News Event reports
Commercial content takes the stage at WinDoor

Canada’s event for the window and door industry, WinDoor, added new interest for the architectural glass industry with several excellent presentations addressing issues of interest to aluminum facade manufacturers and commercial glazing contractors and installers.

Glass Canada editor, Patrick Flannery, moderated Across the Great Divide, a panel discussion with three executives manufacturing products for both the residential and commerical markets: Mike Bruno of Everlast, Adrian Edge of Innotech and Brett Lucier of Provincial Glass and Mirror. Flannery asked one question then went to get a coffee while his energetic panelists took off for the next half hour with a wide-ranging and insightful conversation about the differences and similarities between the two markets and the challenges and opportunities facing us all. The audience jumped in with their questions and opinions. Takeaways: the perception that the commercial side is more technically sophisticated is only true up to a point and in some aspects; the business model for residential work is more attractive and lower risk in many ways; and neither side will have a definite advantage in the coming world of embodied carbon restrictions.

Juliette Cook of Half Climate Design left the room wanting more after a fascinating reveal of research into the carbon implications of four different high-rise facade designs, including two mass timber designs. Half takes a very holistic approach, rolling all sources of carbon emissions into single numbers representing the contribution to global warming. On these metrics, aluminum still fares poorly, but perhaps not as poorly versus the alternatives as some have suggested.

Jeff Makimoto, Fenestration Canada commercial technical director, addressed some common misunderstandings and misconceptions with the correct use of silicone for commercial glazing, including two-sided versus four-sided glazing.

WinDoor added a commercial element to its booth awards as well, with Emballages LM Packaging taking home the inaugural Best New Commercial Product award for its innovative cardboard glass wrapping technology.

The next WinDoor takes place in late 2024 in Montreal.