Materials and Manufacturing

Materials

Aluminum Extruders Council
Web site features extensive information on aluminum production, processing and recyclability.

Forest Certification Resource Center
Created by Metafore, an organization focused on enabling businesses to make better environmental choices, this site provides an overview of forestry certification and links to a variety of programs around the world. It also offers links to suppliers of certified wood products

The Vinyl Institute
The organization’s Vinyl By Design Web site features a significant amount of information related to vinyl and the environment

Manufacturing

National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST’s Building and Fire Research Laboratory offers a free download of BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability) software, designed to assist designers and manufacturers in selecting cost-effective, environmentally-preferable building products and materials. Version 4.0 of the Windows-based decision support software, aimed at designers, builders, and product manufacturers, includes actual environmental and economic performance data for 230 building products.

BEES measures the environmental performance of building products by using the life-cycle assessment approach specified in the ISO 14040 series of standards. All stages in the life of a product are analyzed: raw material acquisition, manufacture, transportation, installation, use, and recycling and waste management. Economic performance is measured using the ASTM standard life-cycle cost method, which covers the costs of initial investment, replacement, operation, maintenance and repair, and disposal.

Environmental Protection Agency
Green and Lean
Noting that many companies implementing lean practices have achieved significant environmental gains, EPA’s Web site features a section devoted to the topic of lean manufacturing and the environment.  Resources include case studies, and two downloadable toolkits for manufacturers—one focusing on lean and the environment and another focusing on lean and energy.

EPA also offers introductory information on the implementation of an environmental management system based on ISO 14000 standards.

If you’d like to add links to your organization to the Window & Door Green Resource Center, email jswanson@glass.org.