Fall Conference 2018 Activities Report

Fall Conference is considered an ideal venue to bring together the best of our industry’s technical minds, and an opportunity to cross-collaborate and identify synergies between the work being accomplished to benefit the entire glazing industry supply chain from flat glass production to glass installation.

On Tuesday, September 11 over 100 members convened for the first Fabricating Committee meeting of the newly combined NGA and GANA. Before addressing the business of the various fabricating sections, Integration Task Force representative Julia Schimmelpenningh (Eastman Chemical Company) provided an update on key progress being made in association transition activities. Most notably, a draft voting protocol was shared in effort to gain feedback as the policy is refined and put in place.

Within the Decorative Glazing section, how to define an acceptable color variance, or delta E, generated engaging discussion. A Glass Informational Bulletin (GIB) is being written in effort to provide guidance on how one might generate a delta E number in various applications. In addition, a task group is addressing the topic of compatibility, durability and color fastness related to paints used in interior and exterior (non-spandrel) applications.

The Insulating section is brainstorming a new GIB on Unique IGUs. This resource may address vacuum, point-supported and jumbo insulating glass units, as well as the tailored approach required for storage, transportation and installation. Stay tuned for more information on how this document develops.

Two resources are undergoing key updates in the Fire-Rated Glazing section: a GIB on the Fire-Rated Glazing in the IBC as well as a Fire-Rated Glazing Today AIA presentation. Look for those two items to be released in the near future.

The Laminated Glazing section is synthesizing test data to develop a new chart on the compression of interlayer tolerances. In addition, the Laminated Glazing Reference Manual has completed its content update. Anticipate the release of this heavily utilized manual by early 2019.

The Protective Glazing section will soon release an updated version of its Protective Glazing 101 AIA presentation. In addition, while the Security Window Design Workshop to occur in August 2018 was canceled, efforts are being made to refine the program and offer the workshop in 2019.

The Engineering Standards Manual is one the association’s most-used manuals, generated from within the Tempering section. The important table on the minimum thicknesses for fully tempered glass in butt-glazed fixed interior panels features updated calculations and will be part of the new edition of the Manual to be released in the coming months.

The Heavy Glass Door Design Guide is another longstanding resource of the association and it is also nearing the conclusion of its update, which will become the 20th anniversary edition when published in 2019. Allowable stresses in point-supported glass and thermal stress in spandrel applications are two key discussions taking place that will eventually generate bulletins for use in the industry.

Finally, each of these section’s task groups have been busy creating resources for the industry. Below is a list of newly-published materials:

• Understanding Reflective Distortion in Mirror Glass Informational Bulletin
• Multi-Cavity Insulating Glass Units AIA presentation
• Understanding Reflected Solar Energy of Glazing Systems in Buildings Glass Informational Bulletin
• Heat-treated Laminated Glass with Exposed Edges Glass Informational Bulletin

On Wednesday, September 12, the first Installing Committee meeting of the newly-combined association welcomed a packed house. The meeting was formatted in a way to allow for and encourage engaging conversation on topics such as labor challenges, technical resources and best practices for specifications. A new Labor Best Practice task group is being establish.

Thursday, September 13 featured a continuation of the Fabricating Committee meeting, with a specific focus on energy and advocacy related topics. The Energy section reviewed the content on its new webpage dedicated to collating research and resources available on the topic of health and wellness benefits of glazing. Click here to peruse the information, which will be updated on a regular basis. In addition, an activity related to thermal bridging of framing.

The first meeting of the new Advocacy Committee was also held Thursday. Goals of the Committee were discussed; among them, engaging member companies in advocacy issues, collaborating with other industry groups and hosting frequent educational webinar on the topics were noted. Two resources of focus include how to incorporate health and wellness benefits into the IBC and LEED options for glazing and its impact on project bidding.

Fall Conference wrapped on Friday, September 14 with a meeting of the Forming Committee comprised of the flat glass manufacturer audience. Committee members have been actively engaged in the California AB262 “Buy Clean California Act” legislation. Public comments were submitted on August 10th and further action is pending the conclusion of the comment review period.

In addition, the members present voted to pursue an industry-wide Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and thinkstep will be engaged as the third-party project facilitator.

Mark your calendar now - NGA looks forward to seeing members and attendees at these upcoming events:

Annual Conference |Jan. 22-24, 2019 | Naples, FL

Learn more - registration is now open!

BEC Conference | Mar. 3-5, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV

More details coming soon!