Vitro Architectural Glass

Solarban® 90 glass by Vitro Architectural Glass wins R&D 100 Award

Proprietary quad-silver coated glass gets "Oscar of Innovation" for industrial research

PITTSBURGH, November 9, 2016 — Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) won an R&D 10 Award from R&D Magazine for the development of Solarban® 90 glass, the first product to feature its proprietary "quad-silver" coating technology.

The award, regarded as the "Oscar for innovators," was presented to representatives of Vitro Glass at the 54th Annual R&D 100 Awards and Technology Conference on Nov. 3 in Washington, D.C.

Dennis O'Shaughnessy, research and development director, Vitro Glass, said that Solarban® 90 glass incorporates a fourth "nano-layer" of silver with nanoparticles that product developers can manipulate to control its reflectivity, color and solar performance. "Quad-silver coating technology is a major technical advance that has implications beyond the debut of Solarban® 90 glass, as it will enable us to generate new glass appearance and performance combinations that architects desire, and that other glass manufacturers cannot easily replicate," he explained.

Dick Beuke, vice president, U.S. and Canada, Vitro Glass, said the R&D 100 Award reinforces Vitro Glass's commitment to meeting the evolving demands of architects, glazing contractors and glass fabricators. "The core values driving our business are innovation and customer service," he said. "That is why we're investing $55 million in a new state-of-the-art magnetron sputtered vacuum deposition coater, as well as expanding our investment in the Vitro Glass Research and Technology Center."

Solarban® 90 glass was created with input from architects to fulfill their requests for a clear, neutrally reflective architectural glass that delivers enhanced solar control. Combined with clear glass in a standard one-inch insulating glass unit (IGU), it has a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.23, visible light transmittance (VLT) of 51 percent and a light-to-solar-gain (LSG) ratio of 2.22. Interior and exterior reflectance rates are 12 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

Solarban® 90 glass also is available on Vitro Glass's complete array of performance-tinted glasses, including Atlantica®, Azuria®, Optiblue®, Optigray®, Pacifica®, Solarblue®, Solarbronze®, Solargray® and Solexia® glasses, as well as Starphire Ultra-Clear® glass.

The R&D 100 Awards recognize excellence across a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, optics, high-energy physics, materials science, chemistry and biotechnology.

To learn more about Solarban® 90 glass and other Cradle to Cradle Certified Vitro Glass products, visit www.vitroglazings.com or call 1-855-VTRO-GLS (887-6457).

Atlantica®, Azuria®, Optiblue®, Optigray®, Pacifica®, Solarban®, Solarblue®, Solarbronze®, Solargray®, Solexia® and Starphire Ultra-Clear® are registered trademarks owned by Vitro.

Cradle to Cradle Certified is a trademark licensed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

About Vitro Architectural Glass

Vitro Architectural Glass, part of Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV:VITROA), the largest company of its kind in the Americas, manufactures a range of industry-leading, energy-efficient products such as Solarban®, Sungate® and Starphire Ultra-Clear® glasses at U.S. plants in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Fresno, California; Salem, Oregon; and Wichita Falls, Texas. Committed to sustainable manufacturing processes and products, the company also operates one of the world’s largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh and four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada. Upholding the values of “Together, We See Further” across the architectural, automotive and containers markets, Vitro strives to realize the power of partnership to ensure that projects meet or exceed ever-evolving sustainability expectations as well as glass requirements. For more information, please visit www.VitroGlass.com.

Vitro Architectural Glass

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