>>2015 Sprayfoam Convention and Expo Exhibitor Registration Open!
Attendee information and signup will be available soon and special notification will be sent when the hotel (Hyatt Regency) begins accepting reservations.
SPFA is currently accepting proposals for technical presentations. If interested, please email the session title, presenter biography, objectives and brief description. All submissions will receive careful consideration and the Convention Committee hopes to announce selections soon.
Conference Coordinator Emma Bennett and the team at YES, LLC have been brought on board to manage Sprayfoam 2015. Email emma@sprayfoam.org or call 605-470-0707 for more information on exhibits and sponsorships.
>>SPFA Elects New Board Members
SPFA recently held its Board of Directors election for the 2014-2016 term. Below are the results, following the runoff election for a board seat that was won by Tom Sojak of Gaco Western. SPFA is excited about addressing industry issues with this new complete board. Please congratulate these members when you see them:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President: Mr. Dennis Vandewater, Sadler Coating Systems (IA)
Vice President: Mr. John Achille, Coastal Insulation (NJ)
Treasurer: Mr. Richard Spiess, Innovative Insulation Solutions (IL)
Immediate Past President: Mr. Robert (Bob) Duke, Carolina Comfort Foam
BOARD MEMBERS
Contractor Officer Seats (6):
Ms. Bonnie Strickler, Puff Inc. (VA)
Mr. Ron Winkle, Western Pacific Roofing (CA)
Mr. Larry Ash, United Thermal Systems (NY)
Mr. Tyler Fiske, Anchor Insulation (RI)
Mr. Bryan Heldreth, RPC (VA)
Ms. Tiffiny Flaim, Biofoam Inc. (IL)
Non-Contractor Officer Seats (6):
Mr. Joe Stockdale, Bayer Material Science (TX)
Ms. Mary Bogdan, Honeywell (NY)
Mr. Mitch Clifton, NCFI (NC)
Mr. Mac Sheldon, Demilec Inc. (TX)
Mr. Nick Pagano, Graco Inc. (MN)
Mr. Tom Sojak, Gaco Western (WI)
>> SPFA Completes Environmental Product Declaration for SPF 
As a continuing step toward effective product and environmental stewardship, SPFA and Underwriters Laboratory Environment (ULe) conducted the necessary steps to complete an SPF Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), which further validates 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 is maintained on the ULe website, available at www.sprayfoam.org/technical. The LCA is available there, as well.
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>>Streamlining Green Building Tool Coordination and Development
Source: usgbc.org
The International Code Council (ICC), ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the signing of a memorandum to collaborate on the development of Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the LEED green building program.
The aim is to create a comprehensive framework for jurisdictions looking to implement and adopt green building regulations and codes and/or provide incentives for voluntary leadership programs such as LEED. The agreement outlines the development, maintenance and implementation of new versions of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES/USGBC Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and the IgCC, which will be combined into one regulatory tool. This agreement also endeavors to align the LEED program with the new code to ensure a streamlined, effective set of regulatory and above-code options for jurisdictions across the country. Read more here.
>>Huntsman Announces Manufacturing Disruption at Port Neches, Texas Facility
Source: huntsman.com
Huntsman Corporation announced that it experienced an unplanned manufacturing disruption on a production unit at its facility in Port Neches, Texas. There were no injuries resulting from the Aug. 15 incident.
The disruption was caused by equipment failure.
The Port Neches facility manufactures methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), propylene oxide (PO) and propylene glycols (PG). The manufacturing disruption also impacts internal PO supply to downstream MDI systems, amines, surfactants and propylene oxide derivatives. The affected unit is expected to be off-line for two to three weeks, with an estimated negative impact of $30 million EBITDA for Huntsman’s Polyurethanes and Performance Products divisions.
It is yet to be determined whether this will impact the planned maintenance scheduled for the first half of 2015.
>>A Look Back: Executive Order on Federal Energy Management
Source: ase.org / Elizabeth Crumpacker
With the U.S. government as the largest energy user in the country, the President fully understands the importance of leading by example. The federal government occupies nearly 500,000 buildings and operates more than 600,000 vehicles—providing the Administration with a huge opportunity to cut down on waste, saving both energy and taxpayer dollars. Read more here.
>>Report on Polyurethane Chemicals Released
Source: ialconsultants.com
IAL Consultants announced the publication of the first edition of its report on the markets for Polyurethane Chemicals and Products in the Americas (North America and South America).
Total production of polyurethane products in the Americas is reported to have been 3.98 million tonnes in 2013 compared with 3.84 million tonnes in 2012. By 2018 this figure is forecast to be 4.78 million tonnes, equivalent to an average growth of 3.7% p.a. over the next five years.
The polyurethane industry remains larger by far in North America, which is dominated by the USA, but expected growth rates are strongest in the developing South American market, at 4.7% p.a. over the forecast period. Download the full report here. >>U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Updates
Source: energy.gov
The August 2014 issue of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Update newsletter is now available and includes:
--Top Innovation Spotlight on Quality Management System Guidelines
--The August webinar, continuing our series on high performance enclosures
--New Code Compliance Briefs that help to facilitate market adoption of building innovations
--Residential success stories—community-scale, affordable high performance homes
--New DOE Energy Conservation Standards for residential furnace fans
--Zero Energy Ready Home technical trainings
>>Federal Report Highlights Five Years of Progress Providing Communities with Affordable Housing, Efficient Transportation and Economic Growth
Source: epa.gov
In celebration of the fifth anniversary of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released "Five Years of Learning from Communities and Coordinating Federal Investments," a report demonstrating how the three agencies are cooperating to help communities provide more housing choices, make transportation systems more efficient and reliable, and create vibrant neighborhoods that attract business development and jobs while protecting the environment.
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>>2014-15 SPFA Membership Directory and Buyers' Guide Being Mailed in September
Members in good standing are listed in this publication, which is mailed out every September. This directory is also available in a digital format, which will be available soon (see last year's director 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 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.
 >>Sprayfoam 2014 Coverage, Award WinnersIn addition to coverage of some of the Sprayfoam 2014 sessions and events in the SPFA magazine, SPRAYFOAM Professional, there will be spotlights on some of the SPFA National Industry Excellence Award winners:
Commercial Wall Foam Winner: Domestic Insulation (See coverage in Summer 2014 issue.)
Commercial Wall Foam Runner-Up: Biofoam Inc.
Residential Wall Foam Winner: PROFOAM of Tennessee (See cover in Fall 2014 issue.) Residential Wall Foam Runner-Up: Jag Construction Inc.
Roof Foam Less Than 40,000 sq. ft. Winner: PROFOAM of Tennessee
Roof Foam Less Than 40,000 sq. ft. Runner-Up: Honeywell Building Envelope Solutions
Roof Foam Greater Than 40,000 sq. ft. Winner: Arizona Foam & Spray (See coverage in Summer 2014 issue.)
Roof Foam Greater Than 40,000 sq. ft. Runner-Up: West Roofing Systems, Inc.
Specialty Applications Winner: West Roofing Systems, Inc. (See cover in Fall 2014 issue.) Specialty Applications Runner-Up: Polyseal Insulation LLC
>>Break-Out Sessions
Speakers at the highest-attended break-out sessions will be summarizing some of their material in upcoming issues of SPRAYFOAM Professional.
See more details on the session "OSHA Is at My Jobsite -- What Do I Do?" by Joseph E. Bolduc, MBA, CSP in the Summer 2014 issue.
See more details on the session "Intumescent Coatings and SPF" by Roger V. Morrison, PE, RRC, Deer Ridge Consulting, Inc. in the Fall 2014 issue.
Also, many of the slides from the presentations are available here.
>>SPFA Publishes Membership Brochure
Available 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.
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>>Certification Candidates Urged to Complete Requirements
The SPFA is fielding more and more calls and emails from consumers looking for SPFA PCP Certified SPF Professionals. We are happy to provide names of the PCP Certified Professionals, but we need your help to make sure YOU are included! There are many individuals who have started on the path to PCP Certification, but haven’t completed it yet. We urge you to do so since consumers are looking for contractors who are certified!
Likewise, many companies are on the path to the SPFA Contractor Company Accreditation, but haven’t met all the requirements yet. As soon as you do, we’ll make that distinction known via our website and other applicable avenues.
Both of these distinctions are tremendous accomplishments! They are distinctions that set you apart from your competition. These are the distinctions that put the consumers' mind at ease. If you aren’t sure what you still need to do to complete the requirements, please contact our SPFA PCP Staff at admin@spfapcp.org or 866-222-5000!
>> Field Exams Available at 2015 Sprayfoam Annual Convention and Expo  SPFA is pleased to announce that PCP Field Examinations will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in January at Sprayfoam 2015.
Thank you to Bob and Earl Buzzard of All American Enterprises, Inc. for hosting the Field Exams. As many of you know, these are the over the shoulder exams required to become an SPFA PCP Certified Master Installer. For more details on becoming certified and the field exam process, please refer to the Certification Handbooks at www.sprayfoam.org/certification.
 Applicators – this is the perfect opportunity to complete your Field Exam which is required for the Master Installer Certification. Look for more details in the coming weeks!
Field Examiners – volunteer Field Examiners needed to help conduct these Field Exams. It is a great opportunity to get firsthand experience and give back to the SPF Industry!
Suppliers – we need your help to get this accomplished! Sponsorship opportunities are available! We’ll need rigs, PPE, fresh air systems and more! We also need sponsors for shuttle and food/beverage.
All Field Exam opportunities for Applicators,
Field Examiners and Sponsors are on a first-come basis – so be sure to let us
know your interest asap!
For more information, please contact Kelly Marcavage, SPFA PCP Certification Director, at kmarcavage@sprayfoam.org or 571-748-5003.
>>SPFA PCP Exam Prep Courses and Exams
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.
October 14-16 -- Waukesha, WI
Hosted by Gaco Western
Contact Karen Wolfenberger at kwolfenberg@gaco.com
October 15-17 -- Houston, TX
Hosted by Lapolla
Contact Shana Rand at srand@lapolla.com
Ongoing -- Webinar SPFA PCP Refresher Courses for Previously Trained SPF Professional
Hosted by Gaco Western
Contact Karen Wolfenberger at kwolfenberger@gaco.com
More details for each location are available on our website – www.sprayfoam.org. If you would like more information on the PCP, please contact Kelly Marcavage, SPFA PCP Certification Director, at kmarcavage@sprayfoam.org.
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>>EPA Proposes to Replace and Reduce Harmful Greenhouse Gases
Source: epa.org
The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to prohibit the use of certain chemicals that significantly contribute to climate change where safer, more climate-friendly alternatives exist. This is the agency’s second action aimed at reducing emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of potent greenhouse gases, under President Obama's Climate Action Plan.
This action is estimated to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 42 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2020, equal to the carbon dioxide emissions from the annual electricity use of more than 5 million homes.
Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program evaluates substitute chemicals and technologies that are safe for the ozone layer. The proposed action would change the status of certain high-global warming potential (GWP) HFCs that were previously listed as acceptable under the SNAP Program to be unacceptable in specific end-uses based on information showing that other alternatives are available for the same uses that pose lower risk overall to human health or the climate.
The HFCs and HFC-containing blends affected by the proposal are used in aerosols, motor vehicle air conditioning, retail food refrigeration and vending machines, and foam blowing.
EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
>>EPA Seeks Comments on Potential Revisions to its Risk Management Program
Source: epa.gov
On July 24, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Request for Information (RFI) to seek comment on potential revisions to its Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations and related programs to modernize its regulations as required under Executive Order (EO) 13650: Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security.
During the 90-day comment period, EPA asks for information and data on specific regulatory elements and process safety management approaches to enhance public health and safety, and aid local fire, police, and emergency response personnel to prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies. The information received will be used when reviewing chemical hazards covered by the RMP and to determine how this program should be expanded to improve chemical facility safety. The RFI does not commit the agency to rulemaking.
To view EPA’s RFI and provide public comment, visit http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/eo_improving_chem_fac.htm
The public will have 90 days to submit written comments online, www.regulations.gov (the portal for federal rulemaking), or by mail.
>>Papers Sought for International Conference on Energy and Environment in Ships
Source: ashrae.org
Papers are being sought for a conference on ships and on land facilities that focuses on the state of the art and challenges related to environment, HVAC, energy security and health and safety among other topics.
Organized by ASHRAE, the Hellenic Navy, the Technical Chamber of Greece and the ASHRAE Hellenic Chapter, the International Conference on Energy and Environment in Ships takes place May 22-24, 2015, in Athens, Greece.
Abstracts (400 words in length) are due Oct. 13, 2014. If accepted, papers are due Jan. 26, 2015. Submittal information can be found at www.ashrae.org/Ships2015.
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>>Energy Department Invests $6 Million to Increase Building Energy Code Compliance Rates
Source: energycodes.gov
The Building Technologies Office (BTO) has awarded $6 million to fund projects that will:
--Measure current residential energy code compliance rate using a methodology that provides statewide results with 90% reliability.
--Implement an education, training, and outreach program designed to increase residential building energy code compliance.
--Measure the post-program residential building energy code compliance rate using the same methodology employed in the pre-program study.
The projects will investigate whether investing in education, training, and outreach programs can produce a significant change in residential building code compliance rates. If these activities do produce significant change, non-government entities, particularly utilities, could be influenced to make substantial investments in similar programs.
>>Standards for Uniform Data Collection and Transfer in Home Performance Updated
Source: bpi.org
The Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI) announced that updates to its BPI-2100-S-2013: Standard for Home Performance-Related Data Transfer (HPXML) and BPI-2200-S-2013: Standard for Home Performance-Related Data Collection have been published and are now available on the BPI website.
Version 2.0.0 of the data standards includes additional data elements, technical improvements to HPXML, and revisions to existing data elements. A list of changes for this version can be found in Annex C of BPI-2100.
To view the data collection and transfer standards, visit:
>>ASHRAE/IES Publish User’s Manual for Standard 90.1
Guidance on how to incorporate changes regarding building envelope, lighting, mechanical and the energy cost budget in the 2013 energy standard from ASHRAE and IES are included in a newly published User’s Manual. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, incorporates 110 addenda, reflecting changes made through the public review process.
>>DOE Issues Preliminary Determination of Energy Savings for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013
Source: energycodes.gov
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued its Preliminary Determination for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, affirming that the updated Standard provides an additional 8.5 percent energy savings over the previous edition. Interested stakeholders are invited to submit public comments within 30 days from publication of this Notice in the Federal Register. DOE expects to finalize its Determination later this year. Further information on DOE support for building energy codes is available at www.energycodes.gov.
>>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. Topics addressed in the current issue include:
* Ongoing General Alerts *
Clean Air Act Section 111(d) - Comments Due Soon for the Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule
* Ongoing State and Local Alerts *
California - Landmark Recycled Water Bill A.B. 2282
Delaware - Passes Senate Bill 150, Expanding Utility Energy Efficiency Programs
Maryland - A Public Hearing to Consider Adopting 2015 IECC Re-Scheduled for Late September
New Jersey - Senate Bill 2340 Requires Inclusion of a Distributed Energy Resource
North Carolina - Public Hearing on the Emergency Rule Regarding Low-E Window Requirements
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October 14-16, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Gaco Western, Waukesha, WI
October 15-17, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Lapolla, Houston, TX
Ongoing -- SPFA PCP Refresher Courses for Previously Trained SPF Professional hosted by Gaco Western, webinar, c ontact Karen Wolfenberger
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>>6 Franchise Purchasing Tips
Source:sba.gov / FranchiseKing
It can be pretty overwhelming to find a franchise business opportunity that you feel is right for your town, your investment level and your skills. There are so many choices these days, with new franchise opportunities appearing all the time. Lucky for you I have some steps you can take to help you make the purchasing process easier to manage. Read more here.
>>Learn How the SBA Can Help You Start and Grow Your Business
SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet will be answering your questions live during a Hangout on Air in the Google Small Business Community. Want to learn how the SBA can help you start and grow your business? Now’s your chance. Click to RSVP and submit your questions.
Wednesday, August 27
4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT
>>ICYMI: Three NEW Free Online Training Business Courses
1. Strategic Planning for Small Businesses
Are you looking for tools to create a successful strategic plan that will help improve your business’s success? This course will explain the difference between strategic planning and other types of planning and describe the typical steps in the strategic planning process.
Do you have a savings plan for your business? Take this course to learn how life events, retirement and even taxes play a role in developing a savings plan.
If you are in the process of selling or closing your business, then this course is for you. Topics covered include defining a business exit strategy, transferring ownership of a business, steps to closing a business, and preparing a sales agreement.
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