Over the last twenty years we have worked with glass primarily with its application focused on structures. A summary of where this journey began and where it has taken us over this period will be a part of this paper along with an explanation of the goals that drove the research behind its development. Studies in the use of glass structurally have diversified in more recent times towards a wider consideration of new glass materials, such as thin glass, and their potential. [GRAPHICS] There is no doubt that in the last ten years there has been an increased focus on building envelope energy control. Glass, being an important part of this equation, is facing its biggest challenge yet to evolve into something that can efficiently participate in this necessary evolution. The tension between the human need of light in habitable buildings and the reduction of energy gain/loss through the transparency of glass is a paradox. The author's studies have focused on this paradox over the last two years in studying the role that glass plays in managing energy in building envelope, the integration of energy/light control within glass assemblies lies and ultimately within glass itself. The paper aims to capture the past, present, and future of glass in the fields of engineering applications for structures and building physics. Questions are posed as to where further studies are required, along with identifying on-going research that the author believes is of particular importance to future applications. Glass has a challenging future. It is a material that is uniquely coveted by human life in the fact that it provides shelter and light simultaneously. No other material can do this with the same level of solidity and robustness to ageing; it is essentially a natural material that people have a strong affinity with. And yet with the challenges we face on the planet, we must take responsibility for how we heat and cool our buildings such that energy is conserved. The use of glass is pinpointed as an easy way to help balance the equation. What does this mean to us as we face a future of buildings with less glass? What does this mean to the glass industry and the overall output of glass manufacture across the globe? A review of the future of glass is undertaken given these challenges and our overwhelming need for glass to play a part of our future as a civilization. Our physiological well-being depends on it and our architecture may no longer able to speak to the needs of humanity in the design of buildings. We all have a significant duty within our industry specialism to respond to these challenges, to accelerate our research. This means we must lobby those with influence and finance to participate, to recognize the challenges and support our research. Glass is already losing this battle with regards to its place in building envelope with the changing energy codes and so the importance of our focus on innovation for it to remain relevant is our biggest challenge yet.
