The Architectural Billings Index did bounce back in May
after a very bad April, which for many observers is a major positive. Add that with a very positive business
attitude right now (most people are saying they are very busy and doing well)
and you have a nice little moment happening. Hopefully it lasts for a very long while. I know we are not close to the “good ole
days” but we are surely in a better place than we have been. Let’s keep it going!
Elsewhere…
-- As you may have heard by now the big ASHRAE meeting happened
last week and after more than 70 letters from the industry and interested
observers the task committee decided to delay any actions. So they will take this all in and really
should, given all of the consensus at play here, make the right call to not go
forward with their plans to limit the use of glass. The industry came through this time, which is
quite exciting to say the least.
Hopefully now there is nothing that gets in the way of the right call
being made by this committee.
-- Congrats to Oldcastle Building Envelope, they recently
picked up an award for their advertising of their BIM product. It was a great campaign and they deserved
it. I have picked on Oldcastle in the
past, but I have also been complimentary when applicable and this is surely the
case.
-- The first session of the Glass Management Institute was held
last Tuesday. I was honored to teach it
and be the guinea pig for any glitches and issues. I hope the class I taught enjoyed and now I
look forward to the line up of folks coming up, led by Mike Lemen of Therm-View
in a few weeks. Good stuff ahead! Sign up if you haven’t done so yet, subjects
like the Affordable Care Act and Business Optimization are among the sessions
that will really be must attends.
-- For those of you who run or exercise with music… great song
to add to your playlist… “We Own It” by 2Chainz and Wiz Khalifa. It’s from the latest Fast and Furious movie
and it’s a great piece.
-- Yes in the same blog I just noted that business is good, the
industry has consensus, complimented Oldcastle and recommended a tune by a guy
named “2Chainz”. I am guessing the world
will be ending tomorrow for sure. Ha Ha.
-- I am starting to get excited for the Glazing Executives
Forum at GlassBuild America. The State
of the Industry panel is coming together and I will tell you this, it is going
to be a blockbuster. Really strong
leaders speaking on the subjects that affect this world every day from
all-different walks of our industry life.
More info coming soon, but needless to say, you will want to be there
for this session!
-- Slow week ahead with holidays in Canada and US. But something tells me some major news will
be breaking soon… no proof, just an instinct I have. Happy Holidays to everyone reading, stay safe
and have fun!!
I always chuckle when schools misspell things. This one is really bad.
Nice move by Delta Airlines- but what I liked is they had no
desire to promote that they did it. The
customer is the one that made sure everyone knew.
VIDEO of the WEEK
New movie coming out in the fall… Marty Scorsese and Leo
DiCaprio team up for the 5th time in “The Wolf of Wall Street”-
based on a true story, trailer looks good.
Another edition of the AIA show is now in the books and the
reviews of the show were somewhat mixed.
A majority of exhibitors were disappointed with the traffic, especially
on a brutal first day. There were some
folks who felt the show was solid though so once again I guess it depended on
where you were and what you were selling.
From my view, it was not good.
The floor layout was a confusing mess and I simply did not see traffic
coming anywhere close to 2012. In any
case despite the bad reviews I still remain very positive about the entire show
process as a whole and can’t wait for the next big event… GlassBuild America!
-- So as you have come to expect from me over the years, here’s
my rundown of the life on the floor and what I saw and heard.
-- The big story easily was View and their latest round of
funding led by Corning. That had many
people buzzing. It is tremendous news
for the entire dynamic space, for which I am a huge fan. View’s booth was seriously impressive too.
-- From a product standpoint, the winners for me were Glass
Apps and Pacific Architectural Millwork.
Glass Apps had the coolest interior switchable product that I have ever
seen (and I have checked out a ton) and Pacific Architectural Millwork really
had some sharp window and curtain wall innovations. Both companies were not on my radar
previously, they sure are now.
-- YKK premiered their latest fun architect video; you can
check it out in my VIDEO of the WEEK area.
Good stuff. It has already more
than 84,000 views! That is
amazing!! Kudos to Oliver Stepe, Mike
Turner and company.
-- Once again the excellence of Rob Struble of PPG was on
display with a creative usage of his entire booth space, including the
backside. Somehow Rob knew the back end
of his exhibit would visible and filled the space with a cool ad to draw people
in. However for the first time in a
while, Rob and company did NOT win best dressed… that award went to the very
stylish gang at Viracon. They were
sporting new shirts with their logo on the cuff- very sweet.
-- Downer of the week… a bottle of water was $4 at the
convention hall. Ouch. And with the altitude there you needed to
drink.
-- I noted View and the excitement on Dynamic glazing above,
and the other players showed nicely too. Sage with their smartly branded “Dynamic
Decade” had a nice set up, as did the folks from Pleotint. My pals from RavenBrick garnered a lot of
attention with their hair dryer simulation in making their product go from
clear to tint. Good stuff from all.
-- It was great seeing former interview subject Mark Silverberg
of Technoform on the floor and chatting with him on next steps of the ASHRAE
issue (more to come on that) and visiting with the classy pair of Dave and
Cliff Helterbran. That was a pleasure and
honor. At the Guardian booth (bustling
with activity thanks to several new product launches) it was awesome to see old
friends Brian Craft and Bob Cummings.
That was a day maker. And at that
booth, I’d be lost without the great Amy Hennes always looking out for me.
-- Schott did not have a booth at AIA for the first time in
several years, but they still had a presence thanks to Don Press working the
floor and Dan Poling out and about. Dan
by the way was mistaken for the great actor James Franco several times. (Right now my mom just made a face while
reading this… the fact I called James Franco a “great actor” sorry Mom, I think
he is…)
-- I did like the set up that Tubelite and Wausau had, just
wish I had more time to browse there. Plus
I only got see the awesome Heather West from a far because she always had
something going on. Good to catch up
with Nick Barone of GGI and the always-friendly Tom Herron of NFRC.
-- Next week I’ll be back with a look at the latest ABI, as
well as a recap of the first Glass Management Institute session (still time to
sign up folks- click HERE) and more.
LINKS of the WEEK
-- I love love love Disney and I have no problems with
this. Amazing how hypocritical people
are.
-- Frightening and stupid mistake here- very lucky it landed in
an honest persons hands.
-- I can’t even grasp what the heck this is. And why.
VIDEO of the WEEK
The amazing YKK video on being an architect. Fun and snappy rap tune as well!
Big week ahead as the annual AIA show takes place in Denver
Thursday through Saturday. I do not have
high expectations for this event as I just think that the timing and location
will keep numbers down. But I may be
surprised because right now there is a positive momentum for trade shows
(GlassBuild as an example looking very good with a growing and fantastic line
up) so it may exceed the expectations.
In any case I look forward to meeting up with many folks while there and
as always my “who’s who” report will be next week right here on the blog.
Elsewhere…
-- Kudos to the folks at Hartung Glass who put out an
incredible and well thought out message to their customer base about the ASHRAE
situation. Really impressive work by
Hartung COO Kirk Johnson and team.
-- Another fantastic issue from Glass Magazine this month. Two highlights for me… the legendary Top 50
Glazier piece, which always gets the industry talking, and a great piece on
safety by Mike Burk of Quanex. Mike by
the way presented one of the best pieces in GANA BEC history a few years ago
and the guy delivers every time out.
-- Congrats to Sage Electrochromics on its first shipment from
its new plant. That is a huge piece of
news and I know all of the players involved have to be thrilled. Add that with the NanoMarket report just out
predicting the smart glass segment to be the fastest growing around and you
just have to feel real good about dynamic technologies overall.
-- I received some great feedback on part 1 of my Jeff Razwick
interview. In part 2, Jeff talks about trends and
talent. Interesting stuff for sure. I love when people talk “continuous
improvement” that is so under-rated in our world. Thank you Mr. Razwick for your time. Another great interview coming up in a few
weeks…. Until then enjoy the below.
TGP is in a lot of different product
segments these days, so your architectural presence I assume is pretty
significant. What is the architectural
community asking for as in what trends and products are the “in” things right
now?
Razwick: Today's building designs call
for higher performance curtain wall and glazing solutions, including from an
aesthetic, energy and structural standpoint. For architects, this means
selecting curtain wall systems with enhanced design flexibility. For example,
can the curtain wall transfer large amounts of daylight without imposing
additional cooling loads? Can it support large free spans of glazing without
bulky supporting mullions or additional reinforcement? At TGP, we've found this
desire has led to an increase in the specification of steel curtain wall
systems. They're strong, versatile and advanced products that help overcome a
key limit on design flexibility – the limited strength or design limitations of
aluminum back mullions. We expect to see this trend continue to grow.
Across the board, energy performance also continues to drive
glass and curtain wall system development. This is particularly true in light
of today's green building standards and prescriptive qualifications for glass.
Keep an eye out for glass and fenestration systems with improved U-values and
solar heat gain coefficients and new glass surfacing options, including films,
tints and frits.
TGP boasts some serious talent, I have
tremendous respect for guys like Devin Bowman and Chuck Knickerbocker, and
they’re among the best in the industry.
So that said, what’s the great TGP secret behind finding and then
encouraging/enabling folks to become serious contributors to our world?
Razwick: First off, thanks for the
compliment! Working with individuals who are passionate about our customers and
industry is a privilege we don't take lightly.
We believe our success in attracting and
retaining the right people starts with our values – integrity, teamwork,
innovation and service. These values have helped us shape our company culture
into one that fosters both personal growth and collaboration. A mindset of continuous improvement is
critical to exceeding customer expectations, whether we're
providing products
and services to help an architect solve design challenges or supplying glaziers
with products in a timely manner.
Our goal is to have a positive feedback
loop. When our processes and programs support our mission and values, they in
turn benefit our customers, partners, employees and community around us.
LINKS of the WEEK
Excellent story on the way social media has changed how we
react the major events. And it truly
has…
Love horse racing and this one is a classic race…
Calidoscopio comes back from at least 30 lengths down to win it. Start it at the 1:30 mark or so and you’ll
see how far back he comes from… amazing.
Really slow news week but I look at it as the “calm before
the storm” because next few weeks promise to have a lot of interesting action.
So to fill the hole I am continuing with my blog interview series as this post
I catch up with a tremendous and classy businessman in Jeff Razwick of
TGP. The first of two parts is
below. Thank you all for the feedback
too- I have several more lined up and it’s a thrill to get to chat with so many
industry people that I respect and share their insights with everyone who reads
this.
Before the interview… some other items…
-- I did get the answers to my questions last week on the
“greenest office building” job. The
glass was manufactured by PPG, fabricated by Northwestern Industries (NWI) and
metal system was from Schuco. Goldfinch
Brothers installed it and Architectural Glass & Aluminum (AGA) did some of
the initial design assist. Great work
guys… and thank you to my sources that came through quick!!
-- I know other bloggers join me in complaining about gas
prices (today 4.29 in Detroit) but curious why no major media outlets cover
this? Big Oil own them too?
-- I did get picked on in both San Antonio and Miami for not
making a pick for the NBA Finals. The
reason? I have good friends in both cities and me making a pick and thus
jinxing a team would be very bad.
Now to the interview… I was thrilled to land this chance to
talk with Jeff Razwick. In my opinion,
he and his company boast some of the best qualities in our industry. In part 1 I hit him up on codes (the protective
variety) and BIM, while next week we talk architectural trends and industry
talent and recruitment.
Codes of all
varieties have been prominent in the industry news lately. I know you and your company follow along very
closely, especially on the protective side.
What is your take on how this latest cycle went and what if anything are
the codes missing out on?
Razwick: Overall, the
latest code cycle was positive. In recent years, much of the emphasis has been
on the importance of active fire protection devices like automatic sprinkler
systems. This caused the pendulum to swing away from passive fire protection.
We're finally starting to see the codes even out and address the importance of
both active and passive fire protection. Amendments to section 703.4 in the
2012 IBC underscore this point by prohibiting the use of sprinklers or
automatic suppression systems when testing for the fire-resistance of
construction materials.
One disappointing issue during the 2012/2013 code review was the
disapproval of proposal E121-12. That proposal sought to reverse the trade-off
that allows schools to have exit corridors with no fire rating when sprinklers
are in place. Despite the fact that school structure fires have significantly
higher numbers of injuries than other non-residential occupancies, and NFPA
data continue to report that sprinklers fail approximately 10 percent of the
time, the committee concluded that adding fire-rated exit corridors would lead
to a significant increase in cost without “sufficient justification.”
Considering our kids and the educational professionals in these facilities, it
is time to put aside code trade-offs and ensure schools are adequately
protected from fire.
A few years ago
BIM (Building Information Modeling) was all the rage. But it’s my perception (and probably wrong)
that BIM has hit some roadblocks and is not being utilized as much. What are you seeing and do you think it’s
going to ever be something that everyone will offer?
Razwick: There's still a
lot of interest in BIM, particularly for modeling and rendering. Completed
schematic designs and building models provide decision makers with a holistic
view of the desired building components, and a good idea of project
modifications.
One of the chief challenges with BIM is system adoption among all
project members. Since computer-aided design requires a fundamental shift in
technology and training, it's not realistic to assume BIM has been implemented
into the workplace of all project design and construction members. Without full
project integration, it's not possible to fully realize the quality, cost and
time-saving benefits of BIM across design and construction.
Companies will increasingly adopt BIM for its ability to make
construction more collaborative, innovative and efficient.
LINKS of the WEEK
Great story about a classic senior class prank done well and
with a good humored Principal.
If the goofy gas prices won’t depress you this story on
world economics will.
The housing growth is causing issues on finding
employees. This will be an issue
(actually already is) on the glazing side.
VIDEO of the WEEK
Jimmy Kimmel with a fun bit on asking fans how the Lakers
will do in the NBA Finals. The rub? Lakers lost in the playoffs a long time ago….
I won’t beat the horse any more on the last few weeks of
code talk, but I will say it has been absolutely wonderful the amount of
dialogue that has come about after the wave of stories on the ASHRAE
situation. To me that is all I can ask
for, getting people talking and hopefully good things come of it. In the meantime I do have part 2 of my
interview with Mark Silverberg below and he brings a ton more interesting
insights.
Elsewhere….
-- Well the positive trend of the Architectural Building Index
(ABI) finally came to an end in May. So
now we see if this is a fluke or will this mean a light 1st quarter
of 2014?
-- Speaking of reports, for the first time I saw the “CBI” the
Construction Backlog Indicator. I swear
I need to start one of my own… anyway the CBI is 7% higher today than it was a
year ago… so take that as you will…
-- OK folks… who did the glass and aluminum on this job? It is being called the “greenest office
building” and the article notes the high energy efficient building envelope but
does not mention who are what products were used… so check this link… and
congrats to whomever had a hand in this.
-- I did finally finish the season of “The Americans” and it
did not disappoint. One of the best
season finales I can remember. Can’t
wait for next season!
-- Now on to part 2 of my interview with Mark Silverberg of Technoform. Thank you for to everyone who read last week,
as it broke traffic records on the blog, which is VERY cool and appreciated.
The below is longer than I normally print, but I believe it to be worthwhile.
You were recently in Washington DC to follow
up on bills like Shaheen-Portman (Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness
Act) and the Energy Efficient Commercial Building deduction known as 179D. How was your trip and do you believe efforts
like these will bear some positive fruit for our industry?
Mark Silverberg: We had good visits with key Senators and
engaging discussions on critical issues to our industry. Representatives of
Guardian, Quanex, Technoform, GANA staff and the Aluminum Association (invited
by Kawneer/Alcoa) participated in the hill visits. We met with staffers of five
key Senators who serve on the influential Senate Finance Committee: Brown
(D-OH), Casey (D-PA), Grassley (R-IA), Portman (R-OH), and Stabenow (D-MI). Our
primary focus was renewal/extension of the 179D tax deduction due to expire at
the end of 2013 (part of the 2005 Energy Policy Act), which encourages the use
of energy efficient materials in new and existing commercial buildings. It was
only coincidence that the Shaheen-Portman bill was successfully voted out of
committee the day of our visits…we can’t take credit for this! The
Shaheen-Portman bill broadly addresses energy efficiency and job creation in
our society, and enjoys wide support, while 179D applies more specifically to
our industry.
We explained that
the commercial new construction and retrofit markets are among the biggest
opportunities for energy efficiency savings in our society. If you upgrade the
lighting or HVAC in a building you may gain 10% or so in energy savings. Add a
building envelope retrofit and your energy savings can reach 40-44%. Plus you
can upgrade the air barrier for significant additional energy savings, and
realize people productivity improvements of up to 150% or more. However since
developers don’t pay the energy bills, which are passed on to the tenants,
developers aren’t going to fund extensive retrofits without substantial
economic incentives.
GANA’s engagement
on this issue and the information we provided these key Senators’ staffers, was
well received. In general, they were unaware of the economic, energy savings or
well-being impacts of our industry. The glass and glazing industry has no effective representation in DC at
this crucial time of increasing code and regulatory change. GANA sees a need
for the glass and glazing industry to speak as a coherent voice on major policy
issues which broadly affect the health of our industry and we’re clarifying how
we want to address this.
I recently interviewed Avi Bar of Advanced
Glazings and one of his comments was that we as an industry need to embrace
innovation and education. What do you
think holds us back from doing these things?
Silverberg: Our industry has a tremendous history of
innovation, but the technical complexity and interrelatedness of building
systems strains the ability of many architects to understand and implement
these solutions, thus the slow rate of market adoption. In private buildings
the developers focus is on lowest first-installed cost rather than long-term
operating costs, while the tenants pay the energy bills and cost of poor worker
productivity. Our code adoption and enforcement is patchwork at best and lacks
a coherent strategy. The Shaheen-Portman bill begins to address these gaps. The
prescriptive path of code compliance is an impediment to creating energy
efficient buildings since it lacks a holistic, integrated design approach with
effective modeling tools.
The key to moving
forward is effective collaboration with key stakeholders and industry
associations to solve the increasingly complex challenges of buildings of today
and the future. We shouldn’t wait for others to do it for us.
Technoform is a worldwide company so you see
action from all over the globe. Are
there products/systems/codes/attitudes in other parts of the world with regards
to energy efficiency that we need to adopt immediately?
Silverberg: Every country and region is unique but
there are some best practices to learn from. Over 30 countries now monitor
their building energy use rating and disclosure. This is similar to what New York
City is implementing and a step in the right direction. Also some US cities are
implementing building energy certification, which also helps. You can’t manage
what you can’t measure. Code policy is a patchwork quilt in the US and
enforcement is even worse. National model building codes need to be
strengthened and the code-writing process needs to be more transparent. Other
countries have overcome these challenges and we should too. The definition of
sustainable buildings and communities is expanding from life-cycle analysis of
energy and environmental impact to include human well-being metrics. I will
participate in a global conference on this topic to be held in Cleveland in
2014. There are great examples of projects and collaboration both in the US and
the world over and we’ll need much more cooperation and collaboration to solve
the complex challenges that we face. The key issue is to clarify our
commitment, and effect planning, to design and build better buildings that use
less energy where humans can flourish.
LINKS of the WEEK
-- Really interesting article on the 10 Brands that willdisappear in 2014. Some may surprise
you….
-- Great story… Burger King being robbed, so one employee
sneaks out the back door and takes the crooks getaway car!
