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Bendheim Launches Comprehensive Sustainability Program

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“Building a Clear Future” Signals Company’s Commitment 

We are proud to announce the public launch of “Building a Clear Future,” a comprehensive initiative to advance sustainability in every aspect of our operations.

“Sustainability is a 360-degree, 365-day-a-year mindset, and this program is designed accordingly,” noted Bendheim President Donald Jayson. “We are going far beyond a product-by-product approach to build a long-term culture of sustainability at Bendheim. Now is the time to redouble our efforts towards securing a better future for our children and grandchildren.”

The Building a Clear Future program is the guiding organizational structure for our sustainability initiatives across all areas of operations and will measure their resulting environmental impacts. The program addresses manufacturing processes, product development, supplier outreach, and employee engagement and well-being. We will also explore avenues for strategic collaborations, advancing transparency across the industry.

As a first step forward, we have formally committed to reducing its corporate Scope 1 and 2 emissions 30% by 2030.

In support of this goal, we recently installed solar panels at our fabrication facility reducing operational carbon emissions. Next steps will include further evaluation of the facility’s energy usage and the establishment of energy reduction targets.

“We’re spearheading a new era in our business by embedding sustainability in everything we do–from the selection of materials to the creation of new products to our manufacturing processes,” said Rodrigo Menino, Vice President of Corporate Development and Group CFO. “This complete transformation aligns us with a future that prioritizes responsibility.”

For more information about Building a Clear Future, contact Rodrigo Menino at rmenino@bendheim.com; Uarda Hoti, Sustainability Program Coordinator, at uhoti@bendheim.com; or visit https://bendheim.com/sustainability/.

Custom Glass from Bendheim Solves Challenges for Concert Hall

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One-way glass shields offices, permits illumination

Architects specified a wall of custom glass from Bendheim to meet complex challenges at David Geffen Hall, the newly renovated home of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

An ambitious redesign of this high-profile venue, then known as Avery Fisher Hall, began with plans unveiled in 2019. With concerts suspended during the pandemic, an accelerated construction schedule allowed the newly rechristened facility to reopen in October 2022.

While the renovation plan was largely focused on the interior, one key difference in the building is clearly visible from Lincoln Center’s central plaza: the dramatic presence of new illumination. A 12-foot high band of ceramic fritted glass from Bendheim is framed by the distinctive tapered pillars of the concert hall’s portico, providing a projection screen for lighting along the top tier. Bright bands of colored light now add vibrancy and definition to the building’s well-known façade.

Unbeknownst to the public, however, this band of glass must also serve as the windows for a row of offices, occupied by New York Philharmonic staff. For the renowned firm of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, the challenging assignment was to support the desired illumination of the exterior while also allowing a view and protecting the comfort and privacy of the staffers inside. Specifically, the designers were requested to provide one-way windows, allowing occupants to see out without being seen.

David Geffen Hall at night with Bendheim's illuminated glass wall.

David Geffen Hall at night with an illuminated glass wall by Bendheim. Photo by Lawrence Sumulong, © Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Bendheim’s custom design capabilities allowed them to create a unique product for David Geffen Hall, one that could reconcile these seemingly contradictory requirements. To take full advantage of Bendheim’s expertise in this area, principal architect Tod Williams visited Bendheim’s Design Lab in New York City for an in-person consultation. In the final specifications, ceramic fritted glass (fully opaque from the exterior) was laminated to Bendheim’s “vision glass”, whose proprietary coating created the one-way view from inside. The glass was provided in 5′ x 12′ panels totaling approximately 8,000 square feet.

The $550 million renovation of Lincoln Center’s concert venue (the latest of several since its opening in 1962) was designed to make the hall more intimate and to improve the patron experience, with fewer seats, improved acoustics, and more gracious public spaces. The hall is now also equipped to enable greater use of technologies such as theatrical lighting, sound amplification, and video.

“We take pride in bringing our unique design and fabrication capabilities to every project, but of course we were particularly delighted to work on David Geffen Hall,” commented Bendheim Vice President for Sales and Innovation Said Elieh. “It’s a New York City landmark, and we are thrilled to see our glass shine in this critical role.”

Bendheim Debuts Evolution Collection for Interiors

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Classic fluted texture now available in Titanium® line of etched reflective glass

 

We are introducing The Evolution Collection, decorative architectural glass offering softened lines of fluted texture in its Titanium® etched finish.

The Evolution Collection combines a classic aesthetic with the luminosity of our Titanium® line. The durable, maintenance-friendly material and its three-dimensional nature make Evolution ideal for a wide array of interior design roles. Its fingerprint-resistant surface is well suited for wall cladding applications in high traffic areas, while its gentle glow enhances the cleanest designs. Designed for the contemporary palette in on-trend metallics (Silver, Grey, and Bronze), Evolution can also be produced in custom colors.

“Glass is an everyday material with an extraordinary capacity to add grace to interiors,” said Bendheim Vice President of Sales & Innovation Said Elieh. “The Evolution Collection brings the classic and modern together in a material and finish that will stand the test of time. We’re proud to give our partners in design yet another stylish, modern option for walls that make the most of light.”

Evolution Collection - All 3 Glass Colors

Channel Glass From Bendheim Graces Striking City Water Plant

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Play of light adds beauty to infrastructure

Montréal architects specified our Lamberts channel glass to fulfill ambitious goals for a vital piece of public infrastructure.

When Québec’s largest city planned to build a new water intake on the Canal de L’Aqueduc, local residents expressed concern. The facility would be located right in the middle of a popular public recreation area, in full view of a residential neighborhood, Luckily, the project team at Smith Vigeant Architectes agreed that no ordinary industrial building would do.

Channel glass facade on the water treatment facility.

Prise D’Eau du Canal de L’Aqueduc, Montreal, QC by Smith Vigeant Architectes. Photos by David Boyer.

To achieve harmony between the station and its setting, designers layered an external facade of channel glass over an inner envelope of colored aluminum. The remarkable result of this technique succeeds in both expressing and effacing the building’s utilitarian purpose.

Situated on a channel that draws water from the Saint Lawrence River, the intake operates 24 hours a day screening out debris. The combination of the inner and outer building envelopes provides proper security for the station and protects its operations from Canada’s harsh winters. It also serves to create a striking “pixilated” effect on the building’s exterior, as the vertical channels of glass cross the horizontal bands of aluminum to create the perception of squares.

Detail shot of the channel glass from the interior.

According to architect Daniel Smith, the inner aluminum panels (in a graded range of blues) were chosen to reference the “horizontal” quality of water as it responds to gravity. The “orange peel” texture of diffuses these colors while adding reflections from the sky, ground, and water nearby. The finished building, which is largely unmanned and needed no windows, glows gently by night and (as Smith described it) “participates” in the changing tones of the natural landscape by day.

We provided 352 channels of tempered, 100% heat soak tested glass for the project, in 14’ 8” lengths to provide an unbroken vertical wall of glass. Totaling 4,600 square feet in area, the channels were installed with our SF60S single glazed frame system in a clear anodized finish. “We wanted a material that would be responsive to its surroundings, like water,” noted Daniel Smith. “Bendheim has a very good system, and the quality was top level.  If I ever have another opportunity to use it, I will.”

Channel glass facade on the water treatment facility, lit at night.

As Montréal enjoys a new landmark, Smith Vigeant’s efforts have been rewarded with the 2022 Prize for Excellence in Architecture (Industrial Buildings Category) from the Ordre des Architectes du Québec. “We’re proud to be associated with a project that truly displays the exceptional qualities of our channel glass,” noted Michael Tryon, General Manager at Bendheim. “More and more, we’re seeing interest in channel glass as a highly practical material that can also make necessary infrastructure beautiful.  We look forward to working on many more such projects in the public interest.”

Vibrant Bendheim Glass Signals Airport Accessibility for Kansas City

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Z-KISS concealed attachment system adds color to terminal with ease

The new single terminal at Kansas City International—representing the largest infrastructure project in the region’s history–opened in February 2023. From the beginning of the design process, meetings with the city’s taxpayers identified a streamlined experience for travelers as a high priority, with an emphasis on comfort and dignity for all. In 2018, the Mayor and City Council of Kansas City, Mo., specifically directed lead architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to create “the most accessible airport in the world.”

One reflection of this aim was the terminal’s restroom design. In addition to traditional male-only and female-only spaces, generous provision was made for gender-neutral facilities, easing travel for families with young children and cutting long wait times for female passengers. These options are coded with color as well as signage to direct travelers appropriately: blue for men, yellow for women, and green for gender-neutral rooms.

Bathroom entrance at KCI Airport with Bendheim glass.

We provided the vibrant back-painted etched glass used to execute this vision, as well as the patent-pending Z-KISS concealed attachment system. With over 10,000 square feet of glass provided, Kansas City International represents our largest Z-KISS installation to date.

A fully-engineered alternative to traditional Z-clip fastening systems, Z-KISS requires fewer horizontal hanging brackets while providing reliable mechanical support for the dead load of glass. Designed to create a frameless aesthetic for opaque glass, Z-KISS can be used with a wide range of glass choices, including back-painted, mirrored, or digitally printed varieties. The glass is delivered with the hardware preinstalled, ready for installation, and accompanied by shop drawings and layout drawings provided by Bendheim.

Bathroom entrance at KCI Airport with Bendheim glass.

In addition to back-painted glass for the restrooms, we also provided etched laminated mirrored glass from our Titanium™ line to frame the new terminal’s elevators in a warm cinnamon shade. While emphasizing access and inclusivity, project architects also bore in mind the terminal’s prominence as a brand new welcome center for Kansas City. With high-profile events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the airport’s near future, a world-class feeling for its interior spaces was essential. With its etched surface, the delicate mirror effect of Titanium glass becomes beautifully subtle, with the gentlest of diffused reflections.

Elevators at KCI Airport with Bendheim glass.

“Our design capabilities and the breadth of our product offerings give us wonderful opportunities to support the visions of our architect partners,” said Said Elieh, Bendheim’s Vice President for Sales and Innovation. “Ease of installation is a high priority for us too, since it’s our job to make the beauty of these special glasses a practical choice. We’re extremely proud of our contributions to Kansas City’s next-generation airport, and we greatly respect their commitment to safe and comfortable travels for everyone.”

New Kansas City Airport Terminal Features Ventilated Parking Facade from Bendheim

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Architects selected an elegant and functional parking façade from Bendheim as part of a major upgrade for Kansas City International Airport

A completely new air terminal for Kansas City opened on February 28, replacing two outmoded structures built in 1972. The extensive modernization effort also included a new seven-story parking structure. Over 2 million square feet in size, the building provides parking for 6,219 vehicles. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill served as principal architects for the overall project, named “Build KCI”. The Kansas City-based firm of BNIM took lead on the parking facility, in a design-build partnership with general contractor JE Dunn.

We joined this effort from the design stage, collaborating with our partner Längle Glas to create custom-engineered fastening systems for the parking facility’s ventilated façade. We ultimately provided over 50,000 square feet of tempered and laminated glass for the project. As a trained architect, Bendheim Vice President for Sales and Innovation Said Elieh was able to contribute to essential planning work before construction began.

Ventilated glass facade by Bendheim on the exterior of the Kansas City International Airport parking structure.

Kansas City International Airport Parking Structure, Kansas City MO by BNIM. Photos by Michael Robinson Photography.

“Having someone on the Bendheim side that understands the design vision we’re trying to achieve, but then can bring that technical capacity on the manufacturer side to help realize that conceptual vision is important,” explained Joshua Harrold, Associate Principal at BNIM. “I think Bendheim has been a great collaborator in that respect.”  Our previous experience with the design of parking structure façades on this scale includes 727 West Madison in Chicago, Ill., and the Mueller Parking Structure in Austin, Tex.

Glass façades can provide an aesthetically pleasing exterior for parking structures while also providing cost-effective natural ventilation. At KCI, the “shingled” design of the façade creates pockets of air that slide between the glass panels, creating airflow in and out of the garage.

Ventilated glass facade by Bendheim on the exterior of the Kansas City International Airport parking structure.

The sheer size and weight of the glass panels, most as large as 6’ x 14’ and each weighing 800+ pounds, called for a carefully designed attachment system. Bendheim and Längle designed and manufactured custom vertical compression clip systems for the project, allowing a costly steel substructure to be eliminated from the design. The 14” long clips support the length and weight of each panel while accommodating construction tolerances, live load movement, wind loads, and expansion joints.

We also kept ease of installation at the forefront of the design process. “We were very impressed with the Bendheim system”, noted Paul Fischer, Project Manager and Field Foreman at AGP, Inc. “It was designed very well, and the installation of the system and the glazing was a breeze.”

Ventilated glass facade by Bendheim on the exterior of the Kansas City International Airport parking structure.

With a price tag of $1.5 billion, Build KCI constitutes the largest infrastructure project in the region’s history. The effort also achieved the notable distinction of LEED BD+C NC (New Construction) Gold Certification, making it only the second terminal or concourse project in the United States to receive this designation.

As Kansas City prepares to open its new front door to major events such as the 2023 NFL Draft and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, regional pride has never ridden higher. “We were extremely proud to bring our understanding of glass and our extensive experience with ventilated parking façades to this historic undertaking,” noted Bendheim’s Said Elieh. “No two façade projects are alike, and we look forward to making further contributions to the renewal of America’s infrastructure.”