High-Performing Buildings: Energy Efficiency and Indoor Air Quality Must Go Hand in Hand
Finding the balance between environmental health and energy efficiency in the pursuit of low energy buildings is examined in a paper at the upcoming ASHRAE IAQ 2013, setting the tone for discussion for the entire conference.

BPI, ACCA to Explore Joint Opportunities
Source: BPI.org
The Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI), the nation's premier standards development and credentialing organization for residential energy efficiency upgrade work, and ACCA, the nation's largest organization of indoor environment and energy service professionals, have announced they will begin exploring opportunities for collaboration following a meeting of the respective organizations' leaders on August 14.

The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) and the Building Performance Institute, Inc., (BPI) added spray polyurethane foam (SPF) chemical health and safety training courses to BPI’s continuing education program. CPI’s training programs for High- and Low-pressure SPF Chemical Health and Safety are now eligible to contribute part of the requirements needed in earning a BPI credential. Each CPI course has been approved for 2-2.5 CEU by BPI. 

Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (MPM) has recently announced investments to support its Niax polyurethane additives product line, adding manufacturing capacity, technology resources, and personnel to several sites across the globe. In addition, MPM announced it has moved its polyurethane additives headquarters to Pudong Shanghai.

The pendulum of the U.S. economy remains on the upswing, according to the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) monthly Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), released August 27. The economic indicator, shown to lead U.S. business cycles by an average of eight months at cycle peaks, increased 0.1 percent over July on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, marking its fourth consecutive monthly gain. The barometer is now up 3.8 percent over a year ago, the largest year-over-year increase since September 2010. The index itself is at its highest point since June 2008. Prior CAB readings for March through July were all revised.

Nationwide housing starts rose 5.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 896,000 units in July as multifamily construction rebounded from a dip in the previous month, according to newly released figures from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. Meanwhile, single-family construction recorded a modest decline from a rate that was upwardly revised for the previous month.