SPFA Completes New Worksite Safety Signs  
SPFA recently completed two new safety signs for restricted access to worksites (No Entry and No Hot Work). These safety signs, produced by the SPFA Safety Committee, will be offered to the membership in the Members Only section of the website, and samples will be provided in the convention bags at the 2014 SPFA SprayFoam Convention & Expo. Digital files will be available for companies to download and print for their use. These signs should be used on all worksites to aid in compliance with the OSHA NEP and Hazard Communication.
Underwriters Laboratory Environment (ULe) Publishes Environmental Product Declaration for SPF
ULe and SPFA initiated development of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for SPF in 2013 as a continuing step toward effective product and environmental stewardship. The EPD further validates the findings of 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 will be maintained on the ULe website, and can be found here. Click here for a PDF of the LCA.
SPFA PCP Certification Exams Break 1,000
The SPFA Professional Certification Program (PCP), rolled out in February 2013 at the SPFA Annual Convention and Expo, hit a notable milestone in November 2013 with the completion of the 1,000th test hosted by Sprayfoam Nation in West Haven, CT. November 2013 was actually the second highest test-taking month on record for the new program, only eclipsed by the opening month of February 2013 at SPFA’s National Annual Convention. Program administrators and volunteer leadership comprised of contractors and manufacturers in the SPF industry, expect numbers to keep building through the winter and spring as contractors begin to have more downtime to focus upon completing their certification requirements. Notably SPFA will be offering opportunities at the 2014 Convention in Palm Springs, CA (Jan 25-29) for contractors to complete their Field Exams, PCP written tests, and even offer second tier requirements like First Aid/CPR.
SPFA Publishes Cold-Climate Hybrid Insulation Guidelines for Zones 4-7
In a continuing effort among the SPFA Building Envelope Committee (BEC) to issue guidance materials on hybrid insulation, additions to the previously published Hybrid Guidelines are soon available for download by members. The new content covers "cold-climate" Zones 4-7 and recently received approval from the SPFA Technical Oversight Committee (TOC). Members recognized that, while SPF is typically the insulation of choice, the marketplace practice of producing hybrid insulation systems is prevalent and would benefit from consideration of related issues. A Hybrid Insulation System is a combination of insulation types typically arranged so the SPF insulation acts as an air barrier and/or a vapor retarder, and the other insulation type contributes by adding R-value. The document will be available in the Member Only section of the website and a link will be sent to members as soon as the document is posted.
SPFA Committee Updates
>>Building Envelope Committee (BEC) – Mark Fortney, Gaco-Western, chair
On October 2, the BEC met in-person in Tucson, Ariz. Ten members attended. The committee members present approved a new hybrid insulation guide for cold climates and a code-compliant installation certificate to include insulation and fire-protective coatings. These documents will be published by SPFA within the next several weeks. In addition, an industry-level Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for SPF is complete and will be available on the UL Environment website later this year. New BEC projects include developing a foam thickness measurement procedure, extending AY-140 to include interior basement wall application, and working with the metal building industry to update our metal buildings guidance document. A new research project to measure the compatibility of SPF with low voltage wiring will be started this year. The next BEC meeting will be by teleconference on January 13, 2014.
>>Roofing Committee (RC) – Roger Morrison, Deer Ridge Consulting, chair
The RC met by teleconference on October 22. Included in the agenda was an update from the RICOWI and RoofPoint programs, an update on the new SPF Environmental Product Declaration. The Roofing Committee members present also selected three AY documents to update during the next year including AY-102, AY-127 and AY-110. Potential new projects discussed included developing a guidance document for SPF Roofing used with Photo-Voltaic installations and a guideline for SPF Roofing and Transition Membranes. The next meeting of the Roofing Committee will be an in-person meeting on February 25, 2014, one day before the International Roofing Exposition in Las Vegas.
>>Safety Committee (SC) – Joe Bolduc, Masco Contractor Services, chair
The SC met by teleconference on November 7. The primary goal of this meeting was to develop a comprehensive contractor safety program package free for SPFA members. This package will include templates for a Written Safety Program, a Respiratory Protection program, safety training and accident recording, among other items. The SC also discussed ways to help member contractors prepare for OSHA’s new National Emphasis Program (NEP) for isocyanates, and made plans to finalize the new SPFA jobsite safety signs.
If you are interested in participating on any of the SPFA technical committees, please contact Rick Duncan, SPFA Technical Director ( rickduncan@sprayfoam.org) or any of the committee chairs listed above.
SPFA Commits Resources on Sprayfoam to Homebuilders
The SPFA Board announced a commitment to complete a builder’s checklist on SPF to improve SPF contractor – builder communication. The checklist, expected to be surpassed over time with more materials oriented toward the builders and customers, will offer useful information on installation quality, health and safety, typical planning considerations for a worksite, and highlight information about SPFA’s Professional Certification Program (PCP) to inform and empower builders on the topics that are most relevant to them.
"One of the most important things we can do as an industry to maintain a high level of quality, safety and OSHA compliance on the worksite is to coordinate with those other stakeholder industries that typically share the worksite with us," said Kurt Riesenberg, Executive Director of SPFA. "The relationship and communication between builder and sprayfoam contractor in the field is essential for success, and that is reflected in SPFA working with the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) to facilitate similar conversations across our industries," he continued. Read more here.
Start Planning for SprayFoam Convention & Expo, Jan. 26-29, 2014
-Network and develop valuable connections.Join your industry for the SPF event of the year! Imagine the possibilities:
-Find solutions to your pressing business needs.
-Learn about advances in the SPF industry.
-Get the training you need to be the best.
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U.S. Chemical Industry Poised for Dynamic Expansion; Set to Outpace Overall U.S. Economy
Source: americanchemistry.com
Likewise, supported by activity within the domestic chemicals sector, the U.S. economy is likely to see continued, though moderated growth in 2014, according to ACC’s monthly Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), released Dec. 17. The Chemical Activity Barometer is an established leading economic indicator, shown to lead U.S. business cycles by an average of eight months at cycle peaks, and four months at cycle troughs. The barometer ticked up to 93.9, a 0.1 percent increase over November on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis. This marks the eighth consecutive monthly gain for the CAB, which remains up 2.8 percent over a year ago.
2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Delisted from California’s Proposition 65
Sources: oehha.ca.gov, gupta-verlag.com
"The delisting means that polyurethane foamers will no longer need to reformulate away from the traditional tin catalysts based on the salts of ethylhexanoic acid. These catalyst create a breakdown product of 2–EHA in the final foam, and since it is on the Proposition List 65 in California, consumers require knowledge of its presence in foams through labelling. This is no longer the case," according to an article posted at gupta-verlag.com.
Graco Takes the Guesswork Out of Foam Insulating
Source: en.puworld.com
A new wireless monitoring system for contractors and builders, InSite, shows how data-tracking systems can be used outside the factory. Released by Graco, the technology used in the InSite data system gives homebuilders and contractors a novel tool to check on work crews from afar. It also will prove to homeowners, and even insurance companies, that homes were properly insulated. It’s a frequent bone of contention in regions where temperatures reach extremes. "Our system improves accountability," said Nick Pagano, the Graco business development manager who created InSite. Graco field-tested the data tracking system for six months, debuted it at an industry trade show in October and now is rolling it out nationwide. Minneapolis-based Graco joins Toro, Honeywell, 3M and other Minnesota-based manufacturers that are introducing "smart," remote and real-time data-tracking devices to help managers in non-factory settings. Graco’s InSite kit looks like a black box not much bigger than a wallet. It bolts onto the foam-insulation machine in a contractor’s truck
and wirelessly tracks the hoses, heat and drums of chemicals that become sprayable insulation.
Sprayfoam Helps Smother Attic Fires
Source: icynene.com
Icynene collaborated with the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) and an ICC-ES endorsed fire consultant to conduct a series of computer modeling and End Use Configuration testing to determine the performance of the sprayfoam in an unvented attic in a real-life fire scenario. The test results confirm that Icynene Classic Max™ helps smother the fire in less than a minute.
Energy Department Announces Winners of Housing Innovation Awards
Source: energy.gov
The Energy Department announced winners of the Housing Innovation Awards, recognizing 46 diverse industry leaders bringing the best in energy efficient building technologies and design to new and older homes and helping households save money. The competition, coordinated by the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, offered rigorous application criteria within four building categories: DOE Challenge Home Builders, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Participating Contractors, Excellence in Building Science Educator of the Year, and Building America Top Innovations. The Housing Innovation Awards recognize leading builders, contractors, researchers, national laboratories, and building science organizations who are helping communities across the country save money and energy and are leading the way to affordable, comfortable, zero net-energy ready homes. The Housing Innovation Awards support the Energy Department's commitment to help harness American ingenuity to commercialize and deploy cutting-edge technologies, as well as to promote improving the energy efficiency of the U.S. housing stock. Click here to see which entries were presented with Housing Innovation Awards.
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Source: polyurethane.americanchemistry.com
CPI released an updated Guidance for Developing a Written Respiratory Protection Program. This document provides regulatory background and a model respiratory program that addresses OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Program Standard (29 CFR ยง1910.134) which applies to all respirator use in general industry and construction workplaces. The program provides guidance on appropriate respirators, respirator use, storage, fit and evaluation.
>> OSHA Schedules Public Meeting on Proposed Rule to Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
Source: osha.gov
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has scheduled a public meeting
to allow interested parties to comment on the proposed rule to improve tracking
of workplace injuries and illnesses. OSHA's proposed rule amends its current
recordkeeping regulations to add requirements for the electronic submission of
injury and illness information employers are already required to keep under
existing standards, Part 1904.
The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday,
Jan. 9, 2014, at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. Requests to
attend or speak at the meeting may be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the
Federal eRulemaking Portal or by mail or facsimile. The deadline to request to
attend the meeting as a speaker or observer is Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. See the
Federal Register notice
for more details
>>OSHA Releases New Resources to Better Protect Workers from Hazardous Chemicals
Source: osha.gov
Each year in the United States, tens of thousands of workers are made sick or die from occupational exposures to the thousands of hazardous chemicals that are used in workplaces every day. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched two new web resources to assist companies with keeping their workers safe. While many chemicals are suspected of being harmful, OSHA's exposure standards are out-of-date and inadequately protective for the small number of chemicals that are regulated in the workplace. The first resource OSHA has created is a toolkit to identify safer chemicals that can be used in place of more hazardous ones. This toolkit walks employers and workers step-by-step through information, methods, tools and guidance to either eliminate hazardous chemicals or make informed substitution decisions in the workplace by finding a safer chemical, material, product or process. The toolkit is available at http://www.osha.gov/dsg/safer_chemicals/index.html.
>>ACC Offers Recommendations to Improve New Worker Safety Tools Released by OSHA
Source: americanchemistry.com
In response to the release of several new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) resources intended to help protect workers from hazardous chemicals, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) issued a statement, available here.
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The SPFA offices will be closed Christmas and New Year's Day.
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The 2014 Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) Annual Convention and Expo is coming up! Every year the convention delivers to you, the SPF professional, the best of the best information available on the industry. SPFA’s promise is to capture the most current and relevant information and deliver an experience you will appreciate, remember, and that will have an impact upon your business.
>>2013 SPFA CONTRACTOR AWARDS
• ROOF FOAM GREATER THAN 40,000 FT SQ – West Roofing Systems, Inc.
• ROOF FOAM LESS THAN 40,000 FT SQ – Biofoam Inc.
>>SPEAKING SENSIBLY by Dr. Richard Duncan: SPF for Unvented Attics in Existing Buildings -- Application Guidelines Before, During and After Installation
Performing retrofit installations of SPF in existing buildings is a complex process. In addition to performing a quality SPF installation in a safe manner, addressing the comfort and safety of the occupants are critical.
>>LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: LEED Amendments by Craig Brightup, The Brightup Group LLC
>>BEHIND THE FOAM: John Guffey and Team Are Raisingthe SPF Bar with Energy One America
>>ABAA NEWS: Standards – Help or Hindrance? by Laverne Dalgleish
If you didn't receive this issue in the mail or via email and would like to be on future distribution lists, click here to sign up.
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Critical milestones and information you need to make your plans now:
January 25-29, 2014, Palm Springs, Calif., will become the Home of Foam as the national annual SprayFoam Convention & Expo rolls through town. If you are thinking about sneaking away to the best weather in the U.S. in January, there are several important milestones or information you need to be aware of:
 1. Convention and hotel registration is open. If you wish to get the early bird rates before everything fills up, act now. Register for both before the end of the year by clicking here. SPFA negotiated a great rate of $139/night at the Renaissance hotel connected to the Palm Springs Convention Center -- this is one of the best rates in the recent history of SPFA conventions at is undeniably the most beautiful location.
2. SPFA will be offering the PCP certification Field Exams for Master Installer levels of insulation and roofing at the convention this year. Field Exams will take place January 25-27, and will be hosted at a local SPFA member contractor’s facility in Palm Springs. Transportation will be provided. If you have been thinking about getting your Master Installer Certification Field Exam completed, this is the best time, place and chance to do it. Maybe stick around for the convention too! Register for PCP Field Exams, other PCP tests or the convention here.
3. If you are interested in exhibiting, there is limited space remaining in the largest convention hall the show has ever had -- the Palm Springs Convention Center. There is always a run on the last remaining booths at the end of the year. If you think you may want to reserve one, act fast by clicking here.
For general information on the convention contained in the Attendee Brochure, including golf, speaking events, breakout session topics, networking receptions, PCP certification written and Field Exams, prices, etc. click here.
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 SPFA Publishes New Membership BrochureAvailable 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 2013 National Contractor Excellence Award Winning ProjectsCongratulations to all the winners in the 2013 Annual SPFA National Contractor Excellence Awards. These projects are examples of SPF’s unique performance, applicability and appeal. In upcoming issues of SPRAYFOAM Professional, various winning projects will be spotlighted.
Here are the 2013 winners:
>>Arizona Foam & Spray: Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
>>Spray-Tec Inc.: Bluegrass Community and Technical College Newtown Pike Campus
>>Southwest Spray Foam LLC: Television Personality Steve Thomas
>>Smart Choice Insulation & Roofing, Inc.: The Flour Tower
>>West Roofing Systems, Inc.: Boulevard Terrace & Neal Terrace Apartments
>>Honeywell Building Envelope Solutions: 206,000 sq.ft. re-roofing over BUR with extensive removal
>>Biofoam: Fermilab
>>West Roofing Systems, Inc.: Playhouse Square 14th Street Theatre Roof Reconstruction
>>Insulate SB, Inc: The Book House
>>J. Calman Industries: Coastal Progress – Marine Vessel
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.
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BSI-073: Macbeth Does Vapor Barriers (Double, Double Toil and Trouble)
Source: buildingscience.com/Joseph Lstiburek
Life was simple when I grew up in Canada. Winters were long and cold, we had no air conditioning, walls dried to both the outside and the inside and the Toronto Maple Leafs would win Stanley Cups. That all changed when we started putting plastic on the inside of walls and began to put impermeable insulating sheathing on the outside. We started to have double vapor barriers. Shakespeare was right in "that Scottish play2." Double vapor barriers meant "double toil and trouble." With double vapor barriers if a wall got wet it would not be able to dry to either the outside or the inside.
In the old days assemblies worked just fine with no vapor barriers on either side. That approach still works today, but for reasons that are difficult for me to understand it is not used as often as it should be or could be. We looked at this in "BSI-071: Joni Mitchell, Water and Walls" and we will look at it again here.
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SPFA Professional Certification Program (PCP) Updates
Since SPFA completed development of the SPFA Professional Certification Program (PCP) and publicly rolled it out at its annual convention and expo in February 2013, the response has been overwhelming. SPFA members and partners -- including Gaco Western, Premium Spray Systems, Demilec, Bayer Material Science, Spray Foam Nation and the ABAA Conference -- have all hosted testing sessions. More sessions are scheduled or are upcoming at CertainTeed, Icynene, Diamond Liners, MC&C Equipment, Foampak, Conklin, Premium Spray Systems, Quadrant Urethanes, and NCFI, with more being added continually. 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, email admin@spfapcp.org or call (866) 222-5000 and simply state what you want to do.
SPFA PCP Exam Preparatory Course, Written Examinations and Field Examinations
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.
The Spray Foam Coalition (SFC) of the American Chemistry Council announced its support of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance's (SPFA) new Professional Certification Program for sprayfoam applicators. The Coalition strongly supports this new program that will continue to expand the ongoing efforts of the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) industry to create the highest standards of quality and professionalism for its customers.
"The SPF industry has for many years and will continue to support the safe and appropriate use of SPF," said SFC Senior Director Lee Salamone. "SPFA has created a first-rate certification program to continually raise the bar on safety, performance, quality and professionalism among SPF industry professionals and help give building owners confidence when choosing an SPF applicator."
SPFA launched its new Professional Certification Program at the Spray Foam 2013 Convention & Expo. The program was developed in compliance with the ANSI/ISO 17024 standard. Individual certifications will be available at four different levels in the two categories of insulation and roofing. To become certified under SPFA's new program, individuals must pass an exam and meet various criteria for any level of certification they would like to achieve. It is a progressive program with each level based on the candidate passing the exam for the previous level.
SPF is an excellent insulation choice for building owners. It insulates and acts as an air barrier, both of which are critical to making buildings comfortable and reducing heating and cooling costs.
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 Premium Spray Products Names New ManagerPremium Spray Products, a polyurethane sprayfoam and roof coatings manufacturer based outside of Atlanta, announced the promotion of Troy Herring to the position of National Sales Manager. He will manage the foam and coating sales in North America. Herring has been in the polyurethane industry for nearly 20 years having been a contractor, sales representative, and sales manager. He was instrumental in the early years and the groundwork of polyurethane foams being accepted and utilized as insulation in residential and commercial applications. Herring is adept as a course leader in teaching seminars with continuing education credits for several construction related fields. He also knows spray foam roofing and coatings. Herring brings knowledge, organization, customer focus and professionalism that will only enhance the success Premium Spray Products has begun in its short history.
Rhino Linings Corp. Acquires San Diego-Based Expo Stucco
Rhino Linings Corp. (www.rhinolinings.com) has acquired the assets of Expo Industries Inc., a San Diego-based manufacturer of Expo Stucco™ (www.expostucco.com) interior and exterior stucco products, sealers, bonders, patch products and plaster mixes. This acquisition expands Rhino Linings' line of building products, which already include waterproofing products, spray polyurethane foam insulation, decorative concrete and epoxy flooring systems. All Expo Stucco products are now available from Rhino Linings. Twelve Expo Stucco employees joined Rhino Linings and will continue manufacturing and packaging operations at the Expo Stucco facilities, located less than a mile from the Rhino Linings headquarters.
This acquisition comes on the heels of Rhino Linings Corp.'s acquisition of Advance Coating Solutions in November 2013. Prior to the acquisition, Advanced Coating Solutions -- a San Diego-based developer and manufacturer of waterborne, compliant coatings including epoxies, urethanes, stains, sealers and topcoats -- was a supplier to Rhino Linings Corp.
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ASHRAE Seeking Comments on Purposed Data Center Energy Standard
Source: ashrae.org
High plug loads and rapidly advancing IT technology make data center applications significantly different from their commercial building counterparts. A purposed standard from ASHRAE that specifically addresses the unique energy requirements of data centers is open for advisory public review. Standard 90.4P, Energy Standard for Data Centers and Telecommunications Buildings, is being developed in response to requests to recognize the energy performance profiles unique to data centers; previously, data centers were included in in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Standard 90.4P will feature a performance based approach that is more flexible and accommodating of innovative changes which rapidly occur in the data center design, construction and operations, according to chair Ron Jarnagin. Standard 90.4P is open for advisory public review from Nov. 15-Dec. 30, 2013. For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.
ASHRAE Offers Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Guideline for Commissioning Existing Systems, Assemblies
Source: ashrae.org
With functional changes and occupant productivity driving the need to commission existing facilities, ASHRAE is developing a guideline that addresses the commissioning process. The guideline is open for public input until Jan. 20, 2014. For details, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews. ASHRAE Guideline 0.2P, The Commissioning Process for Existing Systems and Assemblies, describes the procedures, methods, documentation, requirements and physical activities of the commissioning process for existing buildings, systems and assemblies using the principles developed in ASHRAE Guideline 0-2005, The Commissioning Process.
ASHRAE/IBPSA-USA Building Simulation Conference Announces Call for Presenters
Source: ashrae.org
The 2014 ASHRAE/IBPSA-USA Building Simulation Conference, Sept. 10-12, 2014, Atlanta, Ga., has announced a call for presenters. This new joint, co-sponsored conference encompasses the ASHRAE Energy Modeling and IBPSA-USA SimBuild Conferences. The call for presenters is focused on the theme "BIM, BEM and SIM – Integrated Building Design and Modeling," an area currently of great concern to practicing professionals that will be addressed through five broad tracks.
Call for presenter proposals are due Feb. 10, 2014. A 400-word abstract addressing a specific topic and speaker background information are required. Notifications will be issued in March 2014. For more information, visit www.ashrae.org/simulation2014.
Center for the Polyurethanes Industry Seeking Papers, Posters for the 2014 Polyurethanes Technical Conference
Source: americanchemistry.com
The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council has issued a call for papers and posters to be presented at the 2014 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, which will take place September 22-24, 2014 at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas, Texas. Paper abstracts are due Feb. 3, 2014. Submission instructions and guidelines for development of papers and posters can be found on CPI’s website, www.polyurethane.org. Poster abstracts are due August 22, 2014.
NAHB/Builders Mutual Insurance Company SAFE Awards Now Accepting Entries
Source: nahb.org
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is now accepting applications for the 2013 NAHB/Builders Mutual Insurance Company Safety Award For Excellence (SAFE). The awards program recognizes home builders and contractors who have developed and implemented high quality workplace safety programs, and also honors government officials and NAHB-affiliated associations who work to advance safety in the home building industry.
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Source: todaysfacilitymanager.com / Jared Blum
This article by Jared Blum serves as a more extensive counterpoint to a piece posted on FacilityBlog on September 26, 2013.
Building performance is a top priority for consumers, architects, and
contractors, and foam insulation plays a very important role in improving energy
efficiency and controlling the indoor environment. In order to meet critical
fire safety standards and codes, manufacturers of foam insulation add flame
retardants to their products. However, an article on FacilityBlog, "Study
Finds Health And Environmental Risk In Building Insulation," failed to
convey the valuable and important role that flame retardants serve in foam
insulation.
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ASHRAE Publishes 2013 Version of Thermal Comfort Standard
Source: ashrae.org
Major revisions for design and measurement of comfortable spaces are included in a newly published 2013 standard from ASHRAE. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2013, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, combines the 2010 standard and 18 published addenda into a consolidated standard. The core of the standard in Sections 4 and 5 specifies methods to determine thermal environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, air speed and radiant effects) in buildings and other spaces that a significant proportion of the occupants will find acceptable at a certain metabolic rate and clothing level. Section 7 of the standard includes new requirements for the measurement and evaluation of existing thermal environments and is also applicable to commissioning.
Spray Polyurethane Foam Design Guidance: Insulation and Air Barrier Requirements of the 2012 I-Codes Source: americanchemistry.com
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)
Hear more about CEIR Updates from James R. Kirby AIA, at the SprayFoam Convention & Expo, Jan. 28, 11:15 a.m.-noon.
>>buildingSMART alliance Symposium Provides the Basics of BIM, Identifies Value of Standards
Source: nibs.org
>>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. Some details included in the most recent BCAP Newsletter include:
California - Energy Commission Pushes Back Effective Date for 2013 BEES
Delaware - Public Comment Hearing on State Energy Code - Jan. 6
Las Vegas - Regulation Hearing Considering the 2012 Building Codes, Including the 2012 IECC - Jan. 14
Nebraska - Collaborative Hosting Meeting to Explore Utility Support for Code Compliance
New Jersey - Bill Provides Priority for Green Building Practices: LEED, Energy Star, Green Globes, NGBS
Blog Post of the Week - Understanding the Challenges with Existing Buildings
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Source: PRNewswire
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced the 2014 national optional business mileage deduction rate of 56 cents for U.S. business drivers, effective January 1, 2014. To establish the rate, the IRS worked closely with Runzheimer International, the company who has provided annual vehicle cost data to the IRS since 1980. Runzheimer International is the industry leader in employee mobility solutions, including business vehicle reimbursements, business travel, relocation, routing and logistics, and mobile device expense management. The company also provides mobility benchmark data to organizations in the U.S. and Canada.
The 2014 rate of 56 cents decreases as compared to the current rate of 56.5 cents-per-mile, which went into effect January 1, 2013.
"The decrease in the mileage rate for 2014 reflects slightly lower fuel costs as well as lower vehicle cost components, such as depreciation," said Cris Robinson, Research Analysis Supervisor of Runzheimer International. "The data Runzheimer International collects for the IRS highlights the shifts in market conditions nationwide and enables the IRS and other organizations to make more informed business decisions related to vehicle costs."
The 56 cents-per-mile is the amount that a U.S. taxpayer can deduct for vehicle expenses on a 2014 tax return for recorded business miles.
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