The importance of codes and standards to plumbing product design and the growing impact of the “green” movement on the plumbing industry were the dual themes of the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute’s Codes, Standards and Green Workshop.
    Hosted at PMI’s Rolling Meadows, Ill. headquarters, the two-day workshop drew more than 40 industry personnel from both member and non-member firms.
     “It is especially critical that they understand the interplay between codes, standards and certification,” said Shawn Martin, PMI technical director. “We also want them to appreciate the huge influence codes and standards exert on the way plumbing products are designed, made, sold, and used in North America.”
    The 2008 edition of the codes and standards workshop was enhanced by an exploration of green building, sustainability and water conservation as it relates to plumbing products. The new section examined how the green movement has developed in recent years and how it is changing. Martin reviewed the major green building programs, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the Green Building Initiative (Green Globes) and the National Association of Home Builders’ Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
    He also examined the topic of sustainability and the ways it impacts products “from cradle-to-grave” and even manufacturer operations. Martin capped off his presentation with an examination of water-efficient programs and their interplay with the green movement.   
    The session concluded with a presentation, titled “Designing and Selling Green,” by Carl Culotta, vice president of Frank Lynn and Associates, a market strategy consulting group.
    Culotta’s remarks built on the foundation established by Martin earlier in the session. He examined the driving forces behind green in the marketplace and outlined a model that manufacturers can use to meet the new-product opportunities.