“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” – Albert Einstein

What can my recitation about ASHRAE and R-values possibly have to do with Albert Einstein's admonition and pretty girls? Quite simply this - Dr. Einstein was merely cautioning against wasting a beautiful moment with only a half baked effort or attention. Many of you who have been waiting over eighteen years for ASHRAE to raise the requirements for sidewall and roof thermal performance are following the final adoption and issuance of 90.1 2007 with satisfaction and no small degree of pleasure. Certainly, as PIMA's president and as one who helped lead a coalition effort to achieve this result, I certainly feel good about it.

But it would be like trying to drive and kiss a pretty girl if PIMA members didn't stop and enjoy this moment completely. By that I mean thoughtfully planning how this occasion can be expanded to move our environmental and energy efficiency message even further. PIMA must stop and consider what will be the next best way to ensure that we raise the efficiency bar even higher – a full effort to speedily ensure state adoption of the new standard; or a communications campaign to inform the marketplace about this splendid new development; or a continuing push within ASHRAE to encompass even higher values in the 2010 version of 90.1, which is right around the corner.

My answer, after stopping to consider how wonderful this moment is, would be to move forward on all these levels. And that is precisely what PIMA will be doing in the weeks and months to come. Just as each PIMA member should do its best to promote the new R-values in their literature and websites.

Dr. Einstein had a point, and I believe we in the polyiso industry can learn from the good doctor.

Best regards,

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PIMA Holds Building Science Workshop on Thermal Performance

On January 31, 2008, PIMA members gathered in Pittsburgh for a building science workshop – The Principles and Applications of Building Science as Related to the Building Envelop with a Focus on the Sidewall.   PIMA Board member Jerry Phelan and Bayer MaterialScience sponsored this session by Ohio State Professor Allen Zimmerman. This educational session was based on Professor’s Zimmerman’s lectures on building science, specifically heat transfer, energy, and the science of air and moisture movement (psychrometrics).  More than 25 PIMA members attended.

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PIMA 2008 Mid-Year Meeting

Don’t miss the PIMA Mid-Year Meeting on May 20-21.  Sponsored by Bayer MaterialScience, the meeting will take place in Pittsburgh, PA and feature meetings of the technical and industry promotion committees, an educational session, a reception at the Heinz History Center, and a general business meeting.  We are in the process of finalizing the complete schedule.  Details and registration information will be sent via email late February.

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DOE Finalizes Regulations to Increase Energy Efficiency in New Federal Buildings by 30%

In the Energy Policy Act of 2005 passed two years ago, Congress mandated that the efficiency of federal buildings be improved by 30%. The Department of Energy (DOE) has finally issued regulations implementing that law.  The regulations require that new federal buildings achieve at least 30% greater energy efficiency over prevailing building codes.  These standards apply to new federal commercial and multi-family high-rise residential buildings, as well as new federal low-rise residential buildings construction for which began on or after January 3, 2007.  These standards are also 40% more efficient than the current Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and carry out portions of President Bush’s 2008 Executive Order (EO #13423),  which directs federal agencies to: reduce energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions; substantially increase use and efficiency of renewable energy technologies; and adopt sustainable design practices.

“Dramatically elevating building efficiency standards to these unprecedented levels substantially transforms the way the federal government manages and uses energy,” DOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner said.  “These standards contribute to sound and stable efficiency policy that will yield real, substantive energy savings and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.”

Department of Energy Press Release, December 21, 2007

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Federal Building Requirements Raised

Congress has raised the federal building requirements in a new law just signed by the President – the Energy Independence Act and Security Act of 2007.  The law requires a "carbon-neutral" performance standard by 2030.  The first milestone set for 2010 requires that federal buildings be designed so that fossil fuel-generated energy consumption is reduced by 55%.  The baseline for this reduction is the average fossil fuel generated energy consumption of federal buildings in 2003. 

Regulations are required within one year (right when a new administration will be taking over).  Since the baselines are different between this DOE rule that was recently finalized (see article above) and the new law (the baseline under this rule is ASHRAE 90.1-2004), it is not clear how much of an improvement in the prescriptive requirements will result under the initial rulemaking.  Of all the rulemakings that result from the new energy bill, this is the most important for PIMA and we will be participating as much as possible in its adoption process.

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Report: Efficiency Could Cut Growth in U.S. Energy Use in Half

A recent report by the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency Leadership Group, which comprises more than 60 leading organizations, says an aggressive pursuit of energy efficiency in the United States over the next 18 years could cut the nation's growth in energy use by 50% or more. The report, "Vision for 2025: Developing a Framework for Change," sets a goal of achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency improvements throughout the United States by 2025.  The report demonstrates the financial and environmental benefits of reaching that goal, stating that the nation will spend $100 billion less for energy in 2025 than it would otherwise and will also avoid emitting 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. Additionally, the nation will achieve $500 billion in net savings from its energy efficiency investments.

The report calls for placing a high priority on cost-effective energy efficiency improvements, creating energy efficiency incentives for utilities, and implementing the latest technologies.  According to the EPA, the report recommends establishing policies, incentives, delivery mechanisms, metrics, and utility billing systems that not only encourage energy efficiency but also measure its effectiveness and reward utilities for successful energy efficiency programs.

The National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency was developed last year by a leadership group, which includes 30 electric and gas utilities, 17 state agencies, and 12 other organizations, with DOE and EPA as facilitators.

EERE Network News, November 28, 2007

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Canada Focuses on Green Building and Energy Codes

The Canada Green Building Council will launch a green home certification program in June 2008.  In order to speed the program’s launch the Council will piggyback on the LEED For Homes’ ongoing pilot project in the US.  According to Canada Green Building Council vice-chair Andrew Pride, “We’re going to take the US program and make it Canadian.” The Council has invited Canadian home builders who have already registered with LEED For Homes to help write the new Canadian green building standards.

Canada will also update the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB), which was last revised in 1997.  Natural Resources Canada will work with the National Research Council of Canada and the model energy code will be updated for publication in 2011. 

Energy Design Update, October 2007 and November 2007

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PIMA Board Approves Third Year of PITA Program

Deciding to build on the success of the PITA outreach education program, the PIMA Board has approved a third year of the program to be voluntarily funded by the PIMA membership.  In its third year, PITA will continue to educate its target audience of architects, specifiers and builders though educational presentations and media outreach.  In addition to the focus on roofing, the program will develop a campaign focused on sidewall and the building envelope.  The work of the PITA program, as it promotes polyiso in the marketplace, will continue to be a complimentary piece of PIMA’s overall communication strategy which strives to promote the Association’s role as a leader in technical, safety, energy and environmental issues that affect the buildings industry.  

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New PIMA Sidewall Task Group Meets

On Thursday January 31, 2008, the sidewall task force met in Pittsburgh, PA to chart a path for PIMA outreach and education activities in support of the use of polyiso in commercial sidewall construction.  Participants at the meeting included: Ian Barrow/Atlas; Ed Todd/Atlas; Chuck Putters/R-max; Jim Whitton/Hunter Panels; Jerry Phelan/Bayer; Lorrain Ross/Intech; Chris Mathis/MC Squared; Jared Blum/PIMA; Renee LaMura/PIMA; Mittie Rooney/Axiom.

The task force agreed that the commercial cavity market is large and the Association will best be served by building an approach based on construction method.  The task force determined that PIMA should first reach out to the masonry cavity wall market as PIMA already has a technical bulletin and expertise in this area.  Once that effort is underway, the tilt-up and sandwich markets would be the next target followed by steel framing which will potentially require the greatest level of technical testing and research.

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PIMA Technical Goals for 2008

PA robust technical agenda is on the table for 2008.  Covering many facets of industry and building issues, the technical committee led by consultant Lorraine Ross and Chairman, Rich Roe of Atlas will represent PIMA and providing guidance on many issues. A sample of these follows:

FSC Structural Issues – PIMA participates in the Foam Sheathing Coalition to address the structural concerns related to foam sheathing.  Two testing programs are currently being run in conjunction with the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB).  The first test is looking at racking strength and the second test is focused on wind load on the wall.  Additionally, to ensure polyiso and polyurethane are approved for use in SIPS, Ms. Ross is attending a SIPS meeting and will be involved in the writing process for the ANSI standard.

LTTR Completion of Testing and Assessment – The five year bias study is complete and in the next month PIMA members, Paul Coleman and Sachi Singh of Huntsman and Lorraine Ross and Michel Drouin of Intech Consulting will review the results.   A report will be prepared for the ASTM C-16 1289 task group which is meeting in April. 

ICC Review Fire Testing for Foam in Crawlspace and Attics – The test used to qualify low density open cell spray foam in exposed attics and crawlspaces has been challenged because the baseline used in the test is not a code accepted baseline.  The Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) is leading the charge on this issue.  CPI has created a task group and has begun data collection.  PIMA will continue to monitor the issue.

Canadian Initiative – In a series of meetings, Michel Drouin, Lorraine Ross and Dave Miller of IKO have narrowed down what PIMA will be doing with respect to the Web site and technical representation regarding Canadian issues.  This initiative will be rolled out in phases over the course of the year.

Development of PIMA Workgroup on Sustainability/Life Cycle Analysis – It is critical for PIMA to develop a sustainability/life cycle analysis project so it a task group has been formed to tackle this issues.  The group will meet in February with the goal of making a recommendation to the Board at the May meeting on how to move forward. 

Technical Bulletin Task Group – Jim Dumar of Johns Manville heads the technical bulletin task group.  In 2008, the group will focus on two bulletins: Frequently Asked Questions and Metal Buildings. Frequently Asked Questions will be compiled from commonly asked questions that PIMA receives via Web site.  The goal is to summarize these answers and post them for the public.  Metal buildings will focus on metal standing seam roofs and metal buildings.

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