UL Environment Acquires GREENGUARD Environmental Institute | News | Healthcare Design
Greenguard Press Release
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Renewing our Green Commitment
Here is a fun video from Ken Mergentime, Sign and Digital Graphics Magazine. As business picks back up in 2011 we all need to continue being environmentally conscious in our businesses.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sustainability Committee
The ISA Sustainability Committee which was a Subcommittee until late 2010 is set to achieve a variety of goals this year. 2010 was a an important year for the committee establishing itself as a legitimate committee set to tackle various sustainability issues and become a resource for the sign industry.
The committee is made up of a diverse group of industry professionals from various backgrounds. The complete list of members is below. Also listed below is an inside look at a few of the committees goals.
I. ISA 2011 Strategic Plan pertaining to the Sustainability Committee
The safety, quality and acceptance of industry products, services, and performance will
improve as a result of ISA sponsored research and influence in industry standards and guidelines.
Objective 1: Expand outreach efforts to standard setting and regulatory groups, and develop cooperative training initiatives that address signage and visual communication standards.
Objective 2: Improve outreach efforts to affiliated industries/associations to gather
technical and training knowledge.
Objective 3: Increase ISA research capabilities in support of industry positions.
Objective 4: Improve ISA’s and industry’s understanding and documentation of best
practices in the signage and visual communications industry.
II. 2011 Program Initiatives
Sustainability Committee Mission Statement: Position ISA as a leader in sustainability in the sign industry, reflecting support of people, planet, and profits as a whole.
Program Initiative I: Develop industry positions and sponsor research to respond to sustainability challenges and government regulation.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Research, report, respond, and train on environmental regulatory issues at the local, state and federal level.
Program Initiative II: Encourage and communicate the positive environmental choices available to the on-premise sign industry.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Create content to appear regularly in trade publications and online media and social networks.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Enhance and develop the Green Product Showcase.
Program Initiative III: Position ISA as the resource for sustainability in the sign industry.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Continue review of existing literature and standards to better understand sustainability issues pertaining to ISA members.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Increase ISA research capabilities in support of industry positions.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Create additional, online resource for sign industry re: sustainability issues and definitions.
Program Inititative IV: Establish cooperative partnerships with relevant industry organizations
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Partner/join/sponsor appropriate organizations to strengthen resources available to our stakeholders on sustainability issues as they affect the sign industry.
- SC Strategic Program Initiative: Develop a cooperative Sustainability Summit with participation of relevant organizations and stakeholders.
The 4th relates to building actual resources and case studies. This initiative is an opportunity for other companies to participate and share information about different things being done today regarding sustainability. Anyone who has something to share should contact Sapna Budev.
Environmental Committee Members
Teresa M. Young, Chair, Sign Biz, Inc. – Chair
Sapna Budev – ISA Staff Director
Grady Brown , ASI corporate
Beth Gillespie, Acorn Signs & Graphics
Anne-Marie Girard, Akzo Nobel
Melanee Jech, Icon Identity Solution
Carol Keljo, Security Signs
Jason Melby, Daktronics
Kerry Moore, CAO Group
Harry Niese, Midwest Neon Supply
Mike Santos, Nova Polymers
Sapna Budev – ISA Staff Director
Grady Brown , ASI corporate
Beth Gillespie, Acorn Signs & Graphics
Anne-Marie Girard, Akzo Nobel
Melanee Jech, Icon Identity Solution
Carol Keljo, Security Signs
Jason Melby, Daktronics
Kerry Moore, CAO Group
Harry Niese, Midwest Neon Supply
Mike Santos, Nova Polymers
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
How To Be A Green Sign Company
In the January issue of Sign Builder Illustrated there is a Green Supplement that has several articles related to green issues including one that I wrote called "How To Be A Green Sign Company."
As we move into 2011 there is still a lot of uncertainty around what companies need to do to be more environmentally conscious. This article along with the other articles in this issue give insight into what other companies are doing which hopefully inspires you to do the same.
After reading my article a college had the following comments which I thought I'd share - "When you look at green the easiest way to accomplish large goals is to be minimalistic about your approach- If you re-evaluate your product line and ask Do I need this or how can I condense this product - that is where the win – win comes from - Saving money and reducing resources."
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Code Council Offers Complimentary Download of New IGCC Version 2.0
The International Code Council has launched Version 2.0 of the International Green Construction Code for use as a jurisdictional tool to regulate green construction, and as a document for comment leading into the 2011 Code Development and Final Action hearings. You may access IGCC PV 2.0, including excerpts of the code’s Water Provisions as free downloads, on the Code Council’s website at www.iccsafe.org/igccv2. Public Version 2.0 reflects the work of the IGCC Public Hearings Committee, which conducted a review of 1,500 comments and nearly 120 hours of testimony during eight days of public hearings during August 2009 in Chicago.
The IGCC applies to new and existing, traditional and high-performance commercial buildings. It includes ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1 as an alternative compliance requirement. Coordinated with the ICC family of codes, the IGCC is designed to go beyond traditional code requirements for those communities who are aggressively pursuing a sustainable goal.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Maintaining the Green Learning Curve by Beth Gillispie
Anyone invested in sustainable design and products, especially in the fields of architecture and design as well as signage, knows that new ideas, products, and applications are emerging every day. The challenge is to maintain our “green learning curve” in the midst of our busy lives. It helps to network with like minded colleagues who are also passionate about sustainability, and it helps to stay connected with vendors, associations, and publications with a focus on green building.
I have found that one of the easiest ways to get a daily dose of inspiration and keep my learning curve strong is to use the internet to do the research for me. You can stay current with just a few minutes every day (easier than an exercise routine!) by setting up a free GoogleAlerts account. Type in your key words, and each day Google will send you articles available on the web with those key words. For example, I have set up “green friendly signage” and “environmentally friendly signs” as some of my topics. Those of you who follow sports teams or other specific topics know that this is similar to having your own personal news delivered to your email each day. The items are not always relevant, but there are often some jewels amidst the cyberspace asteroids, and for the few minutes it takes to scan the results you just might see an application that not only lifts your learning curve, but also your ability to innovate and provide more sustainable solutions yourself.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
JOIN the ISA Sustainability Subgroup on LinkedIn
The ISA Sustainability Committee (formerly ISA Environmental Subcommittee) has created a group on LinkedIn that will follow the work of the committee and discuss industry related events and topics.
The Sustainability Committee has aggrressive plans for 2011 and would like to hear from as many people as possible on all issues relating to sustainability and signage. The more people who get involved the better the committee can serve the industry at large.
CLICK HERE to join and make sure to tell a friend!
The Sustainability Committee has aggrressive plans for 2011 and would like to hear from as many people as possible on all issues relating to sustainability and signage. The more people who get involved the better the committee can serve the industry at large.
CLICK HERE to join and make sure to tell a friend!
Zero Net Energy
Below is an interesting video that is posted in the Video Library on Architectural Record's website. The video is about a zero net energy house - nothing to do with signage or EGD but still interesting.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Sustainability Survey: EGD Getting Greener, but Challenges Remain
In September, the SEGD conducted a members survey regarding the incorporation of sustainable practices in projects. Over 86% of respondents said they are trying to incorporate sustainable practices in their work with a range of approaches, from direct-to-substrate printing to maximizing the use of local materials, using materials with high recycled content levels, and designing modular elements when possible.
The survey yielded great results and insight. Universities, Museums and Healthcare ranked as the top three market segments for sustainable project.
The survey results are posted on SEGD’s Green Resource Guide site.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Sustainable Design Studio Open House in Richmond
Yesterday I attended an open house at Acorn Sign Graphics for their new design studio which is located across the street from their fabricating facility in Richmond, VA. The studio incorporates a variety of green and sustainable strategies and show cases the many green solutions Acorn provides.
Acorn has been a leader in green and sustainable design by not only designing green signage but also in the way they run their business and treat their employees. The design studio shows how companies can incorporate green in their every day businesses.
Below is a short video that highlights many of the green features of the studio. My favorite is the conference room door which uses all recycled or re-used component.
Monday, October 4, 2010
A New Life for Plastics
| GreenBiz.com is hosting another interesting webinar on plastics and bioplastics. Below is a brief summary. CLICK here to register. A New Life for Plastics: End-of-life Solutions in the Age of Greener Materials | ||
 | ||
| October 5, 2010, 8:30 AM PDT / 11:30 AM EDT Plastics in the waste stream have long been a concern, and companies have been finding new ways to address this challenge. After all, why must a polymer that has the potential to last thousands of years in the environment be used in single-use packaging applications? Many companies are now turning to biopolymers instead of traditional petrochemical-based plastics to address waste management challenges and create localized energy. Biobased plastics can degrade in two ways: in oxygen-laden environments, and in environments that lack oxygen. Certain biopolymers have been shown to have characteristics that allow them to degrade in an industrial composting setting. This free, one-hour webcast will shine a light on how global biotechnology and chemical firms are driving innovation to help find a solution to plastics in the waste stream. Join us as we explore recent trends in the plastics industry, including:
You will learn:
|
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)