AIA Expo Offers a Look at Interior and Exterior Glass and Glazing Trends

HMI Cardinal focused on decorative glass options for interior applications.

For architects looking for new developments in glass and glazing products, many of the exhibitors at this year’s AIA Conference on Architecture have a lot to offer. The show is taking place this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where many glass companies are highlighting both the performance attributes of glass, as well as how it can be used for aesthetics.

The German glass company Arnold Glas Corp. featured a variety of products that can help architects create both a high-performance and attractive façade. The company offers custom coatings that allow architects to select their own unique colors, as well as the performance they want for the glass. Another unique product is the company’s gradient coatings, which can go from 40-percent visible light transmission (VLT) to 70-percent VLT, as an example. This option allows architects to vary the VLT in one piece of glass, and offers a way for occupants to control the sun without having the glass become opaque. In addition, Arnold Glas also featured its Ornilux bird-protection glass. The glass is currently made in Germany, but they expect to soon produce in North America with a partner company.

A big focus for HMI Cardinal is to showcase its decorative glass options for a variety of interior applications. As Chris FitzGerald, CEO, explained, the company acquired Woon-Tech, a good fit with Cardinal as Woon-Tech brings with it a tempering footprint in the Northeast. The company has continued to increase that focus on interior decorative glass, much of which involves digital printing. For example, barn doors are popular right now, and and the look of wood onto the glass.

FitzGerald officials said they are ramping up the level of flexibility and creativity that could be done with otherwise standard products.

Another new product on the show floor is a bi-fold door from Peerless Architectural Windows & Doors, which  has a ¾-inch seal, and can achieve ½-inch ADA sill with finish floor height. The door, which performs like a terrace door, is also hurricane rated and has a full opening capability of 16 feet wide.

In addition to the glass, other companies focused on components that are essential to building facades. For Tremco, the key word is connections.

“Everything has to be connected,” William Cardott said. This includes areas such as the window to the wall. He explained that his company is offering products that can provide controls for water, air and vapor, and are also addressing thermal considerations. Windows are a part of this, which means connectivity is a key focus.

The 2019 AIA Conference on Architecture concludes today. Stay tuned to usglassmag.com for more news and videos from the show.