>>Ty Pennington to Headline 2015 Sprayfoam Convention and Expo![]() 
Ty Pennington is best known as the Emmy-award winning host of "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" and the co-host of ABC Daytime's "The Revolution." He has been recognized as a home design expert, carpenter and leader in the field of volunteerism.
>>Exhibitor Spaces Are Almost 90% Sold Out!
Booth spaces are filling up fast; exhibitor spaces are 80% sold out! Click here to see which spaces are still available. Visit our website to download the full exhibitor brochure, registration forms, and floor plan. On this page you will also find information on the site hotel (Hyatt Regency) and a link to reserve rooms. Here's the floorplan showing the layout of the booths and the available booths (in green). Please click here to access the link with the most up-to-date version.
To reserve your space, fill out the SPFA Application/Contract for Exhibit Space on pg. 10 and 11 of our Exhibitor Brochure. Mail completed and signed application along with payment to:
Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance
3927 Old Lee Highway, Suite 101B, Fairfax, VA 22030
Fax to: 866-275-5537
Conference Coordinator Emma Bennett and the team at YES, LLC are managing Sprayfoam 2015. Email emma@sprayfoam.org or call 605-470-0707 for more information on exhibits and sponsorships.
>>Sprayfoam 2015 Presentation Topics Solidified
The technical presentation topics for the 2015 Sprayfoam Convention and Expo were solidified recently. The schedule and more information will be sent out shortly and will be included in the next issue of SPRAYFOAM Professional magazine, as well. The topics below (and many more) will be part of the course offerings in Albuquerque:
SPF Roofing on Steep Slopes: Safety concerns, installation techniques, lift suggestions
SPF and Solar: Where and how can roofing work with solar, especially on the commercial side?
Dealing with Overspray: How to attempt to avoid, and how to handle if it happens
Prevention & Remediation of Ice Dams on Attics and Cathedral Slopes: The procedures for locating, prioritizing, and remediating the causes of ice dams in buildings.
Foamed Plastic Insulation and the Codes: Outline all of the code provisions that apply to SPF and IPF installations.
Movement Through a House: This session will explore how conditions outside affect the inside of a home and how different ventilation and HVAC strategies can make inside conditions better or worse. A psychrometric wheel and an iPhone/Android app will be used to experiment how these strategies will affect the conditions in the home.
Temperature and Pressures: The Key to Foam Quality and Yield: Discuss the impact of temperature and pressure on foam quality. Address quality points such as density and interlaminate adhesion. Also discuss the impact on foam yield.
Marketing Strategies: How do we increase our market share? Why has overall growth been so weak over the years? Ways to overcome negative customer perceptions; planning and strategies for dealing with potential upcoming trends
Wall Assemblies: Where are we in the big picture? When will SPF get the true energy efficiency rating it deserves? Are wall assembly designs taking advantage of the increased strength potential of SPF? What about existing structures? How to address a retrofit properly?
What to Do When the Application Turns South? How should you handle customer complaints and concerns?
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>>SPFA's Kurt Riesenberg, Rick Duncan and Kelly Marcavage Speak at CPI Conference
SPFA's Kurt Riesenberg, Rick Duncan and Kelly Marcavage all presented at the 2014 Polyurethanes Technical Conference, which is wrapping up today (Sept. 24) at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Dallas. Kurt Riesenberg, SPFA Executive Director, talked about updates related to the SPFA Professional Certification Program (PCP) for sprayfoam installers and companies. Dr. Rick Duncan, SPFA Technical Services Director, addressed meeting the need for sustainable building design, and shared the final results from SPFA’s industry-wide LCA and EPD project for SPF insulation and roofing. Kelly Marcavage, SPFA Certification and Training Director, offered information and support related to the SPFA PCP.
Hosted by the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council, the conference had more than 60 technical presentations scheduled. Get the latest updates and conference news on LinkedIn and Twitter. Follow @AmChemEvents and use the hashtag #PUtech to join the conversation.
>>SPFA Learns of Jerry Baldwin's Passing
It is with both sadness and fond memories that SPFA's Executive Director Kurt Riesenberg shares the news of Jerry Baldwin’s accidental (non-work related) passing. "Jerry was a great supporter of SPFA, a former Board member, and always the one in the room to come up with something funny to say or do when the moment was right. He was a lucky man to be surrounded by so many close friends. I and SPFA will miss Jerry greatly, and extend best wishes to Denise and the Baldwin family."
Please visit this website to see Jerry’s obituary, arrangements, wishes of family, or to leave a message.
>>SPFA Forms Marketing Committee
SPFA formed a Marketing Committee -- co-chaired by Mac Sheldon and Ridge Stockdale -- and there are opportunities for SPFA members to be involved. If you would like to be involved in promoting, protecting and growing the SPF industry, and helping SPFA do the same, please reach out to Kurt Riesenberg, SPFA Executive Director.
Some of the initial goals of the committee are to:
• Provide input to SPFA’s SPRAYFOAM Professional magazine & bi-weekly newsletter for future articles, topics, authors, new areas
• Consider/establish consistent industry messaging for various audiences – architects, specifiers, builders, general contractors, code officials
• Establish regular informational webinars on SPF (safety, PPE, OSHA, fire testing, introduction to foam, decoding thermal and ignition barriers, building science, troubleshooting, etc)
• Utilize SPFA’s deep list of previously-submitted projects (Annual Awards Program) to construct dozens of success stories and promotional material
>>AGC Explores SPF in Its Current Issue of Constructor Magazine  
In the September/October 2014 issue of Constructor, a publication of the Associated General Contractors of America, spray polyurethane foam is explored and explained by SPFA's Technical Services Director Rick Duncan, P.E., Ph.D., while Joseph W. Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng., Fellow ASHRAE, shares information about insulation's role in a perfect wall.
>>SPFA Elects New Board Members
SPFA's Board of Directors for the 2014-2016 term include:
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)
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>>Bayer Plans to Float MaterialScience on Stock Market as Separate Company
Source: bayer.de
Bayer intends in the future to focus entirely on the Life Science businesses – HealthCare and CropScience – and float MaterialScience on the stock market as a separate company. The Supervisory Board unanimously approved the Board of Management's plans on Sept. 18. "Our intention is to create two top global corporations: Bayer as a world-class innovation company in the Life Science businesses, and MaterialScience as a leading player in polymers," Bayer CEO Dr. Marijn Dekkers announced. Read more here.
>>Lapolla Industries Partners With White House to Reduce Harmful Greenhouse Gases and Fight Climate Change
Lapolla Commits to Eliminating High-GWP HFCs in Products by 2016
Source: lapolla.com
At a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in September, The White House announced Lapolla Industries, Inc. as an official private sector partner of the President’s Climate Action Plan, recognizing the company’s efforts to curb the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Lapolla is a Houston-based manufacturer and global supplier of spray polyurethane foam insulation, reflective roof coatings, and equipment designed to reduce energy consumption in the residential, industrial and commercial markets. Under its commitment, Lapolla will transition its entire product line of foam and coating systems to no longer use high-GWP HFCs by 2016. Lapolla will also provide more than 18 seminars on the importance of eliminating high-GWP HFCs from the environment.
This commitment follows Lapolla’s recent announcement that they have become the first manufacturer globally to offer a third party tested and approved wall foam system that uses the Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent. Lapolla achieved this fourth generation benchmark while working closely with Honeywell to incorporate the Solstice® LBA, a next-generation blowing agent from Honeywell. The product not only improves foam performance, but also delivers environmental benefits. Solstice® LBA has an ultra-low global warming potential of 1, which is 99.9 percent lower than today’s most commonly-used blowing agent, HFC-245fa, a hydrofluorocarbon, while retaining its insulating performance. Solstice® LBA is nonflammable, has received EPA approval under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program and is not a volatile organic compound. Read more here.
>>Honeywell’s Low-Global-Warming Material Insulates Net-Zero Energy Home
Source: environmentalleader.com
Honeywell’s Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent — an ultra low-global-warming-potential foam blowing agent — has been used to help insulate a net-zero energy home project at Purdue University, the company says. The blowing agent, which causes closed-cell sprayfoam insulation to expand and provides the majority of the foam’s insulating properties, was used to retrofit a residential home in West Lafayette, Ind. It marked the first application of the new blowing agent in sprayfoam wall insulation. Solstice LBA is already used to insulate high-efficiency refrigerators. Read more here.
>>EERE Releases Notice of Intent Related to Funding High Impact Projects
Source: energy.gov
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Building Technologies Office, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled," Building America Industry Partnerships for High Performance Housing Innovation," DE-FOA-0001117.
Selected teams will conduct applied Research and Development in real world houses to demonstrate market-relevant strategies that will lead to 40% energy savings in existing homes (pre-post retrofit) by 2030 and 50% savings in new homes (over International Energy Conservation Code 2009) by 2025.
Through this FOA, EERE will fund high impact projects that develop and demonstrate integrated solutions to any or all of these core technical challenges, primarily focused on solutions for U.S. climate zones with the greatest need – i.e., Hot/humid, Mixed Humid, and Cold climates. Read more here.
>>DuPont Fluorochemicals Announces Full-scale Production of HFO-1336mzz
Source: gupta-verlag.com
DuPont Fluorochemicals has announced plans for full-scale commercial production of HFO-1336mzz, the new foam expansion and refrigerant solution based on hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) technology, to meet growing demand for solutions that reduce global warming potential (GWP) and improve energy efficiency. Read more here.
>>Dr. Joseph Lstiburek to Speak at Upcoming Events, Sept. 30 and Oct. 2
Source: bpi.org
Building Science Corporation's Joseph W. Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng., Fellow ASHRAE, will be a speaker at two upcoming events at the new ROXUL Energy Design Centre. The Sept. 30 event will be at the JW Marriott Chicago and participants can earn up to 15 AIA credit hours. The Oct. 2 event will be at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel and will have the same number of AIA credits available. Click here to register for either.
>>Airflow 100: A Review of Air Velocity Testing Methods
Source: bpi.org
Industry studies have shown that 70% of residential systems have improper airflow. Airflow measurements are among the most daunting tasks in the industry, During this free webinar -- Tuesday, October 21, 11 a.m. (EDT)-- learn the wide variety of measurement methods and the benefits of each. Dig into the science behind good airflow measurement, as well as the importance of considering air density corrections. The ins and outs of picking the correct tool for the measurement task or application will also be covered. Click here to register. Earn up to 1 BPI CEU.
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If you do not receive SPRAYFOAM Professional in the mail or via email and would like to be on future distribution lists, click here to sign up.
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>>2014-15 SPFA Membership Directory and Buyers' Guide 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 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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>>SPF Assistant Exam Preparatory Online Course Is in the Works
SPFA PCP is pleased to announce that the SPF Assistant Exam Preparatory Online Course will be released in the fall of 2014. The new online format allows SPF professionals to take this course from the comfort of their office, home or anyplace with Internet access. This course will be translated into Spanish with an expected release date of 2015. Look for more details in the coming weeks.
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
October 21-24 -- Marietta, GA
Hosted by Premium Spray Products
January 26-27, 2015 -- Albuquerque, NM
Hosted by SPFA
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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>>New Sprayfoam System Released by Titan
Titan's new Helix™ FR28 sprayfoam system, which was released in September, features a SureFire™ heating system and electronically integrated proportioning.
The electronically controlled proportioner enables continual communication between pumps – communicating back and forth more than 60 times per revolution. Plus, the smart connect dual pump system precisely meters the A and B component, improving accuracy by 3 to 5 percent for increased yield and chemical performance. Also, the Helix’s VisComp viscosity calibration tool makes it possible to control and fine tune the system, providing a true 1-to-1 ratio.
The Helix’s SureFire heating system provides active heat throughout the entire system – at the pump, through the hose and all the way up to the gun where the temperature can be verified and adjusted. In addition, the heating rod is completely isolated from the coating, so there is no failure from chemical or atmospheric exposure when run dry. Read more here.
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Lapolla Industries, Inc. announced it has partnered with Honeywell and Purdue University to incorporate Lapolla’s 4th generation wall foam insulation into Purdue’s ReNEWW Net-Zero Home Project.
Lapolla’s FOAM-LOK 2000-4G incorporates Honeywell’s Solstice® Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), which causes closed-cell spray foam insulation to expand and provides the majority of the foam’s superior insulating properties. Lapolla recently announced they were the first globally to offer an approved wall foam system with 4th generation technology. FOAM-LOK 2000-4G was used to retrofit a residential home in West Lafayette, Ind. marking the first time their next generation technology would be used in a wall foam system in the United States. Whirlpool Corp. has also recently adopted Honeywell’s foam blowing agent technology in their U.S.-based refrigerator manufacturing for high-efficiency appliances.
Whirlpool Corp. and Purdue University have worked together to transform this 2,800 square foot home built in 1928 into a net-zero energy home that will house a world-class research laboratory. Read more here.
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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.
>>ASHRAE/IES Propose Adding Verification Requirements to Energy Standard
Source: ashrae.org
Multiple compliance options to ensure verification of delivered building envelope performance are being proposed for the ASHRAE/IES energy standard.
"Uncontrolled air leakage has long been an unquantified variable in load calculations for buildings large and small," Chris Mathis said. "It has also been identified as the ‘weak link’ in many otherwise well insulated building enclosures. These newly proposed envelope testing, inspection and verification procedures are intended to not only help deliver better performing building envelopes, but also should help reduce errors associated with envelope air leakage in equipment sizing calculations."
Addendum l is one of 14 proposed addenda to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, currently open for public comment, Sept. 5-Oct. 5. To comment or learn more, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.
>>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.
>>EPA Seeks Feedback from the Public on Proposed Label Options for Safer Products
Source: epa.gov
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is redesigning its Design for the Environment Safer Product Label to better convey to consumers that products bearing the label meet the program’s rigorous standard to be safer for people and the environment.
"We want consumers to be able to easily find safer products that work well," said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator for Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "The agency wants to hear from the American people on which designs will help people identify household cleaning and other products that are safer for families and the environment."
The agency is also seeking input from a wide range of stakeholders, including the chemical and product manufacturing industry, retailers, consumers and environmental organizations. This input will help inform the agency’s selection of a new label.
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>>DOE Issues Preliminary Determination of Energy Savings for Residential Buildings
Source: energycodes.gov
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Notice of Preliminary Determination for the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), preliminarily affirming that the updated code will result in energy savings in residential buildings. DOE analysis indicates that buildings meeting the 2015 IECC (as compared with buildings meeting the 2012 IECC) would result in national energy savings of approximately 1.12 percent of residential building energy consumption, as regulated by the IECC. If this determination is finalized, each state would be required by statute to certify that it has reviewed the provisions of its residential building code regarding energy efficiency, and made a determination as to whether to update their code to meet or exceed the 2015 IECC.
The DOE Building Energy Codes Program encourages increased energy efficiency through building codes and standards. DOE is required to review published editions of model codes, including the IECC and Standard 90.1, and issue a determination as to whether the updated edition is expected to result in energy savings in residential and commercial buildings, respectively. Through its support for building energy codes, DOE helps states and local governments realize significant energy savings, resulting in cost savings for U.S. home and business owners, and associated environmental benefits due to avoided greenhouse gas emissions. Read more here.
>>DOE Issues Determination of Energy Savings for Commercial Buildings
Source: energycodes.gov
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a Notice of Determination for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, affirming that the updated code will result in energy savings in commercial buildings. DOE analysis indicates that buildings meeting Standard 90.1-2013 (as compared with buildings meeting the previous 2010 edition) would result in national source energy savings of approximately 8.5 percent, and site energy savings of approximately 7.6 percent, of commercial building energy consumption, as regulated by the Standard. Following an affirmative DOE determination, each State is required by statute to certify that it has reviewed the provisions of its commercial building code regarding energy efficiency, and updated their code to meet or exceed the revised Standard.
The DOE Building Energy Codes Program encourages increased energy efficiency through building codes and standards. DOE is required to review published editions of model codes, including the IECC and Standard 90.1, and issue a determination as to whether the updated edition is expected to result in energy savings in residential and commercial buildings, respectively. Through its support for building energy codes, DOE helps states and local governments realize significant energy savings, resulting in cost savings for U.S. home and business owners, and associated environmental benefits due to avoided greenhouse gas emissions. Read more here. >>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 Presented to the Governor for Approval
Illinois - 2015 IECC Adoption Process Begins with Call for Comments and Amendments
Maryland - First Public Hearing to Consider Adopting 2015 IECC Will Be on Oct. 10
Michigan - New Statewide Residential Energy Code Based on 2012 IECC with Amendments
Vermont - Comments Due Next Friday on Residential and Commercial 2015 IECC
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>>What Happens When We Start Using Less? A Few Challenges Facing Utilities
Source: ase.org / Rodney Sobin
In the United States, electric utility companies are primarily responsible for the generation and distribution of electricity. Electric utilities have traditionally depended on large, centralized power plants, usually burning fossil fuel, to produce electricity. Under the traditional utility business model utilities depend on increasing energy sales to earn a profit. However, the traditional utility model is facing challenges. In much of the United States, electricity sales have stagnated and even decreased, even as electrical devices have proliferated in our homes, schools and work places. Nationally, electric retail sales increased an average of over 2% from 1982 to 2007, but since then sales have stagnated with a slight average annual decrease of 0.2%. Read more here.
>>Updates from the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Source: energy.gov
The September 2014 issue of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Update newsletter is now available. Read this issue to learn about:
>An overview of Building America Top Innovations, presented in a new, user-friendly website format
>Open registration for the 2015 Race to Zero Student Design Competition
>The September 24 webinar, Multifamily Ventilation Strategies and Compartmentalization Requirements
>2014 Housing Innovation Awards and Building America sessions at the EEBA Conference—September 23-25, 2014
>Residential success stories that employ Building America Top Innovations
>DOE Zero Energy Ready Home technical trainings
>The latest publications from Building America: measure guidelines, case studies for new and existing homes and technologies, and more!
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October 14-16, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Gaco Western, Waukesha, Wisc.
October 15-17, 2014 -- SPFA PCP Exam Prep Course and/or Exam Hosted by Lapolla, Houston, Texas
Ongoing -- SPFA PCP Refresher Courses for Previously Trained SPF Professional hosted by Gaco Western, webinar, c ontact Karen Wolfenberger
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>>NEW Online Training – Federal Contracting
SBA's latest course and workbook will help contracting officers and small business owners better understand and use the Certificate of Competency (COC) Program, which can be an important way for a small business establish as a viable government contractor. Learn more here.
>>How to Integrate Print Into Your Marketing Campaign
Source: sba.org / Rieva Lesonsky
As small businesses and the media focus on online marketing, print marketing materials are often an afterthought—but they shouldn't be. Traditional marketing collateral isn’t dead, and if you’re smart, you’ll integrate it into your digital marketing efforts. Here's how.
>>Webinar: Twitter 101
If you’re curious about how to use Twitter to grow your business, join SBA in a Twitter 101 webinar: Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, 1-2 p.m. (ET).
>>Webinar: Learn More About a New Retirement Benefit Option for Your Employees
"myRA" ("My Retirement Account") is a new retirement savings account intended for employees who don't have access to an employer-sponsored plan or who aren't eligible for their employer’s plan, but are looking for a way to start saving. Learn more during this webinar on Friday, September 26 at 1:30 p.m. with SBA, the Treasury Department and Small Business Majority.
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