Decorative Glass - AugSeptOct2009

August/September/October 2009

Decorative Discussions

Thinking Holistically
How to Be Green With Decorative Glass Products
by Kris Vockler

The Decorative Division of the Glass Association of North America (GANA) will soon release a free document that illustrates the many ways that decorative glazing promotes a green environment in buildings. Titled “White Paper on the Relevance of Decorative Glass Products to the U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Rating System,” this document shows how relevant decorative glass is in today’s green movement and how it can help a project earn LEED™ Version 3 certification points.

Credit Possibilities
First, here is a list of the possible credits you can earn under LEED with decorative glazing:

• Energy and Atmosphere, EA Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance;

• Materials and Resources, MR Credit 4.1: Recycled Content – 10 percent;

• Materials and Resources, MR Credit 4.2: Recycled Content – 20 percent;

• Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ Credit 6.1: Controllability of Systems: Lighting;

• Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ Credit 8.1: Daylight and Views: Daylight 75 percent of Spaces;

• Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ Credit 8.2: Daylight and Views: Views for 90 percent of Spaces;

• Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ Credit 9: Enhanced Acoustical Performance;

• Innovation in Design, ID Credit 1: Innovation in Design;

• Indoor Environmental Quality, IEQ Credit 4.2: Low Emitting Materials: Paints and Coatings; and

• Regional Priority, RP Credit 1: Regional Priority.

“ Architects and designers have the power and responsibility to
specify products that will offer a holistic look at the process. Choose products
that do not emit VOCs or heavy metals during the manufacturing stage regardless
of whether they earn LEED credits. ”

Beginning to End
Most project managers will first look at what decorative glass (in its finished form) can do for their projects aesthetically. The green aspect, though, adds a greater benefit to the project, from both appearances as well the production process.

There are many different ways to manufacture decorative glass, and one consideration is whether a project can earn LEED points as a result of those processes. By choosing decorative glass products that offer such points, certification can become easier (which is great!). The ability to determine which products offer such benefits, though, can be a process itself.

Here’s an example: let’s say that the finished product utilizes a coating on the glass that, after being cured, offers no volatiles once installed. This should allow you to claim the credit for Low Emitting Materials. But here’s the real question: the United States Green Building Council (USGBC, the organization that administers LEED certification) doesn’t take into account how green the processes are at the plants where the glass was manufactured/fabricated. So, while that same coating used on the glass may be a “no-VOC” emitting product once the fabrication process is complete, how green was the product during the coating’s application stage? Can the finished product truly be considered green if its entire manufacturing process isn’t environmentally friendly?

Many coatings and products used on glass and other products today are not green during the fabrication stage, but when cured they offer no hazard to humans. But let’s not forget about our manufacturing/fabrication plants. Architects and designers have the power and responsibility to specify products that will offer a holistic look at the process. Choose products that do not emit VOCs or heavy metals during the manufacturing stage regardless of whether they earn LEED credits.

Here are some possible issues to consider when looking for green or sustainable products:

• Are the coatings, paints or other products used on the glass environmentally friendly themselves?

• How low is the VOC rating for a coating or paint, and what impact will it have on the people working in those plants? Remember, this is a 50/50 partnership and fabricators should be looking for greener alternatives that perform the same as the less environmentally friendly products; architects and designers must be pushing for greener products that perform the same, too.

• Are the products free of heavy metals, isocyanate, formaldehyde, etc?

• If a chemical in the process of creating the decorative glazing product is hazardous, choose fabricators with a history of ensuring safety and proper disposal of wastes. Reputation is important to many and tells much about a company.

Sustainable Thinking
As we evolve into a more environmentally friendly world, how we manufacture products should change and become greener, too. We have already seen manufacturers in the glass industry moving in this direction, which bodes well for all of us. While not every product can be made purely green or sustainable today, being more conscious of how we do things will at least get us closer to the goal of being environmentally friendly throughout the process.

Many of today’s glass plants, most of which are members of GANA, have changed their manufacturing processes to be healthier for their employees and communities. We need to recognize this and reward it by continually scrutinizing the current chain of products for today’s modern buildings. Why pick a product that was hazardous and full of VOCs while it was being manufactured just because it is no longer hazardous once installed? Thinking green and sustainable means to think holistically. Always remember the saying: “Think globally, act locally.”

Kris Vockler is vice president of ICD High Performance Coatings in Vancouver, Wash., and chair of the GANA decorative division. Ms. Vockler’s opinions are solely her own and not necessarily those of this magazine.