Mr. Havel was one of a pair of unlikely Czech immigrants to Ireland who together revived the Waterford glass industry after a century’s dormancy.

In an emerging trend, owners of middle-aged office buildings are refitting their facades with full-floor glass to provide better energy efficiency and an updated appearance.

Attempts are underway to make glassmaking, an old, stable technology that requires lots of material and energy, greener.

The specialty glass maker, said its first-quarter profit tripled to more than $1 billion on demand for glass used in flat-screen televisions and laptop computers.