The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) shared its initial Green Building Survey results at the AAMA National Summer Conference in Minneapolis. Among all the survey’s findings, 77 percent of respondents reported a product-based green certification program for residential and commercial fenestration would benefit the product selection process for their company.AAMA says it will use the survey responses as additional input to shape a green fenestration certification program the association is developing.

“It also will shape the input, coordination and outreach it provides to building code departments and authorities having jurisdiction, as green building best practices evolve into code requirements nationwide,” says Rich Walker, AAMA president and chief executive officer. “Architects, builders and contractors will look to AAMA-certified products and verified components to meet their green projects’ performance requirements for safety, energy efficiency and durability.”

According to an association announcement, AAMA representatives administered the Green Building Survey during 2008 and 2009 trade shows and conferences. Respondents answered questions about green topics and a green fenestration certification program.

For the remainder of 2009, AAMA plans to continue conducting the survey and will evolve questions to inquire about the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and how the stimulus package is impacting green, energy-efficient construction and renovation in the industry.

“At this point, it is important to expand the reach of the survey to test and validate the preliminary input received from our limited sample of respondents. However, these initial findings clearly indicate that AAMA members’ products are essential elements in green buildings, homes and interiors spaces,” says Walker. “Interestingly, of the architects who completed the survey at the AIA expo, an overwhelming majority – 82 percent — cited that a product-based green certification program would help with better information for product selection and time efficiency, ease of green building compliance and education.

He continues, “We’re learning that architects, manufacturers and suppliers are more involved in green credentials and processing credits to apply for green credentials than builders are right now. However, green building is important to all those in the construction industry with energy-efficiency being the top priority.”

Daylighting was a strong second priority among survey respondents. Participants at the AIA show ranked occupant comfort as the next most important topic, where as respondents from the other conferences ranked product quality and occupant safety as their next most important priorities.

Walker also notes that AAMA’s surveys consistently show the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Green Building Rating System^TM and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR® program are viewed as the most important sources for green building information by all audiences.