Association News: AAMA’s Fall Conference features keynote on emerging technology in fenestration, LCA update

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) National Fall Conference will be held in Baltimore, Oct. 27-30. Registration is open through Oct. 18 at http://www.aamanet.org. AAMA’s FenestrationMasters™ certification exams will be administered on-site during the conference.

The keynote speaker will be Karma Sawyer from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office (DOE BTO). Presentations will be shared by the Vinyl Institute, Sapa Extrusions for AAMA’s Aluminum Material Council, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on ENERGY STAR® criteria and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Additionally, updates will be reported by AAMA council, committees and task groups, including the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Oversight Committee.

The AAMA Fall Conference is generously supported by its sponsors. Zobel North America is the platinum sponsor. Silver sponsors are Formosa Plastics and Shintech. Bronze sponsors are Air-Ins, Dow Corning and Ritescreen. AAMA’s members also are encouraged to share their products and services during the Supplier Product Display.

Keynote: DOE Building Technologies Office – Mon., Oct. 28

Keynote presenter, Karma Sawyer is a technology manager and physical scientist in the DOE BTO’s Emerging Technologies Program, responsible for the fenestration and building envelope technology portfolios. She will present “Windows Emerging Technologies Portfolio in DOE’s Building Technologies Office.” The BTO has developed a windows and building envelope roadmap, including quantitative metrics, to inform the research and development activities that would need to occur by 2025 to achieve a 50 percent reduction in building energy use by 2030.

According to the BTO, “Next-generation window technologies must be developed with a specific emphasis achieving a market-acceptable installed cost to facility mass-market technology adoption.” The BTO’s analysis predicts that if the overall goal is met by 2030, buildings will consume 18 percent less energy from HVAC and refrigeration due to improvements in windows.

Special Presentations and Speakers – Tues., Oct. 29

The LCA Oversight Committee will update all conference attendees on the progress of the Joint Product Category Rules Task Group for windows. Key topics reviewed will include the scope of the fenestration products, the energy use phase calculations, life cycle inventory development and the product category rules (PCR) and environmental product declaration (EPD) approval processes.

The Vinyl Institute’s president and CEO Richard Doyle will provide an overview on recent initiatives and advocacy related to responsible manufacturing, life cycle management and value.

Aluminum Material Council presents “Aluminum: From the Ground to Aluminum Extrusion” with speaker Scott Condreay (Sapa Extrusions), senior manufacturing engineer.

Doug Anderson will discuss the “Latest Developments in Energy Star Criteria for Windows, Doors and Skylights.” As project manager of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Windows, Door and Skylight Program, he anticipates attendees will have particular interest in the methodology the EPA used to calculate homeowners’ return on investment in more energy-efficient fenestration products.

Steve Selkowitz, leader of the Windows and Envelope Materials Group at LBNL, will share “A Vision for Fenestration Performance in a Sustainable World.” During the presentation, he will describe a scenario where property owners “routinely feel good about investing more in higher performance, energy efficient windows that add to amenity, comfort, resilience and other marketable features.”

Other Conference Highlights

* FenestrationMasters program certification exams will be administered on Sun., Oct. 27, 2-4 p.m. for FenestrationAssociate™, and 2-5 p.m. for FenestrationMaster™, and on Wed., Oct. 30, Sun., Oct. 27, 8-10 a.m. for FenestrationAssociate and 8-11 a.m. for FenestrationMaster. For eligible candidates who register and attend the conference, no additional fees will be required to complete the exams. Visit www.aamanet.org/FenestrationMasters for more details.

* The Supplier Product Display and Reception will be held on Mon., Oct. 28.

* The Code Action Committee’s update on the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) and International Energy Conversation Code (IECC) will be reviewed by Julie Ruth, AAMA’s code consultant, on Wed., Oct. 30.

* The Certification Policy Committee and Rich Rinka, AAMA’s certification manager, report on the AAMA Procedural Guides related to the AAMA Certification Program, Wed., Oct. 30.

To learn more about the conference or to register, visit the AAMA National Fall Conference web page or contact Florica Vlad, AAMA’s senior coordinator of committee meetings. More information about AAMA and its activities can be found via the AAMA Media Relations page or on the AAMA website.

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Client News: Linetec expands anodize facility, increases capacity, grows staff; 30,000-square-foot building addition will be operational by the month’s end

Linetec, one the nation’s largest paint and anodize finishers, is building a 30,000-square-foot addition to its anodize facility in Wausau, Wis. To support the addition and growth of its business, the company also is increasing its anodize staff by more than 10 percent.
Linetec_Anodize_Expansion_web
By January 2014, a 33 percent increase in capacity for anodize finishing of architectural aluminum will be on-line and available. Examples of customers’ products include window and door systems, storefront framing, sun shades, light shelves, canopies, column covers, panels and flat sheets.

“We’re as busy as we’ve ever been,” said Linetec’s president, Rick Marshall. “This is the sixth building expansion in the past 10 years. We continue to grow and serve our customers with the quality and reliability that they’ve come to expect from Linetec.”

He continued, “Supporting our growth in capacity, we’re growing our staff, too. Not only are we filling the additional jobs due to our anodize expansion, but we’re also bringing on more people to meet the all-around increased demand for our finishing services.”

Unlike other finishes, anodizing highlights aluminum’s metallic appearance. Because it is an integral part of the substrate, the anodic coating results in a hard, durable substance providing excellent wear and abrasion resistance with minimal maintenance. Linetec also pioneered environmental innovations in anodize that resulted in its industry-leading, eco-friendly anodize process. Compared with traditional anodize, Linetec’s process reduces waste by as much as 90 percent, decreases energy use, creates recyclable byproducts and enhances the durability and lifecycle of the finished product.

Construction of Linetec’s anodize facility addition began in August and will be completed by the end of October. “We plan to be up and running before November. Along with extra capacity, the extra space gives us the opportunity to increase efficiency by streamlining our process, improving the workflow and enhancing productivity,” noted Andy Joswiak, Linetec’s vice president of operations.

Jon Close, Linetec’s vice president of sales, added, “We also are increasing our warehousing capacity to provide more room for our Linetec Managed Inventory program. This further benefits our customers by keeping their material on hand and providing just-in-time finishing; whatever they need, whenever they need it.”

In addition to expanding its capacity, Linetec also expanded its geographic reach. Earlier this year, it added more service and distribution routes, including its first regular route to Toronto, Canada.

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Client News: Douglas Osterberg, Appleton Coated’s head of research and development, named to succeed current CEO, Sandra Van Ert, as of Sept. 30

Sandra Van Ert, Appleton Coated president and chief executive officer, has resigned effective Sept. 30. Van Ert began her career wACU_DougOsterbergith the company more than 25 years ago, eventually becoming the company’s chief financial officer in 2000 and then its president and chief executive in 2010.

“We sincerely thank Sandy for her many years of dedication and service to Appleton Coated and the group,” commented Sequana’s chairman and chief executive officer, Pascal Lebard.

“I have great confidence in Doug [Osterberg] and the team and am very optimistic for the future of the company,” commented Van Ert.

Osterberg has worked extensively throughout the company’s operations and with customers throughout his 34 years with the company. He was instrumental in the company’s launch of its coated freesheet business in 1995, and has more recently led the company’s successful transition into several new product areas including coated inkjet papers. Osterberg graduated with a B.S. in forest products from the University of Minnesota and an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Osterberg stated, “I appreciate all that Sandy has accomplished during her tenure including advancing the recently announced cost restructuring project. We are positioning Appleton Coated to better serve its customers in the future, and I am excited to be leading the company forward.”

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Client News: Technoform Glass Insulation helps the Bullitt Center become the greenest commercial building in the world

TGI NA will be exhibiting at Greenbuild in booth #4137

Photos by Benjamin Benschneider, courtesy of Technoform Glass Insulation North America, IncTechnoform Glass Insulation North America, Inc., (TGI NA) is helping the Bullitt Center achieve its net-zero energy goals and to become the first commercial office building to earn Living Building Challenge (LBC) certification. Located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, the $18.5 million project opened on Earth Day, April 22, 2013 and intends to have the building last until 2263.

“The greenest commercial building in the world,” boasts the Bullitt Center’s website. Through the International Living Future Institute, LBC certification poses the most rigorous performance standards across the globe. Validation includes submitting 12 months of post-occupancy data to demonstrate annual operations for net-zero energy and water, plus a zero carbon footprint. Along with performance, LBC also requires a building to be useful, healthy and beautiful.

The six-story, 52,000-square-foot, Class A office building’s unusually tall 14-foot floor-to-floor heights are matched with equally impressive floor-to-ceiling operable window systems. These spacious, daylit areas provide expansive views of the downtown skyline and connect the building’s occupants with their surrounding environment.
Photos by Benjamin Benschneider, courtesy of Technoform Glass Insulation North America, Inc
Named for its owner, the Bullitt Foundation strives to safeguard the natural environment through promotion of responsible human activities and sustainable communities in the Pacific Northwest. Point32 served as the developer for the Foundation’s new headquarters. Sharing the Bullitt Foundation’s vision, Point32 selected Miller Hull Partnership as the architect and Schuchart Construction as the general contractor.

“The attention-getting elements of the Bullitt Center — 100% onsite renewable energy, water and waste management, as well as a safe, naturally day-lit and ventilated work environment built to last 250 years — follow from an equally exciting integrated design process that enabled us to move beyond the traditionally linear design, engineering and construction process to orchestrate a diverse team targeting the seemingly impossible together, right from the start,” said Craig Curtis, design partner with The Miller Hull Partnership.

Early in the project’s development, Washington-based glazing contractor Goldfinch Brothers involved glass fabricator Northwestern Industries to assist with performance calculations, color selection and other architectural support. The duo had teamed with Technoform Glass Insulation on previous projects. For the Bullitt Center, Northwestern Industries fabricated the glazing system using TGI NA’s TGI®-Spacer for Schüco curtainwall and operable window systems with PPG Solarban® 60.

“Everything went great in meeting the performance requirements and fabricating the dual- and triple-glazed units. Because of the tight job site, we were fabricating and shipping what was needed week-by-week,” says Brian Brunette, Northwestern Industries’ sales manager. “Technoform does a good job with their support and follow-up. They regularly checked in to make sure everything was going well and that we had the materials that we needed.”
Photos by Benjamin Benschneider, courtesy of Technoform Glass Insulation North America, Inc
Bullitt Center’s operable windows capitalize on natural ventilation coupled with a heat-recovery system and weather-responsive shading system. Prior to fabrication and construction, computer simulations modeled daylight illumination for different window configurations and ceiling heights to optimize energy efficiency.

Further contributing to building’s energy goals and the occupants’ comfort, the window system’s TGI-Spacer not only maximizes thermal performance and condensation resistance, but also enhances acoustic performance for quiet interiors. Schüco’s curtainwall’s insulating glass units are triple-pane and weigh up to 468 pounds. The majority of these units are two inches thick and comprised of a TGI-Spacer plus two lites of glass with low-e coating on the second and fifth surfaces. The spacers vary in size from 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch (1.27 to 1.59 cm). This composition attains a U-Factor of 0.17 BTU/hr.ft2.ºF and Condensation Rating of 86 can be achieved.

“We were able to get the best U-Factor for the architect using Technoform’s spacer,” says Javier Bonilla, project manager with Goldfinch Brothers. “It went well with the glazing and was a fun project.”

“TGI-Spacer helped increase the overall thermal performance, improve condensation resistance and enhance the sightline temperature,” says TGI NA’s product manager, Brian Stephens LEED® AP. Blending naturally with any window frame, TGI-Spacer’s straight sightline, black color and smooth matte finish complements an insulating glass product’s appearance.

TGI NA’s patented design combines the benefits of high-performance polymers and thin stainless steel, setting the performance standard for insulating glass products. TGI-Spacers were one of thousands of building materials in the Bullitt Center that were vetted thoroughly for compliance with the LBC “Red List” of 14 potentially toxic substances. Many of these substances, such as PVC and formaldehyde, are common in building materials.

“It is important that we look forward, look ahead, and find products that are effective and affordable,” says Greg Goldfinch, president of Goldfinch Brothers. To him, the Bullitt Center exemplifies the future of sustainable commercial construction. “It really is going to be a showcase for a Living Building Challenge, a net-zero building, and to be a part of that is pretty special.”
Photos by Benjamin Benschneider, courtesy of Technoform Glass Insulation North America, Inc
“It’s really incredible,” praises Amanda Sturgeon of the International Living Future Institute. “It’s proof at a size and in a location where people can interact and be aware of it and be part of the process.”

Craig Curtis, FAIA, design partner at Miller Hull, continues, “In considering first and foremost how to design a building with essentially no environmental footprint, it was energizing to identify imaginative and elegant ways to beautifully express the building’s core performance functions through design strategies using a mix of existing and new technologies, systems, and materials. While in one sense we had to do more with less, we happily found that designing to high-performance targets actually opened up numerous formal design opportunities.”

From Architectural Record to The New York Times to Wired, dozens of architectural, sustainability and business media outlets have complimented the Bullitt Center’s design. The project also has been honored by the American Institute of Architects’ Seattle chapter’s What Makes It Green Awards, Architizer’s A+ Awards, Eco-Structure magazine’s Evergreen Awards, the Forest Stewardship Council’s Design & Build with FSC Award, Seattle Business magazine’s Green Washington Awards and others.

Seeking more than trophies, Denis Hayes, president of the Bullitt Foundation, says, “We’re just trying to make it a building where doing the right thing, the healthy thing, the environmentally sound thing, is also the convenient thing.” He  concludes, “Our whole purpose is to be an instrument of change. And to use this building not just to influence developers and architects, but… all of the people who are involved in making these kinds of decisions.”

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Bullitt Center, 1501 East Madison St., Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98122, bullittcenter.org
* Owner: Bullitt Foundation; Seattle; bullitt.org
* Architect: Miller Hull Partnership, LLP; Seattle; www.millerhull.com
* Developer: Point32, LLC; Seattle; www.point32.com
* General contractor: Schuchart Construction; Seattle; www.schuchart.com
* Glazing contractor: Goldfinch Brothers, Inc.; Everett, Wash.; www.goldfinchbros.com
* Glazing systems – manufacturer: Schüco USA L.P.; Newington, Conn.; www.schueco.com
* Glazing systems – glass fabricator: Northwestern Industries, Inc.; Seattle; www.nwiglass.com
* Glazing systems – glass supplier: PPG Industries; Pittsburgh; www.ppg.com
* Glazing systems – thermal spacer systems manufacturer: Technoform Glass Insulation; Twinsburg, Ohio; www.glassinsulation.us

* Photos by Benjamin Benschneider, courtesy of Technoform Glass Insulation North America, Inc.

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Client News: Kodet Architectural Group’s design for Hmong College Prep Academy nears completion, pursues LEED certification

Ed Kodet, Kodet Architectural Group, Ltd.Kodet Architectural Group, Ltd., a Minneapolis-based full-service architectural firm, designed an addition and renovation to Hmong College Prep Academy (HCPA) 1515 Brewster Street, St. Paul. The 78,300-square-foot, $12.6 million project is scheduled to be completed at the start of the 2013-14 school year, and will help HCPA further its goals of providing a well-rounded college preparatory education and a world cultural-infused school environment for K-12 students and families. Further supporting academic and community interests, the addition is pursuing LEED® certification through the U.S. Green Building Council to make tangible the good stewardship practices HCPA promotes daily in the classroom.

“HCPA has been excited to work with the Kodet Architectural Group team to design a new school building that is energy efficient. Not only that, but the building has adequate and spacious classrooms, giving us the facility needed to provide rigorous educational programs and services to our students and families. We are proud to ‘go green’ and become a LEED-certified school,” stated Christianna Hang, superintendent of the HCPA District.

Throughout the project’s design, Kodet has worked closely with HCPA’s staff and administration to resourcefully repurpose the existing structure and to provide a creative design that meets the school’s space needs. The architectural team has addressed concerns such as indoor air quality and classroom acoustics to create more workable environments for teachers and students. Constructing a more secure, controlled entrance and an open gathering area outside of the new performance theater were also key parts to HCPA’s addition design.

Kodet Architectural Group first started work on HCPA’s facility in 2007. Pao Yang, chief operating officer at HCPA and the board of Hmong Education Reform Co., a nonprofit that owns the building, contacted Kodet after hearing about their experience working with other charter schools. Two design phases initially were completed to renovate the building that originally housed a health club. The second phase of the design included a preliminary study for the current addition, but no funding was available at that time.

In October 2011, Kodet Architectural Group was again contacted to begin designing a third phase of changes to HCPA’s building. Construction started in October 2012 and includes a high school addition on the school’s site and a remodel of the existing building to better serve the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade population. With the updates, both wings will use the newly expanded lunchroom and kitchen along with the main gymnasium, but each facility will have separate entrances. The high school will have 24 general classrooms as well as science, band, choir, art, home economics, and other specialty facilities.

One of the main features of the addition is a new performance theater to support the school’s various fine arts programs. This 477-seat theater will offer a full stage, green room, production area, and other amenities to allow students and the community to produce plays, vocal performances, dance recitals, and host other events.

“The theatre provides both school and community opportunities,” stated Ed Kodet, FAIA, president of Kodet Architectural Group. He also noted that the new addition “provides an excellent example of sustainable design that meets the school’s academic, educational, and space needs.”
Ed Kodet, Kodet Architectural Group, Ltd.
Compared to a typical school design, the addition anticipates meeting LEED certification goals to reduce overall power consumption 10 to 15 percent, reduce water use up to 40 percent, capture and clean 100 percent of stormwater that falls on the site, and use environmentally friendly interior materials to promote the health of students, staff, and faculty. Unique technologies incorporated into the design include a porous paving system with underground infiltration basins for stormwater capture, all-native landscaping designed to use zero irrigation, large windows for daylighting, and high-efficiency plumbing fixtures.

The school building also has been entered into an energy conservation program through Xcel Energy, which uses computer models to predict energy use and pinpoint areas to invest in energy-efficient upgrades. Each of these design items adds to HCPA’s pursuit of a truly sustainable building in which the school can grow for years to come.

Other members of the building and design team include Cain Thomas Associates, Inc.; Larson Engineering, Inc.; Mattson Macdonald Young, Inc.; and RJM Construction.

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Client News: Kolbe wins three Crystal Achievement Awards

Kolbe_Visionaries_webKolbe is honored as a winner of three 2013 Crystal Achievement Awards from Window & Door magazine. These awards are given annually for outstanding achievements in window and door product technology, manufacturing and marketing.

Acknowledging three awards earned by a single company, John Swanson, editor and associate publisher of Window & Door, said, “This may be a first. The judges clearly liked the ‘We’re for the visionaries’ program.”

Reviewed amongst other large window and door manufacturers with annual sales in excess of $100 million, the awards’ jury of industry leaders recognized Kolbe for:
* Best Industry Website for KolbeWindows.com
* Best Product Literature for “We’re for the visionaries” consumer brochure
* Most Innovative Marketing Program for “We’re for the visionaries” consumer campaign

“At Kolbe, we pride ourselves on the numerous initiatives we undertake to continually improve all aspects of our business,” says Mike Salsieder, Kolbe’s president. “The consumer marketing campaign is an important part of our strategy to build brand awareness among discerning and design-savvy homeowners.”

All of the 2013 Crystal Achievement Awards winners are featured in Window & Door magazine’s September issue, on its website and in WDweekly newsletter.

Association News: AAMA and WDMA release updated review and forecast that predicts fenestration industry trends

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) have jointly released the August update to the AAMA/WDMA 2012/2013 U.S. Industry Statistical Review and Forecast. This report delivers timely information on window, door and skylight market trends and product relationships. Historic data for 2006 through 2012 and forecast data for 2013 through 2015 also are included in the report. Forecasts are based on projections of construction activity as of July 2013.

New Housing Market
Total housing starts continued to grow in 2012 with strong gains in both single family and multi-family segments, up by 24 percent and 38 percent respectively. Going forward, the overall new housing market is expected to continue a similar level of growth for at least the next two years. Multi-family and single-family starts are expected to experience 26 and 20 percent increases respectively in 2013. Also for 2013, the Southern region of the U.S. will continue to make up the greater percentage of total conventional construction starts, accounting for 52 percent of the total market. The Northeastern and Western regions of the U.S. also are growing their share in 2013 at the expense of the Midwest market, which is growing, but at a slower pace.

Window Demand
The demand for prime windows rebounded somewhat in 2012 and increased overall by 6 percent, driven by a very strong demand for new housing, which was partially offset by a weak renovation market. The demand for windows in new housing increased by 25 percent in 2012 with a similar increase projected for 2013, as the housing recovery continues and new housing units in 2013 will exceed 1 million for the first time since 2007. Meanwhile remodeling and replacement window demand is starting to recover and is forecast to increase by 8 percent in 2013 after a decline of 3 percent in 2012, as recent strong gains in existing home sales buoy the market.

Nonresidential Construction
Nonresidential construction activity experienced slow growth, though the net effect was negligible in categories favorable to nonresidential door volumes (hospitality, education, healthcare, office). Total volume remained steady at 2.3 million units (entry) and 6.3 million units (interior), reflecting a flat market in comparison with 2011. Specifically for 2012, total volume remained steady at 2.3 million units for nonresidential entry doors and 6.3 million units for architectural interior doors, reflecting a flat market in comparison with 2011.

Residential Skylights
Residential skylights closed the year with a growth rate of 1.8 percent over the 2011 volume, lower than initial expectations. New construction skylight activity was up 10 percent in 2012, which is lower than anticipated, while remodeling and replacement skylight activity was flat versus 2011 totals.

In addition to the U.S. Industry Statistical Review and Forecast, more detailed information on the residential and commercial fenestration markets is contained in the AAMA/WDMA 2011/2012 Study of the U.S. Market for Windows, Doors and Skylights (published in May 2012), which includes the items listed below.
* AAMA/WDMA U.S. Industry Channel Distribution Report profiles the residential and non-residential market for windows and doors as it flows through the identified distribution channels.
* AAMA/WDMA U.S. Industry Market Size Report quantifies residential and non-residential market volumes, both historic and projected.
* AAMA/WDMA U.S. Industry Regional Statistical Review and Forecasts detail information for 11 individual regions.
The updated AAMA/WDMA 2012/2013 U.S. Industry Statistical Review and Forecast, as well as the other reports listed above, is available for purchase online from both AAMA and WDMA.

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Association News: AAMA updates specification for vertical loading resistance of side-hinged doors

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has updated and released AAMA 925-13, Specification for Determining the Vertical Loading Resistance of Side-Hinged Door Systems, which determines the ability of a side-hinged door system to remain operable following the application of a vertical load along the lock stile of the door leaf.

Through the life of a side-hinged door system, there may be several causes of an extraordinary vertical load to be applied to the door leaf. The door loads in AAMA 925 are based upon the pullout values of hinge fasteners in wood, and the specification determines the effects of such loads when applied to a side-hinged door system. Although the deflection and permanent set results are not used in the qualification of the tested side hinged door system, these results are recorded for potential future use in AAMA 925.

“The revised version of AAMA 925 was made possible by contributions from task group members representing a cross-section of door component manufacturers and test laboratories,” says Mark Fortun (Endura Products), chair of AAMA’s Door Vertical Loading (AAMA 925) Task Group. “Changes enhance the clarity and flow of this test procedure and set the stage for a consistent means to evaluate the resistance of a side-hinged door assembly subjected to intentional high loading conditions.”

Among various editorial changes, AAMA 925 was updated from the 2007 document to include:
* Requirement for force-to-latch at the beginning of testing
* Minimum number of times testing will be conducted
* Repetition of force-to-latch measurements (as specified in Section 6.2)
* Updates to Section 7.6 to record the average force-to-latch measurement before and after loading

AAMA 925-13, along with other AAMA publications, may be purchased from AAMA’s Publication store.

Client News: Appleton Coated’s “U Choose: Digital Utopia” deals a one-of-a-kind winning hand with digitally printed card decks

U Choose: Digital Utopia, Appleton CoatedACU_PrintUtopia_UChoose’s new boxed-card promotion, playfully demonstrates the personalized potential of digital printing using Utopia® coated and Curious Collection® papers. The card deck features themes of “either/or” dualities, while encouraging comparisons between grades, colors, finishes and printing techniques.

Delivering an individualized presentation for every recipient, more than 13,600 different cover-art combinations were printed – in sequence, on the same press. Each unique box contains 39 cards printed using today’s top, digital printing engines: HP® Indigo, Xerox® iGen™ and Kodak NexPress. Twelve papers from both the Utopia and Curious Collection lines are printed on the three engines, allowing for side-by-side comparisons.

U Choose emphasizes the seemingly limitless choices we now have. This freedom has changed the way we work, the way we think and the possibilities of print to engage and motivate with variable content and design,” says Ferkó X. Goldinger, Appleton Coated’s marketing manager.

He continues, “We invite creative professionals to explore the many ways digital printing provides attention-getting appeal and superb quality reproduction when combined with the extreme versatility of variable data technology, and the powerful performance of Curious Collection and Utopia digital papers.”

For a copy of U Choose: Digital Utopia and for more information about Appleton Coated, Utopia and Curious Collection, visit appletoncoated.com.

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Association News: AAMA publishes performance requirements and test procedures for solar reflective finishes

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has released AAMA 643-13, “Voluntary Specification, Performance Requirements and Test Procedures for Solar Reflective Finishes,” which describes the test procedures and performance requirements for pigmented organic coatings applied to aluminum, fiber reinforced thermoset or wood profiles for windows, doors, wall panels and similar products.

Advances in coatings technologies for architectural products have provided the opportunity to expand the use of solar reflective coatings. The primary purpose for utilizing coatings with solar reflective properties is to keep the coated surfaces cooler than they would be with standard coatings.

“Since its development, cool coatings technologies have always been thought of as being strictly for roof coatings. As is the case with roofs, such coatings can be beneficial on the façade as well as window frames, railings, outdoor equipment enclosures and numerous other applications as recent studies have shown,” said Manny Mayer (TIGER Drylac U.S.A., Inc.), chair of AAMA’s Cool Coatings Task Group. “In order to specify such coatings for alternate purposes, AAMA’s Cool Coatings Task Group felt there was a need in the market place to provide a specification for manufacturers and architects to help in the evaluation and selection process of the best coating for the project.”

Carl Troiano (Trojan Powder Coating Co.), vice chair of AAMA’s Cool Coatings Task Group, added, “In order to continually meet the reduction of energy usage, AAMA 643 will help implement cool coatings technology of future projects and will be eventually used in LEED® programs.”

Additionally, AAMA 643 is intended to assist the architect, owner and contractor to specify and obtain factory-applied finishes that will provide higher than standard Total Solar Reflectance values and still maintain a high level of performance in terms of film integrity, exterior durability and general appearance over a period of many years.

AAMA 643-13, along with other AAMA publications, may be purchased from AAMA’s Publication store.

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