Rochester CSI Night connected project teams around K–12 security glazing, VNG-5024, fire-rated systems, and glass consistency across campus phases.
Some of the most useful conversations begin with a glass sample and a specific project question. At Rochester CSI Night on November 4, we had plenty of both.
Thank you to the architects, owners, general contractors, and glaziers who spent time with us. Following our invitation to CSI Night, it was rewarding to connect in person, hear what you are working through, and make plans for follow-up discussions.
The outcome was a great evening of conversations. Several themes stood out, with practical implications for your next specification, sample review, or glazing package.
Forced-entry security glazing for K–12 projects was a recurring topic. The level of interest reinforced how important it is to make the performance discussion understandable and useful to the entire project team.
Our ASTM F3561 guide offers a starting point. The important distinction is that security performance depends on the tested assembly, including glass, framing, and anchorage. Selecting laminated glass alone does not establish the performance of an installed opening.
For your school project, the next conversation can focus on the openings that need attention, the required performance, and the documentation needed to support a coordinated specification.
The VNG-5024 samples received enthusiastic feedback and invitations for follow-up. Looking at actual glass together gave us a useful way to discuss appearance beyond the coating name or performance table.
A design leader in the higher education space and I discussed VNG-5024’s neutral gray and subtle slate tones, especially in contrast with the green hue they have noticed in some other neutral coatings.
Viracon’s sell sheet lists the following nominal center-of-glass values for VNG1-5024:
These values are based on:
Performance varies with different substrates and glass makeups.
Sky conditions, viewing angle, and surroundings influence perceived color. Your project’s actual samples and representative mock-ups remain important to the final selection, including any spandrel-matching discussion.
We heard strong interest in aluminum-framed fire-rated alternatives to the systems attendees commonly encounter in the marketplace. Design teams want to explore options that address fire-rated requirements while supporting the architectural character of adjacent glazing.
Scott Fox from Tecfire brought a wealth of knowledge on fire-rated safety glazing to those discussions. Thank you, Scott, for sharing Tecfire’s technical expertise and giving attendees a look at progress on its North American operations in Indiana.
Our articles on early fire-rated design coordination and Tecfire installation considerations provide useful background. Any proposed system still needs review against its applicable listings, required rating, permitted dimensions, framing, glass, and hardware. Those details belong in the conversation early.
These are situations where Viracon’s single-source fabrication model has practical value. Developing and producing coatings while fabricating the finished glass units brings coating selection, fabrication, color control, and replacement planning into a coordinated discussion.
Our article on neutral-glass color control explores why measurable appearance criteria matter. Thoughtful specifications, retained project records, and representative mock-ups can help manage expectations across phases. Future availability and visual matching still need project-specific review; a single-source approach is not an automatic exact-match guarantee.
Allison Shannon, Principal at SWBR, deserves a special thank-you as one of the primary volunteer organizers. Chris Klajbor, Vice President of Frontier Glass, was also instrumental in the evening’s success.
To Allison, Chris, and every volunteer who contributed time and effort: thank you for creating the setting for these connections. The great conversations were the outcome that mattered, and we appreciate the work behind them.
We also heard interest in booking AIA CES Lunch & Learns. Our continuing education offerings provide a starting point for choosing a topic relevant to your team.
At Martineau & Co., we look forward to turning the introductions and sample discussions into deeper project conversations. Bring us a drawing, a spandrel question, a school security requirement, or a campus matching challenge. We would be glad to work through the next decision with you.