PITTSBURGH, May 8, 2019 — Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) announced that it will devote its presence at A’19, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Conference on Architecture, to advocating for and educating architects about the principles of bird-friendly glass and building design.

Representatives of Vitro Glass, North America’s largest glass manufacturer, will provide information and educational materials from American Bird Conservancy (ABC), which estimates that up to one billion birds die in the United States each year in collisions with glass windows and walls. ABC and Vitro Glass had previously worked together to test bird-friendly glass designs at the Powdermill Avian Research Center in Stahlstown, Pennsylvania.

Christine Sheppard, Ph.D., glass collisions program director, ABC, said her organization is excited to partner with Vitro Glass on this initiative. “The best way to build a bird-friendly building is to think about birds at the start of the design process,” she explained. “It is vital to increase the number of glass options that are both bird-friendly and visually appealing so that we make it as easy as possible for talented architects to create a range of bird-friendly buildings, from homes to skyscrapers. This is a chance to show that bird-friendly architecture is not an add-on, but a design strategy that creates beautiful, functional buildings.”

Robert J. Struble, manager, brand and communications, Vitro Architectural Glass, added that protecting birds is an integral part of Vitro’s sustainability efforts. “We’ve worked closely with architects for many years to maximize energy and environmental performance of high-performance glass,” he explained. “We are equally committed to working with the industry and our architectural partners to make glass more bird-friendly, too.”

In addition to advocating for bird-safe research on the show floor at A’19, Vitro Glass will co-sponsor an invitation-only presentation by Daniel Klem, Jr., Ph.D. of Muhlenberg University, a world-renown ornithologist and expert in bird-collision deterrence. Klem will discuss bird-safety legislation across North America and the impact it will have on the architectural community.

Last summer, Vitro Glass supplied 3,100 panels of laminated Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glass with bird-friendly acid-etching to restore the popular Tropical Rainforest habitat at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, which houses more than 70 exotic birds. The custom glass specification, which was developed by bird-safety experts from the National Aviary and Vitro Glass, reduces the chances of bird-glass collisions by preventing birds of prey living outside the exhibit from seeing and attempting to reach potential prey living inside it. The glass also maximizes UV and natural light transmittance to support plant growth and wildlife.

For more information about bird-friendly glass, visit Vitro Glass at booth 9340, log on to www.vitroglazings.com or call (855) VTRO-GLS (887-6457). A’19, the AIA Conference on Architecture, will be held June 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

About American Bird Conservancy
American Bird Conservancy is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation. Find us on abcbirds.org, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ABCbirds).

Starphire Ultra-Clear^® is a registered trademark owned by Vitro.

About Vitro Architectural Glass

Vitro Architectural Glass, part of Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: VITROA), is the largest glass producer in the Western Hemisphere, manufacturing a range of industry-leading, energy-efficient, high-performance products such as Solarban^®, Sungate^® and Starphire Ultra-Clear^® glasses. Committed to continually raising the industry standard for sustainability, Vitro was the first U.S. glass manufacturer to have its entire collection of architectural glass products earn Cradle to Cradle Certified^® status and the first North American manufacturer to publish third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for flat glass and processed glass products. Additionally, all Vitro architectural glass products meet the Top 20% Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) material category based on standards set by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Vitro operates seven glass production facilities across North America, four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada and one of the world’s largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit VitroGlazings.com.

Media Contact:
Robert J. Struble
Vitro Architectural Glass
412-820-8138
rstruble@vitro.com
www.vitroglazings.com