Bendheim has launched "Building a Clear Future," a comprehensive initiative to advance sustainability in every aspect of its operations.
“Sustainability is a 360-degree, 365-day-a-year mindset, and this program is designed accordingly,” said Bendheim President Donald Jayson. “We are going far beyond a product-by-product approach to build a long-term culture of sustainability at Bendheim. Now is the time to redouble our efforts toward securing a better future for our children and grandchildren.”
MULTIDIMENSIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
The Building a Clear Future program is the guiding organizational structure for Bendheim’s sustainability initiatives across all areas of operations and will measure their resulting environmental impacts.
The program addresses manufacturing processes, product development, supplier outreach, and employee engagement and well-being. Bendheim will also explore avenues for strategic collaborations, advancing transparency across the industry.
CUT SCOPE 1 AND 2 EMISSIONS 30%
As a first step, Bendheim has formally committed to reducing its corporate Scope 1 and 2 emissions 30% by 2030.
In support of this goal, the company recently installed solar panels at its fabrication facility, reducing operational carbon emissions. Next steps will include further evaluation of the facility’s energy usage and the establishment of energy reduction targets.
"We're spearheading a new era in our business by embedding sustainability in everything we do—from the selection of materials to the creation of new products to our manufacturing processes,” said Rodrigo Menino, Vice President of Corporate Development and Group CFO. “This complete transformation aligns us with a future that prioritizes responsibility.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information about Building a Clear Future, contact Rodrigo Menino at rmenino@bendheim.com; Uarda Hoti, Sustainability Program Coordinator, at uhoti@bendheim.com; or visit https://bendheim.com/sustainability/.
BENDHEIM CHANNEL GLASS EARNS EPD, HPD
Bendheim’s channel glass, manufactured by Glasfabrik Lamberts of Germany, now carries both an environmental product declaration (EPD) and a health product declaration (HPD), supporting the growing demand of architects and designers for sustainability and high performance.
“This news reflects our dedication to information transparency, equipping professionals with the knowledge to make environmentally responsible choices,” said Bendheim Vice President of Corporate Development Rodrigo Menino.
“Through our Building a Clear Future program, we are striving to advance sustainability in every aspect of our operations,” Menino added. “Supporting our partners in design with this vital information is a logical next step.”
Bendheim is the exclusive North American representative for Glasfabrik Lamberts U-profiled (channel) glass. The lightweight, self-supporting glass channels enable designers to create walls of glass uninterrupted by metal framing.
“The strong working relationship between Bendheim and Lamberts dates back to the early days of our company,” said Bendheim President Donald Jayson. “Channel glass is both beautiful and practical, and it is a great source of pride to partner with Lamberts, a manufacturer who shares our values on sustainability.”
EPDs quantify a product’s environmental impacts throughout its life cycle, including its carbon footprint. HPDs disclose the material composition of the product, including any known implications for human health. Both types of documentation can provide credits toward LEED certification. HPDs also support compliance with WELL, Cradle-to-Cradle, and other green building standards.
The EPD for Bendheim channel glass is available here; the HPD is available here.
CUSTOM GLASS WALL INSTALLED AT DAVID GEFFEN HALL
International design firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects specified a wall of custom glass from Bendheim to meet complex technical concerns at David Geffen Hall, the newly renovated home of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
An ambitious redesign of this high-profile venue, once known as Avery Fisher Hall, began with plans unveiled in 2019. With concerts suspended during the pandemic, an accelerated construction schedule allowed the newly rechristened facility to reopen in October 2022.
One key difference in the building is clearly visible from Lincoln Center’s central plaza: the dramatic presence of new illumination. A 12-foot-high band of ceramic fritted glass from Bendheim is framed by the distinctive tapered pillars of the concert hall’s portico, providing a projection screen for lighting along the top tier. Bright bands of colored light now add vibrancy and definition to the building’s well-known façade.
OCCUPANTS CAN SEE WITHOUT BEING SEEN
This band of glass also serves as the windows for a row of offices, occupied by New York Philharmonic staff. Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects’ design had to support the desired illumination of the exterior while also allowing a view and protecting the comfort and privacy of the staffers inside. Specifically, the designers were requested to provide one-way windows, allowing occupants to see out without being seen.
Bendheim’s custom design capabilities allowed them to reconcile these seemingly contradictory requirements. To take full advantage of Bendheim’s expertise in this area, principal architect Tod Williams visited Bendheim’s Design Lab in New York City for an in-person consultation. In the final specifications, ceramic fritted glass (fully opaque from the exterior) was laminated to Bendheim’s “vision glass”, whose proprietary coating created the one-way view from inside. The glass was provided in 5x12-foot panels totaling approximately 8,000 sf.
The $550 million renovation of Lincoln Center’s concert venue was designed to make the hall more intimate and to improve the patron experience, with fewer seats, improved acoustics, and more gracious public spaces. The hall is now also equipped to enable greater use of technologies such as theatrical lighting, sound amplification, and video.
“We were particularly delighted to work on David Geffen Hall,” said Bendheim Vice President for Sales and Innovation Said Elieh. “It’s a New York City landmark, and we are thrilled to see our glass shine in this critical role."
