As more people are growing energy conscious today, it is good to know that product manufacturers are also striving to bring newer green material into the market. Looking into the August edition of Architectural Record, I saw an article on the recent green materials and processes. Read more here

A lot of changes have happened in the energy codes and green building standards lately. In terms of fenestration innovations, the new International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has set new performance paths for building enclosures. Along with LEED certified properties, the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) or the International Code Council (ICC) have coordinated for model regulations in the building industry. Even the local and state wide rules like CalGreen in California encourage architects and builders to adopt the best practices for exterior insulation, air barriers and high performance fenestration. These new energy standards offer guidance for preventing excessive air leakage or check the U-Factor which describes the heat transfer rate. The trend in glass manufacturing has improved in terms of fire rating and fire resistive ratings which do not effect energy saving directly but do provide a means of comparing the ability to protect occupants from fire for a longer period.
In addition to better glass products for building, many changes have been applied to storefront and curtain walls due to stringent codes and technical advances. From the August 2012 issue of the Architectural Record, this article can be read in detail here