As previously reported, the NSC is working to develop a Sustainability Standard for Dimensional Stone. The process is underway and below is an update.
 

Joint Committee   

Initial selections to the Joint Committee (JC) have been made and notifications to those accepted are in the process of being delivered. The JC is the body with the power to vote on the final version of the Standard. Members of the JC have been selected based on their qualifications, interest in the standard development process, and to archive a balance of perspectives from the various stakeholder groups represented in the process. The list of JC members will be made public once they have been notified and accept their appointments. 

Mark Rodgers, a University of Denver architect, has agreed to serve as the chairman of the JC during the standard development process. Mark has a long history of using stone in architectural design, and has served as a member of the Architectural Advisory Committee on past NSC sustainability projects. As the committee chair, Mark will preside over the development process, and work to be sure all meetings and activities comply with ANSI guidelines.
 

December Meeting, Ann Arbor, MI  

On December 7^th, a number of stakeholders convened in Ann Arbor, MI for the first face-to-face meeting of the Standard development process. The day-long meeting held at the NSF was well attended and focused on developing a shared understanding of both the stone industry and the Standard development process. In addition, the group began working through the difficult task of defining a scope for the Standard, as well as considering from a business perspective, how it would best be implemented (e.g. quarries, distributors, etc). Key scoping elements determined at the meeting included the following:

•  Global in nature, applying to stone quarried both in North America, as well as internationally
•  Focus on meeting the demands of the North American marketplace
•  Take into account all phases of the product life-cycle
•  Apply to the stone material itself, not on the form of the final product (still under debate)
•  Apply at the quarry and importer/distributor level (still under debate)

Establishment of a working scope is a critical first step in the development process. Stakeholders will continue to define elements of the scope for the standard both by working through sub-groups that were established prior to the meeting, and in a face-to-face meeting scheduled for StonExpo. 

Standard Development Schedule

Development of the Standard is anticipated to take 18-24 months based on the time taken for similar Standards, and may vary depending on factors such as the ultimate scope of the standard, the level of international involvement, the divisiveness of process, and the number of ballots required to reach a consensus. Work on the Standard began in earnest in November 2010, with the first draft expected by January, 2012. We appear to be on track to meet this projection.

StonExpo 2011 Event

The next in-person meeting will be held in conjunction with StonExpo 2011, being held in late January at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 27th from 8-10 am in Banyan Room A on the third level of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. While an agenda for the meeting is still being finalized, the primary focus of the meeting will be to seek input on and to continue to develop elements of the scope of the Standard that have yet to be adequately defined. There will also be an opportunity for new participants to sign-up and become involved in one or more of the sub-groups that have been formed to work on development of specific criteria. Participation in the meeting is open, and anyone interested in attending and taking part in the discussion is encouraged to attend.

In addition, Stephanie Vierra and Jack Geibig will be presenting on sustainability in the stone industry on Wednesday, Jan 26^th at 9:30 am in the Stone Exchange area. 

Other Upcoming Events

NSC Standard related events scheduled for spring 2011 are in the process of being planned or have already been confirmed. A few events on the calendar include: 

• Building Stone Institute Annual Convention - Charleston, SC -  Jack Geibig will present on Sustainability in Stone, and give an update on the current status of the NSC Dimensional Stone Standard during a session on March 2nd from 11-12 pm.
   
•  Coverings 2011 - Las Vegas, NV  -  Jack Geibig will provide an update on the NSC Dimensional Stone Standard during the convention, which will be March 14th through 17th. An in-person Standard development meeting to be held in conjunction with Coverings is also under consideration. Dates and times to be determined.

In addition to the above events, development of the Standard will continue through regularly scheduled stakeholder meetings of the various sub-groups. For more information about stakeholder meetings and how you might become involved, please contact Jack Geibig at JGeibig@ecoform.com.