Sustainability

It’s possible, it’s profitable, and it’s necessary to achieve energy efficiency targets in glass manufacturing.

Like safety, sustainability has evolved to become an expected part of the conversation for commercial glazing projects. In most cases, architects drive the discussion as to which standards and what stringency of criteria.   

It’s that time of the year when many of us start seeing reports and lists of trends in the construction industry. As has been the case in previous years, it seems sustainable design remains a top concern—and for good reason. While sustainability is often at top of mind, this year, it seems like the…

The summer of 2024 was the fourth-hottest summer on record for the contiguous United States, with an average temperature of 73.8 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 2.5 degrees above normal. The states of Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, and New Hampshire experienced the warmest summer in their…

Demand for recycled glass material is high, giving scrap glass generators an opportunity to find a better environmental and economic alternative to discarding glass in a landfill.

The Paris games feature one permanent centerpiece—The Paris Olympics Aquatics Centre, a striking example of new sustainable construction, complete with a sweeping timber structure and glass façade.  

Aesthetics, technology and sustainability are shaping the future of fire-rated glass in an increasingly multi-functional world.

At this year's glasstec, held Oct. 22-25 in Düsseldorf, Germany, circular economy will be a Hot Topic, a major area of focus for the international trade show. Decarbonization and digital technologies are other Hot Topics of the show.

Pre-Engineered Metal Buildings offer standardization, and cost-effectiveness, to construction. While the systems have had historical difficulty incorporating effective daylighting options, new solar illumination products offer the potential to ensure both sustainability and lower cost.

As vinyl options for commercial glass and glazing applications mature, they offer performance in demanding applications and sustainability for architects.

There's a push to considering the dual impact of embodied and operational carbon emissions in building materials. To reduce emissions, those in the glass industry can consider investing in triple glazed and/or durable IGUs. Companies should also be considering the content of the frame, and where it…

This year's Greenbuild focused on material transparency and carbon messaging. Exhibitors showcased sustainable products, EPDs and tools for determining installed energy performance.

For fenestration manufacturers, the road to LEED v4.1 certification has been made more difficult recently by a defunct program operator for the product category rule. With a new PCR for fenestration developed with a coalition of industry groups, including NGA, companies will now be able to qualify…

Without a national glass recycling infrastructure, Repurposed Materials Inc. offers an opportunity to reuse and repurpose architectural glass.

Sedak, a Germany-based glass manufacturer, has been using photovoltaic, or PV, installations to reach its environmental goals. By extending its PV system in February, most of sedak’s electricity requirements at its Gersthofen location are covered by solar power.

How glass improves lives for building occupants, contributing to human health and safety where people live, work, heal and play. With resources from the National Glass Association.

In line with Glaston’s strategic focus areas, the company focused on reducing its carbon footprint in 2022. The greenhouse gas emissions from Glaston’s own operations decreased by 43 percent year-on-year. The result was mainly achieved by shifting to the use of renewable electricity at Glaston’s…

In this final installment of our series on earning LEED v4 points, we'll look at anodizes and finishes, and learn what to consider for your project.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Version 7.0 Energy Star Specification for Residential Windows, Doors and Skylights on Oct. 20. The new criteria will go into effect on Oct. 23, 2023, with products meeting the new criteria eligible for early certification starting immediately.

Exhibitors at glasstec 2022 provided automation solutions to meet industry challenges of an entrenched labor shortage and increasing sustainability requirements. 

The construction sector is the biggest consumer of resources and energy in Germany. There are still too many valuable and dwindling resources used for new construction and hardly any “real” material cycles based on the "closed-loop recycling" model are used when buildings are demolished.

Glass Magazine’s 2022 All About Glass & Metals: Guide for Architects takes a closer look at three essential elements to the high-performance façade equation.

While the sentiment may seem audacious, it’s also true. 

Roundtable discussions at the 2022 Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance Hybrid Annual Conference in Amelia Island, Fla. highlighted trends like thin triple glazing, sustainability best practices, and case studies on window industry innovations.

Vitro Architectural Glass is dedicated to raising the industry standard for sustainability and has partnered with various organizations and industry initiatives to reinforce its commitment to the environment and help realize the full potential for environmentally friendly glass innovation on a…

Dow will introduce a commercially available service for carbon-neutral silicones in building facades, according to a company release. Used for structural glazing, insulating glass, and weathersealing, the carbon-neutral silicones will be PAS 2060-verified to help decrease the environmental impact…

The geometry of the new JST Production and Engineering Center is striking, with more than 70 corners inside and out. Designed by Ryuichi Ashizawa Architects, the building, located in Swarata Township, Pennsylvania, represents a deep connection to nature, taking inspiration from tree roots. Its…

Construction is well underway on a 1.4 MW solar array installation at NSG/Pilkington’s Rossford, Ohio, site. 

Pilkington UK completed another trial involving the use of hydrogen to produce glass at its Greengate plant in the U.K., reported in the St. Helens Star.

As Oregon’s first project to pursue LEED certification at the Platinum level, the Meyer Memorial Trust in the heart of Portland’s urban community combines investments in social equity and sustainability through building elements that include a saw-toothed photovoltaic (PV) roof, textured metal…

Among structural materials, glass is worthy of our admiration, with many properties that make it uniquely suited to enhance the beauty, design and performance of buildings. It benefits people; it benefits the environment.  

YKK AP America appointed Tomohisa Kato as its first-ever chief sustainability officer.

Sustainability and resiliency are two key words we often hear in the industry. But this summer seems to have made these topics more top of mind than ever.

In observance of Earth Day, Vitro Architectural Glass is recognizing its growth as an environmentally-focused business and ongoing commitment to meeting the standards of sustainability certification programs through its introduction of new, sustainable products.

As a confluence of forces has made holistic sustainability a priority for new commercial construction, architects need to balance cost and long-term durability of specified components to make it a reality.

As green building becomes the expectation rather than the exception, building owners are asking for evidence that their facilities are as friendly to occupants and to the environment as planned. While building product manufacturers have responded with more sustainable products, many are also…

Anyone want to take a guess at how many green product certifications there are in the world, like Cradle to Cradle or Environmental Product Declarations? I did a little digging to find out the answer after reading Glass Magazine’s March article on “The Green Building Maze.” As it turns out, there…

Are architects turning their backs on skyscrapers? This was the question posed in a recent CNN piece that interrogated the sustainability and energy performance of glass. The article, through interviews with several architects and other building industry officials, seemed to posit that glass…