FTI World Congress 2026 – Connecting with the global façade community
At Façade Tectonics World Congress 2026 in Pittsburgh, BM Windows continued to strengthen its connection with the international façade community — not only by expanding its global presence, but also by learning from the industry, raising its own standards, and bringing Vietnamese engineering experience and expertise into a broader professional dialogue.
Organized by the Facade Tectonics Institute (FTI), World Congress is a major forum for the architecture, engineering and construction community in North America and beyond. The 2026 edition brought together nearly 300 professionals and more than 130 research proposals addressing some of the key issues shaping the future of façade design and delivery.
From design, materials and technology to building performance and sustainability, the Congress created a space where research and practical experience could be shared, challenged and developed through dialogue.
Representing BM Windows, G. Michael Schmidt – Engineering Director and Lam Quang Phuc Anh – Design Manager presented “Design Challenges of an Iconic Window Wall Curtain Wall”, while also joining discussions with façade professionals, academics and industry practitioners from different markets.
For BM Windows, the value of the event extended beyond knowledge exchange. It was also an opportunity to reflect on the company’s own capabilities against a broader international benchmark.
“The value of FTI lies in bringing together professionals from different disciplines across the façade industry to exchange knowledge and introduce new technologies. It is a meaningful platform for BM Windows not only to learn, but also to share the value and capabilities we can contribute to the façade industry." - G. Michael Schmidt, Engineering Director, BM Windows
For BM Windows, international engagement is not only about entering new markets or delivering projects overseas. It is also about strengthening capability from within.
The company continues to create opportunities for its engineers, particularly younger team members, to engage directly with international professional environments, learn from different approaches, exchange ideas with experienced specialists and gain a deeper understanding of the standards and practices shaping the industry globally.
The conversations in Pittsburgh will continue to inform BM Windows’ work across design, engineering, manufacturing and people development, bringing new perspectives back into day-to-day practice.
This is also part of a longer-term ambition: not only to bring Vietnamese façade products to international projects, but to make Vietnamese knowledge, engineering capability and professional expertise an increasingly visible part of the global façade community.
“BM Windows places strong emphasis on developing the next generation of engineers through training, hands-on project experience and opportunities for international learning. Attending FTI World Congress allows us to engage directly with advanced technologies and understand how leading professionals approach complex challenges, so we can bring those insights back and apply them to our work.” - Lam Quang Phuc Anh, Design Manager, BM Windows
