NGA's Sustainability Manager represents your interests for using glass in sustainable building design. Get to know her!
Since joining the NGA in December 2022 as the Technical Services Sustainability Manager, my focus has been to support NGA’s sustainability efforts within building energy conservation codes and standards, advocacy, and member resources, as well as furthering the development of sustainability initiatives within the industry.
After graduating from Purdue University with a degree in Environmental and Ecological Engineering, I was looking for a position that would allow me to contribute to sustainability efforts and share my passion for our environment. After some time as a Water Resources Engineer, I felt that I was merely responding to policy changes, codes, and standards. Then, I found NGA and the Technical Advocacy team.
NGA created my role because of the dramatic increase in decarbonization policies and emission reduction targets at the federal and local levels, as well as the consumer and policy-driven initiatives for more resilient and sustainable buildings. My role is to serve and represent the glass and glazing industry in response to the challenges and opportunities in meeting these initiatives.
My position on this team has allowed me not only to contribute to sustainability efforts, codes, and standards, but to learn more about them every day through the ideas and passion of our members. I have found the glass industry to be the most welcoming I have experienced, as well as the most innovative. I want this to continue, making the industry the lead example of sustainable innovation in building materials.
During my time at NGA, I have been able to attend several events and have had the privilege of connecting with the industry and its sustainability needs. I have also been able to work alongside NGA members on the development of new sustainability tools, such as the glazing and fenestration category for the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) by Building Transparency.
Being involved in many of the task groups has been such a great way to learn more about what drives our members, and it is critical in finding where I can better contribute for them.
NGA Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days played a significant role in shaping my goals for this role at NGA. Learning what issues affect our members and which issues they were most passionate about was contagious, and I hope to be able to continue to advocate for their best interests. With the reintroduction of the Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act, we are able to see that our advocacy for the glass and glazing industry really does make a difference, and it inspires me to keep pushing for glass as the solution to sustainable building design.
We need your voice to continue fighting for glass as the solution. To learn more or get involved, feel free to reach out to me via email, or connect with me on LinkedIn. In the meantime, check out NGA’s sustainability resources.