Making building product manufacturers your partner in innovation

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["i"],["em"],["b"],["a",["href","https:\/\/obe.com\/?utm_source=aia\u0026utm_medium=article\u0026utm_campaign=innovation","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/obe.com\/partner-in-innovation\/?utm_source=aia\u0026utm_medium=article\u0026utm_campaign=innovation","target","_blank"]]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"What does the future of collaboration between architects and BPMs look like and why is it important? AIA partner Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope offers an outline."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Photovoltaics. Dynamic glazing. Embodied and operational carbon measurement. Smart buildings with sensors to optimize energy efficiency."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"It\u2019s an exciting period in building design. As our ability to address energy use improves, building owners demand more energy-efficient buildings, and as the architecture and design community learns how to design better buildings, the demand for more innovative building products and tools is surging. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The building construction industry, however, has always been conservative about new products, demanding those items are long-tested and proven."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"How to reconcile the two? "],[0,[0,1],1,"Collaboration"],[0,[],1,"."],[0,[],0," "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While there are strong relationships between the design community and the building products industry, there is an opportunity to forge enhanced collaborations that will deliver the next generation of tested and trusted products and services. The future of collaboration gives architects and design professionals not just a front-row seat\u2014you\u2019ll have a role in setting the next trends in building design."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In today\u2019s environment of sustainable building practices, products are rapidly evolving, and many options exist. Consider glazing solutions to manage solar heat:"]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"Early: Sunshades"]],[[0,[],0,"Current: Dynamic glazing, photovoltaics"]],[[0,[],0,"The future: Embedded sensors integrated with the entire building system could open windows or dynamically control tint in a curtain wall to optimize performance and occupant comfort"]]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While product advances are exciting, the design team must now get up to speed on those rapidly evolving products. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cChoosing between sunshade or dynamic glazing is a complex decision,\u201d acknowledges Tom Bougher, director of applied research for Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. \u201cYou\u2019re not simply optimizing for one thing. Factors could include occupant use, glare, energy use, and carbon footprint of products. Design optimization has outgrown traditional processes and requires advanced tools.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Identifying which trendy glazing products could work for your project and knowing how to assess their performance and effectiveness comes down to collaborating with the building product manufacturer (BPM). "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[2],1,"Innovative collaboration creating innovative solutions"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The BPM will help the design team understand the best product solution, explains Billy Strait, CSI, vice president of business development for "],[0,[3],1,"Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope"],[0,[],0,". \u201cOur goal is to always consider how we as the building product manufacturer can better work together with the design team to come up with solutions, so the architect doesn\u2019t have to worry about having in-house experts or trying to talk about things they aren\u2019t well-versed in. We want to be the catalyst of collaboration.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Strait suggests collaboration can start even earlier. For example, you might have an idea that could solve a problem in the execution of an innovative design but lack the in-house engineering resources to see the design through. Or you don\u2019t have a relationship with the BPM that would allow you to build a prototype and test it within the building system. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Advanced partnerships can take you and your team into the building product manufacturer\u2019s test lab so you can see your idea become reality \u2014 or just educate your team on how the latest products work \u2014 using the benefits of applied research: "]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"Performance data in real time"]],[[0,[],0,"Installation in a managed environment"]],[[0,[],0,"Diverse testing under multiple conditions"]]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Creating an instant feedback loop means everyone on the team is: "]]],[3,"ul",[[[0,[],0,"Working together to troubleshoot"]],[[0,[],0,"Fine-tuning on the fly "]],[[0,[],0,"Sharing open dialogue"]]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"This collaborative approach helps the building industry\u2019s adoption of new solutions. \n\n\u201cIf we do our due diligence to validate product design through thorough testing with the architects and partners present, it goes a long way to build confidence in that new product,\u201d says Bill Lang, director, Product Development Services for Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Robust collaboration of this kind also ensures the industry is creating better products and tools that are applicable for building design and construction today, not something that is going to be uploaded and forgotten. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cApplied research and these components are part of an important technical trend in building design and construction,\u201d Bougher explains. \u201cDesign is evolving to be much more data driven because of the complexities of new technologies. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\u201cIt\u2019s more than just making a physical product; it\u2019s digital tools to empower and enable architects to do more with the same products. Our goal is to make sure those tools deliver better information while also being easy to use.\u201d"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While the idea of collaboration is not new, when BPMs and architects are occupying a space together working toward a common goal, the BPMs are better in touch with the real-world issues of architects, while architects and designers are seeing how BPMs work. This provides more quality discussions, better understanding, and innovative work going forward."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Improving the transfer of product knowledge between the building products industry and the architecture profession will deliver the advanced solutions for tomorrow\u2019s sustainable buildings. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0,4],1,"Learn about Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope\u0027s new Innovation Center"],[0,[],1," and how they are bringing architects, glaziers, contractors, suppliers, and academia together for an immersive and hands-on experience of collaboration focused on the next generation of glazing solutions."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"AIA does not sponsor or endorse any enterprise, whether \npublic or private, operated for profit. Further, no AIA officer, \ndirector, committee member, or employee, or any of its component \norganizations in his or her official capacity, is permitted to approve, \nsponsor, endorse, or do anything that may be deemed or construed to be \nan approval, sponsorship, or endorsement of any material of construction\n or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in\n any material or product."]]]]}