Building efficient, air-conditioned glass structures in a sub-tropical environment is one of the biggest issues facing Houston contractors. It requires an on-going search for new materials and new construction methods. These two innovative projects bracket the solutions used in the last half of the 20th century.

At 71 stories (with four more beneath ground level), Wells Fargo is the tallest composite building in the U.S. The oval design called for a steel structure clad in green reflective glass. The total construction vies with the Chase Tower for the title of Houston’s tallest skyscraper.

The Gibralter Building was the first Modern glass office building in Houston. To deal with the heat and humidity, the six-story structure was built with heat-absorbing solar gray glass. The glass on two walls was later replaced with silver reflective glass.