Patience, cooperation and support are essential for successful development and integration of renewable products. Reaching this goal requires a foundation of trust and partnerships along the supply chain. Here are a few points for consideration:

Product selections need to be based on factual criteria, not emotion or marketing communication. Understanding environmental terminology adopted through international consensus and supported by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a starting point. These FTC guidelines for marketing claims provide checkpoints for sifting through sales and marketing information from manufacturers. As universal definitions are adopted, a dialogue is established that reinforces trust, facilitates clear communication, and establishes consistent standards of measurement.

For example, when you see claims that a product contains 100% recycled content, is it post-industrial or post-consumer? Does this apply to a specific product line 100% of the time, or will it vary based on available waste streams and raw material sources? With claims of 100% recyclable, is a collection program available where the product is installed? Additionally, life cycle assessment is sometimes confused with life cycle costing. Seek clarification and understanding by asking the manufacturer about their product claims. This practice will ensure that your specification will meet the project's environmental and performance requirements. It also adds credibility to your organization and helps all manufacturers reinforce the accuracy of their claims.

Get involved in the development process. Remember that you are a partner. Your constructive feedback is a necessary requirement for continuous improvement. Creative problem solving may be applied to each phase of the product lifecycle, including product selection, installation, maintenance and replacement. Others in the chain of commerce also may be influenced by your decisions, including distributors, installers, end users/maintainers and disposers. Proper maintenance is an important but often overlooked factor in product longevity. When was the last time you really researched product maintenance? Think about the end use of a particular product. What are the steps that need to be taken to divert this material from the waste stream? Can you directly impact any of these steps?

Many of today's sustainable products are in a state of evolution that eventually will lead to standard offerings with reduced complexity, streamlined execution and fulfillment. In dealing with manufacturers, ask questions to stimulate creative thinking. Even if you don't see an immediate response to your idea, your comment may spark a future innovation or improvement.

Manufacturers have made substantial investments moving toward the cutting edge of sustainable product development, and in most cases with limited to no initial ROI. Nonetheless these initial investments fuel continued business development. Accept invitations to visit the manufacturer and gain insights to a specific project.

Current offerings require support through specification to create the market demand necessary for future R&D and to build out the business platform. It is critical that customers reward through specification and orders. Support the manufacturers whose products represent the highest level of environmental consciousness. This approach allows the competitive forces of the free market system to drive demand and increase R&D spending on product development by the manufacturers.

The use of alternative raw material sources may require huge shifts in manufacturing and production. While persistently pushing the envelope, be patient with the manufacturer's ability to implement change. As you support what is currently available and continue to ask for more, you drive the market.

Reasonable and realistic procurement guidelines must be established and updated as new product developments are introduced. Commit to periodic reviews. How do guidelines match the latest capabilities of the manufacturers in the product category? Do they provide reasonable stretch goals? Or has the bar been raised beyond the capabilities of current technology and available products? Does the framework in which the guidelines were developed parallel the latest mainstream rating systems, terminology and available tools?

As new concepts evolve, pledge to be realistic regarding the capabilities of existing products and open-minded about the possibilities that may be available in the future. A pragmatic attitude enables the specifier to properly integrate the product or service offering into the project requirements. For example, you may have to be flexible in creating the desired aesthetic, or you may need to balance a reduction in environmental impact against achieving a desirable look. Think about the product lifecycle. Redesign, reduce, reuse and recycle. Creating realistic expectations and consensus eliminates confusion, costs and disappointment. This credibility reinforces continued support for sustainable products. Successful product development and market breakthroughs are the key to the future. Charles F. Kettering sums it up nicely: "My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."