UrbanGlass

Brooklyn, NY

UrbanGlass  is one of the country's longest-running and most prominent public-access glass studios, providing open-access studio space, equipment, and education to artists working in glass and related materials. Founded in 1977 in Brooklyn, New York, UrbanGlass serves thousands of students and studio members annually through classes, residencies, and public programs, and presents exhibitions and events that advance critical and creative engagement with glass as an art form. The organization's Brooklyn facility houses an exceptional array of industrial-scale glass equipment that drives significant energy use.

A 2026 FCI Scoping Grant will support a feasibility study assessing furnace efficiency, environmental comfort in studios, and heat-recovery strategies that could benefit both UrbanGlass's facility and adjacent buildings. The study will identify opportunities to reduce the energy-intensive demands of glassmaking while improving working conditions and providing a model for sustainable practices in industrial studio arts.