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Greenbuild 2019, Rendering by Hennebery Eddy Architects

GREENBUILD 2019 RECAP

At this year’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Atlanta, GA., exhibitors from across the country showcased what was new in the field of sustainable buildings and materials.

Andersen’s booth showcased plans in the works in collaboration with Yellowstone National Park to revamp the park’s Youth Campus. The proposed building, designed by Hennebery Eddy Architects and featuring custom Andersen E-Series windows, will pursue Living Building Challenge (LBC) and Passive House standards. Upon completion, the Youth Campus will be the first LBC-certified project located in a national park.

Andersen invited booth visitor to “tour” the Youth Campus through a virtual reality experience. Yellowstone Youth Program Manager Bob Fuhrmann and President of Hennebery Eddy Architects Tim Eddy, FAIA, were in the booth discussing the project and the important role the Youth Campus will play in providing residential environmental education programs for youth of all ages.

Andersen also hosted a lunch & learn panel discussion on the Youth Campus, led by Susan Roeder, Andersen strategic account manager and member of the Yellowstone Forever board of directors.

What else was trending at Greenbuild 2019?

Throughout the week in Atlanta, four prominent trends stood out on the show floor and in continuing education sessions:

Smart Home

Manufacturers and users are implementing smart home technology to improve overall energy efficiency. Tracking energy use through smart home technology enables users to automate and decrease overall usage, reducing overall environmental impact.

Reducing Embodied Carbon

Over 11 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions come from the manufacturing process, according to the latest data from the United Nations Environment Programme. Embodied carbon is the sum impact of all the greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the materials throughout their life cycle. Reducing embodied carbon through sourcing and manufacturing improvements for each individual product that goes into a building, is an imperative to achieving a net-zero building.

Biophilia

Designers, builders and architects are investing in biophilic design — increasing connectivity to the natural environment in buildings through natural light and ventilation and use of nature landscape features like plants to increase wellness and productivity.

Greenbuild 2019 Event Barack Obama Speaker

Social Equity

Buildings are part of the community in which they exist and have a large impact on global climate change. Almost half of the country’s carbon emissions come from the building sector and underrepresented communities will be the least able to adapt to adverse climate change-related events. We cannot achieve a sustainable future without social equity. This point was highlighted by former Pres. Barack Obama in a keynote address to Greenbuild attendees, stating that we cannot solve sustainability issues without first addressing the huge gaps in wealth, opportunity and education that are impacting the stability of communities around the world.

Andersen continues to stands out among other brands as a leader in sustainable building trends with VeriLock® Security Sensors, continued emphasis on indoor and outdoor living, and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. With sustainability core to our vision, we strive to meet the needs of today without compromising the needs of future generations by reducing our impact on the environment, developing products that further green building and sustainable lifestyles, and supporting a sustainable future for all.