NGA Installing Committee Advances Critical Industry Initiatives at GlassBuild 2025
Above: The National Glass Association’s Installing Committee convened Nov. 4, 2025, at GlassBuild America in Orlando, to address the pressing challenges facing glazing contractors and installers.
The National Glass Association’s Installing Committee met Nov. 4, 2025, during the Glazing Executives Forum at GlassBuild America in Orlando, where Acting Chair Courtney Little of ACE Glass led discussions on multiple task groups addressing pressing challenges facing glazing contractors and installers. The Installing Committee serves as the hub for discussion and activities related to contract glaziers, building envelope contractors and full-service glass companies, focusing on advocacy, technical resources, education, events and supply chain communication.
Key Task Group Progress
Value engineering takes center stage
The committee’s Value Engineering Task Group, chaired by Rob Carlson of Tristar Glass, revealed sobering survey results: 90% of respondents report value engineering products due to lead times, budget constraints, and pressure from contractors, architects and customers. The task group is developing a comprehensive Glass Technical Paper to provide guidance on safe product substitutions while educating stakeholders about the long-term consequences of reducing glass performance to minimum code levels.
“The value engineering is coming from inside the house,” committee members acknowledged, recognizing that glaziers themselves often initiate cost reductions to meet code minimums cost-effectively.
Project delivery methods
Matt Kamper of Woodbridge Glass is leading efforts to define “design build,” “design assist” and “delegated design” from the glazier perspective. The task group is developing clear guidance on expectations, deliverables, and contractual rights and responsibilities for each approach—critical information as project delivery methods continue to evolve.
Frameless shower resources
Task group Chair Danny Donahue of Frameless Hardware Company LLC will lead the next project: developing frameless shower enclosures design guidelines specifically for architects. This follows successful completion of the shower expectations flyer for consumers and builds on educational efforts at GlassBuild’s Shower Design Challenge.
Specifications advancement
The Specifications Task Group completed reviews of security glazing, mirror, decorative and general glazing specifications, with fire-rated specifications under peer review. Curtain wall and storefront specifications are queued for upcoming review in coordination with Deltek.
Interior demountable walls challenge
Joe Kaiser of Herzog Glass chairs a task group examining how the MasterSpec classification of interior demountable wall systems Division 10—which also receive Section 179 tax benefits— creates competitive disadvantages for conventional glazing systems under Division 8. The group surveyed industry members about installation practices, labor assessment methods and market dynamics. Potential solutions include working with policymakers to reclassify these systems and educating designers about the cost-effectiveness and flexibility of traditional glass partitions.
NGA Updates
The committee welcomed Lakisha A. Woods, CAE, as NGA’s new president and CEO, who outlined her vision for advancing the association's mission.
Educational expansion
NGA launched a comprehensive Glass Engineering Curriculum covering architectural glass as a material, practical applications, safety and security glazing, fracture mechanics, and sustainability. Developed with expertise from Bill Lingnell of Lingnell Consulting Services, the curriculum serves engineering and architecture students while providing valuable reference material for established professionals.
The MyGlassClass.com platform continues expanding with Glazier Training, Apprenticeship Curriculum, and MyGlassFab training. Task groups are forming for course updates and Spanish translation reviews.
Advocacy victories
NGA working together with the American Institute of Architects, Professor Juan Miro of University of Texas Austin, and the Aluminum Extruders Council achieved significant wins at the October 2025 IBC code hearings in Cleveland, securing preliminary approval for natural daylighting requirements for apartments, schools and dormitories.
New Resources
The committee highlighted new publications in 2025, including the Security Glazing for Schools AIA presentation, Glass Nomenclature technical paper, and updates to technical papers on recyclability, decorative glass handling and laminated glazing edges. These resources are available at glass.org/store.
