Top building products for September 2023

Each year, the Building Design+Construction editorial team evaluates the vast universe of new and updated products, materials, and systems for the U.S. building design and construction market. The best-of-the-best products make up our annual 75 Top Products report. 

Sharon Prince, Founder and CEO of Grace Farms and Design for Freedom, discusses DFF's report on slavery and enforced child labor in building products and materials.

BD+C's John Caulfield interviews Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut Design and Construction, about how his firm keeps projects on schedule and budget in the face of shortages, delays, and price volatility.

Austin Commercial’s Jason Earnhardt explains why supply chain issues for the construction industry are not going to go away and how developers and owners can get ahead of project roadblocks.

Driven by two distinct influences, a new generation of glass building enclosures now has a unique trajectory—toward higher performance and sustainability. One of those forces is the work by building teams who effortlessly blend design analysis with the creation of novel system solutions. 

Thanks to data and analytics used routinely today to model and predict building performance, new and remarkably subtle approaches are being used to create facades and interior glass assemblies that allow more visible light transmission while reducing undesirable heating by direct sunlight.

Novel concepts in glass and glazing are opening new vistas in the buildings world. From massive openings and bent panels to decorative finishes and integrated smart technologies, a cornucopia of glass innovations have been hitting the market in recent years. A review of new projects and recent product introductions gives an idea of the astounding range—and a few key lessons to live by—in today’s institutional and commercial sectors.

Building envelope choices for campus, cultural, and infrastructure projects are shaped by particular conditions. Today, institutions place greater value on how buildings relate to their ensemble: how historic buildings fit next to new ones, how massing forms fit with their neighbors, and how a building cladding contributes to the campus context. Concurrently, enclosure assemblies and construction methods have undergone changes due to values of sustainability, science, durability, and maintenance. In this context, mastering the building envelope on college and university campuses requires addressing both cultural concerns and technical performance, honoring traditional buildings while exploring the potential of new materials and forms.