, although extremely neat, attraction. From Las Vegas, a drive to the West Rim takes you past Hoover Dam and through the Joshua Tree National Forest. There are several stops at the West Rim that allow you a variety of panoramic views, each more impressive than the last, and some opportunities for light hiking. In addition, there are opportunities to learn about the Hualapai Tribe, which owns the land.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween!
It seems true to me that a good job is as much about doing what you love as doing it with people you enjoy spending time with. Lucky for me, I work with a lot of terrific individuals (in this office but also the industry in general). Terrific individuals with good senses of humor—critical to any stressful job, I think.
This hardly comes out any stronger than at the end of October, as our staff rushes to prepare to put on a major conference in the auto glass industry yet still finds time to let their creativity out in spooky (and sometimes just goofy) ways. The Key Communications Halloween Costumer Contest is an annual tradition, and one much anticipated here in the office. It takes the joy of “casual Friday” to a whole new level.
Not to mention, a couple of mini Snickers bars at 10 a.m. are the secret to my productivity, and Halloween provides a good excuse to bring out the sugar.
I was brainstorming with a friend in the industry yesterday about my costume idea(s) and he commented that his office doesn’t do anything quite as exciting at this time of year as we do. “Engineers just aren’t creative,” he sighed.
I could hardly suppress my grief at that thought. “Are you joking?” I asked. “Not creative? You have to be creative to come up with the wild things that we get to write about. Sure, maybe then you have to be a little rigid in your thinking to make it work—but where does that first idea come from? Or the inspiration to try this instead of that to improve a product’s performance?”
I know there is a great deal of creativity lurking out there in the glass industry. The innovative new products at glasstec, for example, had to start with an idea. Surely you engineers out there are taking that creativity and applying it to your own Halloween costumes … and you have the rigidity and follow-through to go all the way with your idea (unlike some of us artsy types—i.e., me—who spend weeks on grandiose ideas of costume genius before frantically hitting the thrift store the day before the contest to initiate the back-up plan).
So let’s see it. I’d love to post your costume photos on this blog on Monday, or any great ideas that you saw at your office party. And for anyone who manages to keep it industry-related, well, we may have to come up with a special prize for you.
Happy trick-or-treating everyone!
This hardly comes out any stronger than at the end of October, as our staff rushes to prepare to put on a major conference in the auto glass industry yet still finds time to let their creativity out in spooky (and sometimes just goofy) ways. The Key Communications Halloween Costumer Contest is an annual tradition, and one much anticipated here in the office. It takes the joy of “casual Friday” to a whole new level.
Not to mention, a couple of mini Snickers bars at 10 a.m. are the secret to my productivity, and Halloween provides a good excuse to bring out the sugar.
I was brainstorming with a friend in the industry yesterday about my costume idea(s) and he commented that his office doesn’t do anything quite as exciting at this time of year as we do. “Engineers just aren’t creative,” he sighed.
I could hardly suppress my grief at that thought. “Are you joking?” I asked. “Not creative? You have to be creative to come up with the wild things that we get to write about. Sure, maybe then you have to be a little rigid in your thinking to make it work—but where does that first idea come from? Or the inspiration to try this instead of that to improve a product’s performance?”
I know there is a great deal of creativity lurking out there in the glass industry. The innovative new products at glasstec, for example, had to start with an idea. Surely you engineers out there are taking that creativity and applying it to your own Halloween costumes … and you have the rigidity and follow-through to go all the way with your idea (unlike some of us artsy types—i.e., me—who spend weeks on grandiose ideas of costume genius before frantically hitting the thrift store the day before the contest to initiate the back-up plan).
So let’s see it. I’d love to post your costume photos on this blog on Monday, or any great ideas that you saw at your office party. And for anyone who manages to keep it industry-related, well, we may have to come up with a special prize for you.
Happy trick-or-treating everyone!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
I Survived glasstec
Well folks, I would have loved to have blogged more before this. I had high hopes of blogging daily from the glasstec show floor, bringing the sights and sounds of glasstec to all of my friends in the States, and pointing to my fellow attendees the most trendy and exciting booths to visit. But you know what? The show is big.
No, I don’t think you understand. To tell you the truth, I don’t think there’s a word yet in existence that conveys the distances I walked over the past five days. BIG barely begins to describe it. Because the size of the halls—the nine halls, did we mention that this show covers nine big halls?—is only part of this equation. Each hall that you walk through is filled with the latest, the most exciting products you’ve seen and so for the first day you just walk around gawking at everything. And maybe for some attendees, those focused few, that’s not a problem because they have their list and they stick to it. But when your objective is to cover everything … I get dizzy just thinking about it.
(Keep in mind the above photo is just a part of just one hall.)
No, I don’t think you understand. To tell you the truth, I don’t think there’s a word yet in existence that conveys the distances I walked over the past five days. BIG barely begins to describe it. Because the size of the halls—the nine halls, did we mention that this show covers nine big halls?—is only part of this equation. Each hall that you walk through is filled with the latest, the most exciting products you’ve seen and so for the first day you just walk around gawking at everything. And maybe for some attendees, those focused few, that’s not a problem because they have their list and they stick to it. But when your objective is to cover everything … I get dizzy just thinking about it.
(Keep in mind the above photo is just a part of just one hall.) When speaking with another glasstec first-timer, Kearne Prendergast with Grenzebach Corp., I heard my sentiments echoed. When asked his impression of this show compared to those in the U.S., he laughed: “Bigger—and, a lot bigger.” That’s just the only way to describe it.
Knowing this, on day one I made a plan. I decided I’d start off on the furthest hall (thinking that as my feet began to hurt throughout the week I’d move closer to our booth in Hall 13) and start with a familiar face. And that provides me with an example.
As I entered Hall 17 I saw that the Lisec booth essentially was Hall 17. The booth was massive. In some ways I started to feel I’d lucked out: being responsible for covering machinery at the show, I’d hit two or three massive booths and have a hall covered. I wasn’t counting on the fact that each booth would be demonstrating a number of brand new lines—and anyone who has spoken with me at a trade show knows the machinery is my favorite part (it’s so much easier to understand when you can actually see it in action) so I could hardly resist walking every square inch of those massive booths.
But at the beginning of the show I commiserated with Bob Quast, president and chief executive officer of Lisec America Inc., who was another first-time glasstec attendee. When I asked what he thought about the show so far he mentioned that the previous night he and his colleagues had gone out to dinner and “must have had 20 of our customers from the United States come into that one restaurant.”
Yes, that’s another great thing about the BIG show. I ran into so many familiar faces that I hardly felt far from home and the number of North American accents I overheard lulled me into thinking I was ok without any knowledge of German. Which brings up what I hope is not a silly point. Throughout that first day, at least, I found myself drawn into a number of booths because I’d seen words in English over every inch of the booth, only to find that no one in the booth spoke more than a few halting words.
My German is limited to no more than a few words, so I greatly appreciated those individuals who took the time to find a way to translate (in one case, the word translate). But I was surprised at how English seems to be the language of product marketing even for those companies without English-speaking representatives at the show. Nearly every booth had a sign proclaiming in clear English their product’s capabilities, signs that lulled me into thinking I could launch into my rapid-fire spiel and be easily understood. Ha!
But as the days went on I learned to adapt, and to slow down not just my spiel but my whole way of covering the show. I marveled when at Vitrum last fall how many booths had full-blown meals in their booths and while at glasstec I think I finally understood that it’s because each visit is a drawn-out business deal. It’s not just that things move slower overseas; it’s that if you pop in for a booth visit, there’s the real possibility that you’ll be leaving an hour later with a purchase made. With that understood, I began to accept more offers of cappuccino (which I’m sure didn’t help me to slow down my spiel) and prepared to sit and wait at each booth until it was my turn for the focused attention of the booth representative.
So somehow, I made it through my first glasstec. The food was delicious, the people friendly, the fall weather just perfect … the examples of solar glass mind-blowing to someone learning as much as possible about the topic before the launch of a solar section … the machinery demonstrations fascinating … all in all, everything I’d hoped for and more.
Now, one last note; those of you who checked out our video coverage may be amused to hear some of our harebrained plans for a show video wrap-up. My personal favorite ended the report with my colleague Ellen Rogers clicking the heels of her red shoes on the gold carpet that wound through the solar exhibit, chanting “there’s no place like home.” But to tell you the truth, we have so much footage left to share that for us the show is far from over. Stay tuned to USGNN.com for more video from the trade show floor—and keep an eye out for the December USGlass for a peek at products and a full glasstec review.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Greetings and Guten Tag
What a fantastic day to be in Düsseldorf, Germany! The air was crisp but not too cool; large yellow leaves cover the sidewalks, lending a seasonal beauty to the city; and already I’ve seen familiar faces and made new friends.
Following an uneventful, if sleepless, flight, I arrived in Germany this morning, collected a stamp in my passport and was off to the hotel for a very few z’s. After a mere two hours of sleep I was ready to throw open the curtains and take a look at my view—and what else shou
ld I see but a crane atop a nearby building waiting to lift the last lites into place? It’s as if the city itself is preparing for glasstec, a feeling strengthened after passing numerous signs advertising the show on the short tram-ride to the halls. (At this point, let me extend my thanks to the guardian angel on the tram who appeared over my shoulder as my co-worker and I studied our city map and explained which stop was the best for us to take—every shortcut is needed, I’ve learned.)
Upon arriving at the hall, and eventually locating the booth (Hall 13, Stand C73 for those interested in visiting), our crew took part in the flurry of activity consuming the fairgrounds today—purchasing assorted odds and ends, making adjustments to the booth and getting the “lay of the land.” In some ways I’m less overwhelmed by the show than I’d imagined simply because I’ve already walked from the far-off hall 13 to the north entrance at hall 9 several times today, delivering copies of USGlass to the international press stand, among other things. But the mind-boggling displays I’ve already seen have left me eagerly anticipating tomorrow. And not just the fascinating new products and technologies at which I’ve had an early peek—the massive and creative booths themselves top anything I’ve seen before.
If you’re here in Germany this week, let me invite you to stop by the USGlass magazine booth, as I’d love to hear your varied perspectives on the show. And if you’re reading this from the comfort of home, wherever that might be, feel free to make suggestions of interviews or product news you’d like to know read about—or see—on USGNN.com.
Following an uneventful, if sleepless, flight, I arrived in Germany this morning, collected a stamp in my passport and was off to the hotel for a very few z’s. After a mere two hours of sleep I was ready to throw open the curtains and take a look at my view—and what else shou
ld I see but a crane atop a nearby building waiting to lift the last lites into place? It’s as if the city itself is preparing for glasstec, a feeling strengthened after passing numerous signs advertising the show on the short tram-ride to the halls. (At this point, let me extend my thanks to the guardian angel on the tram who appeared over my shoulder as my co-worker and I studied our city map and explained which stop was the best for us to take—every shortcut is needed, I’ve learned.)Upon arriving at the hall, and eventually locating the booth (Hall 13, Stand C73 for those interested in visiting), our crew took part in the flurry of activity consuming the fairgrounds today—purchasing assorted odds and ends, making adjustments to the booth and getting the “lay of the land.” In some ways I’m less overwhelmed by the show than I’d imagined simply because I’ve already walked from the far-off hall 13 to the north entrance at hall 9 several times today, delivering copies of USGlass to the international press stand, among other things. But the mind-boggling displays I’ve already seen have left me eagerly anticipating tomorrow. And not just the fascinating new products and technologies at which I’ve had an early peek—the massive and creative booths themselves top anything I’ve seen before.
If you’re here in Germany this week, let me invite you to stop by the USGlass magazine booth, as I’d love to hear your varied perspectives on the show. And if you’re reading this from the comfort of home, wherever that might be, feel free to make suggestions of interviews or product news you’d like to know read about—or see—on USGNN.com.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
glasstec ’08 Awaits
It’s almost here! I feel like a kid at Christmas-time as I wait impatiently for Sunday to come. My first glasstec trip is rapidly approaching and while my excitement has been somewhat dimmed by an extremely busy week of following up on information from last week’s GlassBuild show and putting the finishing touches on a jam-packed November issue of USGlass to boot, I am eager for next week nonetheless (and not just for the much-needed nap I anticipate on the flight over).
It’s been some time since Ellen Rogers wrote about her first time at glasstec and after re-reading it yet again I consider myself even more lucky in knowing that Ellen will be there to lend a hand as she covers it for our new Decorative Glass magazine, as will Charles Cumpston for the Architects’ Guide to Glass. (You better believe Deb will be there too, and you’ll be able to recognize our video producer Drew Vass by the equipment he’ll be carrying.)
But first thing’s first. As I pulled out the big suitcase from my closet last night, laid my passport on top and began to fret about how I’d squeeze my latest knitting project into my tiny carry-on, I felt the first stress about my upcoming trip. Now don’t get me wrong—the idea of spending five days walking across 725,000 square feet to talk with some of the 1,000 exhibitors at the show isn’t the least bit daunting to me (stop that laughing!), especially coming fresh off of covering the recent GlassBuild show (ok, I know it doesn’t compare). Nope, this early in the game, my biggest worry is just making my way to the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf: you know, trying to find the right mode of transportation to a destination I can’t pronounce, fighting jet lag while functioning in a fog of foreign conversation, yawning my way through a meal of food I’m just not used to … So I called in an expert in these matters to reassure me: my sister, Robyn, world traveler extraordinaire—and recent German major.
Me: What advice can you give to someone traveling around Düsseldorf for the first time?
Robyn: Take the U-bahn. Everybody takes the U-bahn. It’s just like in D.C. The thing is they’re absolutely punctual. If it says it’s leaving at 10:04, it’s leaving at 10:04.
Me: What are a few words you suggest travelers in Germany know?
Robyn:
How much? ......... Wie Viel?
Please.................... Bitte
Thank you ............ Danke
Train station ........ Bahnhof
Subway ................. U-bahn
Exit ........................ Ausgang
Glass ...................... Glas
Me: What's your favorite German food to order?
Robyn: The best food ever is stollen. The thing about this is you have to be there around Christmas time (it may be out this early). It’s amazing over there, fluffy, with powdered sugar on top. You can buy it at marketplaces and especially at the Christmas fairs. You have to try the original thing. The stollen is amazing.
If you’re looking for fast food, Döner. Basically it’s like McDonald’s in the sense that it just costs a couple Euros, it’s quick, but it’s so good. They serve pitas with lamb, kind of like a gyro.
Also, the salad over there isn’t just lettuce, but it is different than salad over here; it’s compartmentalized. It’s not everything thrown together—it has lettuce but everything else they put on is sectioned off.
Oh, and they don’t have fluffy bread like we have over here. It’s very hard, and that’s normal.
And the water—they’re going to give you carbonated. If you want tap water, you have to ask.
The other thing I wanted to add is they eat a lot of beets (Me: yuuuck). Yeah, beets and potatoes, stuff like that. They're really good.
Me: What’s the name of that chocolate bar Mom has insisted I have to bring her as a souvenir?
Robyn: Milka bar. It’s got a picture of a cow on it. Cappuccino, remember.
Me: Thanks for your time (or something to that effect …).
P.S. For anybody who is curious (I was), the glasstec catalog is an inch and a half thick. But I’m not worried about the show. Much.
It’s been some time since Ellen Rogers wrote about her first time at glasstec and after re-reading it yet again I consider myself even more lucky in knowing that Ellen will be there to lend a hand as she covers it for our new Decorative Glass magazine, as will Charles Cumpston for the Architects’ Guide to Glass. (You better believe Deb will be there too, and you’ll be able to recognize our video producer Drew Vass by the equipment he’ll be carrying.)
But first thing’s first. As I pulled out the big suitcase from my closet last night, laid my passport on top and began to fret about how I’d squeeze my latest knitting project into my tiny carry-on, I felt the first stress about my upcoming trip. Now don’t get me wrong—the idea of spending five days walking across 725,000 square feet to talk with some of the 1,000 exhibitors at the show isn’t the least bit daunting to me (stop that laughing!), especially coming fresh off of covering the recent GlassBuild show (ok, I know it doesn’t compare). Nope, this early in the game, my biggest worry is just making my way to the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf: you know, trying to find the right mode of transportation to a destination I can’t pronounce, fighting jet lag while functioning in a fog of foreign conversation, yawning my way through a meal of food I’m just not used to … So I called in an expert in these matters to reassure me: my sister, Robyn, world traveler extraordinaire—and recent German major.
Me: What advice can you give to someone traveling around Düsseldorf for the first time?
Robyn: Take the U-bahn. Everybody takes the U-bahn. It’s just like in D.C. The thing is they’re absolutely punctual. If it says it’s leaving at 10:04, it’s leaving at 10:04.
Me: What are a few words you suggest travelers in Germany know?
Robyn:
How much? ......... Wie Viel?
Please.................... Bitte
Thank you ............ Danke
Train station ........ Bahnhof
Subway ................. U-bahn
Exit ........................ Ausgang
Glass ...................... Glas
Me: What's your favorite German food to order?
Robyn: The best food ever is stollen. The thing about this is you have to be there around Christmas time (it may be out this early). It’s amazing over there, fluffy, with powdered sugar on top. You can buy it at marketplaces and especially at the Christmas fairs. You have to try the original thing. The stollen is amazing.
If you’re looking for fast food, Döner. Basically it’s like McDonald’s in the sense that it just costs a couple Euros, it’s quick, but it’s so good. They serve pitas with lamb, kind of like a gyro.
Also, the salad over there isn’t just lettuce, but it is different than salad over here; it’s compartmentalized. It’s not everything thrown together—it has lettuce but everything else they put on is sectioned off.
Oh, and they don’t have fluffy bread like we have over here. It’s very hard, and that’s normal.
And the water—they’re going to give you carbonated. If you want tap water, you have to ask.
The other thing I wanted to add is they eat a lot of beets (Me: yuuuck). Yeah, beets and potatoes, stuff like that. They're really good.
Me: What’s the name of that chocolate bar Mom has insisted I have to bring her as a souvenir?
Robyn: Milka bar. It’s got a picture of a cow on it. Cappuccino, remember.
Me: Thanks for your time (or something to that effect …).
P.S. For anybody who is curious (I was), the glasstec catalog is an inch and a half thick. But I’m not worried about the show. Much.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Another Season, A Lot More Trade Shows
It’s officially fall, and not just because the leaves have begun changing here in Virginia or, as my mom recently pointed out, candy corn is being sold at every grocery store, but because around every corner is another trade show.
This week I suspect some of you may be heading out to Metalcon, the annual conference and exhibition for the metal construction industry. I’m sure many of you reading this are getting ready for next week’s show out in Las Vegas and then many more are turning around to head to glasstec in Germany.
For both of these shows we’ll be looking to take our usual show coverage to the next level by adding to our daily USGNN.com reports and the reviews in the December USGlass with video interviews from the show floor. Exhibitors, let us know if you’re ready to let your product be the star on camera—and attendees, be sure to stop by booth 310 to let us—and our viewers—know what trends you’re seeing at the show. I can tell you from experience, it’s not quite as intimidating as it first may seem!
And for those of you heading out to glasstec for the first time—like me!—let me know as I’d love to talk to you in advance about your plans for getting the most out of this massive show.
Just beyond glasstec is the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo in Boston. This show is a bit further off, but I’ve already been planning for it as I’m working on an article for the November USGlass about, what else, green products. I’ve been asking a number of people in our industry (and I’d love to get your input) the seemingly simple question: What does green mean to you? While we all may have a general idea of what a green product is, contributing editor Tara Taffera will be showing in the November issue that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is examining green claims in the building industry to see which can be supported and which are just claims being made to take advantage of this widespread green trend.
Not too far beyond Greenbuild is the annual Glass Expo Midwest, which you can read about in detail in the September USGlass.
Are there any other trade shows on your radar? Let me know by posting your comment here!
This week I suspect some of you may be heading out to Metalcon, the annual conference and exhibition for the metal construction industry. I’m sure many of you reading this are getting ready for next week’s show out in Las Vegas and then many more are turning around to head to glasstec in Germany.
For both of these shows we’ll be looking to take our usual show coverage to the next level by adding to our daily USGNN.com reports and the reviews in the December USGlass with video interviews from the show floor. Exhibitors, let us know if you’re ready to let your product be the star on camera—and attendees, be sure to stop by booth 310 to let us—and our viewers—know what trends you’re seeing at the show. I can tell you from experience, it’s not quite as intimidating as it first may seem!
And for those of you heading out to glasstec for the first time—like me!—let me know as I’d love to talk to you in advance about your plans for getting the most out of this massive show.
Just beyond glasstec is the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo in Boston. This show is a bit further off, but I’ve already been planning for it as I’m working on an article for the November USGlass about, what else, green products. I’ve been asking a number of people in our industry (and I’d love to get your input) the seemingly simple question: What does green mean to you? While we all may have a general idea of what a green product is, contributing editor Tara Taffera will be showing in the November issue that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is examining green claims in the building industry to see which can be supported and which are just claims being made to take advantage of this widespread green trend.
Not too far beyond Greenbuild is the annual Glass Expo Midwest, which you can read about in detail in the September USGlass.
Are there any other trade shows on your radar? Let me know by posting your comment here!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Hot, Hot, HOT!
If you’ve ever toured a float glass facility then perhaps you already know to what I’m referring. A few weeks ago I had just such an opportunity, when Rob Struble, marketing communications manager of Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries, was kind enough to invite members of our editorial staff to tour PPG’s float facility in Carlisle, Pa. What made the tour particularly tempting was the fact that the facility, which houses two side-by-side float lines, was undergoing repairs to one of its lines. The once-in-12-years opportunity, as Rob pointed out, allowed our small group to view a line in action—as well as an up-close view of the inside of a typical line.
We started our tour from the end of the float line, which provided an interesting perspective. We walked quickly past the cutting and sorting lines and into the last chamber of the float line.
“You think that’s hot?” our guide, Mike Henry, asked as he led us into the long room. There wasn’t much to see at that end of the line where the lengthy lehr enclosed the glass being annealed. We learned later that at this point the glass is cooled to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet sweat beaded on our collective brows and one cardigan was shrugged off as we nodded.
Mike smiled and replied, “That’s not hot.”
We followed our guides further down the line and crossed into the area where the glass actually begins to take its shape atop the molten tin bath. We could see purple licks of flame at the point where the glass was pulled into the lehr. Adjustable wheels on either side of the ribbon essentially pulled the glass out into the desired thickness, one point of the process that determines whether the glass will be a 1/8- or 1/4-inch lite, for example.
“You think that’s hot, don’t you?” Mike joked again.
I personally felt like I’d been vacuum-sealed and stuck in an unvented attic like a pile of discarded winter clothes in July. It became difficult to stop thinking, no, fantasizing about the pack of water bottles sitting in the van. We nodded.
Mike laughed. “That’s not hot.”
Finally we passed the 36-foot-tall regenerators, chambers on either side of the furnace that alternately force hot air into the furnace and take the excess heat back for reuse. We’d reached the end of the line, where batch ingredients were fed into the furnace. As the raw materials were deposited into the open end of the furnace, what was a moment before solid silica, limestone, soda ash, dolomite and cullet now bobbed in a liquid state. Now that was hot—but it was all we could do to stay away at that point.
And of course it’s hot. The peak temperature inside the actual furnace is 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature at which silica melts. With the green focus of the upcoming November issue of USGlass on my mind, I couldn’t help but consider how much energy must be required to maintain such high temperatures 24 hours a day.
After a moment’s breath of fresh air outside, where we gazed upon mountains of glistening glass shards, divided by tint and type to be recycled as cullet, our group went back in better prepared for the heat. Our guides then dove into explaining each step of the process and helping us to find the best view of the molten batch as it proceeded through the furnace, into the refiner, along the tin bath, inside of the lehr and finally out into the open where it was cut to size.
On the walk back past the furnace we had more opportunities to peek inside the inner workings of the furnace—and into the interior of the non-working furnace, which is in the process of being rebuilt. We were given a glance inside the refiner, and were able to make out examples of the bubbles removed during the process. At that point Mike also pointed out the “tweel,” a gate that that is adjusted to control the amount of glass that enters the next chamber, the first step in controlling the size of the glass.
We were also given a few moments’ reprieve in two different examples of the air-conditioned control consoles, from which the line’s attendants view the glass via video monitors as it progresses along the line.
While it may differ for my coworkers (pictured here from left: assista
nt editor Katie Hodge, DWM editor Tara Taffera, yours truly, AGRR editor Penny Stacey and Window Film editor Drew Vass), one of the most interesting parts for me was when we returned to the cutting line where we had first began our tour, but now with the consideration that until the lites were scored and cut, we’d been following the path of one tremendously long piece of glass. As many times as I’d read it, it was mind-boggling to think that the ribbon of glass keeps moving nonstop for years.
CLICK HERE to read Tara's perspective on the trip and HERE to read Penny's recollections of our adventure.
And if you’re interested in seeing this process for yourself—let your glass supplier know you’re interested—or you can take a look at this video from the Glass Association of North America’s Flat Glass Manufacturing Division.
We started our tour from the end of the float line, which provided an interesting perspective. We walked quickly past the cutting and sorting lines and into the last chamber of the float line.
“You think that’s hot?” our guide, Mike Henry, asked as he led us into the long room. There wasn’t much to see at that end of the line where the lengthy lehr enclosed the glass being annealed. We learned later that at this point the glass is cooled to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet sweat beaded on our collective brows and one cardigan was shrugged off as we nodded.
Mike smiled and replied, “That’s not hot.”
We followed our guides further down the line and crossed into the area where the glass actually begins to take its shape atop the molten tin bath. We could see purple licks of flame at the point where the glass was pulled into the lehr. Adjustable wheels on either side of the ribbon essentially pulled the glass out into the desired thickness, one point of the process that determines whether the glass will be a 1/8- or 1/4-inch lite, for example.
“You think that’s hot, don’t you?” Mike joked again.
I personally felt like I’d been vacuum-sealed and stuck in an unvented attic like a pile of discarded winter clothes in July. It became difficult to stop thinking, no, fantasizing about the pack of water bottles sitting in the van. We nodded.
Mike laughed. “That’s not hot.”
Finally we passed the 36-foot-tall regenerators, chambers on either side of the furnace that alternately force hot air into the furnace and take the excess heat back for reuse. We’d reached the end of the line, where batch ingredients were fed into the furnace. As the raw materials were deposited into the open end of the furnace, what was a moment before solid silica, limestone, soda ash, dolomite and cullet now bobbed in a liquid state. Now that was hot—but it was all we could do to stay away at that point.
And of course it’s hot. The peak temperature inside the actual furnace is 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature at which silica melts. With the green focus of the upcoming November issue of USGlass on my mind, I couldn’t help but consider how much energy must be required to maintain such high temperatures 24 hours a day.
After a moment’s breath of fresh air outside, where we gazed upon mountains of glistening glass shards, divided by tint and type to be recycled as cullet, our group went back in better prepared for the heat. Our guides then dove into explaining each step of the process and helping us to find the best view of the molten batch as it proceeded through the furnace, into the refiner, along the tin bath, inside of the lehr and finally out into the open where it was cut to size.
On the walk back past the furnace we had more opportunities to peek inside the inner workings of the furnace—and into the interior of the non-working furnace, which is in the process of being rebuilt. We were given a glance inside the refiner, and were able to make out examples of the bubbles removed during the process. At that point Mike also pointed out the “tweel,” a gate that that is adjusted to control the amount of glass that enters the next chamber, the first step in controlling the size of the glass.
We were also given a few moments’ reprieve in two different examples of the air-conditioned control consoles, from which the line’s attendants view the glass via video monitors as it progresses along the line.
While it may differ for my coworkers (pictured here from left: assista
nt editor Katie Hodge, DWM editor Tara Taffera, yours truly, AGRR editor Penny Stacey and Window Film editor Drew Vass), one of the most interesting parts for me was when we returned to the cutting line where we had first began our tour, but now with the consideration that until the lites were scored and cut, we’d been following the path of one tremendously long piece of glass. As many times as I’d read it, it was mind-boggling to think that the ribbon of glass keeps moving nonstop for years.CLICK HERE to read Tara's perspective on the trip and HERE to read Penny's recollections of our adventure.
And if you’re interested in seeing this process for yourself—let your glass supplier know you’re interested—or you can take a look at this video from the Glass Association of North America’s Flat Glass Manufacturing Division.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Last Day of Fall Conference
No offense to the fine folks at the Glass Association of North America (GANA), but I’m pretty happy to be leaving Dallas today. The Fall Conference itself has been terrific, with lots of progress made during the meetings, as well as some interesting presentations (check out www.usgnn.com for more on that). But for the second morning in a row, I woke up, turned on the news and was immediately greeted with the warning that 88 counties in Texas have already declared a disaster in preparation of Ike. This morning I learned in addition that the Dallas Convention Center is being prepared by the local Red Cross to house evacuees as the hurricane approaches.
For those of you who read my recent post on our storm-related reports, let me just say that while I’m happy to assist in getting information out there, I have no interest in offering a first-person perspective on the need for glass replacement following a hurricane …
Maybe Dallas and GANA are just a bad combination. Back in 2005, Hurricane Rita kept GANA members from attending that year’s Fall Conference, as several people commented during last night's reception. But on the other hand, I’m just glad that this go around everyone had the opportunity to come together and progress on the number of items that have been under discussion this week.
For those of you who read my recent post on our storm-related reports, let me just say that while I’m happy to assist in getting information out there, I have no interest in offering a first-person perspective on the need for glass replacement following a hurricane …
Maybe Dallas and GANA are just a bad combination. Back in 2005, Hurricane Rita kept GANA members from attending that year’s Fall Conference, as several people commented during last night's reception. But on the other hand, I’m just glad that this go around everyone had the opportunity to come together and progress on the number of items that have been under discussion this week.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Hard at Work in Dallas
As predicted, labeling did come up during yesterday’s meeting of the Fire-Rated Glazing Council (which met as part of the Glass Association of North America’s Fall Conference), but it was only one topic of many discussions. And what was most refreshing was being in the same room as the majority of individuals with whom I’d spoken for the article—and hearing the willingness to address the issue of labeling as a unified group. While the different perspectives were clearly evident in discussions, the discussion was open and the group seemed focused on finding a way to put this issue to rest once and for all. Of course, it helps that the alternative is letting the International Code Councils’ (ICC) Code Technology Committee make a recommendation to the ICC that would decide this issue for the glass industry. As Thom Zaremba commented on my way out of the room, the final chapter has yet to be written on this article - but hopefully it will be the glass industry representatives that are penning this chapter.
Last night concluded with a very well attended reception and gave everyone a chance to say hello, and gave me the chance to speak face-to-face with a couple of the folks whom I’ve had the pleasure of quoting in articles over the past year. Today I had a similar pleasure in that following his tremendous keynote address on the state of the glass industry, Apogee chairman and CEO Russ Huffer took some time out of his busy schedule for a one-on-one interview. He answered a number of questions I’ve been asking over the past couple of months for various articles, running the gamut from photovoltaics to coating advances to the rumors of a glass shortage.
One point that I thought was pretty interesting was that Russ touched base on one of the cutting-edge trends we’ve been tracking in USGlass, solar energy and building integrated photovoltaics. He stressed that while photovoltaics (PV) will be a big player in the glass industry for some time to come, there are significant challenges when it comes to integrating PV into vertical facades that are not likely to be solved in the near future. The difficulties lie in the fact that by installing solar cells on a vertical façade, there are only soaking up sun from one direction, limiting their usefulness throughout the day. In addition, he pointed out that thin film is “winning the day” with regard to costs, but is less efficient than other technologies in converting sunlight into usable electricity.
For the rest of the interview, well, you’ll just have to check out http://www.usgnn.com/ to see the interview for yourself!
Last night concluded with a very well attended reception and gave everyone a chance to say hello, and gave me the chance to speak face-to-face with a couple of the folks whom I’ve had the pleasure of quoting in articles over the past year. Today I had a similar pleasure in that following his tremendous keynote address on the state of the glass industry, Apogee chairman and CEO Russ Huffer took some time out of his busy schedule for a one-on-one interview. He answered a number of questions I’ve been asking over the past couple of months for various articles, running the gamut from photovoltaics to coating advances to the rumors of a glass shortage.
One point that I thought was pretty interesting was that Russ touched base on one of the cutting-edge trends we’ve been tracking in USGlass, solar energy and building integrated photovoltaics. He stressed that while photovoltaics (PV) will be a big player in the glass industry for some time to come, there are significant challenges when it comes to integrating PV into vertical facades that are not likely to be solved in the near future. The difficulties lie in the fact that by installing solar cells on a vertical façade, there are only soaking up sun from one direction, limiting their usefulness throughout the day. In addition, he pointed out that thin film is “winning the day” with regard to costs, but is less efficient than other technologies in converting sunlight into usable electricity.
For the rest of the interview, well, you’ll just have to check out http://www.usgnn.com/ to see the interview for yourself!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Greetings from Dallas
While this morning’s flight to Dallas was relatively uneventful (at least the parts I was awake for), I’m sure that the same can’t be said of the reason I’m here. The Glass Association of North America (GANA) is holding its Fall Conference at the Wyndham Hotel here in Dallas, starting with this afternoon’s meeting of the Fire-Rated Glazing Council.
This afternoon's meeting is one I've been looking forward to since wrapping up the August issue of USGlass. It had given me an opportunity to learn more about an item on this afternoon's agenda, the labeling of fire-rated glazing materials - but also an opportunity to speak to a number of the individuals present here at this meeting. One of the things I'd been told repeatedly was that although this topic has been under much discussion of late, it's only one item of interest in this specific area. (To learn about some of those other items, keep an eye on USGNN tomorrow and Wednesday!)
This is a group that certainly knows how to get down to business, so I know there will be plenty to report. We’ll have to wait and see the highlights the meetings are sure to hold, but there is one highlight set on the schedule. Russ Huffer of Apogee Enterprises is set to discuss “The State of the Glass and Glazing Industry” during tomorrow’s breakfast. I’ll be particularly interested to hear what he says as I’ve just recently finished up an article along those lines for the September issue of USGlass; that is, what is in the future for the architectural glass industry.
Of course part of that was the question of whether or not there is in fact a glass shortage on the horizon. The glass manufacturers with whom I spoke suggested that there are indications of a shortage in the future. Meanwhile, a few of the contract glaziers interviewed for a follow-up article clearly have seen no such signs. Please share your input by sending me an email or leaving your comments here.
This afternoon's meeting is one I've been looking forward to since wrapping up the August issue of USGlass. It had given me an opportunity to learn more about an item on this afternoon's agenda, the labeling of fire-rated glazing materials - but also an opportunity to speak to a number of the individuals present here at this meeting. One of the things I'd been told repeatedly was that although this topic has been under much discussion of late, it's only one item of interest in this specific area. (To learn about some of those other items, keep an eye on USGNN tomorrow and Wednesday!)
This is a group that certainly knows how to get down to business, so I know there will be plenty to report. We’ll have to wait and see the highlights the meetings are sure to hold, but there is one highlight set on the schedule. Russ Huffer of Apogee Enterprises is set to discuss “The State of the Glass and Glazing Industry” during tomorrow’s breakfast. I’ll be particularly interested to hear what he says as I’ve just recently finished up an article along those lines for the September issue of USGlass; that is, what is in the future for the architectural glass industry.
Of course part of that was the question of whether or not there is in fact a glass shortage on the horizon. The glass manufacturers with whom I spoke suggested that there are indications of a shortage in the future. Meanwhile, a few of the contract glaziers interviewed for a follow-up article clearly have seen no such signs. Please share your input by sending me an email or leaving your comments here.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Howling Winds
In my last blog I talked about a recent trip to Miami … well, this blog also goes out to those folks located in Southern Florida, as news reports send out more warnings about what is currently (and hopefully will remain) Tropical Storm Fay.
Luckily, few hurricanes ever venture so far as our location in Virginia. Growing up near Virginia Beach brought me into some contact with hurricanes, and whenever I hear the news reports these days I recall running to a window during the eerie silence of a hurricane’s eye (obviously not the smartest move) and staring at the odd green-blue cast of the sky before the bottom broke once again and the rain came pouring down.
Well, that and those few key scenes at the end of Key Largo …
The last major hurricane with which I crossed paths was Hurricane Isabel. I have distinct memories of the time I passed with a flashlight and a novel on the (interior) bathroom’s floor while my apartment’s glass patio doors threatened to rattle off their hinges and more than a few trees fell outside.
A lot of people out there who have hunkered down listening to that sound of rattling glass, waiting for the shatter, know how valuable it can be to have a glazing contractor at the ready the following day to come pick up the pieces—and install the news ones.
At USGNN.com we aim to track many of these major hurricanes to serve our readers on two levels. First, all businesses are disrupted when a major storm comes through, but glazing contractors and glass retailers are among those involved in the recovery efforts and keeping these businesses on their feet to help others is vitally important. We aim to offer tips and suggestions for businesses in these storm areas, such as those provided in a recent USGlass article on hurricane products.
Second, because our readers are involved in these recovery efforts … we aim to help track areas where resources may be taxed and companies from somewhat further afield may benefit from assisting in glass replacement efforts.
Are these reports a helpful service to you?
Do you have any suggestions that you’d like to offer to your colleagues for preparing your business for hurricanes and other bad weather? Leave a comment here or send me an email at mheadley@glass.com.
Thanks for letting us know—and good luck to those of you riding out this coming storm.
Luckily, few hurricanes ever venture so far as our location in Virginia. Growing up near Virginia Beach brought me into some contact with hurricanes, and whenever I hear the news reports these days I recall running to a window during the eerie silence of a hurricane’s eye (obviously not the smartest move) and staring at the odd green-blue cast of the sky before the bottom broke once again and the rain came pouring down.
Well, that and those few key scenes at the end of Key Largo …
The last major hurricane with which I crossed paths was Hurricane Isabel. I have distinct memories of the time I passed with a flashlight and a novel on the (interior) bathroom’s floor while my apartment’s glass patio doors threatened to rattle off their hinges and more than a few trees fell outside.
A lot of people out there who have hunkered down listening to that sound of rattling glass, waiting for the shatter, know how valuable it can be to have a glazing contractor at the ready the following day to come pick up the pieces—and install the news ones.
At USGNN.com we aim to track many of these major hurricanes to serve our readers on two levels. First, all businesses are disrupted when a major storm comes through, but glazing contractors and glass retailers are among those involved in the recovery efforts and keeping these businesses on their feet to help others is vitally important. We aim to offer tips and suggestions for businesses in these storm areas, such as those provided in a recent USGlass article on hurricane products.
Second, because our readers are involved in these recovery efforts … we aim to help track areas where resources may be taxed and companies from somewhat further afield may benefit from assisting in glass replacement efforts.
Are these reports a helpful service to you?
Do you have any suggestions that you’d like to offer to your colleagues for preparing your business for hurricanes and other bad weather? Leave a comment here or send me an email at mheadley@glass.com.
Thanks for letting us know—and good luck to those of you riding out this coming storm.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
R&R and Construction Work
I know this may come as a shock to some, but I actually took a few days a week ago for a little vacation, a cruise that left Miami. As I had a late flight leaving Miami following the cruise, I indulged in a guided tour of South Beach and its striking art deco style. While Jerry, the charming tour guide, had plenty to say about the millionaires’ homes along the waterfront and stories about the area’s distinct deco style, I must confess that I was probably most interested in what he had to say about downtown Miami’s very vertical skyline.
Jerry lamented that many of the clubs for which South Beach is known have found new homes in the city’s downtown, as the district is being built up at a rapid pace. According to Jerry, the skyline shown below didn’t exist as much as ten years ago.
Now this was my first trip to Miami so I can’t vouch for that, but I can repeat the words of the taxi driver who brought me into town, that the city constantly “is just knocking down one thing to put up more condos.”
Evidence of construction was everywhere in the city, a startling contrast to the historical deco district which is fiercely protected by the city (according to the tour guide, you can’t remodel the historic building’s exteriors with colors and additions similar to the original style—it has to be exactly the same). Downtown was filled with cranes and scaffolding although, as the taxi driver pointed out, few tenants yet reside in the newest wave of condominiums.
The downtown district is slowly filling, though; according to Jerry, extensive public transportation systems have been constructed throughout downtown to account for the high increases in traffic in an urban area that never expected such high residential growth.
Taking a step back, as I gazed at the city’s skyline from the ship I thought to myself about how the buildings melded together nicely, seeming to confirm that they had all gone up within a comparable amount of time. But after the tour of South Beach, I could appreciate the influence of the deco design upon the urban architects, with the clean vertical lines repeated by interesting protrusions in
the building’s otherwise flat profile. In the newer condos, some more contemporary elements had begun creeping in, such as the undulating glass balconies pictured at right.
Of course, I don’t need to point out the incredible use of glass, another “modern” element in this new downtown area.
It was pretty interesting to get a chance to see an area with so much evidence of glass going up, but I’d be curious to hear from you in the area as to whether this is a trend that’s continuing. And if one of these lovely buildings is a project on which you contributed, please speak up and let me know!
Jerry lamented that many of the clubs for which South Beach is known have found new homes in the city’s downtown, as the district is being built up at a rapid pace. According to Jerry, the skyline shown below didn’t exist as much as ten years ago.
Now this was my first trip to Miami so I can’t vouch for that, but I can repeat the words of the taxi driver who brought me into town, that the city constantly “is just knocking down one thing to put up more condos.”
Evidence of construction was everywhere in the city, a startling contrast to the historical deco district which is fiercely protected by the city (according to the tour guide, you can’t remodel the historic building’s exteriors with colors and additions similar to the original style—it has to be exactly the same). Downtown was filled with cranes and scaffolding although, as the taxi driver pointed out, few tenants yet reside in the newest wave of condominiums.
The downtown district is slowly filling, though; according to Jerry, extensive public transportation systems have been constructed throughout downtown to account for the high increases in traffic in an urban area that never expected such high residential growth.
Taking a step back, as I gazed at the city’s skyline from the ship I thought to myself about how the buildings melded together nicely, seeming to confirm that they had all gone up within a comparable amount of time. But after the tour of South Beach, I could appreciate the influence of the deco design upon the urban architects, with the clean vertical lines repeated by interesting protrusions in
the building’s otherwise flat profile. In the newer condos, some more contemporary elements had begun creeping in, such as the undulating glass balconies pictured at right.Of course, I don’t need to point out the incredible use of glass, another “modern” element in this new downtown area.
It was pretty interesting to get a chance to see an area with so much evidence of glass going up, but I’d be curious to hear from you in the area as to whether this is a trend that’s continuing. And if one of these lovely buildings is a project on which you contributed, please speak up and let me know!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Influencing the Glass Industry …
As I mentioned in my last post, the board of the International Code Council (ICC) recently met to vote on whether or not to let its Code Technology Committee (CTC) devote time to researching “marking standards for the rating of fire-resistance and fire protection glazing.” According to Steve Daggers, who handles ICC’s media relations, the board has agreed that the issue is important enough to take on, and CTC will be added to the list of organizations examining this rating system, including the Glass Association of North America and the Americas Glass Association.
As Steve pointed out during our conversation, this is just a go-ahead to research the issue. The committee, or its study group should one be appointed, may decide a code change is necessary and it very well may not. One thing is certain, anyone with a vested interest in this issue will want to stay tuned to these meetings.
While we wait to find out if these code officials will influence this segment of the glass industry, I’m waiting to hear more about who you think is the biggest influence in the glass industry. Just a reminder, you have until August 11 to nominate those individuals who you think should be recognized as the Most Influential in the September issue of USGlass. Whether this is an individual who works quietly behind the scenes to impact our industry, or someone whose name you regularly read in the pages of our magazine, vocalize your kudos by nominating them for this list.
As Steve pointed out during our conversation, this is just a go-ahead to research the issue. The committee, or its study group should one be appointed, may decide a code change is necessary and it very well may not. One thing is certain, anyone with a vested interest in this issue will want to stay tuned to these meetings.
While we wait to find out if these code officials will influence this segment of the glass industry, I’m waiting to hear more about who you think is the biggest influence in the glass industry. Just a reminder, you have until August 11 to nominate those individuals who you think should be recognized as the Most Influential in the September issue of USGlass. Whether this is an individual who works quietly behind the scenes to impact our industry, or someone whose name you regularly read in the pages of our magazine, vocalize your kudos by nominating them for this list.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Playing with Fire
Back in May I got to listen in and learn a lot about the labeling of fire-rated glazing when I attended a meeting of the International Code Council’s (ICC) Code Technology Committee (CTC). At that time, the CTC agreed that it would recommend to the ICC board that the committee be allowed to form a task group that would research “marking standards for the rating of fire-resistance and fire protection glazing.” The ICC board is scheduled to address this topic during a meeting this weekend and I hope to have an update for you on Monday as to whether yet another group will be trying to find a way to label these products that suits product manufacturers and properly informs the code officials.
This is a topic we’ve reported on at great length in the past (see Ellen Roger’s very informative article on the labeling system in this April 2006 issue). And in fact, I’ve been asked a couple times in the past two weeks, while interviewing industry professionals for a related article in our August 2008 issue of USGlass, if anyone is really still interested in this topic. Maybe that’s the attitude of manufacturers no longer interested in continuing the discussion (and hey, that’s not commentary on anybody as I’ve heard it from several corners!) but so long as the topic continues to be brought up at industry meetings, I feel that we owe it to our readers to continue covering this discussion.
I’ll admit, I’m new to the intricacies of this labeling system. But the one thing I’ve heard from each and every fire-rated glazing manufacturer with whom I’ve spoken is that the intent of the label is to make things easier for building code officials. Clearly some companies and/or individuals feel the existing label accomplishes this goal, while others do not. Maybe now we’re going to find out if the building code officials feel the need to change this label; not necessarily Monday when the ICC board determines whether or not to establish a task group to research this issue, but perhaps if such research is undertaken code officials will step forth and offer their input.
In the meantime, I’d like to have your input on this issue. Have you heard input from building code officials stating that they find this system confusing? Or is all quiet on the fire-rated glazing front? Send me an e-mail at mheadley@glass.com; rest assured, your name won’t be thrown in print without your express permission, but I would appreciate hearing input from the individuals affected by this issue.
This is a topic we’ve reported on at great length in the past (see Ellen Roger’s very informative article on the labeling system in this April 2006 issue). And in fact, I’ve been asked a couple times in the past two weeks, while interviewing industry professionals for a related article in our August 2008 issue of USGlass, if anyone is really still interested in this topic. Maybe that’s the attitude of manufacturers no longer interested in continuing the discussion (and hey, that’s not commentary on anybody as I’ve heard it from several corners!) but so long as the topic continues to be brought up at industry meetings, I feel that we owe it to our readers to continue covering this discussion.
I’ll admit, I’m new to the intricacies of this labeling system. But the one thing I’ve heard from each and every fire-rated glazing manufacturer with whom I’ve spoken is that the intent of the label is to make things easier for building code officials. Clearly some companies and/or individuals feel the existing label accomplishes this goal, while others do not. Maybe now we’re going to find out if the building code officials feel the need to change this label; not necessarily Monday when the ICC board determines whether or not to establish a task group to research this issue, but perhaps if such research is undertaken code officials will step forth and offer their input.
In the meantime, I’d like to have your input on this issue. Have you heard input from building code officials stating that they find this system confusing? Or is all quiet on the fire-rated glazing front? Send me an e-mail at mheadley@glass.com; rest assured, your name won’t be thrown in print without your express permission, but I would appreciate hearing input from the individuals affected by this issue.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Opening Discussion
While I’d asked in an earlier blog on skylight safety whether you thought skylight manufacturers should be responsible for the safety of individuals walking on their product or if that should be the responsibility of the individual placing themselves in a dangerous situation—it seems like many manufacturers are asking if this should be the responsibility of glass skylight manufacturers at all. As one member of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s (AAMA) Skylight Council's skylight fall protection task group brought up in one of the recent conference calls on its scope, there's very little data at this point on how many people have fallen from skylights or what type of skylights were involved in the incident—or, for that matter, if they were skylights at all or merely some type of “roof opening” including unprotected holes on construction sites.
Since the article on ASTM committee E06.51’s work on a human impact resistance standard for skylights ran in the May 2008 USGlass, the Skylight Council task group has worked on revising its scope to reflect the fact that no concrete data exists on skylight-related accidents as of yet. It seems that the AAMA task group is doing a good job of backing up and asking that first question: what risk are we really looking at? The group is examining data to see if glass skylights are creating an unaddressed risk, and upon doing so aims to address what they can do to lower related accidents should the need be there.
As an editor dealing with technical topics I feel that much of my job is trying to collect background information to get to that first real question. Such has been the case during this last week as I’ve spoken with manufacturers of another product that has been under much discussion on our newsletter, fire-rated glazing. Over the last year we’ve published stories about several different groups that are examining the topic of labeling for this protective product. Jumping right into a topic that has been discussed since the labeling system was adopted in the 2003 International Building Code, I’ve done my best to understand the background on why this topic has raised so much discussion, and I’ve had plenty of questions for the professionals I’ve spoken with. But I feel that all of that information is needed to get to the real question behind a story, and that’s something I’m still working to find out on this topic of labeling. If you have any comments about this topic or why we’re addressing it, I’d certainly appreciate your input—shoot me an e-mail at mheadley@glass.com.
For parties interested in discussing this topic anonymously, we provide our message forum as a place to share your thoughts openly and honestly.
Since the article on ASTM committee E06.51’s work on a human impact resistance standard for skylights ran in the May 2008 USGlass, the Skylight Council task group has worked on revising its scope to reflect the fact that no concrete data exists on skylight-related accidents as of yet. It seems that the AAMA task group is doing a good job of backing up and asking that first question: what risk are we really looking at? The group is examining data to see if glass skylights are creating an unaddressed risk, and upon doing so aims to address what they can do to lower related accidents should the need be there.
As an editor dealing with technical topics I feel that much of my job is trying to collect background information to get to that first real question. Such has been the case during this last week as I’ve spoken with manufacturers of another product that has been under much discussion on our newsletter, fire-rated glazing. Over the last year we’ve published stories about several different groups that are examining the topic of labeling for this protective product. Jumping right into a topic that has been discussed since the labeling system was adopted in the 2003 International Building Code, I’ve done my best to understand the background on why this topic has raised so much discussion, and I’ve had plenty of questions for the professionals I’ve spoken with. But I feel that all of that information is needed to get to the real question behind a story, and that’s something I’m still working to find out on this topic of labeling. If you have any comments about this topic or why we’re addressing it, I’d certainly appreciate your input—shoot me an e-mail at mheadley@glass.com.
For parties interested in discussing this topic anonymously, we provide our message forum as a place to share your thoughts openly and honestly.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Making Windows Work
I’d mentioned a couple weeks back that I was working on a pretty neat article about solar energy. It seems that more designers, and glass manufacturers for that matter, are learning how to make their windows work for them. For instance, this link on today’s USGNN.com™ newsletter disccuses how store windows are “emerging as a new kind of billboard business.” Who needs to look through the glass when you can watch an advertisement on it?
We’ve made so many demands of glass in recent years, and it seems to be getting more complicated all the time. It’s no longer just enough for it to provide the perfectly clear view to the outside, let in natural light (while keeping out the heat, naturally), clean itself, etc., but now it also has to produce energy and keep us entertained.
And consider this incredible project that makes its glass products do both. By day, the Greenpix Zero Energy Media Wall in China uses its 20,000-square-foot glass-clad wall to soak up the sun—to produce enough energy to project videos at night.
That’s a lot for one product to accomplish. In researching my article on solar energy, it seemed incredible to me that glass could perform as highly as we’ve come to expect, and still be effective in these new roles.
But as Vince Van Son, commercial manager of Sustainable Solutions for Alcoa Building and Construction Systems, explained to me when we recently spoke, “building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems do not require the architect and building owner to give up or compromise other desired building features. Rather, BIPV systems can be complementary to the current and emerging demands of building owners, their occupants and society.”
I bet concrete manufacturers wish their product was this versatile!
We’ve made so many demands of glass in recent years, and it seems to be getting more complicated all the time. It’s no longer just enough for it to provide the perfectly clear view to the outside, let in natural light (while keeping out the heat, naturally), clean itself, etc., but now it also has to produce energy and keep us entertained.
And consider this incredible project that makes its glass products do both. By day, the Greenpix Zero Energy Media Wall in China uses its 20,000-square-foot glass-clad wall to soak up the sun—to produce enough energy to project videos at night.
That’s a lot for one product to accomplish. In researching my article on solar energy, it seemed incredible to me that glass could perform as highly as we’ve come to expect, and still be effective in these new roles.
But as Vince Van Son, commercial manager of Sustainable Solutions for Alcoa Building and Construction Systems, explained to me when we recently spoke, “building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems do not require the architect and building owner to give up or compromise other desired building features. Rather, BIPV systems can be complementary to the current and emerging demands of building owners, their occupants and society.”
I bet concrete manufacturers wish their product was this versatile!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Honor Your CEO
Today marks the last day for entries in the USGlass magazine 2008 CEO of the Year contest, and I’m pleased to say that I’ve received information on some great candidates. I can’t tell you how inspiring it is to receive these glowing nominations of employers in our industry.And while it will already be tough enough to choose the winners to include in our December issue—I would like to use this as reminder as an opportunity to invite any last minute nominations. If it’s impressive enough, it’s worth an extra week’s wait, right? And don’t think that we’re only accepting nominations from the biggest companies out there—we’ll be choosing winners in two categories, large and small companies. CLICK HERE for a nomination form or contact me at mheadley@glass.com if you have any questions.
I’ve got to tell you, these profiles are among my favorite articles to write, because it’s always so interesting to sit down and talk one-on-one with an industry expert and to learn the history behind the company.
I blogged last November about my visit to Owatonna, Minn., to interview Don Pyatt, CEO of Viracon and I have my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to make a similar trip on the months ahead.
You can read both my profile of Don, as well as the profile of John Wheaton, CEO of Wheaton & Sprague Engineering, in the December 2007 USGlass.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A Long Road to Whistler
The Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA) summer meeting started on Monday in Whistler, B.C. I feel that I should mention here that the fantastic people at IGMA really know how to pick a meeting location.
When 
my travels started on Saturday I couldn’t help but feel like someone at Travelocity needed a map as they had booked my flight from D.C. to Canada via Houston, but I didn’t mind the layover too much when it gave me a chance to stretch my legs … and admire the glazing in the E terminal. I felt a bit silly for being so excited to remember that when I profiled BHN Corp. in Memphis, Tenn., several years ago, they had just begun installing the glass in this wing. I particularly liked the clerestory effect of the curved windows three stories up, the natural light pouring in from all angles upon the travelers waiting below (see photo at left).
my travels started on Saturday I couldn’t help but feel like someone at Travelocity needed a map as they had booked my flight from D.C. to Canada via Houston, but I didn’t mind the layover too much when it gave me a chance to stretch my legs … and admire the glazing in the E terminal. I felt a bit silly for being so excited to remember that when I profiled BHN Corp. in Memphis, Tenn., several years ago, they had just begun installing the glass in this wing. I particularly liked the clerestory effect of the curved windows three stories up, the natural light pouring in from all angles upon the travelers waiting below (see photo at left). From Houston I finally made it to Vancouver—a few days early for the
meeting as I had never previously had a chance to visit this amazing city. My first impression is that where in most big cities downtown is the place to be, the cityscape here just seemed in the way of the natural beauty of the mountains and rivers. Still, when traveling to an IGMA meeting, one couldn’t help but notice and appreciate the prevalent use of glass throughout the city (see photo).
meeting as I had never previously had a chance to visit this amazing city. My first impression is that where in most big cities downtown is the place to be, the cityscape here just seemed in the way of the natural beauty of the mountains and rivers. Still, when traveling to an IGMA meeting, one couldn’t help but notice and appreciate the prevalent use of glass throughout the city (see photo).The meetings kicked off on Monday and from the beginning it’s been evident that this group is here that despite the fantastic venue, the group is here to work. This isn’t one of those meetings where topics are talked about in circles. It’s been a productive and interesting meeting, with action taken in the gas permeability working group to further its test protocol for argon permeability through IGUs, there were some in-depth discussions on capillary tubes to further work in that task group and some progress made on a new educational seminar on IG manufacturing quality control. Not to mention that Tuesday’s lunch featured a timely session on building information modeling and specifically how it relates to manufacturers.
The group also discussed some exciting ideas for being more productive going forward, making this a great time for IG manufacturers to step up and get involved in the direction of this association.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Gonna Soak Up the Sun
We had a beautifully sunny day for my mom’s Memorial Day cookout a couple weekends back, which I suppose could be why the conversation turned the way that it did. My uncle, the president of a company that manufactures stoplights, had mentioned that he was working on a project very close to where I live. I needled him about providing a stoplight in one particularly troublesome intersection, and he explained the history of the project on which he was working. Upon asking how long a stoplight is designed to last, he explained that many stoplights and other construction signs are powered these days by photovoltaic (PV) panels.
Solar energy, huh? I found the conversation even more interesting as I heard it echoed later that week when I spoke with Steve Fronek, vice president of Wausau Window and Wall Systems in Wausau, Wis., about this very topic.
“It’s a real interesting topic because the overall PV market worldwide is growing like a weed and, for obvious reasons, could really be a key segment for the overall market (building integrated photovoltaics) doesn’t really get the attention because the rest of the markets are growing so fast,” Fronek commented during our conversation. “Going through road construction you’ll see the road construction sites, or the emergency phones by the side of the interstate, are now powered by solar panels instead of battery packs.”
And notice I have. Between those two conversations, my commute to work has been much more interesting lately. It’s hard for me to not notice the small panels perched atop the occasional road sign. It’s rather comforting to know that in some ways the transportation industry has adapted to the rising costs of fuel and is turning to alternative power … even if it doesn’t benefit me in my weekly ventures to the gas pump!
But what’s that about building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV)? And why is it an area you should be giving attention? Well, in this day and age, BIPV doesn’t just mean those high-tech looking panels perched atop a house—it can mean power-generating spandrels and even transparent curtainwall and facades.
Maybe this solar energy thing is still just a small trend, but it’s one that’s beginning to get noticed big-time by the glass industry. Have you read USGNN.com lately?
- FTL Solar Gets Funds for Power-Generating Buildings
- First Solar Shareholder Signals Swoon With Sales
- PORTUGAL - Saint-Gobain Develops its Presence on the Solar Mirrors Market
- CZECH REPUBLIC - SCHOTT Solar Officially Opens New Module Production Facilities in Valasské Mezirící
- Cardinal Glass to Open Solar Panel Factory in Mazomanie
- Glaston Corporation Establishes Solar Energy Targeted
- HelioVolt Partners with Architectural Glass & Aluminum Co. for Building Integrated Solar Products
- Asahi Reports Agreement to Pay Fine and Other News (other solar news)
- Future Houses May be Made Entirely of Solar Cell Glass
- Global Solar Energy Opens Landmark Manufacturing Plant, Sets Full-scale Production Capacity Records
- Glasstech Forms New Solar Systems Business Unit, Includes Several Current High Tech Systems
- SCHOTT Solar Selects Mesa del Sol for New Solar Manufacturing Plant
And that’s just a few of the related stories we’ve covered since the start of this year …
For me personally, BIPV has meant one of the most interesting articles I’ve worked on for USGlass. Do you know how many types of technologies use the sun to generate power? And how many of them involve glass? And that it’s possible to produce a transparent window that creates electricity? I’ve been researching just this for an article set to appear in our July issue.
In the meantime, I’d love your input on this exciting topic. Specifically, if you know of any buildings in the D.C.-area making use of PV (especially in vision areas), be sure to let me know. You can shoot me an e-mail at mheadley@glass.com.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Boston Site-Seeing, the USGlass Way
I headed up to Dulles International Airport Wednesday afternoon, on my way to Boston for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Convention. I’m at Dulles a lot, and I always enjoy watching the progress on their construction of the new underground train lines and walkways that will better connect the terminals. Wednesday I happened to linger for a few minutes outside the security checkpoint to watch the installation of the last of a series of (comparatively) small skylights. A number of lites of glass were propped up on the roof—I suppose you can call it the roof, although the concrete surface with its scattered pyramids of glass was several feet below my viewing area. I watched a crane slowly lifting … well, presumably the skylight or pieces of it that would fill the large opening the three orange-vested workers stood around. I never saw the load make it to its destination. I decided it would be better if I didn’t dawdle too long or snap photos to share with you, readers, as security had already thoroughly checked my bags and I was hoping they wouldn’t do the same to my person.
So it was off to Boston, with my site-seeing already begun.
You see, last week’s call for unique projects in the Boston area hadn’t gone unanswered. Mike Gainey of Azon USA was kind enough to point out a unique and artistic work at Brown University, which Mapquest tells me is about an hour outside of that city. The Lines of Sight Installation is comprised of 140 windows. According to information from the school, each unit is made up of hundreds of thousands of glass elements—made of slightly green-tinted glass or crystal-clear glass, tiny magnifying lenses and small mirrors and prismatic beads—interspersed with about a half-million clear glass distillation beads. Small rectangles of glass, resembling microscope slides, were hand-engraved with phrases of poetry or prose, the authors’ names and their birth year. Finally, the outer layer of glass was sandblasted with the faint image of two hands, one on either side of the bridge. Mike reports that Solar Seal, a commercial glass fabricator in Boston, made the IG units that artist Diane Samuels worked on.
"I have not seen the glass on the jobsite but did in the factory and it was really fun to see something so artistic out of what we do every day,” Mike told me.
It seemed like such an interesting project I just had to share that background here.
While I didn’t get too much opportunity for any touristy trips in Boston—days jam-packed with seminars and booth appointments kept me hopping—there were two buildings that used glass in ways worth noting.
On Friday night Oldcastle Glass hosted a lovely reception at the Artists for Humanity EpiCenter. One of the top ten sustainable buildings in the nation, as selected by AIA, the venue typically provides the city’s “underserved youth with the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in the arts.” On Friday night it had been transformed into a musical and colorful site for industry networking. I’m mildly embarrassed to say that I did in fact text a photo that night to my coworker Penny Stacey, editor of sister publication AGRR/glassBYTEs, not of the artwork decorating the walls but of the windshields that formed the railing along the loft-like second story. I knew Penny would approve of this mode of decorating.
The second buildi
ng may seem like an obvious choice, but those of us in the combined USGlass/Glass Association of North America booth couldn’t help but comment on the appropriateness of the new 
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center as the site for our glass-related activities. The glass-walled Skywalk, the hallway across the expo, provided a neat overview of the show. And the importance of daylighting clearly wasn’t lost on the construction team responsible for the new building. It was a neat venue, and I look forward to returning soon!
ng may seem like an obvious choice, but those of us in the combined USGlass/Glass Association of North America booth couldn’t help but comment on the appropriateness of the new 
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center as the site for our glass-related activities. The glass-walled Skywalk, the hallway across the expo, provided a neat overview of the show. And the importance of daylighting clearly wasn’t lost on the construction team responsible for the new building. It was a neat venue, and I look forward to returning soon!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Boston, Here I Come!
I’ll admit it: I’ve been looking forward to this week’s American Institute of Architects (AIA) Convention for months now. And yes, I’m looking forward to the insightful seminars on topics such as “Daylighting Obstacles,” “High-Performance Enclosures” and “Energy Codes and Fenestration.” And the interaction with architects expressing where they see demand for glass heading, providing the fuel for many articles to come. And the many appointments set up with companies such as Zeledyne (formerly ACH), which is going through such an exciting transition right now, and others that are just hinting at exciting product introductions to come. But can I be honest with you for a minute? Truth be told, I’m really excited about spending four days in Boston.
I’ve actually only been to Boston once, as part of a school trip back in college. My roommate was a historic preservation major and I was just interested enough in the fascinating topic to take part in the club activities and trips (but not the intensive class work; we lucky English majors just had to curl up with a good book!). What a great way to see a city, though, through its historic architecture.
The first thing I remember about that trip is that it was March and the wind was blowing furiously to the point that our group of 16 traversed the city through a complicated system of coffee shops in order to stay out of the cold: walk a block, stop in Starbucks, walk two blocks, pop into a local coffeehouse, walk half a block until the wind picks up, time for another caramel macchiato.
The next thing I remember is visiting Paul Revere’s house. And, ironically enough, even all of those years ago what interested me the most about the small, historic house surrounded by skyscrapers was (you guessed it) the glass in the windows. No, I am not making this up.
The tour guide explained that you could tell that several of the original lites were still in place because of the lavender color they had taken on over time. (One online source tells me the color change was due to an excess of manganese oxide in the glass. Another says the color was the result of ultraviolet light on the imperfections in a shipment of glass sent to Boston around 1820. Your thoughts?) He also noted that there was a barely perceptible difference between the thickness at the top of each small pane from the bottom because the glass was slowly “dripping” down, glass being a liquid and all … Is that so, I thought at the time. How would you have responded to this comment? Throw your best technical jargon at me so I can casually spout this industry knowledge to other tourists next time I make my way back to Paul’s home.
That visit probably won’t be during this trip. Hopefully I’ll make it out of the convention center for five minutes this week to explore more of this fascinating city. Being time crunched, I sure would appreciate it if you would stop by the USGlass booth, #14165, to share your recommendations of must-see examples of Boston architecture. I’d love another tour like the one I recently took part in while in Las Vegas for Glass Fab. You can bet I’d be staying extra days if it weren’t for the fact that my brilliant and wonderful sister is graduating from the University of Virginia this Sunday with a bachelor’s degree in German and a minor in French (I just had to get that “shout-out” in there). Congratulations Robyn!
I’ve actually only been to Boston once, as part of a school trip back in college. My roommate was a historic preservation major and I was just interested enough in the fascinating topic to take part in the club activities and trips (but not the intensive class work; we lucky English majors just had to curl up with a good book!). What a great way to see a city, though, through its historic architecture.
The first thing I remember about that trip is that it was March and the wind was blowing furiously to the point that our group of 16 traversed the city through a complicated system of coffee shops in order to stay out of the cold: walk a block, stop in Starbucks, walk two blocks, pop into a local coffeehouse, walk half a block until the wind picks up, time for another caramel macchiato.
The next thing I remember is visiting Paul Revere’s house. And, ironically enough, even all of those years ago what interested me the most about the small, historic house surrounded by skyscrapers was (you guessed it) the glass in the windows. No, I am not making this up.
The tour guide explained that you could tell that several of the original lites were still in place because of the lavender color they had taken on over time. (One online source tells me the color change was due to an excess of manganese oxide in the glass. Another says the color was the result of ultraviolet light on the imperfections in a shipment of glass sent to Boston around 1820. Your thoughts?) He also noted that there was a barely perceptible difference between the thickness at the top of each small pane from the bottom because the glass was slowly “dripping” down, glass being a liquid and all … Is that so, I thought at the time. How would you have responded to this comment? Throw your best technical jargon at me so I can casually spout this industry knowledge to other tourists next time I make my way back to Paul’s home.
That visit probably won’t be during this trip. Hopefully I’ll make it out of the convention center for five minutes this week to explore more of this fascinating city. Being time crunched, I sure would appreciate it if you would stop by the USGlass booth, #14165, to share your recommendations of must-see examples of Boston architecture. I’d love another tour like the one I recently took part in while in Las Vegas for Glass Fab. You can bet I’d be staying extra days if it weren’t for the fact that my brilliant and wonderful sister is graduating from the University of Virginia this Sunday with a bachelor’s degree in German and a minor in French (I just had to get that “shout-out” in there). Congratulations Robyn!
Monday, May 5, 2008
Stay Safe Everybody!
Today marks the start of Building Safety Week, as promoted by the International Code Council (ICC). This year’s theme is “Building Safety: Where You Live, Work and Play.” Among the top five building safety tips the ICC proposes for homeowners is the installation of “tempered or multiple pane windows – Windows allow heat to pass through and ignite combustible materials inside. Dual- or triple-pane thermal glass, and fire resistant shutters or drapes, help reduce the wildfire risk. You can also install non-combustible awnings to shield windows and use shatter-resistant glazing such as tempered windows to help prevent breakage from heat and debris.” I’m sure the glass industry can offer a number of additional ways in which to promote building safety. Are you promoting the many ways in which glass can keep people safe in your community?
For our part, USGNN.com recently ran a preview of an article on skylight safety that will be appearing in our May issue of USGlass. While I found in researching the article a great deal of discussion over whether a human-impact resistance standard was as necessary for glass skylights as compared to plastic skylights, it sure seems like something needs to be done. That same day we ran an article titled “Child Falls Through School Skylight.” The following day we ran this link: "Boy Fighting for Life" (notice the mention of the plastic skylight—I wish more of these articles made note of the type of product involved in these injuries). Unfortunately, these stories aren’t so rare as one might hope. Hopefully programs such as the one ICC is promoting this week will help keep more people safe.
While ICC’s safety promotion might be aimed at the consumer, what better time than the present to take a look at your own safety program and make sure your facility is in full compliance with OSHA regulations.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Las Vegas Through “Glassy” Eyes
And I thought the helicopter tours of Hoover Dam sounded cool; I had no idea that Las Vegas offered a tour so exciting as the one I attended on Monday. As part of the Glass Fabrication and Glazing Educational Conference here in Las Vegas, the Glass Association of North America (GANA) offered a tour to its contract glazing session participants of some of the hottest spots (glass-wise, of course) in this city.
About 40 adventure-seekers climbed onto the tour bus. Greg “glass guru” Carney, technical director of GANA, led the tour.
The visit began with Mandalay Bay, the southernmost casino on the Strip and 
notable for its sparkling gold color. According to Greg, that bright gold color was created by a 10-carat gold—yes, real gold—coating applied over a clear glass substrate. Although this ritzy casino hotel may look like it features a curtainwall, it’s a regular floor-to-ceiling application, Greg says.
notable for its sparkling gold color. According to Greg, that bright gold color was created by a 10-carat gold—yes, real gold—coating applied over a clear glass substrate. Although this ritzy casino hotel may look like it features a curtainwall, it’s a regular floor-to-ceiling application, Greg says.The bus next passed by New York, New York. Before Greg even spoke up attendees were commenting on the bright pink, green and purple glass surfaces on this striking building. When asked how those colors were made, one attendee had the answer: interlayers, not coatings.
A quick detour of the Strip drove us all to the Rio. For this stop, Greg asked his captive audience why we thought the bright building had never appeared in any advertisements, like nearly every other building in Las Vegas. Answer: two suppliers. Spectrum Glass Products started the job, but didn’t have the laminated capabilities necessary to finish, leaving Viracon to complete the task. .JPG)
From bright purple it was back to gold, with a stop at Trump Tower. There Greg recounted a story about working on Trump International in New York. Mr. Trump had been looking for a gold “tribute” to New York City, and the glass fabricator was all ready to go—until architect Philip Johnson cautioned “consider your neighbors.” Johnson’s reason for that caution is obvious in the blinding glare partly captured in this photo.
Among those neighbors are the Wynn and the Encore, still under construction. The rich almost chocolate brown on those glass-clad buildings is unique to the strip—and, according to Ivan Zuniga of AGC, unique to Steve Wynn Co. It’s a proprietary color chosen by the company for this project, he explained.
Among those neighbors are the Wynn and the Encore, still under construction. The rich almost chocolate brown on those glass-clad buildings is unique to the strip—and, according to Ivan Zuniga of AGC, unique to Steve Wynn Co. It’s a proprietary color chosen by the company for this project, he explained.
As our tour went past the Circus Circus casino, the entire bus could tell what made the roof of the glass-domed big-top casino so pink—that interlayer once again.
Our next stop was to note some of the biggest trends going on in Las Vegas. First was one of the Sky Las Vegas condominiums. Condos are cropping up across the city. This one in particular had some exciting examples of glasswork. Versalux in deep blue covered the outer units, while PPG’s lighter Azuria was used on the units toward the middle of the building. Both products are spectrally selective, Greg noted, showing how more of the building in this city are taking advantage of glass products designed specifically for architectural applications rather than just for color.
Our next stop was to note some of the biggest trends going on in Las Vegas. First was one of the Sky Las Vegas condominiums. Condos are cropping up across the city. This one in particular had some exciting examples of glasswork. Versalux in deep blue covered the outer units, while PPG’s lighter Azuria was used on the units toward the middle of the building. Both products are spectrally selective, Greg noted, showing how more of the building in this city are taking advantage of glass products designed specifically for architectural applications rather than just for color. 
Greg didn’t have details on the project next door, but it showed another trend. The lites going up appeared to be unitized (CLICK HERE for more information on that trend).
Our last stop was one most Vegas tourists are unlikely to make (I hope): the Las Vegas federal courthouse. As Greg noted, this GSA building was among the first to be produced to meet blast-resistant standards. Just when I thought I was done playing tourist in Las Vegas, I have all sorts of new attractions to look out for!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Prepared For Anything
I’ve started working on an article about glass and safety for the May issue of USGlass, and it got me reflecting on a “glass encounter” from my youth. I was playing at home with my brother and sister while my mom was out and our babysitter sat upstairs on the couch watching TV.
On what would be the last day this young lady would ever babysit us, my sister and I were antagonizing our little brother by playing school in our basement playroom and ignoring his repeated requests to come and play outside. We much preferred to sucker Rick into playing our games (even though he usually popped the heads off of our Barbies and ate the paper we used to play school) and, with the babysitter there, he couldn’t have one of his friends visit. So he stood angrily outside, watching us through the window and occasionally knocking on the glass just so we wouldn’t forget he was there.
Of course the more we ignored him, the harder Rick knocked on the window, until we were finally all shouting at each other through the glass and he was banging furiously. As I’m sure you can imagine, the glass was the first to break; I remember the jagged shards (obviously this was an older house we lived in) and a thunderous silence after all of our screaming. We stood staring at Rick and Rick stood staring at us, until somebody noticed the blood oozing from his wrist down the forearm that he stood grasping, and then the screaming began again. (Given our babysitter’s look when we found her upstairs, I’m sure that was the day she swore off children forever.)
Obviously we were stupid kids who had no business banging on the window. But does our foolish misuse of the product and overall lack of commonsense mean that the manufacturer should have had the forethought to protect us from the injury that occurred?
Maybe this is an extreme example, but it’s a question I’ve been considering as, every couple of weeks, we post another story on http://www.usgnn.com/ relating the latest fall through a skylight. Sometimes it’s kids who don’t know any better. Sometimes it’s roofers or other construction professionals lacking proper safety precautions. Either way, it’s an event that occurs frequently enough that ASTM is now working on a test method on the impact resistance of skylights.
According to task group E06.51.25 chairperson Nigel Ellis, president of Ellis Fall Safety Solutions, the group was convened “because the toll of occupational deaths is constant from year to year. And since the design of skylights is controllable by manufacturers it seems that all skylights should be tested with a uniform test method.”
Well, should it? Nigel told me during our discussion that the group is still looking from glass and skylight manufacturers as it examines this path. I’m also curious to hear what you think. How far can you go with designing to prevent injuries when the injuries that occur are due to a misuse of the product? Is it just a matter of reinforcing the need for proper fall protection equipment on a jobsite (or blocking the path to those commercial skylights and glass roofs that seems so tempting to teens)? Would labeling be helpful for manufacturers, reminding kids, maintenance staff, roofers, contractors and anyone else up on the roof that a lite of glass is not a seat? Or is this a problem that only the plastic skylight manufacturers should be considering?
Let us know what you think, because speaking out could mean determining the way skylights are tested and manufactured in the future.
On what would be the last day this young lady would ever babysit us, my sister and I were antagonizing our little brother by playing school in our basement playroom and ignoring his repeated requests to come and play outside. We much preferred to sucker Rick into playing our games (even though he usually popped the heads off of our Barbies and ate the paper we used to play school) and, with the babysitter there, he couldn’t have one of his friends visit. So he stood angrily outside, watching us through the window and occasionally knocking on the glass just so we wouldn’t forget he was there.
Of course the more we ignored him, the harder Rick knocked on the window, until we were finally all shouting at each other through the glass and he was banging furiously. As I’m sure you can imagine, the glass was the first to break; I remember the jagged shards (obviously this was an older house we lived in) and a thunderous silence after all of our screaming. We stood staring at Rick and Rick stood staring at us, until somebody noticed the blood oozing from his wrist down the forearm that he stood grasping, and then the screaming began again. (Given our babysitter’s look when we found her upstairs, I’m sure that was the day she swore off children forever.)
Obviously we were stupid kids who had no business banging on the window. But does our foolish misuse of the product and overall lack of commonsense mean that the manufacturer should have had the forethought to protect us from the injury that occurred?
Maybe this is an extreme example, but it’s a question I’ve been considering as, every couple of weeks, we post another story on http://www.usgnn.com/ relating the latest fall through a skylight. Sometimes it’s kids who don’t know any better. Sometimes it’s roofers or other construction professionals lacking proper safety precautions. Either way, it’s an event that occurs frequently enough that ASTM is now working on a test method on the impact resistance of skylights.
According to task group E06.51.25 chairperson Nigel Ellis, president of Ellis Fall Safety Solutions, the group was convened “because the toll of occupational deaths is constant from year to year. And since the design of skylights is controllable by manufacturers it seems that all skylights should be tested with a uniform test method.”
Well, should it? Nigel told me during our discussion that the group is still looking from glass and skylight manufacturers as it examines this path. I’m also curious to hear what you think. How far can you go with designing to prevent injuries when the injuries that occur are due to a misuse of the product? Is it just a matter of reinforcing the need for proper fall protection equipment on a jobsite (or blocking the path to those commercial skylights and glass roofs that seems so tempting to teens)? Would labeling be helpful for manufacturers, reminding kids, maintenance staff, roofers, contractors and anyone else up on the roof that a lite of glass is not a seat? Or is this a problem that only the plastic skylight manufacturers should be considering?
Let us know what you think, because speaking out could mean determining the way skylights are tested and manufactured in the future.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Par for the Course …
Glass TEXpo™ ’08 is taking place in San Antonio at the end of this week—April 10-12, as a matter of fact—and the fact that this regional trade show is quickly approaching has led me to ponder once more a question that has long been on my mind: why is there always a golf tournament?
Seriously, folks. I’ve attended a fair number of conferences and written even more show previews, and it has never ceased to amaze me that there is almost always a golf outing on the agenda. For instance, the Texas Glass Association is hosting its four-person scramble on April 10 at the Pecan Valley Golf Club. (CLICK HERE for more information about the tournament.) This event seems to be a much-anticipated part of any conference and I’ll admit that perhaps some of my curiosity stems from the fact that I’ve only ever set foot on a golf course once.
… Ah yes, I remember the course well, with its lovely view of the Newport News landfill, the cement putting greens that made the ball bounce wildly, its complete and utter emptiness. If you’d ever seen my golf swing—which you probably won’t—you’d understand why it’s important that there’s no one around to witness it …
Anyway, since even with numerous trips to the range my golf game doesn’t seem to be much improving, I’ll just throw this wild suggestion out there: Putt Putt tournament anyone? In my experience, a couple of folks in business suits striving for the best angle to get their purple ball past the waterfall only gets giggles from a small number of passersby. Actually, only one individual so far has ever dared take me up on the challenge while on the road, my good friend and golf guru, Patrick … I don’t know, maybe there’s something I’m missing on this whole golf thing, but I still think Putt Putt is the way to go.
Hopefully some of you reading will make it to TEXpo this week. I’m sorry to say that I personally won’t be there. I don’t know that I’ve seen a lovelier sight than the San Antonio Riverwalk in April, and TEXpo is always a fun event. If you do make it, shoot me an email with your thoughts—I’d love to hear how it’s going.
Seriously, folks. I’ve attended a fair number of conferences and written even more show previews, and it has never ceased to amaze me that there is almost always a golf outing on the agenda. For instance, the Texas Glass Association is hosting its four-person scramble on April 10 at the Pecan Valley Golf Club. (CLICK HERE for more information about the tournament.) This event seems to be a much-anticipated part of any conference and I’ll admit that perhaps some of my curiosity stems from the fact that I’ve only ever set foot on a golf course once.
… Ah yes, I remember the course well, with its lovely view of the Newport News landfill, the cement putting greens that made the ball bounce wildly, its complete and utter emptiness. If you’d ever seen my golf swing—which you probably won’t—you’d understand why it’s important that there’s no one around to witness it …
Anyway, since even with numerous trips to the range my golf game doesn’t seem to be much improving, I’ll just throw this wild suggestion out there: Putt Putt tournament anyone? In my experience, a couple of folks in business suits striving for the best angle to get their purple ball past the waterfall only gets giggles from a small number of passersby. Actually, only one individual so far has ever dared take me up on the challenge while on the road, my good friend and golf guru, Patrick … I don’t know, maybe there’s something I’m missing on this whole golf thing, but I still think Putt Putt is the way to go.
Hopefully some of you reading will make it to TEXpo this week. I’m sorry to say that I personally won’t be there. I don’t know that I’ve seen a lovelier sight than the San Antonio Riverwalk in April, and TEXpo is always a fun event. If you do make it, shoot me an email with your thoughts—I’d love to hear how it’s going.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Flipping Pages on My Computer Screen
I remember some time ago attending a conference that hosted a keynote speaker who talked about the changes brought on by increasing use of technology. He pointed out that many of his listeners probably had children who could program cell phones for their parents with ease, couldn’t remember a time without the Internet and had friends they’d never met with face-to-face thanks to instant messaging and on-line games. For this tech-savvy generation many companies are adapting the way they do business and bringing more operations on-line.
I could certainly relate to the differences the speaker pointed out between just two generations. I’m the oldest of five siblings and, as I’m part of what I like to call a “modern family,” I have a young half-brother and half-sister who are as often as not mistaken for my own kids when we hang out. It’s amusing for me to see the toys they play with that I’d never even dreamed of having as a kid, and their online aptitude boggles even my mind. For instance, by the time he was six, my brother had passed by the Nintendo systems I played with as a child in favor of online gaming. My dad loves to recount the time my brother, as Dad tucked him at bedtime, asked where Finland was. Dad pulled out the globe and pointed and then asked why—only to have my brother explain that he’d made a new friend there.
My half-sister recently got her own laptop for Christmas so that she could have easy access to online games and e-mail like her older siblings. You might ask what a seven-year-old needs with e-mail. Would you ever be surprised.
I guess if you can make friends online, it’s not too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that at some point most of our reading will be done online. I’m old-fashioned enough that I can’t imagine reading something like Jane Austen by the glow of a computer screen, even if it was a screen portable enough so that I could curl up in an armchair with my digital tome. But I also know that it pays to have quick access to resources that provide news or timely information that you want to share. That’s one of many reasons that USGlass magazine is now available in a digital format. You can visit http://www.usglass-digital.com/ to view our March issue or CLICK HERE to read today’s http://www.usgnn.com/ announcement about the launch of our digital publications.
I was surprised myself when I first saw the digital edition in that it follows the same format as a magazine—even to “flipping pages.” By sending the publication via e-mail, versus snail mail, those of you who are always on the road—or know how long it takes to receive your magazine internationally—will receive the latest information the moment that it’s printed. If you are already an avid reader of our e-newsletter, http://www.usgnn.com/, then you know how important it is to have the most up-to-date information from a wide variety of sources. The digital editions of USGlass add that immediacy to our columns and features as well.
Now those of you with an iPhone or otherwise easily portable electronic device will just have to let me know if it’s the same reading through a digital publication as it is poring through the print pages—I mean, you can’t flip down a page online. Although you can tell your clients or colleagues, “You know, I was just reading an article about this very topic … let me just pull it up online …”
I could certainly relate to the differences the speaker pointed out between just two generations. I’m the oldest of five siblings and, as I’m part of what I like to call a “modern family,” I have a young half-brother and half-sister who are as often as not mistaken for my own kids when we hang out. It’s amusing for me to see the toys they play with that I’d never even dreamed of having as a kid, and their online aptitude boggles even my mind. For instance, by the time he was six, my brother had passed by the Nintendo systems I played with as a child in favor of online gaming. My dad loves to recount the time my brother, as Dad tucked him at bedtime, asked where Finland was. Dad pulled out the globe and pointed and then asked why—only to have my brother explain that he’d made a new friend there.
My half-sister recently got her own laptop for Christmas so that she could have easy access to online games and e-mail like her older siblings. You might ask what a seven-year-old needs with e-mail. Would you ever be surprised.
I guess if you can make friends online, it’s not too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that at some point most of our reading will be done online. I’m old-fashioned enough that I can’t imagine reading something like Jane Austen by the glow of a computer screen, even if it was a screen portable enough so that I could curl up in an armchair with my digital tome. But I also know that it pays to have quick access to resources that provide news or timely information that you want to share. That’s one of many reasons that USGlass magazine is now available in a digital format. You can visit http://www.usglass-digital.com/ to view our March issue or CLICK HERE to read today’s http://www.usgnn.com/ announcement about the launch of our digital publications.
I was surprised myself when I first saw the digital edition in that it follows the same format as a magazine—even to “flipping pages.” By sending the publication via e-mail, versus snail mail, those of you who are always on the road—or know how long it takes to receive your magazine internationally—will receive the latest information the moment that it’s printed. If you are already an avid reader of our e-newsletter, http://www.usgnn.com/, then you know how important it is to have the most up-to-date information from a wide variety of sources. The digital editions of USGlass add that immediacy to our columns and features as well.
Now those of you with an iPhone or otherwise easily portable electronic device will just have to let me know if it’s the same reading through a digital publication as it is poring through the print pages—I mean, you can’t flip down a page online. Although you can tell your clients or colleagues, “You know, I was just reading an article about this very topic … let me just pull it up online …”
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