Keep out sound and fire
Glass can be used as a clear fire barrier and a clear acoustic barrier in sound studios, manufacturing facilities, libraries, airports, and other high-end commercial buildings. The SuperLite II-XL has a sound transmission class rating of 49, which means there is a subjective loudness reduction of approximately 96%. It protects against fire and harmful noise and can be customized to provide security (bomb-blast and attack-resistance), energy efficiency (solar and reflective), and aesthetic detail (etched, tinted, mirrored, etc.) SuperLite II-XL features a nontoxic, gel-filled construction and is tested to provide fire-rate applications up to 120 minutes.
Safti. Reader Service No. 203
Low-e, energy saver
Low-e architectural glass products are available in a variety of light transmission levels, including VRE-54 (54% visible light transmittance), VRE-38 (38%), VRE-46 (46%), and VRE-59 (59%). The products differ in their heat transfer ratings, each meeting different energy code restrictions.
Viracon. Reader Service No. 209
Reading clear
The Salt Lake City Public Library used 145,000 sf of transparent glass to glaze its curtain walls, lens walls, and massive $1.2 million skylight. According to architect Steve Crane of local VCBO Architecture, the building "reads transparent from the outside," while the glass is also highly energy efficient, both reasons for choosing Solarban 60 Glass. The glass has a light to solar gain (LSG) ratio of 1.84, surpassing the U.S. Energy Department minimum of 1.25 LSG ratio for spectrally selective glass. The face of the main triangle-shaped building, a long, swooping crescent wall (pictured above), was made from more than 400 different laminated units of Solarban 60 glass, some measuring as large as 25 sf The wall wends from one end of the library plaza to the other, sweeping further and further away from the body of the building, stretching at its greatest length more than 21 feet from the main building's vertical wall. The 237,000-sf facility contains more than 500,000 books and other library materials.
PPG. Reader Service No. 202
An artists' work
The Kentucky Center for the Arts' $4.1 million renovation took over two years to complete and required a total repair of its curtainwall system, plus the construction of an addition. Because the building remained open during the renovation, the glass exterior was repaired exclusively from the outside. A team of four re-glazing experts from Harmon Inc.'s Cincinnati office restored the glazing materials and rabbets, replacing missing spandrel insulation and drywall as well. The team also created the exterior of the 3,500-sf lobby and the connection between the renovated facility and the new expansion, plus sloped skylights, a suspended glass box entry system, aluminum entry doors, aluminum panels and trim, as well as three different, custom curtainwall systems. The project relied on eight types of insulated glass and aluminum finishes, both in a variety of different colors. The Harmon team touched more than 18,000-sf of material.
Harmon Inc. Reader Service No. 206
Glass film stands strong
Panorama designer and safety window film includes an 8-mil. product designed to help hold commercial glass in place if shattered, reducing the chances of break-ins and property damage due to storms or hurricanes. The product reduces energy consumption, preserves furnishings, and improves occupant comfort, according to the manufacturer. Product warranty coverage ranges from 12 years to lifetime.
Bekaert Specialty Films (BSF). Reader Service No. 210
Safety glass
Cherokee County, Ga.'s state-of-the-art, $35 million public safety facility uses Makrolon Hygard security glazing materials on cell doors, in common areas, and in visitation booths. The glazing was chosen because of its multiple layers of polycarbonate or polycarbonate/acrylic bonding interlayers. These come in six different levels of protection, ranging from containment-rated sheet to UL Level 3 bullet-resistant material capable of withstanding multiple rounds fired from super-powered handguns.
Sheffield Plastics Inc. Reader Service No. 205
Calculate the easy way
A Web-based program that generates glass sizes from field measurements helps architects create designs and calculate final glass sizes for storefronts. Storefronts Online allows users to enter a list of components that are going to be used for a particular project and the rough opening dimensions. Visual prompts appear on screen and aid in the selection of correct components for the configuration. The program then calculates final glass sizes and displays detailed information, including handle and closer locations. www.crlaurence.com.
CRL. Reader Service No. 211
Web glass
Glass tile is now available on the web, with product shots of 27 different glass color options. A variety of untempered glass options are available as well as glass for any interior/exterior wall installation.
Studio Line. Reader Service No. 214
Clear connection
The Singapore Changi Airport's 150-meter-long mezzanine glass bridge, which provides a pedestrian link between two terminals, is made from a white translucent PVB interlayer color glass, creating an illuminated "light box" look. The glass's translucence also obscures utility services and the maintenance catwalk that runs behind the glass cladding.
Solutia. Reader Service No. 204
Wire glass meets CPSC standard
Fire-rated, laminated polished wired glass is available in stock sheet sizes and meets Consumer Product Safety Commission 16 CFR 1201 Cat I Impact Safety Standards. Pyroshield Plus comes in large sheets, which can be cut and fabricated as needed. Its fireproof plastic interlayer, which is sealed between a 4mm float glass and a 6mm polished wired glass, enhances impact safety. Pyroshield Plus achieves a 45-minute-plus hose-stream rating, as well as an 18-inch drop-height performance rating.
Pilkington. Reader Service No. 207
Rebuilt to last
New York City's World Trade Center Building #7 project will use a low-iron, clear, high-transmission glass. Lead architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, New York, chose UltraWhite glass because of its ability to project the true color of the silk-screen and coating. Standing 50 floors tall, the rebuilt #7 will use as much as 1 million sf of glass. Building #7 was the third building to collapse following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center Complex and will be built by Tishman Construction, New York, to be completed late 2005.
Guardian Industries. Reader Service No. 208
Window to the world
Window wall can be used for almost any punched opening, a continuous, vertical strip of windows, a horizontal ribbon of windows, or a low-rise curtainwall. The RX Series meets performance standards for water resistance, air infiltration, and thermal efficiency, as well as accommodating seismic and inter-story differential movement. The factory assembled and glazed units come with factory-assembled frames, factory-fabricated knocked down components, or stock lengths. The window series features a 2 ¼-inch siteline, and a 4 ¾-inch or 6 ¼-inch frame depths. The glass is front-loaded and frames are offered with two-color finishing or optional exterior feature covers. Spandrel glass, aluminum panels, glazed-in vents, or doorframe adapters also can be added.
Wausau. Reader Service No. 213
Blocked glass
Structural glass block wall, floor/skylight system is available in any size, with 3-inch or 4-inch glass blocks. The blocks are suspended within a structural aluminum grid system and are sealed inside and out with a silicone sealant. Steel rods pass through the aluminum grid to provide a true security/impact wall. The siliconed joints are covered by elastomeric strips, which snap onto the edges of the aluminum grid members to provide perfect joints. The joint covers are treated with an anti-graffiti coating.
Extech. Reader Service No. 212
Sealed tight
Holt-melt butyl and polyisobutylene IG sealant is a high-viscosity, high-strength, 100% solid system. the PIB-H1 is based on a PIB polymer formulated to impart reinforcement, resist degradation from ultravoilet light and provide low moisture permeability. With its high viscosity formula, PIB-H1 resists shearing in large, heavy lites of glass and retains flexibility through a wide temperature range to compensate for thermal movement of IG units. It is used as the primary seal on IG units while providing the main moisture vapor seal between the glass and metal spacer. It must be used with a secondary seal designed to provide structural strength.
TruSeal Technologies. Reader Service No. 212
Eco-glass
Decorative countertops and flooring made from recycled glass is made of traditional terrazzo, created from marble chips embedded in a binding material such as cement or resin. Using 100% post-consumer glass and tinted epoxy resin, the recycled glass can be customized for many specifications. EnviroGlas Terraazzo has no seams, there are no grout lines or joints to keep clean or replace, making the product a bacteria-resistant alternative for countertops and flooring.
American Terrazzo Co. Reader Service No. 213
