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No other building material brings together daylight, transparency and style the way that glass can. Fortunately, today’s architects can benefit from advanced technology that enables glass to perform other functions such as protect against fire, blast, hurricane, ballistic, UV or harness energy from sun. This blog will tackle the latest issues in glass performance, technology and design, as well as create an environment for communication and dialogue among members of the building community. It will also provide the latest code updates, as well as profile case studies that show high-performance glazing in action.
Bill O'Keeffe | Aug 25, 2014

Glazing plays key role in reinventing stairway design

Within the architectural community, a movement called "active design" seeks to convert barren and unappealing stairwells originally conceived as emergency contingencies into well-designed architectural focal points. SPONSORED CONTENT

Bill O'Keeffe | Jul 24, 2014

Glazing options in correctional and detention facilities

Like it or not, the number of incarcerated people in the U.S. continues to rise. With that, increased security in all aspects of these facilities continues to be a priority. This is where security glazing products that allow line of sight for supervisors to observe and still maintain secure separation can play a key role. SPONSORED CONTENT  

Bill O'Keeffe | Jun 26, 2014

Glazing offers peace-of-mind for hurricane season

SPONSORED CONTENT As hurricane season kicks into high gear, it reinforces the importance of balancing the aesthetic and daylight enhancements of glazing with the safety requirements to protect people and structures from hurricane-force winds.   

Bill O'Keeffe | May 27, 2014

Fire Rated Glass contributes to open lab environment at JSNN

Openness and transparency were high priorities in the design of the Joint School of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering within the Gateway University Research Park in Greensboro, N.C. Because the facility’s nanobioelectronics clean room houses potentially explosive materials, it needed to be able to contain flames, heat, and smoke in the event of a fire. SPONSORED CONTENT 

Bill O'Keeffe | May 20, 2014

Using fire-rated glass in exterior applications

Fire-rated glazing and framing assemblies are just as beneficial on building exteriors as they are on the inside. But knowing how to select the correct fire-rated glass for exterior applications can be confusing. SPONSORED CONTENT

Bill O'Keeffe | May 5, 2014

Tragic wired glass injury makes headlines yet again

In the story, a high school student pushed open a hallway door glazed with wired glass. His arm not only broke the glass, but penetrated it, causing severe injuries. SPONSORED CONTENT
Bill O'Keeffe | Apr 25, 2014

Recent NFPA 80 updates clarify fire rated applications

Code confusion has led to misapplications of fire rated glass and framing, which can have dangerous and/or expensive results. Two recent NFPA 80 revisions help clarify the confusion. SPONSORED CONTENT
Bill O'Keeffe | Apr 8, 2014

Fire resistive curtain wall helps The Kensington meet property line requirements

The majority of fire rated glazing applications occur inside a building to allow occupants to exit the building safely or provide an area of refuge during a fire. But what happens when the threat of fire comes from the outside? This was the case for The Kensington, a mixed-use residential building in Boston.
Bill O'Keeffe | Apr 1, 2014

The risks of mismatched fire-rated assemblies

Mismatched fire-rated glass and framing happens more often than you think. Failing to confirm that the tested and listed performance capabilities of the framing system match those of the glazing can create a financial nightmare for the entire building team. 

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