For anyone needing a high-quality compilation of green terms, the Metal Construction Association has created a solution. It is MCA’s compilation of Green Industry Definitions, which now is accessible in the Sustainable Design section of the association’s Web site, www.metalconstruction.org.
This comprehensive, easy-to-understand list fills a need for companies who want to appropriately market products for the sustainable design movement, those trying to gather a better understanding of the terms, and building owners who want to be sure they use the right language in developing or marketing a high performance building.
The Green Industry Definitions help clear any confusion about similar terms and acronyms. It defines BEES; details carbon emissions, carbon footprint and carbon offsets; and explains carbon neutral, climate neutral, downcycle, DSIRE, E-scale, LCA, LLC, LCI sustainability, and sustainable design, and much more.
The tool was initially developed for MCA members, but fills a broader need. “It’s important to have a starting point to help MCA member companies understand the terminology and definitions of the green building market. It’s a great point of reference and a good tool to build on for the entire industry,” says Brian Partyka, chair of the MCA Sustainability Council and president of Drexel Metals, Ivyland, PA.
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MCA’s Sustainability Council is designed to be a platform through which metal’s green attributes can be promoted outside of the metal construction industry. The council’s activities, which began in 2008, include assisting members with: marketing their products as green, becoming more sustainable in their operations, and understanding the latest strategies, trends and tools used by the green-building industry.
The council also represents MCA in coordinating sustainability initiatives with related organizations, such as the Copper Development Association, American Zinc Association, National Coil Coating Association, and the National Roofing Contractors Association.
MCA is an organization of manufacturers and suppliers whose metal products are used in structures throughout the world. It promotes the use of metal in construction through education, marketing, technical programs, monitoring of industry issues, and achievement awards. MCA’s next national meeting is January 24-26, 2010 in Naples, FL.
MCA’s flagship event is the METALCON International Exhibition and Conference. The 19th annual METALCON runs October 6-8, 2009 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center. It features an exhibition of the latest products from more than 250 companies, a comprehensive education program with AIA credit courses, and live-action demonstration of the latest field techniques. Sustainability is the topic of many education sessions and a major component of the exhibit floor, including Green Island, which features metal products for sustainable design and Solar Bay, which has full scale set-ups of solar technologies that integrate with metal into the building envelope, and daily education sessions about the systems and the market. For more details, visit www.metalcon.com.
