The first essential step in daylighting is to design a building with maximum access to natural light through the use of open-air design, incorporating atriums, skylights, and windows to draw sunlight into workplaces. The second is to balance artificial light with sunlight to create optimal mood and functionality in the space.

When it comes to glass partitions, Eureka can help find the optimum solution for your needs!

Standard Monolithic Tempered Glazing

Photo represents clear tempered glass partition installed by Eureka at Knoll showroom

This is one of the most common applications.  Glass can be set in top and bottom aluminum channels, with either open air or siliconed vertical butt joints.  Depending on the size of the opening, different thicknesses of glass are recommended to minimize deflection.

Sandblasted or Filmed Glazing

Photo represents clear tempered glass partition and entrance with film stripes  installed by Eureka at a Center City office

This application is also among the most common applications.  Glass can be sandblasted or filmed with clear borders, patterns, logos, and text.  Clients can provide their own graphic files for sandblasting or filming.  When specifying, be sure to provide any special requirements including which face of glass receives film, what type of film is to be applied, font and size of any text or graphics.

Decorative Glazing

Photos represent specialty glass partitions installed by Eureka at Commerce Bank University

Whether it’s cast glass, or an acrylic resin panel, the aethetic options are limitless!  Decorative glazing can also be set in standard channels or frames, as well as with cable and standoff systems.  Among some of the manufacturer’s Eureka has worked with over the years are: 3-Form Architectural Glass Art Bendheim Fry Reglet Goldray Livinglass Nathan Allan Skyline Design

Recent trends also include:

Vision-60 (Fire-rated) System™

Photo compliments of Interedge Technologies

Imagine an entire fire rated wall free of vertical frames, where each glass panel is butt against the next. Truly free and open vision is now possible for your fire rated projects! Introducing the first U.S. 60-minute, fire-rated, butt-glazed transparent wall-the Vision-60 System™. This system offers you what you have wanted for years-the ability to have a rated, continuously glazed transparent wall, uninterrupted by intermediate framing-without compromising the beauty and elegance of your vision. Learn more about this product on its web page.

Translucent Linear Channel Glass System
      from Technical Glass Products/Pilkington

Photo compliments of Technical Glass Products

The Pilkington Profilit™ translucent linear channel glass system consists of unique, self-supporting cast glass channels and an extruded metal perimeter frame. The end result is a wall that obscures vision but allows light to pass through. Pilkington Profilit can be used in interior or exterior applications. The “U-shaped” channels can be installed either vertically or horizontally.  Learn more about this system on its web page.

“The city also committed to invest $300,000 to improve the finish-line stands and build a world-class finish-line tower,” Hanna said. “They’re right on schedule.”

“New windows in the finish line pavilion not only look better but also improve the ventilation for judges, who used to swelter inside.”

Among the scope of work, Eureka is proud to have replaced existing single hung non-thermal windows with a thermally broken storefront system and projection windows, bronze laminated insulated glass units, and a new entry to the viewing stand.

Judges' Station before renovations

Judge's Station after renovations

Read more about the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta  and the Regatta’s decision to stay in Philadelphia in this article at the Philadelphia Inquirer.  Read the opening day coverage at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The 2010 event takes place May 7 & May 8 along the Schuylkill River.  Learn more about the Regatta at its website, http://www.dadvail.org

http://www.gridphilly.com/grid-magazine/2010/2/20/noble-salvage-lost-and-found.html

Courtesy of Grid Magazine, dedicated to making Philly a sustainable place for the future.

In addition to the manufacturer listings, it offers a discussion forum to pose questions and share ideas.  This discussion forum is for specifiers, project architects, construction administrators and others on the design side of commercial and institution construction, to include multi-family construction.

Learn more at

To learn more about CSI MasterFormat Specification and view the 2004 Edition numbers here.

The tempered laminated glass market has been growing fast in the last decade, mainly in high-rise buildings. The question arises: why use tempered laminated glass? The answer is straightforward: for safety reasons and potential liability issues. Other types of glasses such as annealed float glass and heat-strengthened glass are not accepted by the building codes as “safety glass”. Tempered glass is a safety glass but it may break spontaneously. Application of the heat soaked treatment (HST) may strongly reduce this risk but does not eliminate it fully. This raises the critical question of the post breakage behavior of so-called “safety glass”.

Read the full article, “Trends and Challenges of Tempered Laminated Glass” here.

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Modern Facades of tall buildings

Barbara Siebert,
Ingenieurbüro Dr. Siebert

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Glass Performance Days 2009
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Library Article

Trends and Challenges of Tempered Laminated Glass

Dr. Gérard Savineau, Technical, Solutia Europe/Africa S.A./N.V.

The tempered laminated glass market has been growing fast in the last decade, mainly in high-rise buildings. The question arises: why use tempered laminated glass? The answer is straightforward: for safety reasons and potential liability issues. Other types of glasses such as annealed float glass and heat-strengthened glass are not accepted by the building codes as “safety glass”. Tempered glass is a safety glass but it may break spontaneously. Application of the heat soaked treatment (HST) may strongly reduce this risk but does not eliminate it fully. This raises the critical question of the post breakage behavior of so-called “safety glass”.

Hounslow East Station, London Underground, UK, Acanthus Lawrence & Wrightson, Architect

Among the North American manufacturers of translucent sandwich panel systems includes Kalwall Corporation. Kalwall, invented in 1955, has been the world leader in the development of “museum-quality, natural daylight”.

Kalwall creates truly people-friendly, controlled daylight environments that enhance the comfort, practicality and elegance of any space. Kalwall is unique in it’s ability to provide glare-free daylight that is soft, yet bright and illuminating. When viewed from outside a structure at night and back lit by the building’s interior lighting, Kalwall creates a dramatic soft glow that often becomes an entire building’s statement of identity.

Kalwall employs a system of interconnected structural components, forming rigid, modular units which replace the heavy mullions and floating panels of other curtain-walls. Normal loads are dispersed throughout the panels, rather than converging on the mullions. Clamp-tite closures at head, sill, jamb an unit-to-unit serve only a sealing function. The unique construction and extreme structural strength of the components permit the largest panel-unit wall sections to be installed quickly and efficiently.

Kalwall installation at Willows of Westboro, Westboro, Massachusetts, Irwin A. Regent & Associates, Architects Kalwall is highly adaptable, and can be used in many situations including: 1. Wall Panel Systems- Enclose any space quickly and economically. Combine natural daylight with the best thermal and solar properties. 2. Curtainwall Systems- Large factory preassembled units assure rapid multi-story installation. 3. Window/Replacements- Wall panels, panel unit walls, windows, and even whole walls pay for themselves in energy savings. 4. Standard Skylight Systems- Factory preassembled, then knocked down for ease of shipment. 5. Pre-Engineered Skylights- Fully self-supporting, larger skylights are standardized for fast delivery and significantly reduced costs. 6. Custom skylight systems- Total design flexibility is made possible by the unique structural integrity and superior strength-to-weight ratio of our sandwich panel technology. 7. Walkways, Solariums, and Small Structures- Combinations of sandwich panels, glass, framing components and accessories. 8. Large Systems and Entire Structures-For any expansive skylighting or sloped glazing application on any type of building or as an entire structure.

Our team at Eureka has experience installing multiple Kalwall systems. Call or e-mail us today with your questions!

Among their most commong programs are:

• FGMD01 – Glass in Today’s Architecture
• FGMD03 – Coated Glass
• FRGC01 – Fire-Rated Glazing Today
• LD0001 – Laminated Glass 101

Visit GANA’s AIA Outreach page for an up-to-date listing.

Some of the leading flat/float glass manufacturers in North America include:

• AFG Industries
• Guardian
• Pilkington
• PPG Industries
• Schott
• Viracon

Most manufacturers carry similar products, and all offer comparison charts to help determine the slight differences in performance of various products.

View Pilkington’s Complete guide to performance data for single glass applications and double glass applications.

Check out PPG’s Glass Configurator, where you can view every PPG glass product both by aesthetic and by performance so you are better able to select the best glass for your next project; or try PPG’s Glass Performance Calculator, where you can analyze the performance of PPG’s glazings on a variety of PPG glass types and thicknesses.

See the Guardian SunGuard Performance Comparison Table… or use their online Performance Comparison Tool to find the Guardian product for your needs!

Try the OldCastle Glass GlasSelect^® software, where you can customize a glass product, review standard performance data, or enter performance criteria to find the best suited products!

Visit JE Berkowitz’ online Performance Charts!

When tempered glass is shattered it breaks into round pieces that pose no risk. When annealed glass (commonly refered to as double or triple strength) is shattered it breaks into sharp jagged pieces able to inflict serious injury or death. As noted above building codes require the use of tempered glass in certain installations depending on the risk of breakage.

As a general rule of thumb, glass less than 24 inches from the ground or floor should be tempered, as well as any glass within a door or its adjacent sidelites.

Read more about the history and differences between tempered and annealed glass at:  e-how.com

Check out this handy guide to distinguish Annealed, Tempered, or Laminated Glass?

Offering the same usual protection of the heat and glare of the sun which we all know apart from making a room unbearably hot  can also discolour soft furnishings. The blinds are available in white ,cream ,brown and silver and are operated by hand or a cord mechanism, they are ideal for french doors, bifolding doors and conservatories.

One of the most popular uses for Integral Blinds is for hospital rooms.  Among the leading manufacturers is Unicel Architectural, whose VisionControl product is making its way into the American market.

Read the Unicel VisionControl Medical Brochure

As these products are becoming more popular, watch for additional manufacturers to break into this market!  Eureka can help you find the right integral blind solution for your needs.