American Architectural Manufacturers Association

May 16, 2012

NFRC Independent Verification Program Nears Launch

True to the EPA initiative to employ market-based testing to verify continued compliance of ENERGY STAR^®-rated products, the ENERGY STAR Windows, Doors and Skylights program has established new requirements for the sampling and verification testing of products as they are sold in the marketplace.

May 16, 2012

California Poised to Issue 2013 Title 24 Building Efficiency Standards

The California Energy Commission is in the final stages of adopting changes to the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards contained in the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 24, Part 6 (also known as the California Energy Code). The revised standards were approved May 9, 2012 and are scheduled to take effect in January 2014.

May 15, 2012

NAFS-11 Changes Highlighted

AAMA Western Region members received an overview of the changes brought about by NAFS-11 (AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440-11), courtesy of Kim Flanary (Milgard), Immediate Past President of the AAMA Western Region.

May 15, 2012

The U.S. Economic Outlook

During the AAMA Western Region 2012 Spring Meeting, Dr. Esmael Adibi, Director of the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research and Anderson Chair of Economic Analysis at Chapman University, provided an update on the U.S. economic outlook.

May 15, 2012

BIM: An Accelerating Game Changer

"Building Information Modeling will change everything," said Dennis Neeley (SmartBIM), noting that "the change is becoming very evident [and] is happening at unprecedented speed." During his presentation at the AAMA Western Region 2012 Spring Meeting (April 10-11), Neeley shared his analysis of the rapidly evolving acceptance and use of BIM.

April 27, 2012

AAMA's Western Region Commits to Education and Engagement

AAMA's Western Region Board has made a commitment to education and networking among industry professionals. At the Western Region 2012 Spring Meeting, held in Portland, OR, April 10-11, meeting attendees had the opportunity to hear from experts on industry topics, as well as take part in an immersive learning experience via a tour of the Cardinal IG Hood River Facility.

December 21, 2011

Fall Webinar Features Green Marketing Tips

George Middleton, AIA, CSI, LEED AP, gave an overview of how to meet the challenge of educating architects and specifiers on meeting today’s green challenges.

December 21, 2011

Code Update Presented During Fall Webinar

On November 15, the AAMA Western Region sponsored a Fall Webinar, featuring topics covering code requirements and green attributes. AAMA’s code consultant, Julie Ruth, PE, provided an overview of the status of I-code referencing by Western Region states, as well as an overview of code requirements affecting windows, doors and skylights. Consultant George Middleton then provided some valuable tips on reaching architects and specifiers regarding the green characteristics of fenestration products.

December 21, 2011

California Building Materials Manufacturer to Pay $1.4 million to Settle Clean Air Act Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that CalPortland Company (CPC), a major producer of Portland cement and building materials in the United States, has agreed to pay a $1.425 million penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its cement plant in Mojave, Calif.

December 21, 2011

ENERGY STAR Tightens Requirements

Given the energy-saving benefits of high-performance fenestration and the positive influence it has on our industry, AAMA has joined others in urging a resumption of the tax credits that expired at the end of last year. These tax credits were, and future credits are likely to be, tied to performance levels dictated by the ENERGY STAR® program, which continues to tighten its requirements.