Sprayfoam Pro Newswire
March 13, 2013
 
SPFA News and Announcements
During the CT General Law Committee Hearing in February on the HB 5908 SPF Certification bill, SPFA offered testimony in support of the committee, not necessarily in support or objection to the bill. Obvious concern is that directions of the bill and subsequent regulations could be influenced by many parties and could result in a situation very unfavorable to the industry in terms of substantial and potentially unnecessary restrictions placed upon the market. SPFA believes that the dialogue, as initiated by the state (not us), is constructive and should the bill move forward we want to be in a position to be a resource and assist/inform the Legislature on SPF and the industry certification program. There is the possibility of similar intent among other state legislatures and, all things considered, the timing of completion of the SPFA certification program could not come at a more appropriate time. The program intentionally pursued a voluntary approach rather than a mandated/licensed route, but as the issue potentially progresses having an industry consensus-created, ANSI/ISO-standardized testing program as a potential reference is very beneficial rather than the alternative of every state installing different requirements and programs from scratch.

We are awaiting a follow up opportunity with the bill sponsor and will advise of next steps or developments as they occur.

To see video of SPFA's Dr. Duncan testifying at the hearing on February 21, 2013 related to HB5908, a bill considering SPF certification, click here

 
Graco
Industry News and Announcements

Efficiency First Executive Director Jay Murdoch accepted a new position in governmental affairs for a major industry player in the for-profit sector. This will be effective March 31. "The mix of feelings is that we both wish him well in his career but will miss him and his impact representing our great organization," said Brian Bovio, EF Chair.
  
"From his one and a half years of leading Efficiency First, we know firsthand of his skills in engaging stakeholders and policy makers for the good of our industry," said Bovio. 

2012 was a record-breaking year in Efficiency First membership and its recent membership drive put 2013 on a strong path for growth. According to Bovio, "Efficiency First members are launching more local chapters, and our recent National Membership Drive resulted in 92 new member companies joining Efficiency First in just over three weeks. Congratulations to Jamie Clark of Kentucky and Mark Rixon from Kansas City for recruiting the most new members - they each won a buy-one-get-one-free pass to the ACI National Home Performance Conference in Denver this year!"

Longtime staffer, Coby Rudolph, has been appointed to the role of Chief Operating Officer.
 
Foam Supplies, Inc.
SPFA Membership

The 2013 RESNET Conference in Orlando, Fla., held Feb. 26-March 1, 2013, combined its sessions and exhibit hall with those of the Air Conditioning Contractors Association (ACCA) and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) for a great event.  

SPFA delivered two exceptional and well-attended  sessions focusing upon a detailed explanation and walk-through of the SPFA’s new industry model Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for SPF, demonstrating the quantified benefits of SPF. The second session highlighted the advancement of the SPFA Professional Certification Program (PCP), elaborated upon the tracks and requirements, and generated great interest among the attendees. SPFA also exhibited in the combined exhibit hall and benefited from many discussions with the diverse audience.

 
SPFA’s 2013 Annual Convention and Expo was another record breaker. The show beat its last East Coast attendance record by 144 attendees.  The energy and commitment demonstrated at the show were fantastic, and excitement carried back into the industry with almost 400 new SPFA Professional Certification Program tests being taken. The various breakout sessions were well attended and offered very valuable information for the SPF professional.  To download your copy of those presentations, please click here.
 
Icynene, Inc.
SPF Tech
The Spray Foam Coalition (SFC) of the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) has established a quarterly statistical data program that provides historical data on spray polyurethane foam (SPF) sales. This program provides relevant, comprehensive and extensive business statistics for the industry. 

In this program, participating Systems Houses manufacturing high-pressure SPF provide quarterly statistical data to a third party for compilation. The data provides a historical perspective and tracks the growth of the SPF market since 2008. The statistics include comprehensive information, including pounds of SPF sold per quarter, reported regionally within the United States and Canada.   

The data, which is released quarterly and available with an annual subscription, can be used as a tool for analyzing and understanding the business climate. All statistics are electronic and provided in a spreadsheet. All annual report subscriptions are sold on a calendar year basis only, with no prorating.  

Contact Chris Braddock for price and ordering information: Chris_Braddock@americanchemistry.com or 202-249-6617

 
SPFA Courses and Certification
"The SPFA Professional Certification Program (SPFA-PCP) is the most rigorous, extensive and defining program for spray polyurethane foam (SPF) professionals in the world," according to a recent article at SprayFoam.com. "It is consistent with all industry standards, best practices and known building science. The SPFA-PCP is a measure of personal and professional accomplishment in the industry, and a demonstration among professionals of the essential knowledge, skills and abilities inherent among the highest class of spray foam professionals." 

For further information on the SPFA-PCP program, click here.
 
Naylor, LLC
SPFA Job Board
Demilec’s first SPFA Certification Preparatory Seminar got high marks from all who attended last week. Day One was dedicated to Tips for Running a Spray Foam Business and offered the business owners guidance gained through more than a decade of contractors' experience.  Day Two was a fast-paced review of the Insulation Installer and Master Installer study guides to prep those interested in certifying to those levels for the Friday exams. On Day Three the attendees sprayed open-cell and closed-cell foams, learned troubleshooting skills and took spray guns and drum pumps apart and reassembled them to learn proper maintenance and repair.   

Demilec will repeat this training every other month at its Arlington, Texas, training facility and will provide similar training around the country throughout the year.  Go to the Demilec website, or check with SPFA for future session dates. 
 
As part of a company-wide commitment to environmental stewardship, CertainTeed Corporation has published its second Corporate Sustainability Report.

The 32-page report, available for download here, outlines the company’s environmental performance and future goals for energy conservation, water and waste reductions, and carbon emissions. 

See full press release click here.
 
Naylor, LLC
Federal/State Government News

President Obama Nominates New DOE, EPA Heads

With the current leadership of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set to depart, President Barack Obama has released his long-anticipated nominations for their replacements. If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Ernest “Ernie” Moniz will become the new DOE Secretary, and Gina McCarthy will become the new EPA Administrator. Below are their bios.

DOE: Dr. Ernie Moniz

Dr. Ernest J. Moniz is the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research at MIT, where he has served on the faculty since 1973, has focused on energy technology and policy. Dr. Moniz also serves as the Director of the MIT Energy Initiative and the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. From 1997 until January 2001, Dr. Moniz served as Under Secretary of DOE. Prior to that, he served as Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President from 1995 to 1997. In addition to his work at MIT and the Department of Energy, Dr. Moniz has served on a number of boards of directors and commissions, including the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2009-Present), the Department of Defense Threat Reduction Advisory Committee (2010-Present), and the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (2010-2012). Dr. Moniz is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Humboldt Foundation, and the American Physical Society. In 1998, he received the Seymour Cray HPCC Industry Recognition Award for vision and leadership in advancing scientific simulation. Dr. Moniz received a Bachelor of Science degree summa cum laude in physics from Boston College and a doctorate in theoretical physics from Stanford University.

EPA: Gina McCarthy
Gina McCarthy is currently the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation at EPA. McCarthy was appointed Assistant Administrator in 2009 after having served as the Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) from 2005 to 2009. McCarthy came to the Connecticut DEP from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where she began her career as Canton, Massachusetts’ first full time health agent in 1980. She went on to serve the Commonwealth for 25 years in a variety of environmental positions, including Undersecretary for Policy at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and Deputy Secretary of the Massachusetts Office for Commonwealth Development where she was in charge of coordinating environmental, transportation, energy, and housing agency policies. McCarthy earned a BA in Social Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts Boston and a joint Master of Science in Environmental Health Engineering and Planning and Policy from Tufts University.

For details, contact Mark Ames, ASHRAE Manager of Federal Government Affairs at mames@ashrae.org or 202-833-1830.

How Are Federal Agencies Being Impacted by the Sequester? OMB Releases Report

Last week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a report outlining more of the specific impacts that the automatic $85 billion spending cuts known as the “sequester” will have on federal agencies and offices. These reductions began going into effect on March 1, and will continue rolling out through the fiscal year until Congress and the President can reach agreement on an alternative path to addressing our nation’s deficit and debt issues. Below are specific funding cuts of greatest interest to ASHRAE members:

-Energy Information Administration, which administers the Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS): -$5 million

-Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which administers the Building Energy Codes and related buildings programs: -$91 million

-General Services Administration’s Government-wide Policy account, which includes GSA's Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings: -$3 million

-Army, military construction: -$408 million

What these cuts actually mean in terms of changes to individual government grant and other programmatic activities remains unclear, since the funding reductions roll out somewhat slowly, giving time to Congress and the President to act. It does appear however that large reductions in federal spending (compared to prior years) will be the new norm for the foreseeable future, and as a result, we’ll see fewer or smaller scale government grants and activities.

For details, contact Mark Ames, ASHRAE Manager of Federal Government Affairs, at mames@ashrae.org or 202-833-1830. To view OMB’s full report, click here

Sens. Shaheen and Portman Circulate Energy Efficiency Draft Legislation

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) are circulating a new draft of their Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, which focuses on improving the energy efficiency of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings through support for building energy codes, workforce training, and financing.

After extensive collaboration with ASHRAE and other stakeholder organizations, the Senators introduced a previous version of this bill in the 112th Congress, and unsuccessfully sought to attach it as an amendment to other legislation in the hopes of winning passage. Undeterred, Senators Shaheen and Portman are again working with ASHRAE and others, and may reintroduce their bill later this month, beginning their efforts anew to help improve the energy efficiency of our nation’s built environment.

For details, contact Mark Ames, ASHRAE Manager of Federal Government Affairs, at mames@ashrae.org or 202-833-1830.

U.S. House Committee Holds Hearing on Energy Efficiency

The U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing last week on public-private energy efficiency activities in several areas, including the built environment. This extensive hearing featured testimony from three panels of witnesses, including:

Panel I
The Honorable Lisa Murkowski
U.S. Senator, Alaska
Ranking Member, Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee 

The Honorable Jeanne Shaheen
U.S. Senator, New Hampshire

Panel II
The Honorable Dr. Kathleen Hogan
Deputy Ass’t Secretary for Energy Efficiency
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
U.S. Department of Energy

Panel III
Mr. Kevin C. Kosisko
Vice President for Service
ABB, Inc.
On behalf of: National Electrical Manufacturers Association and Industrial Energy Efficiency Coalition

Ms. Britta MacIntosh
Vice President, Business Development
NORESCO
On behalf of: Federal Performance Contracting Coalition

Mr. James Crouse
Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Capstone Turbine Corporation
On behalf of: U.S. Combined Heat & Power Association

Mrs. Helen A. Burt
Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer
Pacific Gas and Electric Company

To view video of the hearing and read witness testimony, click here.

ASHRAE Grassroots Go “Social” on Facebook

As has been reported many times in Update, the Grassroots Government Activities Committee (GGAC) is coming online in earnest after this summer’s Annual Meeting in Denver. This new standing committee will be comprised of Regional Vice Chairs (RVCs) representing all 14 of ASHRAE’s regions, who, in turn, will coordinate the activities of chapter GGAC chairs and strategize accordingly as to future initiatives and tactics aimed at getting ASHRAE and its members recognized and utilized as technical resources for policymakers.

To broaden the reach of GGAC efforts, the committee has gone high-tech by creating a Facebook Page, which, if visitors to the page “like” it, will provide frequent updates about issues important to ASHRAE members in the U.S. and abroad. Moving forward, as notable activities at the chapter and regional level arise, the committee will post about public policy successes and challenges members face in their communities.

If your chapter is engaged in government activities at the jurisdictional level, please let the committee know by commenting on the Facebook Page or by contacting Mark Wills, Manager of State and Local Government Affairs at mwills@ashrae.org so the message can be passed on, discussed, and recognized as appropriate.

ASHRAE's Government Affairs Updates detail information on government affairs-related activities of interest to ASHRAE members and others interested in the built environment. Archives of previous updates are available from the Government Affairs website.

 

 

 

 
Current Call to Action
Papers are being sought for a conference focused on energy and indoor air quality in hot and humid climates.

Organized by ASHRAE, the Qatar Oryx Chapter and the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, the First International Conference on Energy and Indoor Environment for Hot Climates takes place Feb. 24-26, 2014, in Doha, Qatar. It is endorsed by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).

Abstracts (400 words in length) are due April 30, 2013. If accepted, papers are due May 15, 2013. Authors of accepted papers are responsible for travel and registration. Hotel accommodations are free for authors presenting papers. Submittal information can be found at www.ashrae.org/HotClimates.

The Conference provides a forum for discussion of the latest research and development in the field of indoor environmental quality in high ambient temperature climates.  

Rising energy demand, costs and the associated environmental problems are causing increased emphasis on the design of energy efficient HVAC&R systems, according to Walid Chakroun, conference chair. 

“This Conference sets the path for better understanding the integration of energy efficiency and indoor air quality in high ambient temperature regions,” he said. “The impact of low-energy design on occupant health in different building sectors, for both developed and developing economies, is the focus.”

Topics include but are not limited to:
• Indoor Air Quality Systems 
• Lessons Learned from IAQ Systems in Developing Countries
• Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Systems
• Sustainability in Buildings
• Energy and Sustainable Development
• Healthy Indoor Environment Protocols
• Renewable Energy Technologies
• Indoor Environmental Pollution Sources
• Air Cleaner Performance
• Advances in Filter Materials
• Low Emitting Materials for Better IAQ
• Standards, Codes and Regulations

In addition, panel discussions are included with experts and decision makers where recommendations and ideas for research can be generated for better design and preserving healthy environments. Also, several keynote speeches will focus on different aspects of indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency. 
 
The SPFA technical programs and committees that support them are in need of a select few interested professionals (equipment, suppliers, systems houses and contractors) to carry the momentum onward on various technical projects of the association. Admittedly, the certification development effort has dug into our volunteer base deeply.  But there are lots of critical, relevant and interesting technical projects ongoing or starting within the Building Envelope Committee (BEC), Roofing Committee (RC) and new technical committees. Please contact Rick Duncan at rickduncan@sprayfoam.org if you are interested or willing to assist with these important efforts.
 
SPF-Related Codes & Standards

The Building Codes Assistance Project releases regular updates on building energy codes through its quarterly BCAP Newsletter and weekly Code Alert Bulletin.

BCAP Newsletters are quarterly summaries of what's been happening at the Building Codes Assistance Project and building energy code progress around the nation.  To access the full archive, click here.

BCAP Code Alert Bulletins are released weekly by the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) and its website, the Online Code Environment & Advocacy Network (OCEAN). Code Alert Bulletins are designed to share information and support timely participation in state and local activities related to the adoption and implementation of building energy codes. The bulletins highlight immediate opportunities to influence state and local policy outcomes, indicate code status, and recommend contacts for action. If you know of activity that should be on this bulletin or would like to sign up for this bujlletin, contact Matt Kerns at (202) 530-2252 or mkerns@ase.org.

 

Alliance to Save Energy's Efficiency News
Some of the topics that are addressed in the newest update from Alliance to Save Energy include:

Energy 2030 Plan: Part of Obama's State of the Union 

"When the President issued a goal to cut energy waste in half, he advanced the Alliance's Energy 2030 plan, unveiled Thursday in Washington," said Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan.

A diverse coalition of energy leaders unveiled a set of recommendations designed to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030. Achieving this goal could save $327 billion annually and add 1.3 million jobs.

Plug Heat Bleed Calculator

See how the Energy Response Corps' online tool can evaluate how much your home is losing to Heat Bleed.

Living Efficiently? Videos Show Energy-Saving Suggestions for Your Life 

Check out this video series for every day energy-saving suggestions.

For complete list of articles, click here.
 
Sprayfoam Professional Call for Submissions
Events

"Introduction to Air Barriers" provides an overview of the performance requirements of air barrier materials, assemblies, and systems, and includes a discussion on relevant building code requirements. This course AIA and state credits and qualifies for HSW. Please check course specifications for all available credit and details: www.aecdaily.com/sponsor/abaa

 
 

 

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