Networking has always been an important part of Greenbuild and this year’s convention in Washington, D.C., was no exception. Making new contacts is great, but it is equally important to maintain existing relationships. These day it is possible to have highly functional collaborative relationships with vendors, consultants, and partners you have never met or seldom interact with in person, making the chance to say hello face to face even more important. Here are a few exhibitors GA staff members Steve Meima, LEED Green Assoc., executive director, and Susan Hines, LEED Green Assoc., director of stewardship and industry affairs sought out at GreenBuild to further existing relationships.
American Technical Publishers (ATP) is the GA’s publisher and operates our online Bookstore. The GA’s flagship publication GA-600 Fire Resistance and Sound Control Design Manual is made available through the technical expertise of dedicated member companies representatives and the publishing and distribution expertise of ATP. ATP also provides layout and design for our free technical publications. As a USGBC Education Partner the company produces numerous learning aids including a LEED Green Associate™ Exam Preparation Guide. For individuals seeking LEED AP certification they offer LEED AP® BD+C Exam Preparation Guide and LEED AP® O+M Study Cards. Shown at right are Peter Zurlis and and Carl Hansen of ATP.
The GA and its members are very active with the International Code Council (ICC). In addition, the GA provides continuing education for code officials through the ICC’s Preferred Provider Program. We stopped by the ICC booth to talk about the International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC) and, of course the International Green Construction Code (IgCC). We also discussed GA concerns about code officials’ mistaken application of OSHA’s National Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) program to gypsum panels and systems.
As members of the Construction and Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) Steve and Susan looked forward to seeing Becky Caldwell, CDRA’s executive director. Despite the area’s notorious traffic, Becky made the most of her time in the Washington, D.C., by visiting some of her members’ recycling facilities. At the CDRA booth discussion center on the challenges and opportunities associated with recycling building products. While hauling distances, economics, and contamination concerns can be problems, the hard working entrepreneurs who comprise CDRA’s members are able to identify strategies that make recycling work for themselves and their customers.
Finally, a stop at SmartEPD to check in with Founder/CEO Anna Lasso who had just given a presentation on the expo floor. The GA has begun the work of revising its Product Category Rules (PCR) for gypsum panels. Revisions occur every five years. As the association’s program operator, SmartEPD has kept the work on track via monthly calls with a PCR committee comprised of industry representatives and sustainability professional from the public and private sectors. Despite working together for months, it was the first time GA staff had met Anna.
After talking about the revision process and the success of the committee so far as well sharing perspectives on how GreenBuild had changed over the years, Steve had to run to catch lunch with another association executive. Susan, however, eyed the chairs the SmartEPD’s booth and asked to sit down while she waiting for her lunch date to arrive. Greenbuild is great for networking but a little hard on the feet.