PITTSBURGH, December 4, 2025 – Vitro Architectural Glass announced that BirdSmart^® Bird Safe Glass, Sungate ThermL™ glass and VacuMax™ Vacuum Insulating Glass (VIG) were recognized as winners of the 2025 Product Innovation Awards (PIAs), published by Architectural Products.

The PIAs celebrate outstanding innovation in architectural products, systems and materials. Each entry is reviewed by an esteemed panel of practicing architects.

Launched in March of 2025, BirdSmart^® glass improves visibility for birds while maintaining sleek, modern aesthetics and high energy efficiency. It delivers optimal Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) without sacrificing performance or style.

Photography: Noah Hilton

Additional benefits of BirdSmart^® glass include:

• A “clean” etching process that is non-caustic and uses no harsh chemicals
• First-surface markers are more effective for birds that don’t see ultraviolet (UV) coatings as well
• Both BirdSmart^®glass and Solarban^® glass are manufactured at Vitro’s Wichita Falls plant, ensuring an efficient supply chain
• Available in sizes up to Titan™glass (130x240 inches) and can be ordered in sizes as small as one pack
• Can be manufactured without a low-e coating

Sungate ThermL™ glass is a low-e coating engineered for use on the interior surface of a typical one-inch insulating glass unit (IGU) that reduces heat transfer and dramatically improves U-values when paired with a Solarban^® solar control low-e glass by Vitro on the second surface.

The fourth-surface low-e coating enables superior thermal performance, improving U values by 20% or more, without changing the visual characteristics of the IGU because of its colorless and low-reflective aesthetic.

Now manufactured exclusively with Solarban^® 70 solar-control, low-e glass by Vitro, VacuMax™ VIG provides a substantial 79% improvement in U-values, delivering world-leading R-values of up to R20, rivaling the performance of traditional walls. Visual enhancements have also improved appearance by eliminating vacuum ports and discreetly concealing "getters."

VacuMax™ VIG provides thermal insulation performance three to five times better than conventional insulating glass units and up to 20 times better than monolithic glass. The unit's slender design and light weight make it easy to integrate into traditional glazing systems, window frames or curtainwall applications. It is often used to replace monolithic glazing in older buildings, making it well-suited for retrofit projects.

The Pittsburgh Glass Center renovation features VacuMax™ VIG. (Photography: Jim Cunningham)

BirdSmart^® and Solarban^® are registered trademarks owned by Vitro. Sungate ThermL™, Titan™ and VacuMax™ are trademarks owned by Vitro.

About Vitro Architectural Glass

Vitro Architectural Glass 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 complete 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, as of April 2024, all Vitro architectural glass products meet the Top 20% Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) material Global Warming Potential (GWP) threshold the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) established pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and related guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 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
vitroglazings.com