CPI Contributes $50,000 to Development of SPFA Certification Program
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) Spray Foam Coalition contributed $50,000 toward completion of the SPFA Professional Certification Program in December. This funding is intended to offset considerable developmental costs SPFA incurred in 2012 while developing the program, and support efforts toward completion and roll-out in 2013. “SPFA’s board and staff knew this certification program was just something that needed to be done this year and went at it,” said Kurt Riesenberg, SPFA Executive Director. “We were carrying the entire funding of all the meetings, materials development, ANSI/ISO compliance and much more. This contribution from the SFC will make a big difference in our ability to complete and deliver a true quality service to the industry.”
SPFA Technical Director Presents at Building Science Experts' Session
Well-known building scientist and architect Joseph Lstiburek, Building Science Corp., held a two-day Fall Building Science Experts Session in Westford, Mass., in December. The first day of the event was 100% SPF focused. Many people from SPFA presented various information on SPF, and SPFA’s Technical Director Dr. Richard Duncan presented upon installation, health and safety, and other related information to this essential audience.
SPFA Hosts Pilot Session at SPF Professional Certification Program
Just following Thanksgiving, SPFA held a pilot delivery of the new SPF Professional Certification Program in Wisconsin, hosted by Gaco Western. It was a condensed offering of only the Assistant, Installer and Field Examiner curriculum and testing. Almost 90 exams were delivered covering all four levels of certification and the field examiner. While the materials and jump start on the testing certainly was beneficial for the participants, this session was also intended to help SPFA pressure-test the curriculum and the tests to be certain of the completeness, timing and functionality of the program. One additional pilot session will be delivered at Premium Spray Systems in Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 15-17, 2013, in final preparations for delivery at the SPFA Annual Convention and Expo in Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 12-15, 2013.
Space in Atlanta is extremely limited. Should you be interested in seeing if there is still room for you or your staff, please contact Kelly Marcavage at kmarcavage@sprayfoam.org.
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The deadline to submit abstracts for ASHRAE’s IAQ 2013, Environmental Health in Low-Energy Buildings has been extended until Friday, Dec. 21. The conference will examine IAQ, thermal comfort, source control, air cleaning, ventilation, exposure and related environmental health concerns associated with low energy building design, construction, retrofit and operation.
The conference, IAQ 2013, Environmental Health in Low-Energy Buildings, takes place Oct. 15-18, 2013, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This conference is co-organized by ISIAQ and is the 17th in the ASHRAE IAQ conference series.
IAQ 2013 will review the state of knowledge of the balance of environmental health and energy efficiency in buildings and help define future education, policy and research directions. The roles of building, HVAC and passive system design and operation for achieving good environmental health in low energy buildings (both new and retrofit) are the core themes of this conference.
The conference program will include internationally acclaimed keynote speakers, original peer reviewed conference papers and extended abstract presentations. Abstracts are invited in the following subject areas:
• Environmental Health in Low Energy Buildings • Moisture and Health • Sources and Chemistry • IEQ Factor Interactions • Residential Buildings • Commercial and Institutional Buildings • Air Cleaning and Filtration • Microorganisms and Infection • Tools (models, measurements and more)
The papers will be reviewed for a possible topical issue of ASHRAE’s HVAC&R Research Journal. Authors would be invited by the editor to write an expanded paper, which would undergo a rigorous double-blind review. Papers published in HVAC&R Research are included in the ISI Web of Science and Current Contents databases. HVAC&R Research has a 5-Year Impact Factor of 1.034.
For more detailed descriptions of each of the topic areas, visit www.ashrae.org/iaq2013. Abstracts, containing titles and 300 words or less summaries, should be submitted via the Call for Abstracts link at www.ashrae.org/IAQ2013.
For more information, email IAQ2013@ashrae.org or visit www.ASHRAE.org/IAQ2013.
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SPFA has been engaged over the past 12 months in development of a new SPF Professional Certification Program, with the targeted roll-out date of the Annual Convention and Expo, February 12-15, in Jacksonville, Fla. While the program remains in development at the time of this writing, many people in the industry have great excitement, anticipation and questions that this article is meant to address.
For direct link to complete article, click here.
To see entire Winter 2012 issue of SPRAYFOAM Professional, click here.
Honeywell Launches Low-Global Warming Impact Product for Spray Foam: SolsticeTM Liquid Blowing Agent
In November, Honeywell worked with NCFI in Winston-Salem, N.C., and West Roofing in Cleveland, Ohio on two separate roof projects using sprayfoam formulated with Solstice™ LBA. These projects were initiated following the August U.S. EPA SNAP approval for Solstice™ Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), as well as the adoption of Solstice LBA for use in refrigerators and freezers.
Watch the roofing video of the NCFI project at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.
Watch the roofing video of the West Roofing project at historic PlayhouseSquare, Cleveland, Ohio.
Solstice LBA has an excellent balance of attributes: a low global warming potential (GWP <5); high energy efficiency compared to HFCs like 245fa; nonflammability; and desirable physical properties that make it easy to process in a wide window of extreme temperatures.
Commercial quantities of Solstice LBA are available now. To learn more, visit www.honeywell-solsticelba.com.
Learn more
Download one-page overview of Solstice LBA for sprayfoam.
Download Life-Cycle Analysis of Solstice LBA for sprayfoam.
Download Technical Bulletin for Solstice LBA.
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Congress Passes Federal Building and Industrial Energy Efficiency Bill
Last week the U.S. House and Senate passed the American Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act (H.R.6582), offering up a victory to building energy efficiency advocates. The bill has been presented to the President, who is expected to sign it into law. The bill contains several provisions of specific interest to ASHRAE, including:
Coordination of Research and Development
>> Requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish collaborative R&D partnerships to promote the commercialization of new industrial energy and water efficiency technologies and processes.
Best Practices for Advanced Energy Metering
>> Requires DOE to coordinate with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. General Services Administration to issue a report on best practices for the use of advanced energy metering in federal facilities and equipment.
Federal Energy Management and Data Collection
>> Requires federal buildings to publish energy and water consumption data on an individual facility basis and improve energy and water management.
Several of these provisions were drawn from the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S.1000), also known as Shaheen-Portman, which ASHRAE has been significantly involved with.
For additional information contact Mark Ames, ASHRAE Manager of Federal Government Affairs, at mames@ashrae.org or 202-833-1830.
Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing on Building Energy Efficiency Tax Issues
This week the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on several commercial, residential, and industrial energy and water efficiency tax provisions that are up for possible alteration and extension, including 25C (existing home energy efficiency improvement credit), 45L (new home energy efficiency credit), and 179D (commercial building energy efficiency deduction). The 179D deduction is of particular interest to ASHRAE because energy savings over Standard 90.1-2001 are used to qualify for the deduction.
Specific proposals discussed at the hearing included:
>> Commercial Building Modernization Act (S.3591)
>> Cut Energy Bills at Home Act (S.1914)
>> Expanding Industrial Energy and Water Efficiency Incentives Act (S.3352)
All three bills were introduced by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) – both of whom are retiring at the end of this year. This change in leadership, combined with broader discussions of tax policy overhaul, have created additional room for debate over how to best incentivize the private sector to invest in building energy efficiency. This week’s hearing served as forum for discussing these issues, which will play prominently in the next Congress that begins next month.
For additional information on the hearing, including witness testimony, visit http://ow.ly/g57UP.
ASHRAE Now Accepting Applications for Paid Public Policy Internship for Engineering Students
Help spread the word! ASHRAE is now accepting applications for a paid nine-week summer internship in Washington, DC that explores the connection between engineering and public policy. Students chosen for this highly competitive program conduct in-depth examinations of public policy issues affecting engineering and meet with Members of Congress, high-level White House staff, federal agency leaders, and technical society representatives to help them understand the political, policy and technical aspects of these problems. At the end of their internship, participants pose workable solutions that policymakers can implement.
This select program runs from June 3 to August 2, 2013, and is sponsored by ASHRAE and six other leading engineering societies:
>> American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
>> American Nuclear Society (ANS)
>> American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
>> ASTM International
>> Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
>> SAE International
Interested in applying? Download the application at http://ow.ly/g58jL. Submit completed applications and send questions to Mark Ames, WISE Program Chair and ASHRAE Manager of Federal Government Affairs, at mames@ashrae.org.
The deadline for submitting applications is December 31, 2012, but may be extended on a case-by-case basis.
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.
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Chiller Efficiency Improvements Proposed for Standard 90.1
Plus, 15 Proposed Addenda Also Are Open for Public Review, Nov. 30-Dec. 30
Chiller efficiencies for air and water cooled chillers would be boosted to more than 20 percent under a proposed addendum to the ASHRAE/IES energy standard.
Proposed addendum ch to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, changes the requirements for air and water cooled chillers as defined in section 6.4.2.1 and the efficiency requirements listed in table 6.8.1C. This change is a continuation of the efficiency improvements that were implemented in 2010 by further improving the efficiency requirements, according to Dick Lord, a member of the committee who developed the proposal through a working team of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) chiller section.
Addendum ch is open for public review from Nov. 30, 2012,-Jan. 14, 2013. For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.
In 2010, a Path B was added to the standard for part load intensive water cooled chillers. Proposed addendum ch would expand Path B by adding requirements to include air cooled chillers. Also as part of this change, efforts were made to bring the efficiency requirements for water cooled positive displacement and centrifugal chillers together while considering the available technology, and to chillers to be applied at other application conditions where one technology may better suited than the other. If approved, the new efficiency requirements would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015.
The proposed efficiency requirements in addendum ch increase annual energy savings to 23.1 percent vs. Standard 90.1-2004 and 8.3 percent vs. Standard 90.1-2010. In 2010, the overall weighted average savings resulted in a 16.2 percent improvement in chiller annualized energy use vs. Standard 90.1-2004.
Lord noted the average payback was calculated at 6.3 years, given some units that exceed the scalar limits. Chiller manufacturers are aware of this and know that redesign and cost reduction will be required, but do support the proposal, he said. Lord also noted that we are reaching maximum technological limits at a component level and that in the future the industry will have to look at the full HVAC system for further improvements. AHRI is in the process of forming a new working group to address systems approaches for efficiency improvements and will work closely with Standard 90.1.
In addition, improvements also were made to the requirements to clarify their use. AHRI has recently updated the AHRI 550/590 rating standard that is used for the rating of chillers and its certification program. As part of this effort, AHRI developed a hard metric standard with slightly different rating conditions than the inch pound (I-P) ratings and have released it as AHRI 551/591. For the International System of Units (SI) rating, the change was reflected in the ratings as well as revising the reference to the AHRI rating standard to include AHRI 551/591.
The Standard 90.1 committee also opted to exclude chillers when the leaving condensing temperatures are greater than 115F from the equipment efficiency requirements of Table 6.8.1C. This proposed clarification stems from the fact that high-lift, heat reclaim chiller applications often use a different compressor and sometimes a different refrigerant. The intention of using heat reclaim chillers is to increase system efficiency, but the effect on overall system efficiency cannot be assessed at standard cooling design conditions, Lord said. AHRI is developing rating requirements, test procedures and certification for heat reclaim chillers as well as heat pump chillers.
Also open for public comment from Nov. 30-Jan. 14 is addendum aq that makes minor changes to improve clarity and to address issues identified in sections 6.5.1.3.a and 6.5.3.2.1.
In addition, 15 proposed addenda also are open for public review from Nov. 30 until Dec. 30. They are:
• Addendum bs reduces occupancy threshold for demand controlled ventilation from greater than 40 people per 1000 ft2 to equal to or greater than 25 people per 1000 ft2 with exemptions for certain occupancies.
• Addendum ca requires that vestibule heating be locked out when outside air is above 45F, the same temperature that lockout of freeze protection or ice melting systems is required in section 6.4.3.8.
• Addendum cb to removes the 10,000 cfm threshold for optimum start and adds a threshold for systems controlled by DDC. The addendum also expands the requirement beyond air-based systems so that convectors and radiant systems would be included.
• Addendum cc adds minimum efficiencies for both axial and centrifugal fan evaporative condensers with R-507A as the test fluid to Table 6.8.1G.
• Addendum cd clarifies what to do with piping system accessories that are not in series with the piping circuit that do not have the same heat losses/gains and pressure drop
• Addendum ce establishes package single zone systems as the baseline HVAC system type for all retail occupancies of two stories and less.
• Addendum cf enables the establishment of a window-to-wall ration for retail strip mall buildings.
• Addendum ck requires the use of dual maximum control for variable air volume zone control when the building has DDC controls.
• Addendum cl updates the IEER values for air-cooled and water-cooled air conditioners and heat pumps above 65,000 Btu/h. Depending on the cooling capacity and product classes, the new IEERs are between 7 and 13 percent better than the values they are replacing. The new IEERs will become effective on Jan. 1, 2016. Note the IEER is a new metric that was developed by AHRI and first implemented in the 2010 standard and is a better representation of the annualized refrigeration system energy use of a typical commercial packaged air conditioner.
• Addendum cn allows laboratory designs that incorporate strategies to reduce peak airflows and minimum unoccupied airflows to document energy savings associated with reduced outside air volumes.
• Addendum co modifies the Lighting Power Densities in Table 9.5.1 to match the recommended light levels in the 10th Edition of the IES Lighting Handbook.
• Addendum cp corrects a value in table 5-5 for steel joist floors.
• Addendum cr modifies Table 9.6.1 to correct the required light levels for hospital corridors, assisted living dining spaces and retail sales spaces.
• Addendum an allows the option to use energy rates either from actual local rates or EIA state data, where approved by the building official when using Appendix C.
• Addendum ar corrects the definitions for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers.
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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.
Some of the content featured in recent newletters and bulletins includes:
NASEO Webinar on Strategies for Increasing Building Energy Code Compliance
The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) is hosting a webinar to highlight approaches for achieving higher levels of code compliance while also recognizing the potential impact of compliance strategies on already strained and limited state and local resources.
The webinar will include two presentations from State Energy Office staff. Marilyn Kaplan, Project Manager at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will present on NYSERDA’s recent and ongoing compliance survey efforts. Jennifer Wilson, State Energy Program Manager at the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), will highlight the results of a recent report, “Building Department Pilot Study: Guidance on Effective Enforcement of Georgia’s Energy Code.” The report examines building energy code enforcement practices from two jurisdictions in Georgia and identifies best practices related to building energy code compliance, including implementation of the blower door and duct tightness testing requirements of the Georgia code (2009 IECC plus amendments).
For more information, visit the Webinar Registration page or NASEO home page. Contact Chris Wagner of NASEO at cwagner@naseo.org with any questions.
Town of Vail Adopts the 2012 IECC
The town of Vail, Colorado adopted the 2012 IECC with an effective date of January 2013. Vail, which updates its building codes every three years, help public hearings monthly over the last nine months reviewing the changes from the previously adopted building codes and possible amendments to 2012 IECC. Vail’s Building and Fire Appeals Board, who hosted the hearings, added provisions to the code that address construction practices unique to the community.
If interested in more information, contact Jim Meyers at SWEEP at jmeyers@swenergy.org.
SWEEP Releases Report on Utility Energy Efficiency Best Practices
The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) released the report, The $20 Billion Bonanza: Best Practice Electric Utility Energy Efficiency Programs and their Benefits for the Southwest, acknowledging the efforts of the region's utilities over the past decade and heralding the potential for growing success over the next decade. ACEEE was a contributing author on the report and worked with SWEEP to analyze a comprehensive set of eighteen best practice electric utility energy efficiency programs for each of the Southwest states' residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The programs include low-income weatherization, incentives for efficient consumer products, custom retrofits for large businesses, and combined heat and power, to name a few. The report also outlines critical design elements that will allow these programs to reach more customers and savings, such as innovative and effective marketing techniques, financial incentives, and behavioral approaches.
For more Information: OCEAN Story Link | Full Report | Blog Summary
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ASHRAE to Hold "Breaking News" Standards Update at 2013 Winter Conference
ASHRAE’s 2013 Winter Conference takes place Jan. 26-30 at the Sheraton Dallas. The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Expo® (AHR Expo), held in conjunction with the Winter Conference, runs Jan. 28-30 at the Dallas Convention Center.
The technical program features more than 200 sessions and offers the opportunity to earn PDHs, NY PDHs, AIA LUs and LEED AP credits.
Among the sessions is a seminar, “Conference Breaking News on Standards 90.1, 62.1 and 189.1,” 2:30 – 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28. Updates on the activities of the committees overseeing Standards 90.1 (ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings), 62.1 (ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality) and 189.1 (ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1-2011, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings) will be shared by the committee chairs.
For details, click here.
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Notice of Reopening of Energy Partnership Program
Effective November 8, 2012, the Energy Commission is reopening the Energy Partnership Program and is accepting applications from eligible entities. The Energy Partnership Program provides a wide range of technical assistance to local governments and public institutions.
Typical services include:
- Conduct energy audits
- Review existing proposals and designs
- Develop equipment performance specifications
Who is eligible?
- Cities
- Counties
- Special Districts
- Public or non-profit colleges/universities
- Public or non-profit hospitals
- Public or non-profit public care facilities
The program application is available from the Energy Commission's website at:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/partnership/index.html
Contact the Public Programs Office at (916) 654-4550 or by email at EPP@energy.ca.gov with any questions.
For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/efficiency/partnership/
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North America Paving the Way for Industrial Energy Efficiency Programs
The United States and Canada are leading the world with their innovative programs that deliver industrial energy efficiency services to customers, says a new report by the Institute for Industrial Productivity (IIP) and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
The report, Energy Efficiency Resource Acquisition Program Models in North America, looks at eight industrial energy efficiency programs across the United States and Canada. The programs were chosen because of their success at securing energy efficiency as a resource to meet current and future regional energy needs. Each program has a different model for acquiring energy savings, but all manage a series of initiatives that influence industrial customers to implement best practices and invest in efficient technologies.
"In the U.S. and Canada, the delivery of energy efficiency as a resource to meet existing and future demand is now being relied upon with the same certainty as electricity or gas from new generation," said Robert Taylor, the lead author of the report and Principal at Energy Pathways LLC. "These initiatives, called energy efficiency acquisition programs, have become a fixture of North American electricity and natural gas markets. They have been single-handedly responsible for postponing or eliminating the need for many expensive investments in new generation and transmission systems, and have become the model for other international programs to follow."
"The research shows the importance of tailoring the programs to the needs of different regions or industries," said Dr. R. Neal Elliott, Associate Director for Research at ACEEE. "What is novel about these programs is the variety of institutional structures that have been created. There isn't a single model that will be ideal for all situations. But the report describes the necessary ingredients of a successful program that will bring real savings through energy efficiency."
"This report will assist both government and industry across the world when they develop their own energy acquisition programs," said Julia Reinaud, co-author and Policy and Program Director for IIP. "The report demonstrates how the North American utility structure works and how it can be adapted and tailored to other countries' specificities. The benefits of this model are significant and could contribute towards huge energy savings by industry. Energy efficiency can be provided at a fraction of the cost of traditional energy resources."
The report was commissioned by IIP as part of their global efforts to promote program best practices. As part of the work, IIP will soon launch a new database on global energy efficiency programs at www.iipnetwork.org.
To download the report, click here.
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Alliance to Save Energy's Efficiency News
Some of the topics that are addressed in the newest update from Alliance to Save Energy include:
Sequestration: A Potential Obstacle for Energy Efficiency Progress?
If Congress goes over the "fiscal cliff" and puts sequestration into effect, energy efficiency programs including Energy Star and the Weatherization Assistance Program will lose nearly $150 million.
Energy-Efficient Holiday Gift Guide
Give a gift that keeps on giving in the form of energy savings – check out our energy-efficient gift picks for just about everyone on your list!
Congress Passes Milestone Energy Bill (H.R. 6582) in Lame Duck Session
The American Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act (H.R.6582) – a bill that will boost energy efficiency in the federal government and the industrial sector – passed both houses of Congress by overwhelming majorities. The bill now awaits the president's signature.
CHP Kept Schools, Hospitals Running Amid Hurricane Sandy
While Hurricane Sandy blew the lights out across much of New York City and the shorelines of New Jersey and Connecticut, some facilities in these areas stayed lit and warm through the use of combined heat and power (CHP).
2012 Energy Efficiency Home Tax Credits
Many tax incentives for energy-saving home upgrades have expired, but tax credits for certain big-ticket items will help ease the burden of your investment.
For complete list of articles, click here.
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"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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