Sprayfoam Pro Newswire
April 24, 2014
 
SPFA News and Announcements
>> SPFA to Elect New Board Members
This is an election year for the SPFA Board of Directors. Nominations will go out in April to the membership.  Any member in good standing may self-nominate or nominate any other member that is also in good-standing. The nomination process will close and the election ballots will go out electronically, with the election concluding in May 2014. The new Board of Directors will be seated on July 1, 2014 for their two-year term. If interested in serving on the SPFA Board, please watch for the nomination and election forms in your email, or access them once available in the member-only section of the SPFA website.
 
>> SPF Article by Rick Duncan Appears in Roofing Contractor
Rick Duncan, Ph.D, SPFA Technical Director, authored an article entitled, "Proper Installation of Spray Foam: Optimizing the Efficacy and Energy Efficiency of SPF in Roofing Applications," in a 2014 issue of "Roofing Contractor."

>> SPFA Finishes Environmental Product Declaration for SPF
As a continuing step toward effective product and environmental stewardship, SPFA and Underwriters Laboratory Environment (ULe) conducted the necessary steps to complete an SPF Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which further validates the 2012 release of the SPF Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This Declaration, along with the LCA, are recognized by sustainability experts as additional verification of a product’s environmental performance. The EPD is maintained on the ULe website, available at www.sprayfoam.org/technical. The LCA is available there, as well.


 
Graco
Industry News and Announcements

>>SPFA Sponsors U.S. DoE Challenge Home Student Competition
Source: energy.gov
As part of its Building America Program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invited college students across the United States to participate in the DOE Challenge Home Student Design Competition and become part of a leadership movement to achieve truly sustainable homes. There are 33 teams from across North America and more than 300 students participating. 

Through the Challenge Home, DOE seeks to apply proven innovations for high-performance homes that could be implemented by the home building industry, thereby serving as "models for success." The idea behind this competition was to inspire and develop the next generation of building science professionals, to advance and enhance building science curriculum in universities, and to provide a practical and accessible competition to compliment the "more aggressive" Solar Decathlon competition. 

From April 26-28 at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., the teams will present their designs and competition awards will be announced.

Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) is a sponsor of this event. For details on sponsorship or for more information on the event, click here.

>>SPFA PCP Training Puts Honeywell Solstice® LBA to the Test
At SPFA’s SprayFoam 2014, contractors gathered to complete the SPFA Professional Certification Program. For the first time, roof field exams were offered as part of the program. Contractors sprayed a West Development Group roof system made with Honeywell’s new low global warming potential Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent. View the video (http://youtu.be/85Nbs614vuM) for the full story. 

Contractors were impressed by the foam’s ease of spraying, good rise and smooth, glass-like finish. Solstice LBA is a nonflammable, VOC-exempt (U.S. EPA) foam blowing agent with an ultra-low global warming potential (GWP) of 1 (compared to a GWP of greater than 800 for HFC alternatives). Honeywell is gearing up to meet demand with a new Solstice LBA production facility. The new plant is nearing completion and large-scale commercial quantities will be available in Q2 2014. (See related articles in the upcoming SPRAYFOAM Professional Summer 2014 issue. Also, the cover photo is of the plant during its construction phase, in April 2014.) 

For details on Solstice LBA, call 800-631-8138 or visit www.honeywell-solsticelba.com.
 
RE: California Department of Toxic Substances Control Proposed Regulation of Chemicals Utilized in Spray Polyurethane Foam "for Home and Building Insulation, Weatherizing and Sealing, and Roofing" 

As a leading voice for the spray polyurethane foam industry, the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) is aware of, and disappointed, by the March 13, 2014 announcement by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) regarding the Department’s draft regulation on the use of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation and roofing.

With industry best practices and the safe and effective installation of spray foam representing two core missions of the organization, SPFA has consistently, openly and transparently collaborated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the safe use of spray foam ingredients and systems over the past half-decade. While SPFA understands and emphasizes that the recent DTSC announcement is not a ban of spray polyurethane foam (or the use of diisocyanates found in a multitude of consumer products), it considers the announcement unfortunate as it undermines the desire among California private and professional customers’ for a safe and effective building product that delivers on performance.

California has demanded increased energy efficiency performance of homes and buildings in a way that few products other than spray foam can deliver, and simultaneously initiated efforts to regulate the product in a way that may render its performance impotent.
 
Read full statement here.

DuPont Fluorochemicals (DuPont) announced significant progress in delivering a new foam expansion solution based on hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, which offers breakthrough reduction in global warming potential (GWP) as well as energy efficiency benefits. 
 
DuPont has established firm plans to start-up small-scale production in 2014 of HFO-1336mzz, which will be marketed as Formacel® 1100 foam expansion agent. The company also is forming plans for world-class commercial capacity to meet the long-term needs of polyurethane foam customers for high efficiency, low GWP solutions. DuPont is actively engaged in the development of Formacel® 1100 foam expansion agent as part of its expanding portfolio of low GWP products. In addition, the company is exploring the potential to use HFO-1336mzz in refrigerant applications. 
 
Formacel® 1100 foam expansion agent, based on HFO-1336mzz, can help significantly reduce the environmental footprint of rigid polyurethane foam insulation around the world. In addition to its extremely low global warming potential and zero ozone depletion potential, Formacel® 1100 also offers excellent thermal insulation performance allowing for reduced energy consumption, which further reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 
 
For more information, click here.  

>>Nominations Sought for Polyurethane Innovation Award
S
ource: americanchemistry.com
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council today opened the call for entries for its 2014 Polyurethane Innovation Award. This award recognizes visionary technologies in the global polyurethanes industry and commercialized the previous year.

Nominations for this year’s award must be submitted to CPI no later than 5 p.m. EDT on June 18. Click here for the award rules and entry form. The award winner will be announced during the 2014 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, which will be held Sept. 22-24 in Dallas.

>>New Bill Proposes the Creation of Performance-Based Whole-House Retrofit Tax Credit
Source: bpi.org / Stacey Freed 
A new bill proposing the creation of a performance-based whole-house retrofit tax credit has been introduced in the Senate. The legislation is intended to boost energy efficiency in government, in industry, and in commercial and residential buildings which account for more than 40 percent of energy consumption in the United States. A recent McKinsey study concluded that maximizing energy efficiency for homes and commercial buildings could help reduce U.S. energy consumption by 23 percent by 2020. 

>>Applications for Housing Innovation Awards Available, Deadline June 30, 2014
Source: Energy.gov
The 2014 Housing Innovation Awards for the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program will feature builders in custom, production and affordable categories who are leading a major housing industry transformation to zero energy ready homes.  

Any registered builder who has certified a DOE Challenge Home or DOE Zero Energy Ready Home between April 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 is eligible to compete.  Applications are due June 30, 2014.  Please contact us if you need assistance.

The 2014 Housing Innovation Awards ceremony will be held on September 23, 2014, at EEBA’s Excellence in Building Conference in St. Louis, MO. 
 
Building Performance Institute
Special Offer for SPFA Members: AGC Contractors Environmental Conference 
June 12-13, 2014 | Arlington, Virginia 

From leadership in sustainability to compliance with environmental requirements, this year’s Associated General Contractors of America’s Contractors Environmental Conference provide invaluable resources for environmental professionals in the construction industry. As an Industry Partner for this conference, SPFA Members receive a savings of $100 off the non-AGC member rates that kick in on April 26.

Here are five reasons why you should attend the 2014 AGC CEC:

1.Learn how to manage the environmental issues that keep you up at night before they result in an emergency situation. Attendees will learn about the strategies and tools that help companies stay on top of environmental compliance issues, communicate effectively with the project team and document compliance.

2.Get up-to-date information on environmental compliance and sustainability issues that most often show up on your to-do list. New "rapid fire" style sessions will provide attendees with the most current information on a host of regulatory compliance issues. Coupled with more in-depth educational looks at hot topic issues, attendees will gain new insight and helpful tips on a wide range of environmental topics.

3.Hear about initiatives and trends that could be a new source of savings or revenue for your company. Attendees will hear ways to help their companies stand out as environmental leaders. Find ways to convert waste to profit, explore alternative fuel options, learn how resiliency initiatives may impact future development – these are just a few of the issues AGC will cover at the conference.

4.Meet the regulators. AGC will maximize on the proximity of the conference location to Washington, DC, and bring in federal agency representatives to participate in the conference and interact with attendees. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore and ask questions about the compliance assistance and sustainability tools provided by federal agencies.

5.Network with your peers. A major benefit of the 2014 CEC is the opportunity you will have to network with environmental professionals in the construction industry. In addition to the receptions, "dine around" and scheduled breaks, this conference provides time throughout the schedule to facilitate one-on-one discussions and opportunities to learn from one another.

Learn more about the 2014 AGC CEC and register here.

SPFA Members can take advantage of their membership discounts with a special Industry Partner Code to use during registration. Start your registration as a "non-AGC member" but then enter the code PTNR14CEC to receive the member rate for normal registration, which begins April 26.  Everyone benefits from the early-bird registration savings through April 25.
 
From the Current Issue of SPRAYFOAM PROFESSIONAL Magazine
The Spring 2014 issue of SPRAYFOAM Professional has been mailed and should be in your mailboxes shortly. However, the digital version is already accessible online. Some enhanced features in the digital version include:
 
>>Search for specific keywords or phrases.
>>Flag favorite articles.
>>Make notes in the margins.
>>Connect with vendors quickly and easily.
 
If you do not receive the SPRAYFOAM Professional Spring 2014 issue in the mail or via email and would like to be on future distribution lists, click here to sign up.
   
And, for your convenience and quick reference, the SPRAYFOAM Professional archives and enewsletter archives are both available online.
 
Bayer Material Science
SPFA Membership

The attendance at the 2014 SprayFoam Conference & Expo was fantastic. As the rest of the country built igloos and bundled up, attendees enjoyed 80-degree, sunny skies in beautiful Palm Springs. The conference was the highest-attended West Coast show, and had a record number of booths (92) as well as a record number of large booths: (7) 20x20s and (1) 20x40. 

During SprayFoam 2014, the winners of the SPFA National Industry Excellence Awards were announced. More details on the winners and their projects will be covered in upcoming issues of SPRAYFOAM Professional, but here are the results:
 
Commercial Wall Foam Winner: Domestic Insulation (See coverage in Summer 2014 issue, coming out soon!)
Commercial Wall Foam Runner-Up: Biofoam Inc.
 
Residential Wall Foam Winner: PROFOAM of Tennessee
Residential Wall Foam Runner-Up: Jag Construction Inc.
 
Roof Foam Less Than 40,000 sq. ft. Winner: PROFOAM of Tennessee
Roof Foam Less Than 40,000 sq. ft. Runner-Up: Honeywell Building Envelope Solutions
 
Roof Foam Greater Than 40,000 sq. ft. Winner: Arizona Foam & Spray (See coverage in Summer 2014 issue.)
Roof Foam Greater Than 40,000 sq. ft. Runner-Up: West Roofing Systems, Inc.
 
Specialty Applications Winner: West Roofing Systems, Inc.
Specialty Applications Runner-Up: Polyseal Insulation LLC 

>>Break-Out Sessions
If you were not able to attend SPFA's 2014 SprayFoam Convention & Expo, be sure to stay tuned. Speakers at the highest-attended break-out sessions will be summarizing some of their material in upcoming issues of SPRAYFOAM Professional.
(See more details on the session "OSHA Is at My Jobsite -- What Do I Do?" by Joseph E. Bolduc, MBA, CSP in the Summer 2014 issue, which will be coming out soon.) Also, many of the slides from the presentations are available here.
 
Be sure to check out some of the photos from SprayFoam 2014 and see if our photographer saw you! Some images from SprayFoam 2014 are posted at the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) Facebook site.
 

>>SPFA Publishes Membership Brochure
Available on the SPFA website, the brochure highlights some of the various benefits of membership and activities of the organization as it pursues its mission to represent SPF professionals in areas of technical and environmental leadership, government advocacy, professional certification, industry promotion and outreach, and delivery of a world-class convention and expo. Please check out the brochure if you have been considering joining SPFA and support our mission to serve you. 
For more information or to access the application to join, please click here.
 


>>SPFA Membership Directory and Buyers' Guide
Members in good standing are listed in this publication, which was mailed to members in September. This directory is also available in a digital format here. The convenient digital format allows users to navigate and access the directory's content quickly and easily, on the road or in the office. Use the information provided to contact fellow SPFA members and industry partners throughout the year to share ideas, ask questions, or just stay in touch.


 
>>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.
 
 
Foam Supplies, Inc.
SPFA Courses and Certification

>>SPFA PCP – Accessible, Available and Affordable

Our goal is to make SPFA PCP accessible and available to everyone!  Be sure to visit our website for more details, the following are just some of the ways we are bringing SPFA PCP to you!

> Online testing available for all SPFA PCP Written Exams
> Assistant, Installer and Master Installer Written Exams also available in Spanish
> Year round exam preparatory courses and written exam opportunities (check our website for upcoming dates and locations)

If your Supplier isn’t listed, check with them to see if they will be hosting SPFA PCP course or  exams.  Many Suppliers will be doing so, but just haven’t given us their dates.  Suppliers should be your first line of training since they can many now offer both SPFA PCP courses and their own proprietary training on the material and equipment you use.

> Online Assistant Exam Prep Course (coming soon!)
> Nationwide network of SPFA PCP Certified Field Examiners

SPFA PCP has been offering Introductory pricing, but that will likely end on December 31, 2014 – so take advantage of the deepest discounts the program will offer!

For more details on the SPFA Professional Certification Program, please visit our website at www.sprayfoam.org and click on Certification or contact Kelly Marcavage.

>>SPFA PCP Exam Prep Courses and Exams 
New locations are frequently added for SPFA PCP Exam Preparatory Courses, Written Examinations and Field Examinations, so be sure to check www.sprayfoam.org Certification Calendar of Events for the most complete list.  
 
April 29-30 -- Portland, OR
Hosted by Demilec
Contact Mac Sheldon at mac@demilec.com

May 12-16 -- West Haven, CT
Hosted by Spray Foam Nation
Contact Lisa D’Amico at lisa@sprayfoamnation.com

May 14-16 -- Swedesboro, NJ
Hosted by Foampak
Contact Bill Huckins at bill@foampak.com 

May 20-22 -- Rogers, MN (Private)
Hosted by Icynene
Contact Laura Lapierre at llapierre@icynen.com 

June 17-19 -- Santa Fe Springs, CA
Hosted by Diamond Liners
Contact Danette Bender at dzb@diamondliners.com 

June 23-26 -- Marlborough, MA
Hosted by Lapolla
Contact Shana Rand at srand@lapolla.com 

July 14-17 -- Marlborough, MA
Hosted by Lapolla
Contact Shana Rand at srand@lapolla.com 

October 14-16 -- Waukesha, WI
Hosted by Gaco Western
Contact Karen Wolfenberger at kwolfenberg@gaco.com 

October 15-17 -- Houston, TX
Hosted by Lapolla
Contact Shana Rand at srand@lapolla.com 

Ongoing -- Webinar SPFA PCP Refresher Courses for Previously Trained SPF Professional
Hosted by Gaco Western
Contact Karen Wolfenberger at kwolfenberger@gaco.com


 
Ultra-Aire
C.J. Spray, Inc.
Federal/State Government News
Current Call to Action
>>Comments on OMB Proposed Update of Circular A-119 Are Due May 12 
Source: nibs.org
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a proposed updated version of OMB Circular A-119, "Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities," for public inspection and comment. The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), of which NIBS is a member, strongly encourage representatives of standards developing organizations (SDOs), industry, academia, government agencies and other relevant stakeholders to review the proposed draft, which is expected to have a significant impact on future U.S. government use of privately developed voluntary consensus standards. 

The current version of Circular A-119, which was last revised by the OMB in 1998, and the associated National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) of 1995 jointly serve to direct U.S. federal agencies to consider the use of private-sector-developed standards in lieu of government-unique standards whenever possible. The proposed changes focus on numerous topics, including the use of voluntary consensus standards in federal regulations, incorporation by reference and intellectual property rights, and government participation in standards development activities, among many other issues. Comments are due May 12. Read the ANSI release. View the Federal Register
 
 
SPF-Related Codes & Standards
>>Spray Polyurethane Foam Design Guidance: Insulation and Air Barrier Requirements of the 2012 I-Codes
Source: americanchemistry.com
This guidance document, developed by the Spray Foam Coalition and the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing, 
provides building designers with easy-to-use information about spray polyurethane foam (SPF) for use as wall and roof insulation and as an air barrier. Air barrier information and R-value requirements for commercial and residential buildings complying with the 2012 IECC and 2012 IgCC are provided. (booklet version)

>>The Building Codes Assistance Project Updates on Building Energy Codes
Source: energycodesocean.org
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. Here are some of the recent alerts from the BCAP Code Alerts released 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 bulletin, contact Matt Kerns at (202) 530-2252 or mkerns@ase.org
 
>>Sample alerts recently posted: 
ICC Code and Standard Development
Alert Status: Voting Registration deadline to participate in the ICC code and standard development in 2014 is 4/28. Several important reminders have been posted concerning the process. ICC Members may participate in the online Assembly Floor Motion Vote that follows the Committee Action Hearing using cdpACCESS. To be eligible, ICC Members must have an active ICC membership by March 28th.For governmental members, To be qualified to vote, ICC Governmental Members must 1) have an active ICC membership by March 28th, and 2) validate their GMVR through the Electronic Voter Validation system by March 28th – for the Assembly Floor Motion Vote and September 1st - for the Annual Business Meeting, Public Comment Hearing and Online Governmental Consensus Vote.
 
For more information contact Corey Roblee of ICC.
  
Washington, DC
Alert Status: On March 28, the DC Green Construction Code was published after being approved by Mayor Vincent Gray earlier in the week. The code integrates the model version of the IgCC and ASHRAE 189.1 into an already strong energy efficient building standard. LEED serves as an alternative compliance path to the code. 



 
Sprayfoam Professional Call for Submissions
Events
April 29-30, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam hosted by Demilec, Portland, Ore.

April 29-May 1, 2014 -- 
2014 ACI National Home Performance Conference & Trade Show, Detroit, Mich.

April 30, 2014 -- DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Training, Pompano Beach, Fla.
 
April 30-May 1, 2014 -- 17th Annual National Energy Restructuring Conference, Washington, D.C.
 
May 7, 2014 -- Corporate Responsibility Revolution: Strategy to Success, Philadelphia, Penn., seminar, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
 
May 11-13, 2014 -- 2014 ACEEE Energy Efficiency Finance Forum, Washington, D.C.
 
May 12-16, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam hosted by Spray Foam Nation,West Haven, Conn.

May 14-16, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Foampak, Swedesboro, N.J.

May 20-22, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Icynene, Rogers, Minn. (Private)
 
May 13-14, 2014 -- 2014 Building Science Fundamentals 2-Day Seminar, Westford, Mass.

May 15, 2014 -- Building Energy Optimization Tool (BEopt) Training, webinar, noon- 1:30 p.m. EDT
 
June 12, 2014 -- 2014 Renovation and Rehabilitation Seminar, Westford, Mass.
 

June 25-26, 2014 -- 2014 Building Science Fundamentals 2-Day Seminar, Dallas, Texas
 
June 17-19, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Diamond Liners, Santa Fe Springs, CA

June 23-26, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Lapolla, Marlborough, MA

July 9-10, 2014 -- 2014 Building Science Fundamentals 2-Day Seminar, Chicago, Ill.

July 14-17, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Lapolla, Marlborough, MA
 
August 17-22, 2014 -- 2014 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Pacific Grove, Calif. 

August 21, 2014 -- 2014 Renovation and Rehabilitation Seminar, Westford, Mass.

September 10-12, 2014 -- 2014 ASHRAE/IBPSA-USA Building Simulation Conference, Atlanta, Ga.

September 17-18, 2014 -- 2014 Building Science Fundamentals 2-Day Seminar, Seattle, Wash.

September 22-24, 2014 -- Polyurethanes Technical Conference, Dallas, Texas
 
September 25, 2014 -- 2014 Renovation and Rehabilitation Seminar, Westford, Mass.
 
October 14-16, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Gaco Western, Waukesha, WI

October 15-17, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Lapolla, Houston, TX
 
October 20-24, 2014 -- Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, New Orleans, La.
  
October 22-23, 2014 -- 2014 Building Science Fundamentals 2-Day Seminar, Denver, Colo.
 
November 5-6, 2014 -- 2014 Building Science Fundamentals 2-Day Seminar, Washington, D.C. 
 
November 13, 2014 -- 2014 Renovation and Rehabilitation Seminar, Westford, Mass.

Ongoing -- SPFA PCP Refresher Courses for Previously Trained SPF Professional hosted by Gaco Western, webinar, contact Karen Wolfenberger
 
 
 

 

Advertise

We would appreciate your comments or suggestions.
Your email will be kept private and confidential.