In recent years the "glass technology live" special show and the accompanying symposium along with the Architects' Conference and the "glass art" exhibition have already become major public attractions at glasstec. This year visitors can now expect a clearly extended support programme at the world's leading trade fair for the glass industry. The "FaçadesCentre", the new "engineered transparency" Congress and a diverse programme for craftsmen complement the established range.
The "FaçadesCentre" with its range of themes covering the energy-efficient building shell is aimed at façade planners, civil engineers and the processing skilled trades. Its claim is the creation of a platform with the participating sector associations, scientific institutions and companies, which offers a comprehensive overview of the latest developments and trends in façade technology. The focus here lies on multifunctional glass façades that generate electricity with building-integrated thin-film photovoltaics, for instance, and thereby actively improve a building's energy footprint. Furthermore, the building envelope's photovoltaic elements can be colour-adapted thereby opening up new design opportunities. Innovative technologies for highly efficient insulation and shading as well as smart guiding of light also make a significant contribution to sustainable construction and renovation.

The "FaçadesCentre" is located directly adjacent to the glass technology live special show in Hall 11, where innovative façade parts (mock-ups), for example with integrated photo voltaic systems, will be featured. Under the motto "Energy Efficiency with Glass" the glass technology live show itself will once again provide spectacular insights into the future of creative and sustainable glass application and be supported by the usual top-ranking symposium. It is being organized by the proven team around Professor Stefan Behling, senior partner at Foster and Partners architects' office, and Professor at the Institute of Building Construction at the University of Stuttgart.

New: "engineered transparency" Conference

Also new at glasstec 2010 is the technically orientated "engineered transparency" Conference, which specifically addresses the following target groups: research and development employees, engineers, civil engineers, planners, architects, civil engineering experts along with employees from construction authorities. It is being organized in cooperation with the following universities of applied science: TU (Technische Universität) Delft, TU Dresden and TU Darmstadt, and is geared to the themes of glass, façades and solar energy. In terms of contents, the "Engineering Session" at the Conference will be overseen by Professors Weller (TU Dresden) and Schneider (TU Darmstadt), who are internationally renowned in the area of research on the material glass. The "Engineering Session" will be held on the afternoon of 29 September 2010 and all day on the following day at the Congress Center Düsseldorf East (CCD East) which is directly connected to the Exhibition Centre.

For the third time now, architects, stress analysts, air-conditioning engineers and façade planners will come together at glasstec 2010 for the Architects' Conference. It is being organized under the motto: "Glass is Energy" by the North Rhine-Westphalian Chamber of Architects (Architektenkammer Nordrhein-Westfalen) along with Prof. Knaack from the Delft University of Technology and the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences. Themes covered by the top international speakers include "Transparency and Sustainability", "Glass and Climate Design", "Organically-inspired Architecture" and "Simplicity and Quality of Architecture".

Comprehensive programme for the glazier's trade

At glasstec craftsmen can look forward to a large number of features and items. On the evening of the trade fair Thursday the "Glazier Award 2010" and the "Glass Finishers' Award" will be presented. The official craftsmen's day at glasstec 2010 is the Friday, for which the Federal Association of Glazier Trades (Bundesinnungsverband des Glaserhandwerks - BIV) is organizing seminars and continuation training courses involving exhibitors along with an attractive prize draw. The exhibitors' ranges of interest to craftsmen are concentrated in the Crafts Centre in direct proximity to the North entrance. In addition, to ensure that the visit to glasstec is as low-stress as possible, special travel and overnight accommodation packages are also being offered by the regional guild associations. In the immediate proximity of the Crafts Centre you will find the "glass art" exhibition featuring top-quality exhibits from the most diverse international artists and galleries. 

Auto glaziers' competition

The support programme at glasstec is rounded off by the auto glaziers' competition, a contest with a national heat along with international finals to determine the most precise auto glaziers from Europe and overseas. The German heat is being organized by the BIV, while the finals will be staged by the International Automotive Glass Federation. In the "Autoglass Arena" in Hall 10 visitors will also find companies presenting ranges on all aspects of automobile glass.

glasstec 2010 will be held from 28 September to 01 October 2010 at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. 

Information on the fair is available on the Internet at www.glasstec-online.com.

glasstec 2010 Press Contacts
Sebastian Pflügge/Corinna Kuhn
Tel.: +49(0)211/4560-464 oder -598
Fax: +49(0)211/4560-87 464
E-mail: PflueggeS@messe-duesseldorf.de

or
KuhnC@messe-duesseldorf.de