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Glass in Action
From Reducing Energy to Fighting Blasts, Show Exhibitors Plan to Feature a Range of New Glazing Developments

Companies in the glass and glazing industry are gearing up to feature some of their latest developments at this year’s GlassBuild America show, which is set to take place September 12-14 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Those exhibiting will feature a range of products for interior and exterior architectural glazing elements, including glass, curtainwall, components and more. These six pages provide just a sampling of some of what you can find at this year’s event.

Booth #1201:
Clear Choices
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries will display Solarban® 72 Starphire® glass, among other products. The solar control low-E glass was designed to provide high visible light transmittance (VLT), exceptional clarity and superior solar control performance. In a standard 1-inch insulating glass unit (IGU), it offers a VLT approximating that of Solarban 60 Starphire glass, along with 25-percent better solar control. The manufacturer notes that Solarban 72 Starphire glass also has solar control characteristics similar to Solarban 70XL glass—a triple-silver-coated, solar control, low-E glass—but transmits 11-percent more natural light.

PPG also will distribute a new 24-page white paper comparing the energy and environmental performance of its Solarban R100 glass to three other leading neutral-reflective, low-E glasses. Based on a proprietary hybrid coating technology, Solarban R100 glass has a VLT of 42 percent and a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.23. The resulting 1.79 light-to-solar gain ratio is up to 29-percent greater than that of competing neutral-reflective, solar control, low-E glasses.
www.ppgideascapes.com

Booth #1603:
Combining Style and Performance
Toronto-based Glassopolis will be spotlighting a range of UL-certified decorative options for fire-rated glass. These factory-applied decorations are UL-approved and give customers interested in privacy or solar control many new design opportunities. A full range of more than 30 different decorative options are available on the premium Schott Pyran Platinum and Protect3 Safety Glass fire-rated product lines.
www.glassopolis.com

Booth #1711:
Going for Silver
The latest in a triple silver coating for commercial applications, as well as an online energy calculator that compares the offerings of all players, will be highlighted in Guardian Industries’ booth.

SNX 62/27 is the latest in the company’s SuperNeutral (SN) series of advanced architectural glass. SNX 62/27 offers natural light as well as a solar heat gain coefficient that brings the glazing light-to-solar gain ratio to 2.30. According to the company, these features can help projects qualify for LEED points.

SNX 62/27 is just one product architects and project specifiers can plug into the company’s new Building Energy Calculator. This tool provides comparisons of building energy costs for multiple glazing options from multiple manufacturers, and their impact on design in prototypical buildings based on multiple variables. Users input data through a number of prompts including building type, fuel type and costs, daylighting controls, window orientation and glazing options.

In addition, Guardian will also feature its new InGlass portfolio and online tools for architects and designers who specify interior and decorative glass. The company’s new business segment brings together Guardian’s entire interior product line to allow designers and others the opportunity to experience the variety of glass in one place.

The portfolio features decorative glass products diverse in texture and color as well as infused with properties that optimize performance. In addition to making a statement, the interior glass options allow designers the opportunity to increase comfort, reduce maintenance and resist wear.
www.guardian.com

Booth #601:
Stepping Into Glass Flooring
Walker Glass in Montreal has introduced a line of anti-slip acid-etched glass products. Walker Textures™ Traction surface provides a new design option on glass by combining discretion and security without impeding the natural flow of light. The slip-resistant properties of Traction glass are derived entirely through acid-etching, whereby portions of the glass surface are removed to varying depths by a controlled process.

Traction glass provides a high slip-resistant coefficient based on the ANSI/NFSI B101.1 and ASTM C1028 test methods. The company says the tests were conducted by an independent testing facility, the Tile Council of North America.

The Traction line is available in clear and low-iron glass in thicknesses from 6- to 12-mm and in standard size of 96 by 130 inches. The patterns of this 400 series are made using two acid-etched finishes, opaque and satin.
www.walkerglass.com

Booth #2102:
Dreaming in Color and Shapes
A line of glass tiles is now available as part of Dreamwalls Color Glass by Gardner Glass Products in North Wilkesboro, N.C. Dreamwalls Color Glass tiles are available in sizes from 4 by 4 inches to 24 by 24 inches, and can be specified in unusual sizes as well. The company says its large-size tile options facilitate a clean, fresh appearance and result in minimal grout lines or seams.

The tiles are available in unlimited color options so designers and specifiers can match the glass to any color they choose, including Pantone®, Benjamin Moore®, RAL® or other color specification guides. The tiles are completely opaque and can feature a flat polished, arris edge or seamed edge.
www.dreamwalls.com

Booth #4078:
Ideas that Hold
Sika Corp. in Madison Heights, Mich., will present its newly expanded product range and full engineering services created specifically for the façades, fenestration and insulating glass industries.

The new Sikasil® line includes single and 2-component technically engineered structural silicone solutions for manufacturing, field construction and installation of commercial glass facades. The company also will feature Sikasil® IG-25 HM Plus for strong insulating glass units with improved gas retention and Sikasil® SG-500CN for high-performance unitized curtainwall construction.
www.sikausa.com

Booth #2304:
Strong and Secure
The new ForceFront™ Blast curtainwall and entry door systems are now available from Tubelite in Walker, Mich., for high-security projects seeking blast hazard mitigation in low- and mid-rise applications.

ForceFront Blast products are designed for compliance with ASTM International standard F1642-04, the U.S. General Services Administration Interagency Security Committee security design criteria and U.S. Department of Defense Unified Facilities Criteria 4-010-01 requirements. They are tested to meet blast performance of 6 psi peak pressure at 42 psi-msec impulse.

The new entry doors feature tie-rod construction, 6-inch-wide stiles and durable hardware. A single door measures 3 feet wide and 7 feet high and a 5.5-inch back member reinforces the curtainwall system’s structural performance. The systems are comprised of 1-inch insulating glazing constructed with a SentryGlas® Plus interlayer.

The systems are manufactured using the company’s EcoLuminum™, a high recycled-content aluminum billet composition with eco-friendly, durable finishes.
www.tubeliteinc.com

Booth #512:
Assorted Options
Visitors to Irving, Texas-based M3 Glass Technologies’ display will be able to see and touch examples of the company’s entire line of decorative glass products. Included in the company’s booth will be two different print-on-glass technologies. DecoTherm digital ceramic frit glass is a permanent and high-resolution product for printing directly to tempered glass. Mprint digital decorative glass is a full-color, high-resolution printed interlayer for laminated glass.

In addition, M3 will feature its ColorBak backpainted glass that can be made to match any color, its bent tempered glass and custom laminated glass that can be combined with other processes. The display also will feature decorative laminated glass stair treads and flooring.
www.m3glass.com

Booth #2003:
The C’s Have it
Cristacurva is bringing its new Creanza® Design line of digitally printed glass that can include everything from dots and lines to high-resolution photos and any color imaginable.

The new line is made through the use of ceramic frit, which enables images or patterns to be scratch-resistant when fused directly onto a monolithic piece of tempered glass. The glass also can be encapsulated into a laminated unit for additional safety or into an insulating glass unit for thermal or solar control.

The company says its graphic experts can turn digital files into printable images that are then transferred to the glass and fabricated.
www.cristacurva.com

Booth #1844:
International Showcase
Information on two international events will be available from Messe Düsseldorf, which will offer information on glasstec 2012, International Trade Fair for Glass Production – Processing – Products, and solarpeq 2012, International Trade Fair for Solar Production Equipment. The events will be held concurrently from October 23-26, 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

The show organizer will provide exhibitor and visitor information on the international trade fairs, as well as information on hotel and travel arrangements.
www.mdna.com

Architects' Guide to Glass & Metal© 2011 Copyright Key Communications Inc. All rights reserved. 
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