Committees Emphasize glass' contribution to sustainability, energy conservation at NGA Glass Conference: Tacoma

May 22, 2023

Date: 2 August 2023

Fabricating and Advocacy committees met at the conference, with an emphasis on how architectural glass can contribute to sustainability and energy conservation.

The Forming Committee gave updates on several sustainability initiatives, including global warming potential limits set by the Buy Clean California and Buy Clean Colorado programs. NGA will continue to work with stakeholders on these initiatives. Find resources and FAQs on these initiatives. NGA’s Recycling task group is working on educational tools explaining the math and science promoting recycling of architectural glass, and resources to help overcome roadblocks to recycling.

Submit case studies of successful architectural glass recycling

Committee members reviewed follow-up items from NGA Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days, held March 27-28, in Washington, DC. NGA members met with members of Congress, as well as representatives from the DOE and EPA, to make a positive connection for glass to legislators. Topics at the event were sustainability, school security, workforce development and bird-friendly glazing. Representative Morgan Griffith [R-VA] reintroduced the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act (H.R. 3781) in June, and five representatives have cosponsored the bill. The bill directs the GSA to incorporate strategies to reduce bird fatality resulting from collisions with public buildings.

Ask your local representative to cosponsor H.R. 3781, 118th Congress (2023-2024) by sending out NGA’s one-pager Saving Birds with Effective Glass Solutions requesting legislators reference NGA’s Best Practice for Bird Friendly Glazing Design Guide in bird-friendly glazing legislation.

Download the one-pager

The Glazing Industry Code Committee (GICC) is working on building code proposals to address school security. GICC works directly with NGA’s code consultants to build greater knowledge and acceptance of architectural glass, glazing materials, and glazing systems as safe, efficient, effective, and economical construction products. If you are interested in joining GICC, contact Sara Neiswanger for details.

NGA’s Ad hoc strike force team responded to several requests for public comment in 2023, including the GSA request on Low Embodied Carbon Material Standards for the Inflation Reduction Act, and the DOE requests for input on Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption and Challenges and Opportunities of Increasing Material Circularity.

Read NGA’s Responses to Requests for Public Comment

Launching this fall at GlassBuild America, MyGlassFabTM will provide consistent, accessible skills training for glass fabrication production personnel with educational courses plus hands-on activities. Spanish translations of NGA’s Glass Technical Papers (GTPs) on cleaning installed glass will be available soon. The translations were done to help promote the NGA and joint NGA/IWCA resources cautioning against cleaning heat-treated glass with a razor blade, which can scratch the glass. A new or modified impactor for ANSI Z97.1 is being considered to address concerns with lead shot and other potential improvements. NGA’s Installing Committee announced the new Frameless Shower Enclosures Design and Installation Manual available at a discounted price to NGA Members.

Join your peers at the NGA Glass Conference: Charleston, February 6-8, 2024, at the Wild Dunes- Charleston Island Resort- Isle of Palms, SC for the next meeting of NGA’s Forming, Fabricating and Advocacy committees.

SEE MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM GLASS MAGAZINE

SEE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT