Bringing It Together: Green and Sustainability Committee Gathers Information

The green and sustainability committee held one of the largest meetings of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). Committee chair Steve Fronek of Apogee heard reports from the various subcommittee and task group chairs.

Among the highlights of the meeting was a report from Dave Moyer of Architectural Testing, chair of the procedural guide task group, who noted that the group is in a bit of a holding pattern, trying to develop a procedure for a specification that's not complete yet.

"The procedural guide task group is doing what we can, but we're kind of the tail on the dog and the dog isn't there," he said. "I'm wondering if we might be a little premature in our efforts."

Moyer recommended that the group hold on its efforts until the spec is complete. Fronek called on Tracy Rogers of Edgetech, who chairs the green and sustainability specification development task group, how long he expected the specification to take. Rogers said that with many comments and balloting still in the future, it likely would not be complete for about a year.

John Lewis, AAMA technical director, expressed some concern about this timeframe.

"It looks like we're looking at a year and a half or so until this is complete, but we could be facing a different world a year from now," Lewis said.

Brent Slaton of Keymark, who chairs the aluminum sustainability task group, questioned the motivation to push the program through so quickly.

"I'd think we'd like to give it a little thought and do it right the first time," he said.

Fronek agreed.

Lewis noted, though, that often, the program that emerges first is the leader in a given area; for example, he noted that of the Green Globes, the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) green building programs, he expects eventually the USGBC's is the one that will last, as it was the first to make strides.

"Being the leader in this for fenestration is what's important," Lewis said.

But, Rogers argued, the way the process for developing standards within the association has been set up prevents rushing a document through-and with reason.

"The process doesn't allow it," he said. "I could ask the people involved to put their thoughts aside in the interest of time, but that will end up taking longer."

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