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Cause of Chattanooga glass bridge damage unknown
Six square panels on the glass walking bridge over the Chattanooga River in Chattanooga, Tenn., have cracked and shattered, according to an April 23 newschannel9.com article.

Three weeks after the damage was discovered, officials still don't know the reason … read more

Massachusetts glass worker hospitalized after fall
A glass worker fell 30 feet onto asphalt while working on a building in Leominster, Mass., April 26, according to an April 27 sentinelandenterprise.com article.

Leominster Fire Deputy Chief Gary Ranno said the man had facial injuries and complained of back and neck pain when rescue crews arrived, according to the article.

Rescuers transported him to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., according to the article … read more

Transparent plastic used as glass alternative
Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, a fluorocarbon-based polymer, is being used in place of glass in some of the most innovative architectural designs, according to an April 23 article from American National Standards Institute. Just 1 percent the weight of glass, ETFE can cost up to 70 percent less to install, according to the article.

ETFE will be installed in the 2008 Summer Olympic Beijing National Aquatics Center to allow greater light and heat penetration than traditional glass, resulting in a 30 percent reduction in energy costs, according to the article … read more