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At a groundbreaking event, Vitro Architectural Glass and the National Aviary announced that Vitro Architectural Glass is a contributing sponsor to restoration of the historic Wetlands exhibit on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Vitro is donating more than 20,000 square feet of Starphire Ultra-Clear® glass for the project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

Introduced in 1990 and manufactured in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Starphire Ultra-Clear® glass is the clearest, most transparent commercial float glass available with visible light transmittance (VLT) of 91 percent in a standard ¼-inch (6 millimeter) thick lite.

A portion of the donated Starphire® glass will be AviProtek® glass created in conjunction with Walker Glass. An acid-etched pattern on the exterior surface of the glass will maximize glass visibility to birds and minimize the risk of collision.

Ricardo Maiz, president, Vitro Architectural Glass, said sponsorship of the National Aviary project highlights Vitro Glass’s commitment to their core values of community involvement and environmental protection.

“Vitro is proud of its longstanding relationship with the National Aviary, having, in the recent past, donated glass to the renovation of the Tropical Rainforest exhibit and the Garden Room,” said Maiz. “The Aviary is one of Pittsburgh’s jewels and Vitro is honored to contribute the glass that will allow the Wetlands habitat to thrive for years to come.”

Maiz added that the revamped Wetlands exhibit will not only enhance the National Aviary’s status as a world-class attraction, but also further its mission to protect, care for and educate visitors about the vital role birds play in the life of the planet.

Built in 1969, the Wetlands is an expansive habitat surrounded by walls of paneled glass. The habitat has a warm, tropical feeling, with lush plants and a pond that spans the length of the room. The Wetlands habitat is home to diverse species, from familiar species like American Flamingos and Brown Pelicans, to lesser-known birds like Boat-billed Herons and Sunbitterns.

To learn more about Starphire Ultra-Clear® glass, visit  or call (855) VTRO-GLS (887-6457). For more information on AviProtek® glass, click .

About the National Aviary

The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds. Located in Allegheny Commons Park on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises more than 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through exhibits create an experience unlike any other – an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and meet many species rarely found in zoos anywhere else in the world.