Glass companies talk green at AIA show

More than 50 glass and glazing companies exhibited at the AIA 2009 National Convention and Design Exposition, April 30-May 2, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The event is hosted by the American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C.Many of those companies had the environment top of mind, and touted their green products. Oldcastle Glass, Santa Monica, Calif., showed its SunGlass Solar Control Glass, in addition to its building integrated photovoltaic systems. Guardian Industries, Auburn Hills, Mich., also showed itsBIPV, the SunGuard BIPV.Linetec, Wausau, Wis., introduced a line of eco-friendly anodize. The company moved from traditional caustic etch to a more environmentally friendly acid-etch process. Serious Materials, Sunnyvale, Calif., showed its super insulating windows that have R-values up to R-11, and are 400 times more energy efficient than Energy Star requirements, according to company officials. Edgetech I.G., Cambridge, Ohio, introduced its SustainaBlock Setting Blocks that offer durability, ultra violet resistance and compatibility with most sealants. Read about additional product introductions from the show. While a few exhibitors reported good traffic and leads, many said traffic was down. Exhibitors blamed the slow traffic on numerous factors, including the economy, the education seminars that overlapped with the exhibit hall hours, the spread-out exhibits over three halls, and swine flu fears. The AIA has not yet released attendance numbers. Read more news from the show in next week’s e-glass weekly.