Fire-Rated
Glazing Systems
for Safer Code-Compliant Solutions
Explore how fire-rated glazing solutions, such as fire-rated
doors and windows, support code-compliant spaces
that are also more open and visually connected.
Why Specify Fire-rated Glazing?
Fire-rated glass in fire-resistant framing systems enhance code-required fire and life safety while supporting occupant wellbeing and a more cohesive space.
Code Compliance
with Safety
Fire-rated doors and windows located along areas of egress serve as critical fire protection, helping confine flames, smoke and, in some cases, radiant or conductive heat. These fire-rated assemblies help maintain compliance with stringent fire codes.
Well-Lit and
Connected Spaces
Unlike traditional opaque fire-rated materials that can create visual barriers, transparent fire-resistant panels and fire-rated glass maintain a sense of openness. They promote visual connectivity between spaces and increase daylight access in building interiors, contributing to healthier, brighter interior environments without compromising safety.
Modern Fire-rated Glazing Expands Design Possibilities
Once synonymous with wired glass, fire-rated glass is no longer a compromise, it is a design-forward solution that unites safety, transparency and architectural expression.
Design professionals can select from a growing range of modern fire-rated framing systems, including butt-glazed fire-rated glazing systems, fire-rated glass floor systems and those that leverage the proven strength of steel. These systems are precision-engineered using European roll-forming techniques. This allows them to be more comparable in size to non-rated glazing assemblies, offering a close visual match and design cohesion across a building.
Discover where fire-rated glass and framing enhance design and safety.
Fire-rated storefronts with glass and narrow fire-rated framing bring modern appeal to both interior and exterior design aesthetic.
When integrated along the stairwell, fire-rated butt-glazed systems promote visual transparency and support intuitive wayfinding in vertical circulation areas.
Exterior fire-rated curtain wall solutions deliver both code-compliance and expansive daylighting.
Fire-rated glazing systems preserve a building’s design continuity when used in tandem with non-rated systems.
Fire-rated glass floors channel daylight deep into building interiors and create dramatic visual effects between building levels.
Connect with a TGP expert in your area about integrating fire-rated glazing into your next project.
The Basics: FIRE-RATED
GLASS AND FRAMING
When designing a building, architects must balance safety, performance and aesthetics. With so many variables in play, it is natural to have questions about how to specify fire-rated glazing effectively.
Here are a few answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about fire-rated systems. Find more answers to more common questions on our Fire-Rated Basics page. Can’t find the answer to a particular question? Contact us.
Q: Can glass be fire-proof?
A. Not all glass is fireproof. In fact, some might argue that there is no such thing as fireproof glass because “fireproof” is not a term the glazing and architecture industry uses to categorize glass. To refer generally to glass that can withstand fire and high heat, glaziers and designers use the term “fire-rated.”
When designers specify fire-rated glass, they will choose between fire-protective and fire-resistive glass. Both options provide varying levels and durations of protection and have specific applications where they can be used as prescribed by building codes.
Q: Do fire-rated frames and glass carry the same fire-rating classification?
A. Specifying glazing materials with the correct and consistent ratings and performance levels is crucial to ensure the safety of building occupants. The International Building Code (IBC) requires fire-rated assembly components to have the same or greater ratings than the code minimums for the opening. This includes all elements of the fire-rated system such as its frames, glass and seals.
Q: Can fire-rated glass also be impact-rated and bullet resistant?
A. Yes, modern fire-rated glazing is available with high-impact safety, forced-entry and bullet-resistance ratings. Building professionals can select from products with a superior level of fire and impact protection, including laminated fire-rated glass ceramic and fire-resistive glazing products that meet ANSI Z97.1 and CPSC 16 CFR1201 (Cat. I and II) impact resistance classifications.
Beyond The Basics:
FIRE-RATED GLAZING
Glazing That
Works Overtime
Explore how fire-rated glass helped Costco's HQ expand safety, light, and seamless design integration.
Read Case StudyDebunking the Myths: Fire-Rated Glass in Modern Design
Discover how today's fire-rated glazing solutions offer clarity, safety, and design flexibility—dispelling outdated misconceptions.
Read MoreProducts
And Solutions
From fire-protective glazing to multifunctional fire and security-rated systems, Technical Glass Product offers a full suite of solutions to realize code-compliant design that deliver performance, clarity and design freedom.
Fire-Rated Design Resources
Video
A Two-Decade Journey at TGP: Collaborating with Architects on Iconic Projects
A Two-Decade Journey at TGP: Collaborating with Architects on Iconic Projects
Sam Berg, Territory Manager at Technical Glass Products (TGP), has been with the company since 2005. See how his role has evolved over the past two decades. He also details how he worked closely with the architects from the planning phases through the installation on one of his most memorable projects.
>>
Video
Out-of-The-Box Solution to a Memorable Project
Out-of-The-Box Solution to a Memorable Project
How do you approach a project that requires an out-of-box solution? TGP's General Manager, Devin Bowman, shares why the historic Art Institute of Chicago was a memorable project.
>>
Article
Achieving Transparency and Protection on the Façade with Fire-Rated Curtain Walls
Achieving Transparency and Protection on the Façade with Fire-Rated Curtain Walls
Publication: Building Enclosure
>>
Article
Demystifying Passive Fire Protection: Fire-Rated Glass and Retrofits
Demystifying Passive Fire Protection: Fire-Rated Glass and Retrofits
Publication: BUILDINGS
>>
Article
Product Innovation Awards - TGProtect
Product Innovation Awards - TGProtect
Publication: BUILDINGS
>>
Article
Seeing through with Safety
Seeing through with Safety
Publication: Architectural West
>>
Case Study
Costco Wholesale Corporate Headquarters Campus
Costco Wholesale Corporate Headquarters Campus
Issaquah, WA
>>
Video
Fireframes Support Visual Connection and Occupant Safety at Costco HQ
Fireframes Support Visual Connection and Occupant Safety at Costco HQ
Costco’s newly renovated headquarters in Issaquah, Wash., prioritizes visual connection and occupant safety. Sam Berg, Territory Manager at Technical Glass Products (TGP), is on site to explain how Fireframes® Curtainwall Series and Fireframes Designer Series Doors support these goals.
>>
Case Study
Alan Magee Scaife Hall at University of Pittsburgh
Alan Magee Scaife Hall at University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
>>
Article
The Mettle of Metal
The Mettle of Metal
Publication: Metal Architecture
>>
Article
Spotlight on Fire-Rated Glazing Installations
Spotlight on Fire-Rated Glazing Installations
Publication: US Glass
>>
Article
An Answer 35 years in the Making
An Answer 35 years in the Making
Publication: Life Safety Digest
>>
Expert Insights
Answering the Question: Why Can't Glass be Fireproof?
Answering the Question: Why Can't Glass be Fireproof?
Creating a safe environment for occupants is so important that councils and associations have developed building codes to ensure each building fulfills certain baseline requirements. In turn, independ...
>>
Expert Insights
Creating Clarity: Are There Disadvantages to Fire-Rated Glass?
Creating Clarity: Are There Disadvantages to Fire-Rated Glass?
Fire-rated glass allows designs that would have been difficult, if not impossible, decades ago. Whereas previously, fire- and life-safety code requirements were only achievable with opaque materials o...
>>
Article
Balancing Act
Balancing Act
Publication: USGlass Magazine
>>
Article
A Dramatic Shift
A Dramatic Shift
Publication: Door Security + Safety
>>
Case Study
Schine Student Center
Schine Student Center
Syracuse, NY
>>
Article
Architects Redesign Syracuse University Student Center
Architects Redesign Syracuse University Student Center
Publication: Glass Magazine
>>
Expert Insights
Glass is in Session: Specifying Fire-Rated Glazing for Educational Settings
Glass is in Session: Specifying Fire-Rated Glazing for Educational Settings
Due to the well-studied evidence that access to daylight supports academic success, glass has become a mainstay in school design. It can help bring light into a school’s interior and support the colla...
>>
Article
William R. Murchie Science Building
William R. Murchie Science Building
Publication: Retrofit
>>
Expert Insights
Achieving 24/7 Protection with Fire-Resistant Glazing
Achieving 24/7 Protection with Fire-Resistant Glazing
Towards the end of the 19th century, the building and insurance industries were at a crossroads—electricity had just begun brightening factories, stores and other commercial buildings, but it also pre...
>>
Article
Exterior Fire-Rated Glazing Code Compliance without Compromise
Exterior Fire-Rated Glazing Code Compliance without Compromise
Publication: Building Enclosure
>>
Video
Life Cycle Of A Project With TGP
Life Cycle Of A Project With TGP
Gain valuable insights into project life cycles at TGP and how collaboration is vital in completing a fire-rated glass or steel project.
>>
Expert Insights
In Profile: How Narrow, Fire-Rated Frames Support School Building Design
In Profile: How Narrow, Fire-Rated Frames Support School Building Design
The majority of a child’s time is spent at school, second only to sleep, according to a recent report from the Federal Reserve. Creating a learning environment that meets fire- and life-safety code re...
>>
Article
Fire-Rated Glass Satisfies Code Requirements and Design Intent in Science Building
Fire-Rated Glass Satisfies Code Requirements and Design Intent in Science Building
Publication: Life Safety Digest
>>
Article
External Stairwell Meets Retrofit’s Fire-Safety and Design Requirements
External Stairwell Meets Retrofit’s Fire-Safety and Design Requirements
Publication: Life Safety Digest
>>
Article
Fire-Rated Glass in Stairwell Enclosures
Fire-Rated Glass in Stairwell Enclosures
Publication: Walls & Ceilings
>>
Article
Syracuse Glass Co. to Distribute TGP Fire-Rated Glass Products
Syracuse Glass Co. to Distribute TGP Fire-Rated Glass Products
Publication: USGlass
>>
Article
419 Occidental Avenue, Seattle
419 Occidental Avenue, Seattle
Publication: Retrofit
>>
Case Study
W. R. Murchie Science Building
W. R. Murchie Science Building
Flint, MI
>>
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