Top Glass and Glazing Products for 2020

The products selected for Building Design+Construction’s annual 75 Top Products report are determined by you, our readers. These products appeared in the pages of the magazine over the past 12 months that readers wanted to learn more about. The products were selected based on the number of reader service inquiries. BD+C editors selected a few of our favorites as well (marked “Editors' Picks”). 

MLP dual cavity daylighting systems

Azon’s mechanical lock profile (MLP) dual cavity daylighting systems are designed for use in the most demanding climates and conditions. The dual cavity is debridged to eliminate the metal-to-metal contact. The result is a structural composite of aluminum and polymer that creates a strong thermal barrier for aluminum extrusions. The high-strength system allows for larger spans for aluminum storefronts,
curtain walls, and windows.

AZON USA

162OUT/162OUT SSG Curtain Wall System

This curtain wall system features a narrow, two-inch sightline, concealed fasteners, and a two-sided vertical SSG mullion option that combine to create a clean assembly with uninterrupted sightlines. Designed for low- to mid-rise applications in climates where high thermal performing façades are required, the 1620UT/1620UT SSG Curtain Wall System comes with an engineered polymer thermal separator and accommodates one-inch insulating glass units. Available in a range of finishes and colors.

KAWNEER

UniQuad energy-efficient translucent windows

Kingspan Light + Air offers UniQuad energy-efficient, translucent windows for smaller envelope openings. The size of the company’s two-panel UniQuad system was scaled to create the more modular and versatile UniQuad Translucent Windows. The system gives architects the same durability, integration, and clean look as the original system, just in a smaller size. UniQuad provides 25% greater light transmission than other daylighting products on the market, according to the maker. Available in heights up to six feet.

KINGSPAN LIGHT + AIR

SuperLite II-XLB 60-120 Butt-Glazed Walls in GPX Architectural Series Framing

To maximize views and daylight at the Target Store Lower East Side, in New York, architect Sargenti Architects and glazier Action Storefronts specified SuperLite II-XLB 60-120 Butt-Glazed Walls in GPX Architectural Series Framing. The system features the industry’s largest tested and approved clear view area of 7,980 square inches of any fire resistive glazing product up to two hours. It allowed the design team to create large, uninterrupted storefront windows to showcase Target merchandise, while meeting stringent codes for fire resistive storefront assemblies.

SAFTI FIRST 

Viracon Thermal Spacer

This proprietary warm-edge spacer for insulating glass units consists of a black thermoplastic elastomer with integrated desiccant and a primary sealant that is chemically bonded directly to the glass and secondary sealant. The result, says Viracon, is thermal performance that is 14% better than aluminum spacers, and offers 35% better argon retention and increased stability in extreme hot or cold temperatures. The Viracon Thermal Spacer (VTS) is backed by a 12 year warranty.

VIRACON

Solarban 60 low-e glass at Kinects Tower

Bumgardner Architects specified Vitro Architectural Glass’s Solarban 60 low-emissivity glass for the 41-story Kinects Tower, Seattle. The glass was coated with High Performance Coating’s Starbright Silver Opaci-Coat-300. With a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.39, the glass blocks 66% of total solar energy while allowing 70% of visible light to pass through. Vitrium Glass Group was the glass fabricator; Starline Windows, the glazing contractor.

VITRO ARCHITECTURAL GLASS

YWW 50 TU Thermally Broken Window Wall

The YWW 50 TU is a five-inch-deep window wall glazing system designed for use in multi-story applications. It includes a slab edge cover that yields the beauty and appearance of a curtain wall application. The glass plane is set to the front to maximize thermal performance. The system has mullion options that allow glazing from the interior or the exterior. Thermal performance is enhanced by YKK AP’s patented ThermaBond Plus thermal break technology that also provides the system with dual finish capability. ThermaBond Plus is a pour and debridged process that improves the adhesion of the polyurethane material to the aluminum extrusion, optimizing the thermal break.

YKK AP