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 http://saferinsulation.greensciencepolicy.org/. 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 http://eefc.americanchemistry.com/. 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 at http://www.sprayfoam.org/news/index.php?action=article_view&id=556. 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.
Other Technical Activities
- During the ASTM Spring meetings in Indianapolis, SPFA was very active. Mason Knowles, workgroup leader for ASTM C1029, is actively working to update this material specification for closed-cell SPF. In addition, Peter Birkbeck of Icynene is leading the workgroup to finalize a new material specification for low-density, open-cell SPF.
- Material and installation specifications are needed for the new SPFA Professional Certification Program. In addition, Mr. Knowles has initiated the development of a new SPF Installation standard within ASTM. For more information on these standardization activities, please contact Mason Knowles masonknowles@aol.com or Peter Birkbeck birkbeck@icynene.com.
- In April and May, three of SPFA’s Technical Committees held the first of their three meetings for 2013. On April 22, the Building Envelope Committee (BEC) met to update and outline projects and activities. One important project for the BEC is to complete the cold-climate guide for hybrid insulation systems. On April 24, the Roofing Committee held their first meeting. This year the RC will be working to update several roofing-related AY documents. On May 20 the new SPFA Safety Committee (SC) will hold their first meeting and develop a list of 2013 goals. For more information on the work being done by these committees, as well as upcoming meetings, please contact the respective committee chairs:
>>Building Envelope Committee (BEC) – Chair: Mark Fortney, Gaco-Western mfortney@gaco.com
>>Roofing Committee (RC) – Chair: Roger Morrison, Deer Ridge Consulting roger@deer-ridge-consulting.com
>>Safety Committee (SC) – Joe Bolduc, Masco Contractor Services joe.bolduc@mascocs.com
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The Spray Foam Coalition of CPI has recently released a new document, Guidance for Best Practices for Installation of Spray Polyurethane Foam. The SPF Installation Guidance, which SPFA provided significant review and comment on, is intended to provide an overview of best practices to help professional installers use SPF effectively and efficiently to insulate homes and commercial buildings. It discusses considerations for the use and handling of materials as well as steps that help make the jobsite safe and secure. It also addresses health and safety hazards and offers steps to avoid potential issues. Steps and tips for installing, measuring, and inspecting SPF are included to supplement those offered by manufacturers. The document is posted here.
The Spray Foam Coalition is finalizing a new Guidance on Ventilation for Interior Applications of High-Pressure Spray Polyurethane Foam. This new resource is intended to provide general guidance on ventilation of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) applications in new residences and during renovation and weatherization projects. Information is presented on workplace containment, ventilation design, considerations for fan size and exhaust and supply ventilation, as well as a discussion of considerations for how long to ventilate. The document is posted here.
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“Designing Spaces,” the award-winning home improvement television series, aired as part of its annual “Think Green” series a segment highlighting the energy efficiency of spray polyurethane foam. The episode of “Designing Spaces” featuring spray foam insulation aired on April 26. The show will air again on Lifetime TV on May 22 at 7:30 a.m. (all time zones).
“Designing Spaces” partnered with the Spray Foam Coalition of the American Chemistry Council to help homeowners learn about the benefits of spray polyurethane foam. In the segment, homeowners Andy and Anitra Kitfield, along with their three children, welcome “Designing Spaces” as they update and insulate an upstairs room and their basement with spray polyurethane foam.
“It’s been really windy, so when it blows outside, we feel a draft inside. It stays cold,” says Anitra, describing the challenges the family has had maintaining a comfortable temperature indoors before the spray polyurethane foam is applied. Nova Spray Foam Insulation, a spray polyurethane foam contractor, comes to the rescue to help make the Kitfields’ home more comfortable and energy efficient. “Designing Spaces” shows how these professional contractors install the insulation, which also acts as an air barrier, to dramatically reduce the drafts that have been making the Kitfield’s house so chilly.
“Homeowners should choose spray foam because it’s highly effective and it’s energy-efficient. It’s going to keep your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and overall, homeowners will find that they’ll save some money,” says Allyson Wilson of the American Chemistry Council, who helps detail the many benefits spray polyurethane foam offers to the homeowners in the episode.
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The Spray Foam Coalition (SFC) of the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) has established a quarterly statistical data program that provides historical data on spray polyurethane foam (SPF) sales. This program provides relevant, comprehensive and extensive business statistics for the industry.
In this program, participating Systems Houses manufacturing high-pressure SPF provide quarterly statistical data to a third party for compilation. The data provides a historical perspective and tracks the growth of the SPF market since 2008. The statistics include comprehensive information, including pounds of SPF sold per quarter, reported regionally within the United States and Canada.
The data, which is released quarterly and available with an annual subscription, can be used as a tool for analyzing and understanding the business climate. All statistics are electronic and provided in a spreadsheet. All annual report subscriptions are sold on a calendar year basis only, with no prorating.
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Dear Members,
Thank you for your consistent and unwavering support of SPFA, allowing us to do so many critical things for you and the industry. It’s your membership that makes it happen. It is our highest priority to serve you as our member, bring value to you and the industry, and represent the product and our members’ services accurately, positively, and completely.
I invite you to visit our SPFA YouTube page to view a short commentary recapping some of the information shared below -- the highlights of 2012 and looking ahead to the higher priority items for 2013.
2012 MILESTONES:
>> Completion and deployment of the SPF industry’s first ever, comprehensive, professional, ANSI/ISO Accredited Sprayfoam Professional Certification Program (PCP) for roofing and insulation. Rolled out at the SPFA Annual Convention, over 800 individual tests have been administered since the rollout. SPFA members get a major discount.
>> Completion and publishing of the SPF industry model Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), representing the first and only insulation/roofing industry LCA to be published. In many cases LEED credits require an LCA, and the third-party validated results prove the energy and environmental performance claims of SPF. Short and full-reports available for members for bid-package inclusion.
>> Record-setting attendance at the 2012 Annual Convention and Expo. The most exhibitors, most attendees ever, a robust speaker offering, Contractor Excellence Awards, and invaluable networking and business opportunities. Significant member discounts on exhibiting and attendance.
>> Advocated in a state that approved a bill effectively banning sprayfoam to obtain veto by the governor.
>> Participated in several meetings with EPA and other federal agencies to review certification and health and safety practices of the industry.
>> Created and published SPRAYFOAM Professional magazine, the quarterly publication of SPFA and the SPF industry.
2013 ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHT FORECAST:
>> Already in 2013 SPFA presented upon SPF health, safety, PCP certification and quality issues at the NAHB IBS show to national builders looking for consistent and credible information leading to comfort and adoption of the technology. SPFA exhibited and presented upon the LCA and certification at the 2013 RESNET conference. These are just two examples of how SPFA is getting out the good word on sprayfoam to our industry partners and extending the reach and influence of SPF among our constituents and stakeholders. This will continue throughout 2013.
>> Already in 2013 the SPFA Annual Convention and Expo held in Jacksonville, Fl offered the most SPF breakout sessions ever for an SPFA show. Attendance broke all previous records for an east-coast convention, new winners were named in the annual Contractor Excellence Awards program, and the most exhibitors ever filled booths in the exhibit hall.
>> SPFA will be creating an SPF Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) which complements the LCA and is recognized as further environmental and energy efficiency validation among the design and construction trades.
>> SPFA will be further rolling out the PCP certification, increasing participation and delivery sources, and garnering support and recognition among our partners, the federal government, and all stakeholders. The PCP will also be developing an accredited status for companies to participate and demonstrate their participation in the program.
>> SPFA will be engaging new committees, such as the SPFA Safety Committee, to continue putting in place the elements needed for growth and success in the industry.
>> SPFA will be updating SPF-related ASTM standards for both roofing and insulation.
>> Several states have efforts in place to pursue some type of licensing or certification requirements for SPF contractors.
SPFA will remain vigilant of these efforts and keep members informed. SPFA will also maintain our working relationship with the EPA and other federal agencies as they continue their efforts to produce sprayfoam-related materials that will affect your business. And SPFA will continue to monitor and inform you on issues of energy efficiency, tax incentives and other legislative and regulatory issues.
SPFA has worked extremely hard to address all of the areas of need for the industry throughout 2012 and will continue to do so on your behalf throughout 2013. The association is enacting our strategic plan as directed by the Board comprised of representatives from the full value chain – contractors, distributors, manufacturers and consultants.
It is admittedly difficult to squeeze a year end wrap up and a look ahead into a short summary. SPFA has done the things contained in this letter and so much more. The elements you see here are the progress related to major milestones. SPFA works hard every day to advance the interests of the SPF industry and represent you as well as we possibly can.
Thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions about the activities SPFA engages in, about your membership or anything related to SPFA, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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SPFA’s 2013 Annual Convention and Expo was another record breaker. The show beat its last East Coast attendance record by 144 attendees. The energy and commitment demonstrated at the show were fantastic, and excitement carried back into the industry with almost 400 new SPFA Professional Certification Program tests being taken. The various breakout sessions were well attended and offered very valuable information for the SPF professional. To download your copy of those presentations, please click here.
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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, please contact admin@spfapcp.org or (866) 222-5000 and simply state what you want to do. They will either process you or get you with the right people.
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U.S. Senate Finance Committee Releases Report on Options with Energy Tax Incentives – Recommends Performance Based Tax Credit for Improving Efficiency of Existing Homes
A key issue Congress will be facing this session is tax reform. The Senate Finance Committee has released a report on the options for reform of the federal tax incentives for energy, “Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resource: Senate Finance Committee Staff Tax Reform Options for Discussion.”
The Energy and Natural Resources section of the report identifies the following principles for reform in the energy sector:
1. To the extent the tax code includes tax expenditures for energy and conservation, the tax code should:
>Provide businesses with greater certainty
>Consolidate and simplify such tax expenditures
>Make such tax expenditures fairer and more efficient
>Encourage energy independence through a comprehensive approach
2. Carefully consider whether and how to address any positive or negative externalities
The report also identified the following as concerns:
1. Neutrality across different technologies – “Current law provides a variety of incentives for specific energy technologies." Some believe that it would be more efficient to structure these incentives, to the extent they are retained, on a technology-neutral basis. They argue that such an approach would be more effective at accommodating and encouraging technological advances and would avoid picking winners and losers among competing technologies.
2. Temporary nature of certain tax expenditures – “Some are concerned that the temporary nature of expiring tax expenditures creates uncertainty for taxpayers, makes it difficult for businesses to plan and may diminish their effectiveness.”
One of the options considered in the report was to replace existing energy tax expenditures with technology neutral tax expenditures. It recommended, “Establish a new, performance-based tax credit for residential energy efficient retrofits of, for example, $2,000 if the retrofit makes the home 20% more efficient, regardless of what technology is used (Cut Energy Bills at Home Act, sponsored by Sens. Bingaman, Snowe and Feinstein)”.
The report also presented the option of making permanent the individual tax credit for energy efficient home retrofits (Home Energy Savings Act of 2012) and permanently extend the deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings.
This report provides a foundation for members of the tax code writing Senate Finance Committee to consider in its deliberations on tax reform. It is exciting that the performance based credit for existing homes is in the mix. This will prove very useful in the advocacy of performance based tax credits for improving the energy efficiency of existing home.
The report is posted at Senate Finance Committee Report on Tax Reform The section on energy tax incentives begins on page 9 of the report. Click here to see applicable areas in the report highlighted.
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On May 8, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness (ESIC) Act of 2013 (S. 761) on a 19 - 3 vote. Its goal continues to be energy-efficiency upgrades for residential, commercial and industrial buildings, and sections that concern building energy efficiency are essentially the same as the bill that was approved by the committee in 2011. Last week the ESIC Act was endorsed by the Business Roundtable. Thus far, it has won the backing of more than 240 organizations, from environmental groups to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Of particular importance for SPFA members is language in the bill that states, “In establishing building code targets under paragraph (2), the Secretary [of Energy] shall develop and adjust the targets in recognition of potential savings and costs related to – (A) efficiency gains made in appliances, lighting, windows, insulation, and building envelope sealing.”
For a complete summary of the bill and its potential impact, please click here.
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North Carolina (Maybe) Going Wrong Way on Energy Efficiency
As we reported in the April 19 edition of the Update, several state legislatures are looking at the possibility of delaying energy standard and code cycle updates or, in some cases, pushing codes and standards to earlier versions of those standards and codes. The primary argument for these proposals is that current versions of energy efficiency codes and standards – including ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010 – are too costly for builders to implement.
In North Carolina, the latter situation may be coming to pass. If enacted, House Bill 201 would repeal statutorily mandated adoption of the 2012 state code and revert back to the 2009 edition, which are 30 percent less efficient than the 2012 code. The 2012 code includes a requirement for commercial buildings to either comply with Standard 90.1-2010 or to be 20 percent more energy efficient than Standard 90.1-2007.
Among its many concerning characteristics, the bill would, as a representative of the American Chemistry Council put it, “cause the state to miss out on significant energy conservation and will put North Carolina in the bottom tier for states in energy efficiency.”
A call to action for North Carolina ASHRAE members: Contact Bryan Lampley, the Region IV Regional Vice Chair (RVC) on the Grassroots Government Activities Committee (GGAC), at r03_ggac@ashrae.net to get engaged and help fight this bill before it goes to Governor McCrory. Along with ASHRAE staff, he will be able to provide tools and tips on how to work with legislators to make sure this bill does not pass as it is currently written.
This is a dangerous trend that may spread to your communities, so please be on the lookout for such proposals. If one does arise, please contact Mark Wills, ASHRAE's Manager of State and Local Government Affairs, at mwills@ashrae.org, so connections with ASHRAE leadership – especially the Regional Vice Chairs on the Grassroots Government Activities Committee (GGAC) – can be made quickly and ASHRAE chapter and section action can follow in short order.
For more information on grassroots activities and to stay up-to-date on energy efficiency, codes and standards, and other public policy issues of interest to ASHRAE members:
Follow @ASHRAE_Wills and @ASHRAE_Ames on Twitter, “like” the GGAC Facebook page, and join the conversation.
Check out the grassroots page on ASHRAE’s website.
Watch for subsequent grassroots news in upcoming editions of Government Affairs Update.
Senate Confirms Dr. Ernest Moniz as New U.S. Energy Secretary
After a brief hold up, on Thursday the Senate unanimously confirmed Dr. Ernest Moniz as the new Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Dr. Moniz replaces now-former Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. Additional information on Dr. Moniz's priorities and plans for DOE will be included in subsequent editions of the Government Affairs Update. In the meantime, below is a short bio of Dr. Moniz to help you understand his perspective and background:
Dr. Ernest J. Moniz is the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His research at MIT, where he has served on the faculty since 1973, has focused on energy technology and policy. Dr. Moniz also serves as the Director of the MIT Energy Initiative and the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment. From 1997 until January 2001, Dr. Moniz served as Under Secretary of DOE. Prior to that, he served as Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President from 1995 to 1997. In addition to his work at MIT and the Department of Energy, Dr. Moniz has served on a number of boards of directors and commissions, including the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2009-Present), the Department of Defense Threat Reduction Advisory Committee (2010-Present), and the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (2010-2012). Dr. Moniz is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Humboldt Foundation, and the American Physical Society. In 1998, he received the Seymour Cray HPCC Industry Recognition Award for vision and leadership in advancing scientific simulation. Dr. Moniz received a Bachelor of Science degree summa cum laude in physics from Boston College and a doctorate in theoretical physics from Stanford University.
For additional information, please contact Mark Ames, ASHRAE's Senior Manager of Federal Government Affairs, at mames@ashrae.org.
Senate Likely to Take Up Energy Efficiency Bill After Memorial Day
The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S.761) is one of the leading energy efficiency bills in Congress, and it could be considered on the Senate floor shortly after Memorial Day; however swift passage is far from assured.
As previously reported, this bipartisan bill seeks to promote greater energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings and the industrial sector by providing additional technical assistance, enhanced funding mechanisms, improved training, and related activities. The bill was introduced in the previous Congress, and similar to last time, the bill cleared the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by wide bipartisan margins, but now faces several other large hurdles that come in the form of amendments – some of them potentially quite controversial – that may be offered to the bill. The text of these amendments, and support and opposition to them are currently being worked on. Which amendments are added to the bill will likely determine its fate in the Senate and send a message of what’s politically palatable to the House, which has its own version (H.R.1616).
For details on any of the updates, contact Mark Ames, ASHRAE Senior Manager of Federal Government Affairs.
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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A proposed guideline that will establish a uniform procedure for transmitting design, construction, testing and operational information to building owners and operators is open for public comment.
Guideline 1.4P, The Systems Manual for Facilities, provides procedures for producing a systems manual as a resource for training, operations, maintenance and upgrading of facilities. The guideline applies to information from planning, commissioning process, design, construction, testing and training activities and operations planning for new, renovated and existing facilities, equipment and assemblies.
The proposed guideline is open for an advisory public review until June 2, 2013. To read the draft guideline or to submit comments, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.
ASHRAE Standard 202P, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems and other ASHRAE guidelines on commissioning require development of a systems manual, as do several other standards and energy- and sustainability-related codes. However, no document or guideline outlines how to assemble a systems manual to current requirements. Guideline 1.4P provides these procedures, according to Gerald Kettler, chair of the Guideline 1.4P committee.
“Establishing a uniform procedure for transmitting the design, construction, testing and operational information to building owners and operators is critical to the proper and efficient operation of facilities,” Kettler said. “Guideline 1.4P provides the structure and procedures for the transfer and maintenance of that information. It also is intended for use as operator and occupant training information.”
Other commissioning guidance from ASHRAE includes Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process; Guideline 1.1-2007, HVAC&R Technical Requirements for the Commissioning Process; and Guideline 1.5-2012, The Commissioning Process for Smoke Control Systems.
ASHRAE also is working on several other guidelines and a standard related to commissioning: Guideline 0.2P, The Commissioning Process for Existing Systems and Assemblies; Guideline 1.2P, The Commissioning Process for Existing HVAC&R Systems; Guideline 1.3P, Building Operation and Maintenance Training for the HVAC&R Commissioning Process; and Standard 202P.
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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. Here are some of the recent alerts:
>>New State Alerts
New Jersey - Building Subcode Committee Recomended Amended 2012 IECC for Adoption
North Carolina - House Committee Approved Legislation to Roll Back Energy Efficiency Requirements in Newly Constructed Commercial Buildings
West Virginia - Governor Signs 2009 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2007 Into Law
>>New Locality Alerts
Phoenix, AZ - City Adopts the 2012 IECC with a HERS Compliance Path
>>Ongoing State Alerts
Iowa – Advisory Process on 2012 IECC Continues
Mississippi – State Adopts ASHRAE 90.1-2010 for Commercial and State Buildings
New York – Call for Comments on 2012 IECC Commercial Provisions
Virginia – 60-day Comment Period on 2012 IECC
>>Project Updates
ECAP - Energy Code Ambassador Training in Ohio
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 bulletin, contact Matt Kerns at (202) 530-2252 or mkerns@ase.org.
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On May 8, just a few short weeks after its introduction, the energy efficiency and job creation strategy proposed by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, of which Portman is a member, with strong bipartisan support. The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act passed by a vote of 19-3, with support from both parties, including Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
The Shaheen-Portman legislation offers a deficit-neutral framework designed to promote the transition to a more energy efficient economy while driving economic growth and encouraging private sector job creation.
The bipartisan bill, which builds upon the earlier Congressional support for energy efficiency legislation, uses a variety of low-cost tools to reduce barriers for private sector energy users and will drive adoption of off-the-shelf efficiency technologies among the largest energy consumers. A study by experts at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy found that last year’s version would have saved consumers $4 billion by 2020 and helped businesses add 80,000 jobs to the economy.
The measure cannot become law unless it is approved by the U.S. House of Representatives along with the Senate. A pair of bi-partisan energy efficiency champions on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have introduced companion legislation. H.R.1616 was introduced by Alliance Honorary Vice Chair Peter Welch (D-VT) and David McKinley (R-WVA) and awaits action by the Committee.
Read related article 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:
Energy Efficiency Driving Tips for Summer
The Alliance calculated that the average U.S. household will spend $3,300 on transportation energy costs this year. Check out our tips for vehicle maintenance and smart driving that can help you keep a little more of that money in your pocket.
Support Grows for Energy Efficiency Policy Adoption
Around the same time that we released Energy2030, three other influential organizations the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Roundtable, and the Bipartisan Policy Center also released policy recommendations that included energy efficiency. The Alliance has reviewed these recommendations and developed a side-by-side comparison.
EEB Hub Gets New HQ
Last month, the EEB Hub celebrated the groundbreaking of two buildings that will serve as the organization's headquarters. The construction and renovation are expected to be completed by spring 2014.
DOE Publishes Methods for Estimating Energy Efficiency Savings
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a series of protocols for estimating savings from energy efficiency programs titled Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures.
The protocols, developed in collaboration with leading technical experts, provide a straightforward method for evaluating gross energy savings for a number of the most common residential and commercial measures and programs offered by utility ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in the United States. They will also be useful for non-ratepayer energy efficiency programs. The Alliance to Save Energy serves on the Steering Committee for this effort.
Energy 2030 in Action: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Taking the Lead on Energy Efficiency
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, an association of 300 elected officials and 22 local governments in the metropolitan Washington area, has created a vision - Region Forward - to transform the region to become more accessible, sustainable, livable and prosperous.
This vision aligns with the Alliance Commission on National Energy Efficiency Policy's plan to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030 and make more efficient use of our energy resources. To achieve this ambitious goal, the Commission urges Americans to invest, modernize, and educate—and metropolitan Washington is on its way to doing just that.
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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