Regulatory News

The U.S. Department of Energy announced another funding opportunity that has implications for the glass industry. Applications are open for an $83 million award for decreasing emissions in hard-to-decarbonize sectors, which would include manufacturing raw glass.

A new product category rule for fenestration systems defines a normalized “declared unit” as one square meter of fenestration assemblies, including framing and glass.

The Building Technologies Office, part of the Department of Energy, announced that they will sponsor a $2 million dollar prize to encourage production of high-performance and cost-effective secondary glazing systems towards improving energy performance in commercial windows. The first phase of the…

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has of course had an effect on the domestic glass industry in Russia. New reporting on the state of the industry reveal how producers are struggling with Western sanctions, and turning to new markets and products to makeup for lost export profits.

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $90 million to help update local and state building energy codes across the country for greater energy efficiency, which can cut greenhouse gas emissions and utility bills and provide other benefits.

FGIA's Summer Conference included specific conversations about the broad topic of sustainability. Industry leaders directed discussions about new and future regulations, and how companies can meet standards for manufacturing and products. 

Officials for the Aluminum Extruders Council commend Senator Tom Cotton for asking the Department of Commerce to address untarriffed aluminum imports. The AEC says current rules have lead to a significant rise in imported aluminum, a disadvantage to U.S. manufacturers.

The United States General Services Administration (GSA) announced a six-month pilot program applying interim IRA Low Embodied Carbon (LEC) Material Requirements for eleven GSA construction projects.

March 27-28 the National Glass Association hosted its second annual Glass & Glazing Advocacy Days. Policy priorities included school security, bird-friendly glazing, high-performance glazing, recyclability/sustainability, and workforce development.

The National Glass Association hosted industry leaders for its second annual Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days, March 27-28 in Washington, D.C. The Association facilitated critical conversations between the industry and U.S. Congressional representatives about glass's future as a sustainable, safe…

Industry stakeholders are invited by the EPA to participate in an information gathering process. Stakeholders can submit public comments by May 1 regarding how the EPA should best invest the $350 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce embodied greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA will also…

A new resource on building performance standards and energy codes by the International Code Council provides code officials and building departments with essential background information and recommendations on greater policy coordination.

The U.S. Department of Energy has officially encouraged The Great Lakes Clean Hydrogen coalition to continue with the development of low-carbon hydrogen via electrolysis based in Ohio at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. The facility proposes to distribute the hydrogen across the Great Lakes…

Six National Fenestration Rating Council technical documents are now open for public review, comment and the full ANSI consensus process until Feb. 13, 2023.

Three National Fenestration Rating Council documents are currently open for public review and comment according to the American National Standards Institute’s process until Nov. 28.

A strategy by the International Code Council recognizes existing initiatives and opportunities to develop additional solutions when it comes to the significant impact of buildings on the environment. The report, Decarbonization of The Built Environment: Solutions from the International Code Council…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Version 7.0 Energy Star Specification for Residential Windows, Doors and Skylights on Oct. 20. The new criteria will go into effect on Oct. 23, 2023, with products meeting the new criteria eligible for early certification starting immediately.

The U.S. General Services Administration is currently seeking industry input  to learn more about the availability of domestically manufactured, locally sourced low-carbon construction materials in an effort to prioritize the use of American-made, lower-carbon construction materials for federal…

Halio announced that the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which includes the Dynamic Glass Act, brings the cost of electrochromic windows to parity with low-e glass.

To set the stage for mass energy transformation of cities, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) aims to upgrade New York's building stock through their RetrofitNY Program, identifying partners to help drive and execute this change, NYSERDA has named Tremco…

The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) has approved funding to update three Canadian glass standards.

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded more than $121 million in Apprenticeship Building America grants to expand, diversify, and modernize registered apprenticeship programs. 

The White House announced that President Biden will authorize the Defense Production Act (DPA) to accelerate domestic production of clean energy technologies, including solar panel parts, including photovoltaic modules and module components.

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell announced a National Initiative to Advance Building Codes, a new government-wide effort to boost national resiliency and reduce energy costs.

EPA analyst Doug Anderson spoke in March to FGIA conference in-person and virtual attendees about the thinking and evidence behind the agency's draft 2 of the proposed Energy Star 7.0 standards for architectural glass and window and door construction. Public comments on draft 2 specifications are…

There are approximately six million commercial buildings in the U.S., nearly half of which are more than 40 years old, according to a 2019 report from the American Institute of Architects.

The Window & Door Manufacturers Association strongly criticized President Trump’s announcement that his Administration will reinstate Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Argentina and Brazil, which had been previously excluded.