PPG Becomes Presenting Sponsor For Chihuly At Phipps Exhibit

PPG is delighted to be the presenting sponsor of this special exhibition of beautiful glass set in the natural beauty of the Phipps Conservatory,“ said Victoria M.Holt, senior vice president, glass and fiber glass, for PPG. “In addition, our sponsorship is a great way to help observe the Pittsburgh region’s yearlong Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass initiative.”



Dale Chihuly is a renowned glass artist based in Seattle. He is known for brilliantly colored organic glass sculptures, and his work is immediately recognizable for its grand scale and use of vibrant colors. Chihuly’s spectacular creations are found in more than 200 museums worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.



“At PPG, we believe we have much in common with Mr. Chihuly and his work,” Holt said. “We both seek to use glass in new and exciting ways to either beautify or better our world. Put simply, PPG and Dale Chihuly are both innovators in glass.”



In addition to sponsorship of the glass exhibit, PPG had an important role in the recent expansion of the Phipps. “Our Solarban 70XL solar control low-emissivity glass was used on the new special events wing of the conservatory for a beautiful window wall,” Holt said. “This glass product features an unprecedented combination of solar control and visible light transmittance in a transparent, color-neutral glass.”



Holt said the high-performance glass transmits 64 percent of the sun’s natural light while blocking 73 percent of its solar energy in a standard one-inch insulating glass unit. “This makes a tremendous impact on annual energy costs,” she said. “It was a great match for the Phipps, which uses many other state-of-the-art eco-technologies to make it the most energy-efficient conservatory in the world.”



PPG’s performance glazings business was named a finalist for the 2007 Western Pennsylvania Environmental Awards for its Solarban 70XL glass. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the Dominion Foundation recognize and honor outstanding accomplishments in environmental initiatives through this awards program.



PPG Industries Foundation provided $150,000 to help Phipps bring the Chihuly exhibit to Pittsburgh during the Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass initiative. “We are hoping that as many people as possible view the exhibit and enjoy the special environment at the Phipps,” Holt said.