Why Your Bird-Friendly Glass Spec Is Probably Wrong | Geoff Shellard | Cutting Edge Install Ep 16

Welcome back to the Cutting Edge Install Podcast — brought to you by Omni Cubed, where innovation meets installation and everything in between. Host Merv Campbell sits down with Geoff Shellard, Regional Architectural Design Manager at Guardian Glass, for a wide-ranging and deeply insightful conversation about education, community, and the evolving responsibilities of the glazing industry. From Geoff’s unconventional journey through marketing, construction, remediation, and even award-winning karaoke, to his leadership role across North America, this episode is packed with real-world perspective and hard-earned wisdom. A major focus of the discussion centers on bird-friendly glass — what it is, why it matters, where projects go wrong, and how better education, early collaboration, and thoughtful specification can prevent costly mistakes while protecting wildlife. Geoff breaks down the technology, myths, and best practices behind bird-safe glazing, while also addressing performance, aesthetics, code requirements, and real-world budget pressures. In this episode, you’ll also hear them dive into: How education bridges gaps between architects, fabricators, and glaziers Why bird-friendly glass is both a design and PR conversation Common specification mistakes — and how to avoid them Balancing solar performance, aesthetics, and bird safety The importance of community in the trades Career paths, mentorship, and advice for the next generation Why passion, humor, and storytelling matter in leadership Thoughtful, practical, and refreshing, this episode is a must-listen for architects, glaziers, fabricators, specifiers, and anyone invested in smarter, more responsible building design. Learn more about Omni Cubed: https://omnicubed.com/ Learn more about Guardian Glass: https://www.guardianglass.com/ Chapters (00:00:03) - Cutting Edge Install Podcast(00:01:18) - Andrew Herring on Celebrating the Glass Industry(00:08:14) - The journey of becoming a regional architectural design manager(00:10:55) - Teaching Glass and Molding(00:15:24) - What Keeps the Glazers Together(00:18:47) - Glass Designer on Bird-Friendly Glass(00:22:04) - Bird-Friendly Glass(00:27:17) - What Makes a Bird Friendly Building?(00:32:33) - What is your proudest glazing project?(00:35:45) - What Is Your Karaoke Song Favorite?(00:40:12) - Best Practices for Solar and Bird Safety(00:44:39) - Open Communication between Architects, Glazers(00:47:55) - The Conversation Around Bird Safety(00:51:44) - Flying Blind: The Cut and Paste(00:55:25) - A Taste of the Concert(00:55:55) - Jimmy Kimmel on Advice For Students(00:59:36) - Jeff Greene on A Wealth of Knowledge(01:01:06) - Cutting Edge