More than 120 representatives from leading glass fabricators, manufacturers, industry suppliers and more have gathered in Napa, California, this week for the Annual Conference of the now combined National Glass Association and Glass Association of North America. The NGA and GANA officially merged on Feb. 1. (Learn more about the merger and the histories of the two associations in the April issue of Glass Magazine).
“This is the first Annual Conference with NGA in the mix, and we’re excited by the synergy here this week,” said Nicole Harris, NGA president and CEO, following the association membership meeting on April 24. “The membership meeting just wrapped up, and Julia Schimmelpenningh, one of the members of the Integration Task Force, introduced the new committee structure where membership will be grouped in three broad industry segments, each with its own technical committee. We also talked about the expansion of an industry advisors pool of engaged volunteers, many of whom are legacy NGA volunteers active in developing education and training curriculum. The presentation included an overview of how staff will lead volunteer initiatives throughout the project creation process to result in timely delivery of a final product.
"That’s really what it’s all about—getting useful resources into members’ hands as soon as possible. This morning outlined how the new association will make that happen, while continuing to rely on and value the contributions of volunteers.”
At the Annual Conference, Julia Schimmelpenningh of the NGA-GANA Integration Task Force, introduced the new committee structure where membership will be grouped in three broad industry segments, each with its own technical committee.
A video of the meeting will be available for all members following the conference.
During the conference, which runs April 23-26, the active volunteer force of the association will continue work on technical, advocacy and educational activities affecting every industry segment. Some highlighted agenda topics:
Health and energy. The organization has been active in the promotion of glass as a critical material in the development of healthy, energy-efficient and sustainable buildings. During the annual conference, members will discuss advocacy activities, developments in building codes related to health and environment, progress on industry-wide life cycle analysis activities and more.
Insulating glass. On the topic of insulating glass, the group will address the handling of unique insulating glass units, working with multicavity IGUs, compatibility testing, IGUs with unsupported edges and more. The group will also hear an update from the Insulating Glass Certification Council and the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance.
Laminated glass. Attendees will hear updates on the association’s multiple activities regarding laminated glass, from a recently published document on emergency egress to discussions of hurricane products substitution. The group will also hear updates on safety glazing codes and standards.
Tempered glass. Leading agenda items regarding tempered glass include updates on a Heavy Glass Door Design Guide and discussions of point-supported glass and glass fin design. The group will also address thermal stress in spandrel glass.
Decorative glass. The conference will cover updates on several technical activities, including the Decorative Glazing Manual and a report on trends in decorative glass paints. The group will also discuss the issues of color variance for decorative glass.
Float glass. Attendees will also hear updates on recent publications concerning float glass. The organization has published two documents on the topic—Physical and Mechanical Properties of Typical Soda Lime Float Glass and LEED Recycled Content for Glass.
For complete schedule and agenda information click here. Follow @GlassMag on Twitter for coverage throughout the conference, and visit GlassMagazine.com for additional news and updates.
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