June 15, 2017 - Sparklike Oy has launched their new web pages under the familiar domain: www.sparklike.com. According to Sparklike Oy, who is the world’s first and only developer and manufacturer of non-destructive insulating gas fill analyzers, the goal for the updated web pages was to offer even easier access to product information regarding the new devices and services within the Sparklike Laser product line™. Also, to further demonstrate the look and feel of the devices, Sparklike has added new high quality videos on their web page.

Pilkington MirroView has great colour with a natural, mirror-like appearance that is ideal for concealing digital displays and video screens for commercial and residential applications.

April 19, 2017 - Technical Glass Products’ (TGP) Fireframes TimberLine Series allows design professionals to bring the beautiful look of wood frames to interior glazing applications with stringent fire and life safety performance criteria. The innovative system pairs a high-strength steel sub-frame with a real-wood veneered metal cover cap. The result is slender fire-rated frames that capture the rich, warmth of wood, enable tall spans and serve as a barrier to radiant and conductive heat transfer.

April 19, 2017 - Mario Lemay came full circle as he returned to the field March 1st as Regional Sales Manager for the northern shore of Montreal up to Abitibi, serving architects and dealers. 

April 19, 2017 - Mario Savoie joined Alumicor on Monday March 20, 2017 in the position of Vice-President and Regional General Manager – Eastern Region. 

Mar. 23, 2017 - Guardian Glass is pleased to announce that Darijo Babic has been named Director, Key Commercial Projects, North America. Babic will work with Guardian’s channel partners, fabricators, project glaziers and architects to grow Guardian SunGuard® architectural glass business on commercial building projects.

Mar. 9, 2017 -  Linetec continues to expand capacity and add new jobs to support the market's increased demand for high-quality finishes and high-performance architectural metal products. Part of the latest job growth is a $3 million investment to double the capacity of the thermal services department.

Feb. 23, 2017 - Due to the positive growth and expansion of the Biesse brands across the globe, Biesse and Intermac America have restructured the Service Manager responsibilities in order to provide our customers the best possible support. With machine order volumes consistently rising, Biesse Group established two separate Service Managers, a crucial addition to the Service Department, each focusing on distinct divisions.

Feb. 23, 2017 - Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) has selected its Wichita Falls plant to be the site of a new jumbo magnetron sputtered vacuum deposition (MSVD) glass coater, expected to be the largest of its kind in North America. Groundbreaking is slated for April.

Dow Corning 121 structural glazing sealant answers the challenges facade contractors and manufacturers face with the slow cure of one-part sealants, mixing of multipart sealants and limited movement capability of tapes. Dow Corning 121 is ideal for assembly, installation or repair of structurally glazed glass and other substrates.

Jan. 26, 2017 - RPM Rollformed Metal Products has join forces with Can-Space Manufacturing Inc. in an acquisition finalized on Dec. 20, 2016. Beginning immediately, Can-Space Manufacturing will operate under the New Era Group Company as RPM Rollformed Metal Preoducts Ltd.

Dec. 14, 2016 -  EVERLAM has commenced construction of its future international headquarters, located in Mechelen, where its head office, customer & technical service and R&D/innovation center will be located.

June 23, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) invited Michael Collins, Building Industry Advisors, to address those at the 2017 AAMA Summer Conference about both the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in the wake of the new Trump administration. Collins gave a forecast on how Trump's influence on matters such as immigration, China trade, health care and other big news topics could have on the industry.

June 23, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) heard an overview of U.S. trade orders on Chinese aluminum extrusions and their impact on the curtain wall industry, thanks to Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) President Jeff Henderson. Henderson spoke during a session at the AAMA National Summer Conference, June 18-21 in Newport, Rhode Island, about a 2011 AEC victory in a trade case against the People's Republic of China, and the impact of its ruling.

June 23, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) hosted Chip Gentry, founding member of Call & Gentry Law Group, to advise those at the conference about the important role of both proper installation and good insurance when it comes to avoiding litigation.

June 21, 2017 - Supporting its recently redesigned website, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) hosted workshops covering the site's new features during the AAMA National Summer Conference, June 18-21 in Newport, Rhode Island. Marketing Manager Angela Dickson led two sessions, guiding members and users through the new look of the site and how to use its latest tools. For those unable to attend during the event, a <> covering these tips and tricks will be held July 18 and is open to the industry.

June 19, 2017 - The Glass Association of North America is bringing its Fall Conference to GlassBuild America in Atlanta for a first-time integration of its important committee work and presentations with the annual trade show where the industry gathers to meet and buy.

The Canadian Glass Association’s Glass Connections conference hit a home run when it returned to Burnaby, BC in June offering high caliber educational and networking opportunities with local, national and US glazing leaders. The Welcome Reception on June 7th was a success with many sticking around until late singing everything from Sweet Caroline to Sweet Child o’ Mine at the casino’s dueling piano bar.

June 7, 2017 - Top Glass is Canada’s industry event for the commercial glazing industry. Hosted by Glass Canada magazine, Top Glass brings glazing contractors, curtain wall manufacturers, storefront fabricators, architects and building engineers together for a day of education, networking and review of the latest technology.

If the National Glass Association’s GlassBuild America could be described as the best buffet in Vegas, a smorgasbord of delights for every glass nerd in the industry, the Glass Association of North America’s Building Enclosure Contractors (BEC) Conference is more like the Foundation Room on the 63rd floor of Mandalay Bay: an intimate, information-intensive experience for 403 of the biggest names in the business.

The reviews are in for last week’s Top Glass conference and the response is very positive. Over 80 per cent of respondents to the post-show survey rated the seminars and award presentation good or excellent. On the show floor, 93 per cent gave top marks.

Glass Connections is not just our name, it’s our game! Don’t miss the opportunity to join your peers in the industry on June 7 and 8 at the Delta Hotels Burnaby Conference Center in Vancouver, B.C.

May 26, 2017 - With luck comparable to that of the 2017 Blue Jays, the Ontario Glass and Metal Association's scheduled day for its spring golf tournament landed on a day of continuous driving rain, forcing the first cancellation of the golf round in living memory. Instead, staff at Piper's Heath Golf Club in Milton, Ont., moved with impressive flexibility to start the steak dinner early at 2 p.m. and give the approximately 50 members in attendance an enjoyable afternoon of discussion and laughter. Attendees received a rain check.

Glass Connections in Burnaby, B.C. will feature a talk by Mikhala Way of Vitrum on bird-friendly glazing and its applications in today's architecture. Glass Connections takes place June 7 and 8 and is presented by the Canadian Glass Association.

June 15, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released a new white paper created by the AAMA Aluminum Material Council that discusses the use of aluminum in high-performing building enclosures. AMC-2-26, "Aluminum in High-Performing Building Enclosures," is now available in the AAMA online store as a complimentary download.

Let’s take a look at the recent great work by our Technical Services Committee, chaired by Jeff Haberer of Trulite Glass and Aluminum Solutions.

Glass and glazing elements like most primary construction materials including concrete, masonry, metals and plastics have benefited a great deal from improvements in advanced coating technologies. The use of advanced coating techniques and materials to improve appearance and performance of glass in particular has proven to be a constant source of successful innovation over time.

The Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance is inviting Ontario Glass and Metal Association members to attend its Fabricators Workshop in Mississauga, Ont., on Feb. 28 - March 2 at the same discounted rate IGMA members pay. The workshop will be hosted at Exova's facility. OGMA members have received a code via email that will qualify them for the discount.

Stunning unbroken views of vistas or store interiors – that’s the demand driving the production, shipment and installation of large panes of glass today – panes as much as 20 feet across and thousands of pounds. Agnora, the largest-capacity glass fabricator in North America, has seen a tenfold increase in the demand for big glass over the last five years. Vice-president of operations Jeff Wilkins says this includes both storefront and residential markets right across continent. Agnora is able to temper, machine, laminate and insulate various thickness of glass up to a maximum size of 130 by 300 inches. The company’s two main challenges of with glass (float glass availability and shipping) have been handled, says Wilkins, through creating strong partnerships with suppliers and by working collaboratively with shipping partners. “Big glass is heavy and dangerous therefore we are very serious about our maintenance and upkeep of our lifting equipment and designing our work flow to minimize the amount of manual lifting,” he explains.  

Dec. 14, 2016 -  With a customized inloader, sedak optimizes the handling of oversize glass. The new 23m long inloader now delivers glass units up to 16m. The steerable rear axle which allows the truck to drive through narrow curves such as roundabouts is the key feature of the mega trailer. Due to its space-saving interior concept, no escort vehicle is required.

Everywhere you look today, architects are leveraging glass for daylighting purposes to allow the right amount of light into a building. But while much of the attention centers on the façade, interior spaces leveraging glass are just as critical to the introduction of natural light into the building environment. For interior space in particular, glass railing systems for stairways and balconies play a key role in letting the light in. And that means opportunities for glaziers with glass railings.

Over the past decade, client relationship management (CRM) has become a common industry buzzword like social media marketing. These relationship management tools in the form of computerized programs were designed to automate interaction between you and your customers, however, in the window and door industry, automating personal interaction can be complex.

With the recent publication of a Product Category Rule (PCR) for processed glass, the glass industry now has official PCRs for all architectural glass products: flat glass, processed glass and windows and doors. Future green building projects under LEED v.4 and beyond are going to require product lifecycle assessments for all building facade components.

Sept. 8, 2016 - Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Glass Processing Equipment Market 2016-2020" report to their offering. The global glass processing machinery market to grow at a CAGR of 3.83% during the period 2016-2020.

When construction professionals consider the challenges we may encounter in the coming decades the question of what we need to do to effectively “future-proof” our buildings will inevitably enter the equation. Updating and renovating buildings as standards, use and technology change carries costs. Designs that anticipate and mitigate those future costs are more valuable.

We live in a globalised world. Global trade is a fact of life and is becoming increasingly prevalent in the construction industry now more than ever. Arguably the sector most affected by this shift is Section 8, glass and building exteriors.

June 7, 2017 - The North American Contractor Certification (NACC) program is pleased to announce that it will host its first industry webinar for technical discussion at 2:00PM EST on June 28th, 2017. The discussion will present a case example of an installation project, including some of the challenges that arise when trying to deliver a quality product. There will be 3 points of view presented – the glazing contractor point of view, the consultant point of view, and the quality manager point of view.

In the last edition of You Bet Your Glass I told you about all the wonderful things recommended by the review of the Ontario Construction Lien Act that were meant to, at long last, provide some fairness to the trades in the construction pyramid: prompt payment, mandatory interest on late payments, binding dispute resolution, the right to suspend work, and so on and so on.

Looking ahead, the architectural glass industry will encounter a number of significant human resource challenges over the next decade. Near the top of the list is the fact that almost 250,000 skilled construction workers are expected to retire over the next decade. It’s also possible that some workers in their 60’s may also choose to reduce their commitment to working full time, or contemplate early retirement. This larger trend will have at least some long-term impact on glazing and glass-related industries.

Melding stunning historic elements with safety and high environmental standards are the hallmarks of the recent renovation of the Wellington Building in Ottawa. Located across from Parliament Hill, it was constructed in 1927 for the Metropolitan Insurance Company, underwent a substantial enlargement in 1959 and was acquired by the Crown in 1973. A major renovation, started in 2008 under primary architect NORR Limited, has prepared the Wellington to house the offices for 70 members of Parliament and much more.

The Vaughan Civic Centre Resource Library is a shining example of one of the most challenging glazing jobs in the Greater Toronto Area to date,” says Ted Redlarski, president of Noram Building Systems, glass fabricators and installers of the new $15 million library sited on Toronto’s northern outskirts. “Certain elevations of the building proved the most tricky,” he continues. “Glass is used to build a wall of sweeping curves tilting sideways 15 degrees and leaning forwards from zero to 15 degrees, substantially twisting the infill glass and aluminum panels, creating an extraordinary illusion appearing to defy the laws of physics.”

BC Passive House (BCPH) Factory is an “all-wood construction” demonstration project, co-owned and built by Whistler-based general contractor Durfeld Constructors and Vancouver’s Equilibrium Consulting Inc., an engineering firm that focuses on heavy wood construction. BCPH mandated that the design and construction of their new facility must exemplify their investment in wood construction, prefabrication, energy efficiency, and sustainable design practice.

The newest landmark building on the campus of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., is the 220,000-square-foot, four-storey Lazaridis Hall, named after BlackBerry co-founder and philanthropist, Mike Lazaridis. Crowning the structure’s central atrium, now the main gathering place for students, faculty and visitors, is the 130-foot-long glass skylight, the stunning signature feature of the $70 million building that houses the University’s School of Business and Economics, along with the dean office, grad student space, computer labs, 300- and 150-person lecture halls, learning space, a broadcast facility, a two-level 1,000-seat auditorium for convocation, seven lecture halls, cafes, computer and math labs. The skylight represents not just the project’s structural tour de force, but also a case study in innovative design and installation.

As part of the current Parliament Buildings rehabilitation being performed by PCL Constructors Canada, work on the pre-Confederation West Block began in 2011. By the fall of 2018, its permanent courtyard infill will serve as a temporary House of Commons Chamber during the upcoming rehab of the Centre Block over the following 10 years.

Still lots of expert talk about millennials. No seminar program at a large event is complete without sessions telling us how to motivate them, how to retain them, how to find them and how to sell to them. What do they want? What do they like? One pictures a curious crowd of baby boomers peering through glass at a captive millennial, wondering what it eats.

May 24, 2017 - Around 175,000 construction workers in Quebec went on strike this morning following a breakdown in talks with the provincial government. Union statements pointed to job security and working hours as main sticking points.

May 2, 2017 - The GTA's home building and land development industry recognized its top builders, projects and marketing initiatives at the 37th annual BILD Awards on Friday, April 28th.

April 19, 2017 - Cadillac Fairview (CF) has unveiled plans  for a new pedestrian bridge across Queen Street to better integrate CF Toronto Eaton Centre with the Hudson's Bay and Saks Fifth Avenue flagship locations in downtownToronto. Construction is slated to begin this month.CF sees the project as a significant investment in, and contribution to, the public realm by replacing the existing structure with an exciting new connection between two major retail landmarks, creating a more integrated CF Toronto Eaton Centre complex.

June 23, 2017 - The development of the Architectural Glass and Metal Technician (AGMT) Certification Program has reached a milestone with the formation of a 27-member steering committee that met for the first time in a 2-hour teleconference on Thursday, June 15. The program, a third-party, personnel certification initiative, is being developed by Administrative Management Systems, Inc. (AMS, Inc.) and is sponsored by the Finishing Trades Institute (FTI) International. The committee is comprised of a balanced representation of industry experts from three major stakeholder segments: glaziers, glazing contractors, and the user community consisting of manufacturers, suppliers, architects, consultants and spec writers.

June 7, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has launched a new website intended to increase ease of usability for members and other visitors. The site’s address has not changed, and can still be located at aamanet.org. Join AAMA for a short, complimentary webinar to learn more about the site’s new features on July 18.

April 6, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released a new document to provides a standard laboratory procedure for exterior shading devices and the project-specific evaluation of downward static ice and snow loads, and impacts on them from falling ice or snow. AAMA 514-16, the "Standard Test Method of Static Loading and Impact on Exterior Shading Devices," uses sandbags to simulate downward loads from ice and snow to test shading devices.

You probably remember all the kerfuffle brought on by mainstream media a few years ago over the epidemic of shattered glass falling from high rise buildings onto the heads of unsuspecting pedestrians. People were afraid to walk outside, Toronto politicians panicked and an emergency panel was assembled to find ways to combat this terrifying phenomenon.

Jan. 12, 2017 -  The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released an updated technical information report addressing the most commonly used composite thermal barrier systems. The 72-page AAMA TIR-A8-16, "Structural Performance of Composite Thermal Barrier Framing Systems," was last updated in 2008 and now includes several new figures and instructions specific to testing dual cavities. Updated software and a user guide are forthcoming to aid users in understanding information contained in this report.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has published A500-16 Building Guards, a new standard governing materials, hardware and installation of balcony guards, including glass balcony balustrades. The standard is expected to be referenced in future national and provincial building codes to prevent well-publicised issues of falling balcony glass.

What are the top barriers and issues affecting the health and safety of workplaces in Canada, and what can we do about them? The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is inviting workers and employers to take part in an online survey that continues the conversation sparked at CCOHS’ Forum 2016: The Changing World of Work, held earlier this year in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The five-year update cycle has come around again for the National Building Code, and one big change commercial glazing fabricators will see is the inclusion of specific minimum requirements for air/water ingress for all fenestration components of Part 5 buildings. The new sections 593.4 and 593.5 of Part 5 will cover air and water ingress, respectively.

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released an updated document describing the test procedures and specifications Architectural Class windows and doors (AW). The AAMA 910-16, Voluntary "Life Cycle" Specifications and Test Methods for AW Class Architectural Windows and Doors, was last updated in 2010.

Aug. 25, 2016 - GANA and IGMA have announced the approval and release of the  Product Category Rule (PCR) for Processed Glass. The PCR is based on revisions made to the Institute of Construction and Environment (Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V., or IBU) standard Part B PCR structure for Glass Wall and Ceiling Coverings, 2014. The focus of revisions to the document was to include references applicable to the North American market, and to make it consistent with the GANA PCR for Flat Glass: UN CPC 3711 and the Cradle to Gate Window Product Category Rule. The joint GANA-IGMA task group led by Dr. Helen Sanders of SageGlass worked diligently with ULe to create this PCR for the industry.

June 30, 2016 - Dip-Tech is pleased to announce the Dip-CMiX Ceramic Premix Colour Guide, which establishes the industry standard for matching color in glass. This pre-mix swatch book functions in a manner similar to RAL and Pantone colour guides. It is designed to effectively communicate colours for printed glass in numerical codes, thereby standardizing each shade for all decision makers in the supply chain.

June 16, 2016 - CSA Group has announced that its key accessibility standard has been referenced in the National Building Code (NBC), an important step toward the harmonization of accessible design requirements.