April 23, 2021
There is only one mantra in the construction industry, says Charles W. Cook, a clinical professor at Drexel University and the narrator of the documentary The Quest for Quality: A Certified Solution. “On time, within budget, meeting standards of quality, and doing it all safely.”
The documentary, which premiered in February, is a collaboration between the Architectural Glazing Institute and Drexel, and investigates how “standards of quality” can and should be defined for glass installation, as well as how the glass industry supply chain can work to anticipate conflicts and challenges.
Certification and training
As discussed by many representatives of the glass industry interviewed for the documentary, installation can be a pain point in construction. “There’s a lot of buildings in the United States that don’t work well, because things weren’t installed properly, and there was a rush to finish to get a building occupied. Then all the little things
May 7, 2021
Practical and written testing for the Architectural Glass and Metal Technician Certification Program resumed, after it was disrupted this past year due to the pandemic, announced company officials.
AGMT is a personnel certification program that features an independent, third-party assessment of a glazier’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. The ANSI accredited program began in February 2019. The testing to become certified includes a rigorous knowledge- and performance-based exam that concentrates on characteristics that are designed to reduce defects and failures, and better provide the end product that stakeholders deserve.
In order to achieve certification, glazier candidates must undergo a two-hour, 125-question written exam and a 6.25 hour, hands-on, performance-based exam utilizing storefront, curtain wall, and sealant application test rigs.
May 5, 2021
Vitro Architectural Glass named Joanne Funyak director of the Vitro Certified Network and project management.
In this new role, Funyak will oversee the Vitro Certified Network, which provides high-performance coated glass through regional fabricators and glass manufacturers who are dedicated to delivery of quality fabricated glass with short lead times. Through Funyak and her team, members of the Vitro Certified Network have access to some of the industry’s most advanced training and education on glass handling and fabrication, say officials. In addition to helping member companies ensure reliable product performance and the highest levels of quality and color consistency, the program also provides them with priority access to advanced Vitro Glass products.
May 3, 2021
In 2020, Giroux Glass completed installation of the Plant Growth Environments Facility, a scientific research building on the campus of University of California, Riverside, equipped with a 14,500 square- foot, state-of-the-art greenhouse. The final construction stands as a collaboration between two architects; Stuppy Greenhouse, a firm that specializes in greenhouse design, and Perkins and Will, who developed plans for the building’s overall structure. Stuppy Greenhouse also served as a co-general contractor, along with DPR General contracting.
HEAD House
Giroux Glass was enlisted for its glazing services on two separate portions of the building. First, the company provided material and labor for the HEAD house, the lower level of the building housing classrooms, labs, and offices, which serves as the base of the greenhouse structure. The scope there included installation of an Arcadia’s T-500 Curtain Wall System and Trulite’s 1-inch insulated units, with Sola
April 29, 2021
ICD High Performance Coatings + Chemistries promoted Kate Stewart, CSI, CDT to the position of architectural program manager. In this role, Stewart will continue to expand ICD’s global outreach through education for architects, specifiers, contractors, developers and fabricators. Stewart has been with ICD for 4 years as an architectural specialist, developing and presenting webinars on high-level industry topics including thermal stress breakage risk mitigation, sustainable glass solutions, and color selection strategies.
DJ Widmer, ICD’s global sales director says, “Kate has exemplified our core values, in particular ‘Unequivocal Excellence’ by accelerating the growth of our architectural education program and ancillary resources. She’s become a thought leader in the Architectural Glass industry and has expanded our accredited course offerings worldwide. With a thorough understanding of ICD’s architectural activities, Kate demonstrated she was rea