SPFA Quarterly D.I.C.E. Webinar Series Hosts Claudette Reichel of LSU: Basic Building Science Insights for Sprayfoam, HVAC and Moisture
July 12, SPFA hosted a live airing of Claudette Reichel’s presentation focusing upon sprayfoam, HVAC and moisture management. Being based in Baton Rouge. La., Claudette and the sprayfoam companies, along with their customers, have a constant battle with moisture in the jungle-like climate. Sprayfoam performs very well in places like Louisiana. Claudette’s presentation to the SPFA members provided great guidance on battling moisture issues with sprayfoam, and follows almost a week spent in the state by SPFA staff meeting with the LA State Code Council and the LA Home Builders Association to discuss areas of mutual interest around SPF. The webinar was great, because while Claudette’s information was generally directed to more humid and wet environments, she added information relevant to the rest of the country.
This webinar was part of SPFA’s D.I.C.E (Delivering Information for Contractor Excellence) quarterly webinar series and video replay is available to members. Notably, the session was sponsored by BPI in conjunction with the roll out of its new Building Science Certificate of Knowledge program. Attendees were provided with a discount code applicable to the BPI test and reference guide. BPI, along with RCI, the Roof Consultants Institute, qualified the webinar for one hour continuing education units recognized by both groups for their members seeking to maintain their educational requirements. Keep an eye out for the promo of the next SPFA DICE webinar sometime in the fall.
Start Planning for SprayFoam Convention & Expo, Jan. 26-29, 2014
Join your industry for the SPF event of the year! Imagine the possibilities:
-Network and develop valuable connections.
-Find solutions to your pressing business needs.
-Learn about advances in the SPF industry.
-Get the training you need to be the best.
SPFA Joins New Coalition Examining Fire Retardants 
SPFA is an active member of this new coalition examining the responsible and proper treatment of products containing fire retardants. Click here for more details.
California Proposal to Eliminate Flame Retardants in Foam Plastics
A group of SPFA stakeholder members in California have been very active in opposing a new proposal in the California Assembly to reduce or eliminate flame retardants in foam plastic insulation. This proposal, AB127, can have a significant impact on the use of foam plastic insulation across the State, and is being promoted nationally by a group called Safer Insulation Solution. Working with Tim Shestek of the American Chemistry Council, more than a dozen SPFA contractor members co-signed a letter to the proponent, Assemblywoman Skinner of the California Legislature's Natural Resources Committee (NRC). Many of our SPFA members also contacted the members of the NRC within their respective legislative districts. Although AB127 did pass through the NRC on April 29, it now moves to the Appropriations Committee, where the financial implications of the bill will be reviewed. SPFA will continue supporting the ACC and the Energy Efficient Foam Coalition's grass-roots efforts in California, read here. Interested SPFA members should contact Rick Duncan for more information rickduncan@sprayfoam.org.
Industry-Level Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for SPF in Progress
In November 2012, SPFA released final reports that documented the SPF industry's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study. This announcement and detailed report can be found by clicking here. This study documents the detailed results of the overwhelmingly net-positive environmental impacts of generic LD, MD and roofing SPF products from cradle to end-of-life. The six impacts studied include primary energy demand, global warming (carbon footprint), ozone depletion, eutrophication (nitrogen release), smog and acidification (acid rain). While the study met all requirements of ISO-14040 and 14044, the results need to be summarized in a third-party environmental product declaration (EPD). EPD's, following the Product Category Rules (PRC) for insulation, provide an important verification of the results that assist in product selection under sustainable building programs such as USGBC's LEED, IgCC, GreenGlobes and other similar programs. UL Environments will be the most likely developer of the SFPA's industry-level EPD. For more information on the EPD development, please contact Rick Duncan, Technical Director of SPFA at rickduncan@sprayfoam.org.
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Polyurethanes Technical Conference to Highlight Versatility of Polyurethanes for Construction
The versatility of polyurethane chemistry and its benefits for the building and construction industry will be the focus of three separate technical sessions at the 2013 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, presented by the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council. The conference will take place Sept. 23-25 in Phoenix, Ariz. Throughout the conference, industry experts will present advances in rigid polyurethane (PUR), polyisocyanurate (PIR) foams and spray polyurethane foam (SPF), which are ideal for many different construction applications.
Check Out This New Site: SprayFoamHomes.com
Spray Foam Nation is offering a subsidized cost to get sprayfoam contractors listed on the newest sprayfoam site, www.SprayFoamHomes.com, geared to help homeowners, builders/GCs and architects understand foam better. Listings are sorted by state. The site's mission is to provide homeowners, as well as builders, GCs, architects and all other energy-conscious individuals with the most current news and information on spray polyurethane foam technology.
Advanced Energy Design Guides Hit Half-Million Circulation Mark
Since being introduced eight years ago to encourage energy efficient design in a range of building types, the Advanced Energy Design Guide series from ASHRAE and partnering organizations has hit the half-million circulation mark. More than 500,000 copies of the books have been downloaded or purchased since first published in 2005. In 2008, ASHRAE began making the Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) series available for free download at www.ashrae.org/freeaedg.
Free Resources for Professionals, ASHRAE Annual Conference Highlights
ACC Calls on Congress and DHS to Partner with Industry to Advance Chemical Security
Some of the articles in Summer 2013 issue of SPRAYFOAM Professional magazine include:
2013 SPFA CONTRACTOR AWARDS
>>SPECIALTY APPLICATION -- Complex Project on Residence Shaped Like Stack of Books
>>COMMERCIAL WALL FOAM -- Heavenly Results: LDS Temple Calls Upon SPF to Rise to Occasion
CHECKLIST -- How to Reduce Exposures During SPF Application
NEW COLUMN! SPEAKING SENSIBLY -- Are You Ready to Grow with the Improving Economy?
SAFETY FIRST -- Effect of Ventilation Rates on Applicator Exposure During SPF Application
If you didn't receive this issue in the mail or via email and would like to be on future distribution lists, click here to sign up.
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 SPFA 2013 National Contractor Excellence Award Winning ProjectsCongratulations to all the winners in the 2013 Annual SPFA National Contractor Excellence Awards. These projects are examples of SPF’s unique performance, applicability and appeal. In upcoming issues of SPRAYFOAM Professional, various winning projects will be spotlighted.
Here is the full list of winners:
>>Arizona Foam & Spray: Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
>>Spray-Tec Inc.: Bluegrass Community and Technical College Newtown Pike Campus
>>Southwest Spray Foam LLC: Television Personality Steve Thomas
>>Smart Choice Insulation & Roofing, Inc.: The Flour Tower
>>West Roofing Systems, Inc.: Boulevard Terrace & Neal Terrace Apartments
>>Honeywell Building Envelope Solutions: 206,000 sq.ft. re-roofing over BUR with extensive removal
>>Biofoam: Fermilab
>>West Roofing Systems, Inc.: Playhouse Square 14th Street Theatre Roof Reconstruction
>>Insulate SB, Inc: The Book House
>>J. Calman Industries: Coastal Progress – Marine Vessel
SPFA Member Benefits
SPFA knows there are lots of organizations out there that would like to have you in their membership. But if you are in, or getting into, the sprayfoam business, we are the place for you. We work hard to represent you well and give you value back for your support. Click here to find out more.
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By Chuck Soder
Yup, one of the world's most popular actresses and beautiful women is now practically, kinda, sorta, a member of my family. Ms. Johansson, along with her crew and two small dogs (one of which is purple), moved into the Lakewood home/palace in May, before she started shooting scenes around town for "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."
Sure, the movie ruined my commute to downtown Cleveland for a few weeks and would never have been shot here if it weren't for the state tax credit, but I can't complain. My extended family has benefited from her stay in a number of ways.
My father-in-law, Dick West - who owns West Roofing Systems of LaGrange, which also won a contract to fix the roof of a warehouse that housed explosives for the movie - received a sizable rent payment to get out of town for a few weeks....
By Terry Nordbye
Source: JLC -- The Journal of Light Construction
When it comes to air-sealing, canned spray foam is often seen as the perfect material for plugging medium-sized holes and gaps, mostly because it's inexpensive and easy to apply. I've used a lot of canned foam for air-sealing over the years, and I even wrote a JLC article that described some of my methods for working with it and other sealants ("Air-Sealing Tips and Tricks," 1/12). But as time passed, I began to have questions about canned foam's durability. I noticed in particular that pipes and wires would often break loose from the surrounding foam...
Source: BuildingGreen.com
Note: Subscription required to read this but trial provides 30 days free access.
If you've ever held a Styrofoam cup comfortably in your hand, only to scorch your tongue sipping the piping-hot coffee inside, you know that plastic foam is a really good insulator. It's also lightweight, generally impervious to moisture, relatively cheap, and strong. With all that in its favor, it would take some effort to find a contemporary, high-performance building that doesn't incorporate foam insulation into key parts of its assembly. But a dark side to foam has come into focus over the last decade. To name a few issues, its manufacturing process can be polluting, its global warming impact can be stratospheric, it is laden with toxic flame retardants, and it is highly flammable, even with those chemical additives...
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SPF Professional Certification Program (PCP) Updates
Since SPFA completed development of the SPF Professional Certification Program (PCP) and publicly rolled it out at its annual convention and expo in February, already almost 800 tests have been administered. SPFA members and partners, including Gaco Western, Premium Spray Systems, Demilec, Bayer Material Science, and the ABAA Conference have all hosted testing sessions. More sessions are scheduled over the next several weeks at locations including CertainTeed, Sprayfoam Nation, Conklin, Premium Spray Systems, Quadrant Urethanes, and NCFI, with more getting scheduled all the time. SPFA is working presently on the development of a Contractor, Distributor and Manufacturer Firm Accreditation program to complement the new certification program. To find out more about the program, enroll, register for a test, or get set up for one of the upcoming testing locations, email admin@spfapcp.org or call (866) 222-5000 and simply state what you want to do. They will either process you or get you with the right people.
Spray Foam Nation will be offering SPFA Master Installer Exams every Friday in July and August. The 3-Day Training Plus SPFA Certification will be July 17-19, and 5-Day Training Plus SPFA Certified Combo Package on Aug. 5-9. Contractors will be able to take prep courses and exams that will earn them SPFA Certification for various levels (Assistant, Master Installer and Project Manager) as well as taken advantage of hands-on training.
In a June 19 press release, the Spray Foam Coalition (SFC) of the American Chemistry Council announced its support of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance's (SPFA) new Professional Certification Program for sprayfoam applicators. The Coalition strongly supports this new program that will continue to expand the ongoing efforts of the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) industry to create the highest standards of quality and professionalism for its customers.
"The SPF industry has for many years and will continue to support the safe and appropriate use of SPF," said SFC Senior Director Lee Salamone. "SPFA has created a first-rate certification program to continually raise the bar on safety, performance, quality and professionalism among SPF industry professionals and help give building owners confidence when choosing an SPF applicator."
SPFA launched its new Professional Certification Program at the Spray Foam 2013 Convention & Expo. The program was developed in compliance with the ANSI/ISO 17024 standard. Individual certifications will be available at four different levels in the two categories of insulation and roofing. To become certified under SPFA's new program, individuals must pass an exam and meet various criteria for any level of certification they would like to achieve. It is a progressive program with each level based on the candidate passing the exam for the previous level.
SPF is an excellent insulation choice for building owners. It insulates and acts as an air barrier, both of which are critical to making buildings comfortable and reducing heating and cooling costs.
Gaco Western, a leader in innovative spray foam insulation products, is pleased to announce that the company has made a commitment to ensure GacoWallFoam contractors are certified under the SPFA Professional Certification Program by January 1, 2015.
Demilec USA Holds SPFA Certification Seminar
Demilec USA, LLC held a preparatory seminar June 25-28 to assist contractors and installers to certify under the SPFA Professional Certification Program. The goal was to prepare the attendees to take the SPFA examinations for the various levels of installer (applicator) certification, plus there was a day of business training and a full day of hands-on training including spray technique, troubleshooting and equipment maintenance. On the final day of training, all students had the opportunity to take the tests for any of the SPFA certifications. For details on future SPFA Certification training with Demilec, click here.
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Bayer MaterialScience LLC has rejoined the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) and will support its efforts to raise industry standards for spray foam application training and certification.
The SPFA has designed a sprayfoam insulation contractor certification program that requires applicators to have the necessary background, training, and testing to install spray polyurethane foam safely. Bayer, who had developed its own applicator training program, will now recognize the SPFA Insulation Master Installer certification as comparable to the Bayer bronze accreditation level for spray polyurethane foam application.
Bayer will work with the SPFA to improve their current certification program, as well as expand its coverage to include contractor companies, distributors and manufacturers. As an industry leader, Bayer recognizes the importance of customer accreditation and for every spray foam applicator to have the proper safety and application training. Bayer will continue its efforts through the SPFA, the Center for the Polyurethane Industry’s Spray Foam Coalition, the Insulation Contractors Association of America and other organizations to advance spray polyurethane foam product stewardship along the value chain.
Renewing its membership in the SPFA will give Bayer an added opportunity to support the industry through product stewardship, codes initiatives, research, and educational programs to connect with customers.
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June 25, 2013, OSHA announces new National Emphasis Program for occupational exposure to isocyanates. The official announcement can be found here, and the associated Directive found here. This National Emphasis (aka enforcement) Program is directed at roughly 20 industries using isocyanates, including spray polyurethane foam insulation and roofing.
"This is a major development, perhaps the most impactful regulation affecting the industry in recent memory," said SPFA Executive Director Kurt Riesenberg. "I find the intent of the NEP understandable taking into account the focus of the federal agencies on SPF specifically and Iso generally, but there are several elements of this enforcement program that are very, and surprisingly discomforting, and we are going to need some close work with OSHA to get it worked out," he continued. The concerns range from the Directive atypically casting a wide net to include targeted companies with fewer than 10 employees, the mandated minimum number of inspections OSHA regional and local offices are going to conduct and the selection process of those to be inspected, and a question over the treatment of PEL for isocyanates in the SPF installation environment. "SPFA has developed a very good working relationship with OSHA and other agencies over the past four years and looks forward to working on these issues with them and on the members’ behalf," said Riesenberg.
Members are strongly encouraged to review the requirements and expectations of OSHA inspectors that can be found in the Directive. This is a priority for OSHA. Resources and teams of inspectors are being tasked to this, and at least one SPF contractor already had an inspection scheduled within days of the announcement.
Check the SPFA website, member-only section, Twitter and Facebook pages along with Sprayfoam Professional magazine for up-to-date information on this subject as it becomes available.
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Source: NASEO
By David Terry, Executive Director
On June 27, 2013, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year (FY) 2014 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill totaling $34.773 billion, which is $1.96 billion below the FY'13 enacted level ( see attached press release). The bill includes $53 million for the U.S. State Energy Program and $190 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program. The House marked up their version of the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill on June 18, 2013, which is $2.9 billion below FY’13 funding levels to $30.4 billion. All signs point to another Continuing Resolution for FY'14, which would be based on the FY'13 spending levels, less a sequester.
The Senate version proposed $2.281 billion for energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects, which is $470 million more than fiscal year 2013, to develop the next generation of renewable energy technologies, advanced vehicles and fuels, and more energy efficient measures to reduce energy use of U.S. manufacturers and residential and industrial buildings. The House bill provides $1.4 billion below the Senate mark for these activities.
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 SPFA Looks for Input on Draft of Builders Handbook At the 2013 NAHB IBS show in Las Vegas, SPFA offered a compendium of spray foam technical, safety, contractor certification, and installation information of specific interest to home builders during one of the sessions, "What You Need to Know When Working with Spray Polyurethane Insulation for Residential Buildings." To accompany the session, a draft of the SPFA Builders Reference Handbook was released. The document is a draft and will evolve with input received from builders. You are invited to download this document for free and let us know where we can make it better.
The call for papers for a conference focused on the design, construction and operation of buildings in developing economies has been extended until Aug. 16.
Organized by ASHRAE along with the Philippines Chapter, the "Efficient, High Performance Buildings for Developing Economies" Conference will take place April 24-25, 2014, in Manila, Philippines. It is co-sponsored by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and endorsed by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).
Abstracts (400 or less words in length) are due Aug. 16, 2013. If accepted, papers are due Nov. 15, 2013. Submittal information can be found at www.ashrae.org/Developing2014.
Call for Papers for ASHRAE 2014 Annual Conference
ASHRAE is seeking papers for its 2014 Annual Conference in Seattle, Wash., June 28-July 2, 2014.
The Conference addresses broad topics in the application of technology to practice, specific applications in ground source heat pumps, O&M and indoor environmental quality, as well as new reports on research taking place worldwide.
The second annual Research Summit seeks papers that report on HVAC&R research with particular emphasis on high performance building design and its role in a clean energy economy, and brings together researchers to present and discuss the latest research. Papers describing ASHRAE-related research are encouraged as well as papers from societies and associations worldwide.
As with past ASHRAE Conferences, the Seattle Conference also seeks papers addressing advances and practices across HVAC&R systems, equipment, fundamentals and applications.
Conference paper abstracts are due Sept. 23, 2013. Upon acceptance, papers will be due Jan. 9, 2014. These papers undergo a single-blind review.
Full technical papers are due Sept. 23, 2013. Papers submitted for review must be both technically accurate and clearly written. These papers undergo a rigorous double-blind review and will be published in ASHRAE Transactions.
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Alliance to Save Energy's Efficiency News
Updates from ASE include:
For complete list of ASE's Efficiency News articles, click here.
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Building Science Fundamentals is a two-day seminar that teaches the basic knowledge needed to design and build durable, energy efficient, affordable and healthy buildings. The registration fee for this seminar is $795.
Join this AGC of America webinar, from 1-2:30 p.m., to learn how LCPtracker's web-based software collects, checks and verifies your subcontractors' certified payrolls. See how LCPtracker will safeguard you by ensuring that your subcontractors are compliant with the labor laws. Speakers are Jade Banks (LCPtracker), Kris Vincil (LCPtracker) and Kelli Hardge (Clark Construction).
Building Science Fundamentals is a two-day seminar that teaches the basic knowledge needed to design and build durable, energy efficient, affordable and healthy buildings. The registration fee for this seminar is $795.
The 2013 Polyurethanes Technical Conference will be held September 23-25, 2013. CPI is now accepting poster abstracts for the conference. Poster abstracts are due August 22, 2013.
Building industry professionals are heading to Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort with a real purpose - to learn the science and above code strategies behind energy efficient and high performance building practices, to understand new regulations and legislative measures, and to capitalize on increasing opportunities.
Designed for current users who want to take it to the next level, this class will enhance the quality and speed of your WUFI results. Tips and tricks, hands-on practice with advanced examples, and discussion of field validation exercises are all part of this advanced seminar. The registration fee for this seminar is $395.
Building Science Experts’ Session is an annual two-day seminar that focuses on advanced building science topics. This session is intended to provide thought provoking professional development for experienced building industry professionals who are interested in healthy, durable and energy efficient new and old buildings. The registration fee for this seminar is $795.
Since 1975, World of Concrete has been the industry’s only annual international event dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry construction industries. Featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits, innovative products and technologies, demonstrations and competitions, an education program, and the information you need to help sustain and grow your business.
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