Mergers, Energy and Test Methods All Discussed at IGMA Meeting

David Bailey of Bodycote Testing Group (left) and Bruce Virnelson of PRC DeSoto International presented the topic: "ASTM E 2190: Has the Bar Been Raised?"

During the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance's (IGMA) annual meeting in early February in San Diego, attendees were treated to a number of technical presentations and several working group meetings.

Technical consultant Bill Lingnell of Lingnell Consulting Services presented an update on his thermal stress research pertaining to insulating glass (IG). "We need to understand why you
don't just jump from monolithic to IG," Lingnell said.

"There is a pre-stress in the IG unit due solely to the temperature difference from outside to inside without the influence of solar intensity," said Lingnell in his presentation.

After walking his listeners through the basics of thermal stress considerations for monolithic glass-ranging from frame type and size to interior and exterior building conditions-he proceeded
to describe his analyses for addressing the differences that IG gap has on thermal stress reactions.

Next to take the floor was David Bailey of Bodycote Testing Group and Bruce Virnelson of PRC DeSoto International. The pair discussed ASTM E 2190, asking, "Has the Bar Been Raised?"

In providing some background on the various IG test methods in use (ASTM E 773/E 774, CAN/CGSB 12.8 and the new ASTM E2190 endorsed by IGMA and the Insulating Glass Certification Council), Bailey said that there had been much discussion during working group meetings earlier in the week about the volatile fog test. While Bailey provided information about how his laboratory follows the test methods, he did comment in regard to E2190, "I think it would be to the industry's benefit and the laboratory's benefit to have the light source and the distance and the angle to be very specifically defined."

Virnelson went further by comparing some of the differences among the tests, before providing several charts on failure rates for each test method.

Jim Larsen of Cardinal IG made a presentation about the next generations of the ENERGY STAR® program. He explained the reasoning for the revisions that the Department of Energy is "thinking ENERGY STAR doesn't differentiate itself enough from the codes." However, he expressed concern that once ENERGY STAR raises its bar, so to speak, the model codes would follow.

"Is this really going to improve energy efficiency?" he asked while discussing the revised climate zone maps and compliance examples showing that in some areas there aren't products available to meet the requirements.

Bruce Virnleson, outgoing chair of the Gas Permeability Working Group, summarized the status of the IGMA research project evaluating the gas permeability of edge seal assemblies. He noted that the request for proposal had been signed and now the laboratory is preparing to begin work. The group recruited volunteers during the annual meeting to supply sealants and spacers for use in the samples that will be tested.

Mergers also were a popular topic during the meeting. IGMA president Roger Skluzacek and Ray Wakefield, president of the Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC), signed the licensing agreement that officially brought the two groups together under a single certification process. Likewise, discussions about a potential merger with the Glass Association of North America (GANA) continued. If such a merger is approved, IGMA would essentially take over GANA's IG division, according to IGMA executive director Margaret Webb. To maintain the Canada/U.S. balance, the IGMA board of directors would remain to oversee all activities; the current technical services committee also would be maintained. The IGMA division of GANA would be strictly technical and focused on research, Webb stressed; anything educational or marketing in nature would go to those specific GANA committees-essentially focusing on those items in which IGMA currently specializes. —Megan Headley

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