George R. Brown Convention Center
Houston, Texas
Nature of Project
Hurricane protection
Scope of Project
More than 2,500 window panes protected
Nearly 56,000 square feet of safety window film installed
Four-sided Dow 995 structural silicone [wet glaze] attachment system utilized to attach film to windows
Type of Film Installed
11-mil clear glass fragment retention film
Project Challenges
Glass front on building was 80 feet above ground level, creating serious window access issues. Commercial Window Shield engineers designed an elaborate pulley system with chairs attached to the cable, an articulating boom lift, and a plank scaffolding system that enabled installers to access the glass. Additionally, the company had to work around a busy convention season schedule and complete the project prior to the beginning of hurricane season, which it did.
Project Detail
The convention center, covering two city blocks, is one of Houston’s most prominent buildings. After Hurricane Rita damaged numerous buildings in Houston in 2005 and the threat of terrorist attacks remained a concern, city officials determined that the convention center needed to be protected and that fragment retention window film was a priority. The prestigious project attracted 15 companies that submitted bids, but Commercial Window Shield won out. Aside from being the low bidder, the company had successfully installed window film on the Houston Transit Authority headquarters building several years earlier that survived Hurricane Rita. Also, Commercial Window Shield’s project foreman is certified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], a critical advantage given the precarious nature of the installation work at the convention center.