Launches_feature, AGG, MayJune2012

Volume 26, Issue 3 - May/June 2012

feature

The Latest Launches

An Overview of the AIA Expo in Washington, D.C.

Companies from across the nation gather this month in Washington, D.C., to show off their latest wares to the nation’s leading architects during the annual American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Expo, May 17-19. Among these are several glass and glazing suppliers displaying their latest glass options, new technologies and more. Read on for an overview.

Booth #313:
Wausau Goes Retro
Wausau Window and Wall Systems announces INvent Retro XLT windows, designed to meet the needs of existing buildings’ renovation or new construction where a classic appearance is desired. As the most recent addition to the INvent Series, the Retro windows feature a narrow, beveled exterior face that replicates the look of classic steel and wood windows, while offering modern, high performance, according to the company.
www.wausauwindow.com

Booth #2003:
Control the Sun with SageGlass
SAGE Electrochromics is displaying its SageGlass, an electronically tintable glass for windows, skylights and curtainwalls. The glass tints automatically or on demand to respond to changing sunlight and heat conditions, according to the company. SageGlass can enable users to control sunlight and heat without shades or blinds, maintaining both the view and connection to the outdoors while also reducing energy consumption. The glass can be used in commercial, institutional and high-end residential applications.
www.sageglass.com

Booth #1157:
Find the Range with 3M
The 3M Co. is featuring a wide range of solutions during the AIA Convention. Products on display include the company’s VHB structural glazing tape, daylight redirecting film, Scotchgard protective film for glass, passive fire protection and CR-20 polyurethane foam adhesive for adhering fleece back membranes and insulation.
www.3m.com

Booth #2911:
PPG to Debut Glass Possibilities
PPG Industries is unveiling two new high-performance architectural glasses.

One of the new glass products the company is introducing is a passive-solar, low-E glass with improved U-values that is engineered for commercial buildings in heating-dominated climates. The other is a high-performing low-E glass with a steel-gray aesthetic designed to offer solar control and visible light transmittance.

In addition, PPG is displaying its Solarban 72 Starphire glass, a solar control, low-E glass with a light-to-solar-gain (LSG) ratio at 2.38; Solarban R 100 glass, a neutral-reflective, solar control, low-E glass with a 1.79 LSG ratio; and Solarban 70XL glass, a triple-silver-coated, solar control, low-E glass.
www.ppgideascapes.com

Booth #1943:
Guardian Displays its Latest
Guardian Industries is displaying its recently launched SunGuard Photovoltaic Glass Units (PVGU) for commercial buildings, on which it is working with Pythagoras Solar. The units combine energy-efficient windows with high-efficiency solar panels and include a low-E coating in an effort to optimize daylighting, increase energy efficiency, and generate electricity to meet the needs of a building.

In addition, the company is featuring its SunGuard SNR 43 and SunGuard IS 20. SunGuard SNR 43 is a new glass coating for commercial applications that offers a high light-to-solar gain ratio and low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). IS 20 is the company’s first commercial interior surface coating for glass, providing cost efficiency and superior performance, according to the company.
www.guardian.com

Booth #1429:
Double Duty
Kawneer and Traco are showcasing several products and solutions with their combined exhibit space, including their newest ultra thermal, sun control and window offerings. Kawneer will also offer a 60-minute continuing education opportunity on the show floor.

Among the products on display is the Versoleil SunShade platform with the Versoleil Outrigger option for curtainwall and storefronts. Pre-engineered for multiple Kawneer systems, the design offers versatility in both form and function, according to the company, and can be incorporated easily into any building envelope.

The Traco NX-4000 Series thermal window also is being shown. The window offers an energy-efficient projecting window solution with the distinctive and historic look of a hung window. Company officials say the design is ideal for retrofit projects.
www.kawneer.com

Booth #313:
Tubelite Expands Blast Line
Tubelite has expanded its ForceFront Blast curtainwall and entry door systems for high-performance, high-security projects seeking blast-hazard mitigation in low- and mid-rise applications. The systems include nominal 1-inch insulating glazing with a SentryGlas Plus Interlayer. The products are manufactured using EcoLuminum, a high recycled-content aluminum billet composition with eco-friendly, durable finishes.
www.tubeliteinc.com

Booth #3254:
Acralight Goes Solar
Acralight International Skylights is featuring its Building Integrated Photovoltaics systems, highlighting the use of an assortment of high-performance photovoltaic glass in sloped and vertical applications. The company recently completed two large canopy structures, 24-feet wide by 330-feet long, for the Bay Area Rapid Transit System in Union City, Calif., utilizing photovoltaic glass.
www.acralight.com

Booth #3013:
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane … It’s SuperLite II-XL
Safti First has partnered with PPG Industries to offer SuperLite II-XL with Starphire Ultra-Clear Glass. The product is designed to provide maximum fire and impact safety with hose stream from 45 to 120 minutes while meeting ASTM E-119 requirements. The addition of Starphire Ultra-Clear Glass by PPG to SuperLite II-XL allows architects to create safe, fire-rated spaces with clarity and transparency, according to the company.
www.safti.com

Booth #3825:
To the Point
Viracon has introduced ClearPoint, a point-supported insulating glass system that increases the transparency of glass façades. The system was engineered to provide building designers with greater flexibility and to allow architects to maximize sight lines and enhance aesthetics, delivering a clean, contemporary look both inside and out.

Additionally, Viracon officials say ClearPoint reduces the amount of framing material making contact with the glass, providing an elegant result for building interiors and exteriors.

The system also can be used with a low-E coating and/or silk-screen options. The system comes with a 10-year limited warranty and a heat soak certification, according to the company.
www.viracon.com

Booth #3017:
Renovate It
J.E. Berkowitz is featuring its Renovate by Berkowitz LLC Platinum Series window retrofit technology. The system uses an interior glazing method of hermetically sealing a factory-made insulating glass unit to the existing monolithic glass window with a warm-edge triseal spacer. Company officials say the system maintains the look of an existing exterior building façade while also providing energy savings. The Platinum Series features PPG’s Cradle-to-Cradle-certified Solarban and Sungate low-E products as options. The system comes with a 10-year material warranty and a two-year labor warranty.
www.jeberkowitz.com

Booth #1922:
Luxar Anti-Reflective Glass on Display
Glas Troesch, with McGrory Glass Inc., is showing its anti-reflective glass and other high-tech coated flat-glass product lines. Company officials say the product is nearly imperceptible with a visible light reflectance of below 0.5 percent, thus eliminating glare and haze.
www.mcgrory.com

Booth #2748:
ARTACO Debuts Complete Line of Railing Components and Systems
ARTACO Railing Systems, formerly Taco Railings, a division of Taco Metals Inc., is debuting its complete line of glass railing systems. “ARTACO glass railing systems represent a unique opportunity meeting industry demands for more comprehensive manufacturing and installation solutions that translate into real profits,” says Jon Kushner, president of Taco Metals Inc. The company offers systems that contain products such as balusters, brackets and fittings, as well as in-fills of glass, rod, cable or other materials. All products meet international standards and can be shipped and delivered almost immediately, according to the company.
www.artacorailing.com

Booth #849:
Teks Select is Now ICC-ES Evaluated
ITW Buildex introduces Teks Select, a selectively hardened fastener with new ICC approval. Teks Select self-drilling structural fasteners offer Grade 5 performance, are quick to drill and tap, and offer few stalls, according to the company.
www.itwbuildex.com