Industry News & Announcements

 

>>ICC Public Comment Hearing Results Now Available
Source: iccsafe.org
Click here for a summary of the actions taken at the 2015 Public Comments to the ICC Group A International Codes at the hearings held in Long Beach, Calif. The start date for the Online Governmental Consensus Vote has been delayed beyond the projected Oct. 21 date. The new date will be announced online and on cdpACCESS. 

>>BPI's House of Horrors Gallery
Source: bpi.org
Some of the best (worst?) home performance horror shots and stories in BPI's House of Horrors gallery.  

>>Leaking Ductwork Can Cost You Hundreds of Dollars a Year
Source: flagstaffbusinessnews.com / FBN
Through extensive research, the U.S. Department of Energy has determined that the average duct system in a house leaks anywhere from 20-40 percent. That means that for every dollar you spend on heating, you lose 20-40 cents to the great outdoors

>>Home Improvement Sales—Still a Man’s World?
Source: proremodeler.com / Jim Cory
Is the fact that homeowners tend to trust female salespeople more than male reps opening the door for more women in roofing, siding and window sales? See how adopting a different approach to the way salespeople interact with customers has helped some companies grow. 

>>No Basis to Claim About Energy Efficient Homes and Asthma
Source: energyvanguard.com / Allison Bailes
According to a 2007 study on asthma and mold, "Of the 21.8 million people reported to have asthma in the USA, approximately 4.6 (2.7-6.3) million cases are estimated to be attributable to dampness and mold exposure in the home." Airtight, energy efficient houses can be much more healthful than inefficient, leaky houses. In fact, a lot more people are getting sick because of poor indoor air quality in homes that are not energy efficient in the least.

>>A Policymaker's Guide to Scaling Home Energy Upgrades
Source: seeaction.energy.gov
The State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network (SEE Action) developed"A Policymaker's Guide to Scaling Home Energy Upgrades," which was designed to help state and local policymakers take advantage of new policy developments by providing them with a set of tools to help them launch or accelerate their energy efficiency programs. 

>>Cold Climate Challenges Addressed in New Publication from ASHRAE
Source: ashrae.org
Buildings in arctic and subarctic climates face not only challenges related to cold but also remoteness, limited utilities, permafrost and extreme temperature shifts. Designers must meet these challenges while keeping occupants comfortable and minimizing impact on the environment. The newly published "Cold-Climate Buildings Design Guide" from ASHRAE provides information on the issues commonly faced by designers in these climates. 

>>Energy Department Releases Report on U.S. Regional Vulnerabilities to Climate Change
Source: energy.gov
The Energy Department on October 9 released its report that examines expected regional energy sector vulnerabilities to climate change. The report, titled Climate Change and the U.S. Energy Sector: Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Solutions, divides the United States into nine regions. The report finds that the severe challenges from climate change across the United States will require a more comprehensive and accelerated national, regional, and community approach to keep U.S. energy infrastructure reliable and safe. The report also notes the important efforts to improve climate resilience in each region to handle new weather extremes and other impacts from climate change. 

>>Winners of Housing Innovation Awards
Source: energy.gov
The Energy Department on October 7 presented the 2015 Housing Innovation Awards to 24 industry leaders. In all, there were 27 winning Energy Department Zero Energy Ready Homes. An Energy Department Zero Energy Ready Home is a high-performance home that is so energy efficient that a renewable energy system can offset all or most of its annual energy consumption. The Grand Winner in the category for innovation in affordable homes was the United Way of Long Island, Deer Park, New York, which combines a high-performance insulation system with high-efficiency appliances. Closed cell sprayfoam was one of the insulation choices in this home. For more details on the winners of these awards, click here.  

>>ChemView Contains Infomation on Over 12,000 Chemicals
Source: epa.gov
ChemView, EPA’s web tool for information on chemicals, now contains information on over 12,000 chemicals. Since the launch of ChemView in 2013, EPA has been working to add new types of data, increase the amount of information, and improve the usability of this web tool. 

>>OSHA Publishes Guide to Help Businesses Comply with New Standard
Source: osha.gov
OSHA has posted a 58-page online publication, called Protecting Construction Workers in Confined Spaces: Small Entity Compliance Guide, that is intended to help small businesses and other construction employers comply with the standard. It addresses the most common compliance issues that employers will face and provides sufficient detail to serve as a useful compliance guide. Also, it includes a sample entry permit and identifies permit spaces. For more information on complying with the confined spaces in construction standard, see OSHA’s Confined Spaces in Construction Web page, which includes links to the standard, FAQs, and fact sheets.