My week in Phoenix...

I was in Phoenix this week for the NFRC's fall meeting. While the group has hosted some heated debates in years past, this most recent meeting was relatively tame. Where was the hot and heavy controversy? I asked a couple of attendees. They seemed to agree, most folks are just so tired of CMA (component modeling approach) discussions, they just want to get it done. There are still a number of re-ballots on the issue going out again for the spring meeting in March and maybe the group is closer to getting something finalized ... maybe. Be sure and check out http://www.usgnn.com/ for daily updates from the meeting, as well as the December issue of USGlass. which will also provide a meeting re-cap.

Yes, the NFRC meeting was the main reason I headed to Phoenix this past week, but I also took a moment to check out some glazing applications around the area. First off, there was lost of commercial construction on the rise and lots of reflective glazing ... appropriate, I'd say, for Phoenix temperatures (highs were in the 90s this week!).

I also paid a visit to Meltdown Glass (http://www.meltdownglass.com/), a manufacturer of decorative glass. This company makes some amazing works of art from glass for the architectural market. Check out these pictures: the top picture shows a few snazzy samples; the other picture shows dichroic glazing, though it's hard to tell as the project is not yet completed. Look closely, though, and you can see the iridescence. I am awe struck when I see glass like that. What do you think of decorative glass as a trend in architectural design and construction?

As always, we welcome your comments and feedback.