Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority Administrative Office Building

Houston, Texas

NATURE OF PROJECT:
Blast, hurricane and solar protection

SCOPE OF PROJECT:
Square feet of windows protected – 15,000
Four- sided, wet glaze attachment system

TYPE OF FILM INSTALLED:
Sungard 12-mil clear glass fragment retention film

PROJECT DETAILS AND CHALLENGES:
After the bad hurricane season of 2005 and the continued threat of terrorism in the United States, the City of Houston decided to take a proactive approach to protect one of its new high-rise buildings, the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

After a city-hired engineering firm specified that a 12-mil clear fragment retention film be attached to the building’s window with a four-sided meachanical attachment, Commercial Window Shield was awarded the contract.

The project consisted of applying the film to the interior surface of the glass on 670 panes. Of those panes, 101 were extremely large and were located in the lobby/entrance of this public building. The lobby area had to be carefully managed so as not to disrupt entry and exit of the building since the work had to be performed using scissors lifts and an articulating boon lift to reach the top of the 40 foot-high glass. In addition to these challenges, the contract called for a completion time of 35 days.

The project progressed smoothly until reinforced steel was found behind the window framing. This surprised everyone, including the engineers who spec’d the project. As a result, Commercial Window Shield could not use a four-sided mechanical attachement system, as planned.  Rather, the company shifted to a wet glaze attachment system it had used on many occasions.

Fast work by Commercial Window Shield in a pressure, deadline situation avoided a potential disastrous result.  In the end, the project was completed ahead of schedule and to the satisfaction of both the city and the engineers.