Three products introduced by PPG Industries in 2014 were chosen among the best new products of the year in an annual competition held by Architectural Record magazine, one of the industry’s most widely-read trade publications.

DURANAR GR (graffiti-resistant) and CORAFLON GR coatings for architectural metal were selected in the “Finishes and Surfacing” category. SOLARBAN z75 solar control, low-emissivity (low-e) glass was chosen in the category of “Facades.”

Duranar GR and Coraflon GR coatings are based on the same fluoropolymer formulations that have made conventional Duranar and Coraflon coatings popular with architects for decades. Both function as factory-applied clearcoats over the pigmented layer of a metal coating to create a graffiti-resistant barrier that may be wiped clean with DURAPREP Prep 400 graffiti remover by PPG.

In addition to protecting coated surfaces from spray paint, Duranar GR low- and medium-gloss coatings and Coraflon GR high-gloss coatings enable the removal of pen and marker ink, bugs, tar, scuff marks and other substances that mar the appearance of commercial buildings. The PPG graffiti-removal system is believed to be the only one tested and sold by the same company.

Solarban z75 glass, a popular international product that debuted in North America last year, features a neutral, cool-gray tint together with visible light transmittance (VLT) of 48 percent, a solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of 0.24 and an exceptional light-to-solar-gain (LSG) ratio of 2.00.

Because Solarban z75 glass has low exterior reflectance of 9 percent, it harmonizes well with other building materials and color-neutral, low-e glasses such as Solarban z50, Solarban 67 and Solarban R100 glasses. It is ideal for warmer climate zones with high air-conditioning demands and is certified at the Silver level by the CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFIED(CM) program.

Architectural Record magazine’s best new products of the year are selected by a panel of six jurors who rate them according to innovation, usefulness and – where applicable – aesthetics. Duranar GR coatings, Coraflon GR coatings and Solarban z75 glass were chosen from among 500 products in eight categories encompassing facades, openings, lighting and electrical, finishes and surfacing, kitchen and bath, furnishings, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), and outdoor and recreational.