What do glass breakage, water and codes have in common? While they may seem like three things with nothing in common, this week they share at least one trait: They’re all on the agenda for the National Glass Association’s Glass Conference underway in Ann Arbor (Ypsilanti), Michigan.
Glass Breakage
For anyone who has ever wondered why, how or what made glass break in a given instance, industry consultant Bill Lingnell offered some answers. Lingnell shared his insights into glazing failures, helping attendees understand just the cause. Looking at breakage patterns can often provide some answers, he explained. For example, with broken annealed glass if you look closely at the breaks you can often find signs of thermal stress or an impact.
Lingnell said to always consider the conditions in which the glass will be installed. Certain cases, such as extreme heat, scratches and even glass-to-metal contact can be potential scenarios for breakage if not designed and engineered correctly.
“We need to have more design and engineering if we are going to do these things to make sure they will operate for the long haul,” said Lingnell, who encouraged testing to replicate field conditions and code compliance.
Speaking of spontaneous breakage, Lingnell pointed out that nickel sulfide inclusions are often blamed first, but that’s not always the case. “You cannot jump to the conclusion that it’s an inclusion until you have it [the inclusion] in your hand and examine it,” he said. While he says the industry has partly solved the challenges of nickel sulfide, thanks to heat-soak testing, not every company does this. He said the industry needs different ways to analyze the glass to try and mitigate the situation.
Codes Update
Speaking under the mantra to defend and promote the industry, consultant Tom Culp provided an update on energy codes. Culp predicts that in the years ahead we will see a greater switch from national to local codes and actions.
“At the national level it may be a slower change,” he said, adding he expects an increase in regional activity with a “political split.” He said this will impact the industry, creating both threats and opportunities. While we will have to watch for attacks on window area, he said to expect opportunities for high-performance products, as well as retrofit and replacement.
Looking at the residential side, Culp said the question now is “What about Energy Star?” While the current administration has proposed ending or privatizing the entire program, this has seen a huge pushback from building owners, builders and manufacturers who see Energy Star as a big marketing help in promoting products and homes built to program criteria.
Culp said that because of pushback, both the House and Senate appropriations committee have a specific line item to fully fund Energy Star for FY25. However, he said if a budget is not approved or there’s only a continuing resolution, the program is still at risk.
Looking at some of the regional developments, Culp said the state of Colorado had passed a law requiring all residential doors, windows and skylights sold in the state to comply with Energy Star 7 starting January 2026. However, because of the uncertainty around Energy Star they decided instead to match 2024 IECC.
Illinois has a new stretch energy code that’s based on the 2024 IECC with additional stringency and Boston has a new net zero zoning policy, where building projects must demonstrate net zero carbon during permitting and also have to report embodied carbon; large projects must do a whole building Life Cycle Assessment.
In addition to the sessions and presentations, conference attendees also had the chance to tour the Guardian Glass Technology and Development Center, as well as the company’s float plant in Carleton, Michigan, which operates two lines. Attendees were able to learn about the research and development that goes into creating Guardian Glass products.