Florida Commercial Glazing Buyer Guide
How to spec commercial impact glass for Florida projects (architect guide)
Specifying commercial impact glass for Florida projects requires four decisions: interlayer (PVB vs SGP), tested assembly path (FBC Product Approval vs Miami-Dade NOA), glass package (low-E coating, IGU configuration), and aluminum framing system (Kawneer, YKK AP, Tubelite). Get these four right and the rest of the spec writes itself.
Should I spec PVB or SGP interlayer?
PVB at 0.090 inch is the Florida commercial default and meets FBC 1626 for typical storefront and curtain wall scopes. SGP (SentryGlas Plus) is the upgrade for: structural applications (point-supported glass, all-glass entrances), balcony rails, hurricane shutter assemblies, and high-impact-energy projects. SGP is 100x stiffer than PVB and retains structural integrity after impact. Cost premium 25-35% on the glass line item.
FBC Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA — which applies?
Miami-Dade County and Broward County (the HVHZ markets) require Miami-Dade NOA approval. The rest of Florida accepts FBC Product Approval (FBC PA). NOA documentation is more rigorous and the assemblies are tested to higher cyclic pressure and large missile impact criteria. Always specify the path explicitly in the RFQ — ambiguity here loses 8-15% of bids to unnecessary HVHZ-spec premiums.
What low-E coating should I spec for Florida commercial?
Solarban 70XL is the Florida default for hospitality and office (SHGC 0.27, VLT 0.64, U-factor 0.29 in 1" IGU). Viracon VRE-67 is the alternative (slightly higher VLT). Solarban 90 is the high-performance upgrade for harsh exposure (SHGC 0.23). For schools and healthcare, often Solarban 60 (SHGC 0.39, VLT 0.70) for natural light priority. Specify the actual product or the SHGC/VLT/U-factor performance criteria.
What's the right IGU configuration?
1 inch overall IGU is the Florida commercial standard: 1/4 inch outboard low-E + 1/2 inch argon air space + 1/4 inch laminated impact inboard. 1 inch IGU meets FBC Energy Code and FBC 1626 impact in most commercial scopes. Specialty applications (cold storage, sound attenuation) may require 1-1/4 inch or 1-1/2 inch IGU configurations — spec accordingly.
Kawneer, YKK AP, or Tubelite — which aluminum system?
Kawneer is the architect-default. YKK AP often qualifies as approved-equal and saves 8-15% on the storefront line item. Tubelite is competitive on stock profiles but sometimes longer lead time on custom dies. All three carry HVHZ NOAs. Default to Kawneer with approved-equal language opening YKK AP and Tubelite.
What anchorage do I spec for commercial impact glass?
Engineer-of-record sealed structural calcs are required for all commercial impact glass in Florida. Anchorage type depends on substrate (concrete vs CMU vs steel), wind pressure (ASCE 7-22 calculation), and assembly NOA/FBC PA requirements. Specify 'anchorage per engineer-of-record sealed calculations meeting ASCE 7-22 wind pressure and FBC 1626 impact criteria.' The glazier handles the specific anchor selection.