Coatings World - November 2016

Jeff Alexander, VP of Sales, coil and extrusion division, Valspar

Sustainability is currently one of the most discussed sub- ject matters in our industry, yet arguably one of the least understood. The never-ending interpretations of the word tend to fog the actual meaning, leaving many confused on what achieving sustainability truly looks like.

The attention given to this topic, spanning both back-end developers like, architects and coating manufacturers, and front-end users like building owners and tenants, has not gone unnoticed.

According to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency and the U.S. Green Building Council, construction and operation of all buildings in the United States results in the consumption of

72 percent of electricity resources, 29 percent of total energy
used, 30 percent of CO2 production and a 12 degrees increase
in urban areas due to heat island effect. These are significant
numbers that we can all agree should be lowered, and we as a
whole are coming together to make the change across all spaces
of construction and design.

Given the extent to which buildings affect the environment, it is important that coating manufacturers set an example and continue to produce more sustainable products and technologies. Let’s take a look at a few different sectors within the industry to see how each is utilizing sustainable materials and what it can mean for architectural development as a whole.

Sustainability in Education

Education is what feeds advancement and progress for our future, providing the foundation that young people across the country need in order to flourish in their professional and personal lives. Educational facilities and environments provide these formative experiences and have an influence on all who participate within them.

The focus on sustainability has made its way into the edu-
cation division as schools across the country are aging, becom-
ing outdated and going through renovations, or simply being
rebuilt. During this process, those at the forefront are look-
ing for ways that their schools can better serve local student
COATING The Way To
Sustainable Solutions

An elite color matching process helped the Polk Penguin Conservation Center perfectly replicate a tabular iceberg in Antarctica. Photo: Albert Kahn Assoc.