MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Members-Only Webinar: AMCA Advocacy in Building, Mechanical, and Fire Codes—Present and Future
July 7, 1 p.m. ET
Speakers:
Aaron Gunzner, North America Advocacy Manger, AMCA International
Amanda Hickman, AMCA Advocacy Consultant
Bill Koffel, AMCA Consultant
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Ceiling Radiation Dampers: An In-Depth Look
July 14, 1 p.m. ET
Speaker:
Michael Bulzomi, Director of Marketing—Louvers & Dampers, AMCA Member Company
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State of the Association and More From 2021 North America Region Meeting
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For a second consecutive year, COVID-19 restrictions forced AMCA to hold its North America Region Meeting virtually. Though the 2021 edition, held June 8, may have been short on the social interaction longtime attendees have come to relish, it was long on informational value, consisting of a dozen presentations touching on virtually every aspect of AMCA activity in North America, delivered by committee chairs and AMCA staffers in the know. Following is a highlighting of the proceedings. If you are interested in learning more about a particular topic, you are encouraged to view the video recording of the two-hour event in the members area of the AMCA website . The times in parentheses below indicate the points in the recording the presentations begin.
State of the Association (0:01:53)
After North America Region Chair Frank Cuaderno called the meeting to order, Executive Director Mark Stevens gave his annual “state of the association” address, covering a number of topics:
Membership trends. In 2019, the Asia region surpassed the North America region in number of members, Stevens said. Currently, the Asia region has 162 members; the North America region has 160. Elsewhere, the Middle East has 35 members, Europe has 31 members, and Mexico and South America have seven members.
What members manufacture. AMCA members who manufacture air-movement products outnumber AMCA members who manufacture air-control products 292 to 201. This, despite a recent change to AMCA’s bylaws that saw airflow-measurement stations and acoustic duct attenuators become part of the Air Control Division.
“That didn’t have a large effect on the number of members in the Air Control Division because most of the manufacturers in those two smaller divisions were part of the damper or louver manufacturers already,” Stevens explained.
Partners. Stevens touted AMCA’s “really strong partnerships globally,” namely, those with AFMA Technologies in Singapore, creator of Asia AMCA; association-management company Kellen, which represents AMCA’s interests in the Middle East and Europe; and testing laboratories KTC (Korea Testing Certification Institute) in South Korea, Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants in the United Arab Emirates, Centre Technique des Industries Aérauliques et Thermiques (CETIAT) in France, and Intertek in the United States.
“It’s really boots on the ground: local people that speak the local language and (know the) local customs … and are able to communicate for AMCA more effectively than we can from Chicago,” Stevens said.
Product certifications. Within the last year, AMCA eclipsed 4,000 product certifications, Stevens announced.
“The activity remains high,” Stevens said. “We really at this point can’t detect a change or any decrease in certification activity due to COVID.”
Although the “great majority” of product certifications still are in North America, the number in Asia is growing and “catching up on the Americas,” Stevens reported.
In North America, the average number of certifications per company is 16.8, above the target of 15.5, Stevens shared. In Asia, the average number of certifications is 5.9 vs. a target of 6.2; in the Middle East, it is 5.4 vs. a target of 5; and in Europe, it is 1.9 vs. a target of 2.
Lab accreditations. Stevens said laboratory accreditations have “plateaued a bit” at nearly 70, “but we think that that’s a COVID-related phenomenon.” With three accreditations “in the hopper right now, … it’ll look like that chart is growing again by the time we get through this calendar year.”
New bylaws. Stevens reviewed substantive changes to AMCA’s bylaws that were unanimously approved by the membership in January and took effect April 1:
- The expansion of the definition of “associate” to include “a company that designs and sells a product under AMCA’s scope, but subcontracts assembly and fabrication.” “Associates are not members,” Stevens pointed out. “What this allows them to do is come into AMCA … but they’re not allowed to vote. It gives them a voice somewhat, but not control of where we’re heading.”
- Limiting committee chairs to terms of two years and not more than two consecutive terms. This “was mainly done to increase churn at the top of the committee structure and create new leaders,” Stevens said.
- The formalization of product-section engineering committees to replace an association-wide engineering committee. The former association-wide engineering committee had “very little to do,” which “created some overhead, some bureaucracy,” Stevens reasoned. “A fan committee, a damper committee, a louver committee—they’ve all existed, but now they’ve got a formal place in the bylaws.”
- The mandate that each region have an advocacy committee and a marketing committee. “That was an acknowledgment … that the advocacy needs and the marketing needs, say, in Europe are quite a bit different than they are in the U.S.,” Stevens said.
Strategic planning. AMCA is due for a new three-year strategic plan. The board of directors, however, decided to delay the start of the development process until face-to-face meetings resume. According to Stevens, that should be in September, when the Middle East Region Steering Committee meets in Dubai.
The process of developing the next strategic plan will be different in that the four regional steering committees—Middle East, Asia, North America, and Europe—will be more overtly involved, Stevens said. Each of the steering committees will meet to determine its individual needs, which it will communicate to the board of directors. The board will use that information to produce an overarching strategic plan. Each of the steering committees then will devise tactics for implementing the strategic plan in its region.
Meetings. The board of directors is planning several changes to AMCA’s meeting structure, Stevens said.
First, the board, which meets three times a year, traditionally almost exclusively in North America, decided to rotate two of its meetings among the other regions. This was done, Stevens said, to strengthen the connection between the board and the other regional steering committees.
Next, Stevens said, the board is interested in “taking some of the social events that AMCA has at the Annual Meeting and also have them in Europe and Asia and the Middle East at the region meetings.” Social activities are the “secret sauce” of the Annual Meeting, Stevens said.
With the 2020 AMCA Annual Meeting, the AMCA staff observed a spike in attendance among rank-and-file employees of AMCA member companies, which the staff attributes to the meeting being held virtually, Stevens said. Even after face-to-face meetings resume, AMCA intends to offer an online viewing option “to bring in the rank and file.”
Membership applications. Stevens reported the board approved a new membership-application process, one that requires, in lieu of an income statement and a balance sheet as “evidence of financial responsibility,” a $3,500 deposit and a Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) report. If a D&B report is not available, standard commercial credit references will be accepted. The deposit is refundable upon membership resignation or termination if certain conditions are met.
New hire. Stevens announced the hiring of a new Certified Ratings Program (CRP) manager, Charles Meyers.
“He’s a director of product certification at Intertek currently,” Stevens revealed. “He starts on June 28. He’s got a ton of relevant experience, management experience at Intertek. He’s a great communicator. All indicators are green on this. We really can’t wait to get him in the door.”
(See more on Charles in next month’s edition of the AMCA Members-Only Newsletter.)
2021-2022 Budget (0:23:59)
Director of Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology Paul Fajnor reviewed both the fiscal 2020-2021 forecast and the fiscal 2021-2022 budget. For all of the numbers and analysis, see the video recording in the members area of the AMCA website.
North America Region Steering Committee (0:31:21)
Cuaderno explained the workings of the North America Region Steering Committee (NARSC).
Like the other regional steering committees, Cuaderno said, the NARSC is concerned with only local topics and reports to the board of directors, which it is tasked with assisting “by determining policies and initiatives congruent with overarching policies and strategies set by the board that best serve AMCA International and its members in its region.”
Cuaderno said AMCA committees should report all of their advocacy and marketing activities in North America to the NARSC.
“This ensures that all other committees are aware of the activities and ensures position and/or direction are all in alignment,” Cuaderno explained.
Statistical Program (0:34:26)
Matt Gaedtke, chair of the North America Statistical Subcommittee, discussed efforts to improve the effectiveness of the reports through which product sales data is provided to AMCA members.
Despite recent progress related to data entry and data acquisition, Gaedtke said, the subcommittee continues to see issues with “volatility of data, inconsistencies of reporting.”
“To better understand where we want to go with this data, we sent out a survey regarding the stats program,” Gaedtke said.
Response to the survey has been low, Gaedtke said. Of the respondents, approximately half are participating in the program, while about a third were unaware of it. Regarding the value and trustworthiness of the reports, the results were mixed.
“This has really been a challenge we’ve been trying to overcome for years: making sure everybody is comfortable with the data, where it’s housed, and, of course, what’s the value when you’re looking at those numbers,” Gaedtke said.
Forty-one percent of the respondents indicated they have no interest in learning more about the program.
We are “just not getting a lot of positive vibes back from the membership,” Gaedtke said, adding the subcommittee is weighing its options, including of discontinuing the program and reallocating the $4,000-a-month budget.
Marketing (0:37:36)
A report on recent activities of the North America Marketing Committee was given by then-Chair Brett Vake:
- Advertising—the launch of print and social-media campaigns promoting the CRP, including the placement of advertisements in ASHRAE Journal and The Construction Specifier; the development of “Check It” visual branding; and the planned creation of a tagline for the CRP. “We’re going back (to) that philosophy of, ‘Check it, don’t chance it,’ or, ‘Seal the deal,’ just bringing awareness to performance and understanding that people are getting the product that’s been certified and will perform to their needs,” Vake explained.
- Trade shows—AMCA will exhibit at The Big 5 International Building & Construction Show Sept. 12-15 in Dubai and the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) Jan. 31 to Feb. 2 in Las Vegas.
- Website—AMCA added an activities calendar to its website, launched a microsite dedicated to large-diameter ceiling fans, and is developing a “more robust, stand-alone” section devoted to publications and standards.
Education (0:42:25)
An update on the activities of the Education Committee, which was elevated from the status of subcommittee in April, was given by Chair Andy Bosscher.
Bosscher reported AMCA had conducted or taken part in 14 live webinars since the start of 2021, including ones with RSES Journal; the International Code Council and the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET); the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. The webinars were viewed by 2,580 (62 percent, above the general average of 40 percent) of the 4,160 total registrants.
“We’re pretty excited about the amount of interest that these webinars have been generating for us,” Bosscher said.
In February, AMCA launched an online education portal, Bosscher reported. Currently, two professional-development-hour- (PDH-) granting educational modules are available, with four more in production. Also available are two member-focused mini modules, 27 PDH-granting webinar recordings, and, soon, 12 fan-focused modules created by Ronald Wroblewski, PE. So far, more than 150 learners have registered.
“Another piece we’re working on with this is establishing digital badges for those learners that have registered to be able to have some pride and reward for the various courses that they’ve completed,” Bosscher said.
Bosscher also reported on AMCA’s recent outreach activities, namely, customized fan-energy-index (FEI) training for the National Institutes of Health June 22 and 23; joint webinars with the Emirates Green Building Council and Reem, the Energy Efficiency & Renewables Office of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, in the fall; a fourth joint webinar with Rutgers in October; and online education programs with Core Learning Exchange.
In regard to events, AMCA will hold its Sound Seminar Oct. 5-7 and present six free educational sessions at the 2022 AHR Expo. Additionally, AMCA has been invited to present at the 2022 HVAC Excellence Conference March 21‐23 in Las Vegas; has a paper abstract for FAN 2022, which will be held April 6-8 in France, under review; and is developing a proposal for a presentation for the 2022 NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Conference & Expo, which will be held June 6-9 in Boston, Bosscher said.
Content (0:46:33)
AMCA recently entered into a new three-year agreement with ASHRAE for publication and distribution of AMCA inmotion magazine, Manager of Industry Content Scott Arnold reported.
For the 2021 edition of AMCA inmotion, which will be polybagged and mailed with the November issue of ASHRAE Journal, Arnold said articles on AMCA large-diameter-ceiling-fan research (see next section), parking-garage ventilation, control dampers for data centers, positive-pressure ventilators, frequently asked questions about louver construction and application, and AMCA’s laboratory and CRP are in the works.
“AMCA inmotion has been on a nice roll in recent years,” Arnold said. “The last three issues have received seven awards and honors between them. … Here’s hoping we can continue that with this year’s edition.”
(For more on the 2021 edition of AMCA inmotion, including advertising opportunities, stay tuned for a member alert and see next month’s edition of the AMCA Members-Only Newsletter.)
COVID-19 Research (0:51:24)
In response to guidance issued by government agencies, health institutions, and the like that is “vague, anecdotal, and conflicting,” AMCA is conducting research on unducted fan systems—namely, large-diameter ceiling fans and air curtains—and disease spread, Senior Director, Global Affairs Michael Ivanovich reported.
“We’re using the same research approach that we used for the air-curtain energy studies done by Concordia University (in 2018, 2016, and 2013), where AMCA headquarters had a cost-sharing agreement with affected manufacturers that were interested in participating in that research,” Ivanovich said. “This was a highly successful model because that research was conducted in such a way that air-curtain manufacturers achieved all of their advocacy goals to have air curtains represented” as alternatives to vestibules “in energy codes and standards.”
The principal investigator for that research, Liangzhu “Leon” Wang, PhD, associate professor of building, civil, and environmental engineering for Concordia University, is serving as principal investigator and modeler for the unducted-fan study.
To advise on the modeling setup and review the intermediate and final results, AMCA assembled a “science team” with expertise not only in fans, but infectious diseases and indoor-air quality: William Bahnfleth, PhD, PE, professor of architectural engineering at The Pennsylvania State University and chair of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force; Pawel Wargocki, PhD, chair of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force Science Applications Committee; Paul Raftery, PhD, a professional researcher with the University of California Berkeley’s Center for the Built Environment; and past AMCA President and Chairman of the Board Geoff Sheard, PhD, president of AGS Consulting LLC.
The “industry team” includes Ivanovich, who is serving as project manager; Frank Cuaderno of Mars Air Systems, David Johnson of Berner International, and Brian Jones of Powered Aire Inc. for air curtains; Christian Taber of Big Ass Fans, Marc Brandt of Hunter Fan Co., Mike Wolf of Greenheck Fan Corp., and Eddie Boyd of MacroAir Fans for large-diameter ceiling fans; AMCA consultant Tom Catania, whose responsibility is government affairs; and Mark Stevens, whose responsibility is AMCA affairs.
First up is the large-diameter-ceiling-fan study.
“The focus … is a mid-sized warehouse because it was felt that that application is a large market for large-diameter ceiling fans,” Ivanovich said. “It’s also a growing market, given all of the movement to e-commerce during COVID, and there’s very little guidance out there.”
Scenarios both with and without warehouse racking systems were modeled, Ivanovich said, adding that results of the latter can be applied to other large open indoor spaces, such as gymnasiums and aircraft hangars.
With buildings, climate, and guidance varying by region, the focus of the study is the U.S. market.
“It’s something that could be expanded to other regions, if they desire to do that,” Ivanovich offered.
After “about seven or eight months,” during which approximately 115 different scenarios were modeled, the large-diameter-ceiling-fan research is completed, Ivanovich said. The science team subsequently reviewed and approved the research results, and a meeting of the industry team is being scheduled. The final report is expected in July.
Then, “We’ll go to the North America Region Steering Committee for” final approval and contract signoff, Ivanovich said. “With all that done, we can develop white papers that promote policy guidance. Those will be run through the Marketing Committee and” the North America Region Air Movement Advocacy Committee (formerly Air Movement Code Action and Review Committee [AMCARC]).
As for the air-curtain research, Ivanovich said proposal development is under way.
Air-Movement Advocacy (1:00:13)
Christian Taber, chair of the North America Region Air Movement Advocacy Committee, discussed ongoing advocacy efforts.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). On May 10, the DOE issued a request for information (RFI) regarding the definition of “fan.”
“This is really the restart of the commercial-and-industrial-fans-and-blowers regulation process … from two administrations ago, when DOE had started looking at regulating those products,” Taber said. “The nice thing is they are using the AMCA (Standard) 214 (Test Procedure for Calculating Fan Energy Index for Commercial and Industrial Fans and Blowers) definition of a fan, which is an inkling that they will likely be using a lot of AMCA 214 in the regulation, which is what we were hoping for.”
The DOE also issued a RFI related to a ceiling-fan energy standard. AMCA is preparing comments, Taber said.
Lastly, the final rule for ceiling fans, which includes the ceiling fan energy index (CFEI) metric, a slightly modified version of FEI, went into effect May 27.
Manufacturers and importers selling covered products in the United States are required by law to rate their products to 1.00 CFEI at 100-percent speed and 1.31 CFEI at 40-percent speed, or the speed closest to, without being under, 40 percent, to determine if they meet federal minimum efficiencies.
If products are not at or above the federal minimums, then they are not allowed to be sold in the United States, Taber said.
Model energy codes and standards. AMCA succeeded in getting FEI into the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC); the 2021 International Green Construction Code; ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES 189.1-2020, Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings; and ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2019, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and is working to get it into the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials’ (IAPMO’s) Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), Taber said.
An AMCA-proposed addendum related to air curtains for the 2022 edition of ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 is awaiting a full-committee vote before public review, while a parallel proposal is being developed for the 2024 version of the IECC, Taber said.
An addendum related to large-diameter ceiling fans was approved for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 and will be proposed for the 2024 version of the IECC. Meanwhile, CFEI will be proposed for ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 and the 2024 version of the IECC.
State energy codes and regulations. In California, both Title 20, Appliance Efficiency Regulations, and Title 24, Building Energy Efficiency Standards, are active, Taber said.
In Title 20, the fan test procedure will be based on AMCA Standard 214.
“We are awaiting the second-draft staff report,” Taber said. “Once that’s issued, California must finish the process of completing Title 20 within the next couple months.”
Regarding Title 24, “The 2022 edition will use FEI, and third-party certification will be required, both good things for AMCA members,” Taber said.
Advocacy outreach. The committee’s outreach efforts are taking a number of forms, Taber said, from microsites—one dedicated to large-diameter ceiling fans recently was launched and two focused on FEI continue to be updated; webinars—three, on fan regulations around the world, total-system performance ratio, and the 2021 IECC, were held in May and another, on fan regulations in the United States, is in the works; online training modules—one on FEI is nearing completion; and white papers—ones on FEI adoption in state energy codes; a technical erratum for ANSI/AMCA Standard 230-15, Laboratory Methods of Testing Air Circulating Fans for Rating and Certification, and CFEI; and the use of ANSI/AMCA Standard 230-99 are coming soon.
Committee infrastructure. Per the new bylaws, AMCARC merged with the Fan Regulation Committee to form the North America Region Air Movement Advocacy Committee. The group “found itself with a lot to do and a lot of members,” Taber said, “… so we have created some subcommittees to focus in on individual items, which allows us to not have to meet as an entire committee quite as often, but still continue to move things forward and forward quickly”: Energy Efficiency, Product Safety, Human & Environmental Health, and Application Human & Environmental Health. If interested in serving on the full committee or a subcommittee, contact Advocacy Manager Aaron Gunzner at [email protected].
Air-Control Advocacy (1:10:37)
Much of the recent activity of the North America Region Air Control Advocacy Committee (formerly Air Control Code Action and Review Committee [ACCARC]) “is around life-safety dampers due to some pushback that we’ve seen in the past,” Chair James Carlin said.
Take, for instance, remote inspection. Though it can significantly reduce costs and increase safety, it generally has been opposed by organizations that conduct on-site inspections. Following calls for the removal of remote-inspection allowances from NFPA 80, Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, and NFPA 105, Standard for Smoke Door Assemblies and Other Opening Protectives, ACCARC members stepped in to help resolve the matter. As a result, Carlin said, “Remote inspection stays in place in NFPA 80 and 105.”
Following examination of the International Codes (I-Codes) for opportunities to improve language pertaining to AMCA-scope products, ACCARC and AMCARC in early January submitted to the International Code Council (ICC) five proposals, most of which, Carlin said, “turned out to be a win.”
Those proposals are included in a 2,300-page monograph. From the approximately 1,200 proposals contained in the monograph, AMCA identified two dozen it deemed to be of the highest priority for its members. AMCA provided input on those proposals during the ICC’s Group A 2021 Committee Action Hearings, which were held virtually April 11 through May 5. Of the 11 related to air control, the outcomes of 10 were considered “wins” for AMCA.
“We were able to make sure MEP (mechanical, electrical, pneumatic) controls … and wiring would not run through dampers,” Carlin said. “That was one major argument that the opponents of remote inspection were bringing up, so we wanted to make sure that that was no longer a possibility by code. … There were also some other proposals that would remove some damper requirements and actually allow for basically a lot of exceptions to be had. We were successfully able to disprove that. That was a major win. It certainly solidified the use and the proper application of life-safety dampers.”
Carlin also reported on the recent IAPMO UMC Technical Committee meeting, which he called another “round of wins.”
On June 1, Carlin said, AMCA submitted proposals related to NFPA 90A, Standard for the Installation of Air-Conditioning and Ventilating Systems; NFPA 101, Life Safety Code; and NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code, focused on clarifying/aligning damper requirements, adding language pertaining to corridor dampers and ceiling radiation dampers, adding details concerning fusible links and heat-responsive devices, and, similar to the ICC proposals, preventing MEP controls and wiring from running through dampers.
Publications and Standards (1:21:33)
Director of Publications and Standards Joe Brooks, PE, described the process of developing or revising AMCA standards and publications:
- Preparation—If a publication or standard is new, this “involves obtaining approval from the board,” Brooks said. For an existing publication or standard, the process entails “forming a committee, finding a chair, (and) informing ANSI (American National Standards Institute).” This usually takes about two months. Currently, four AMCA standards (new: Standard 280, Method of Test, Wind Resistance for Rooftop Fans, and Standard 340, Method of Test, Large Diameter Ceiling Fan Sound Measurement; existing: Standard 300, Reverberant Room Method for Sound Testing of Fans, and Standard 540, Test Method for Louvers Impacted by Wind Borne Debris) are in the preparation phase. “Those will be starting soon,” Brooks said.
- Development/revision—This is “the heart of most of the work that we’re doing these days,” Brooks said. “This is the actual committee work, where we develop a new standard or we revise or reaffirm current standards or publications. This phase involves usually monthly meetings—sometimes, weekly or biweekly meetings; possible working-group meetings; rewrites; quite a bit of consensus building; reviews; commenting; etc.” This typically takes at least two months. Currently, 11 AMCA publications and standards (Publication 11, Certified Ratings Program Operating Manual; Publication 201, Fans and Systems; Publication 211, Certified Ratings Program Product Rating Manual for Fan Air Performance; Publication 512, AMCA Listing Label Program; Standard 240, Laboratory Methods of Testing Positive Pressure Ventilators for Aerodynamic Performance Rating; Standard 250, Laboratory Methods of Testing Jet Tunnel Fans for Performance; Standard 270, Laboratory Methods of Testing Fan Arrays for Rating; Standard 301, Methods for Calculating Fan Sound Ratings From Laboratory Test Data; Standard 320, Laboratory Methods of Sound Testing of Fans Using Sound Intensity; Standard 500-L, Laboratory Methods of Testing Louvers for Rating; and Standard 550, Test Method for High Velocity Wind Driven Rain Resistant Louvers) are in the development/revision phase.
- Approval—This “involves letter ballots to the technical committee; it involves letter ballots to the division, which is a 30-day ballot required by our bylaws; and, finally, a ratification by the board,” Brooks said. “The committee during this process reviews all comments that are made, and if any substantive changes result from the comments, the process starts all over again.” This typically takes two to three months. Currently, two AMCA publications (Publication 203, Field Performance Measurement of Fan Systems, and Publication 511, Certified Ratings Program Product Rating Manual for Air Control Devices) are in the approval phase.
- Publication—This is “the labor of getting the approved text into the published, final format; putting the cover on it; registering the copyright; (and) sending it to resellers,” Brooks said. This typically takes about a month. Currently, one AMCA standard (Standard 220, Laboratory Methods of Testing Air Curtain Units for Aerodynamic Performance Rating) is in the publication phase.
Brooks gave an overview of AMCA’s work with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Lastly, Brooks discussed plans for the new section of the AMCA website devoted to publications and standards. For every AMCA publication and standard, he said, the section will provide interpretations, errata, and the ability to comment. Additionally, it will contain news and announcements and provide links to AMCA’s online store.
Laboratory and CRP (1:36:46)
Technical Director Nazme Mohsina began her presentation with an update on the CRP:
- The number of certified products is up 3 percent (3,927 in 2020, 4,061 in 2021).
- The number of CRP participants is up 6 percent (288 in 2020, 304 in 2021).
- The number of listed louver products is up 7 percent (127 in 2020, 136 in 2021).
- The number of Energy Star models is up 64 percent (47 in 2020, 77 in 2021).
FEI certification (479 product lines, 20 licensees), however, is “not quite where we expected it to be,” Mohsina said.
“Please let us know how we can assist you in this certification,” Mohsina said, adding that, for the time being, FEI certification is complimentary.
Despite COVID-19-related travel restrictions, the laboratory accreditation program is “steady,” with 69 laboratories accredited, Mohsina said. Meanwhile, with regulation of large-diameter ceiling fans around the corner, demand for testing of these products is only going to increase. Fans up to 18 ft in diameter are tested in the laboratory at AMCA headquarters in Arlington Heights, Ill. For testing of larger fans, AMCA rents NOW Arena (formerly Sears Centre Arena) in nearby Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Prior to the latest revision of AMCA Publication 211, jet fans were tested using ANSI/AMCA Standard 210/ASHRAE Standard 51, Laboratory Methods of Testing Fans for Certified Aerodynamic Performance Rating, and certified as axial fans, Mohsina said. Soon, those fans are to be tested using ANSI/AMCA Standard 250. Both the AMCA headquarters and Asia AMCA laboratories have proven capable of testing jet fans in accordance with ANSI/AMCA Standard 250, Mohsina said.
The ASHRAE V-belt project is “in full swing,” Mohsina reported. Testing will continue for another two months, and then a final report will be prepared. The completion date is Sept. 1, Mohsina said.
Mohsina spoke of the “new normal” adopted by AMCA: virtual witness testing. She said AMCA conducts “a few” virtual witness tests every month.
AMCA is “making major, major changes” to publications 11 and 211, Mohsina said.
“Please, please, please look into those changes,” which are “closing the loopholes, making the program more modernized,” Mohsina said.
To download a PDF of the presentation slides, go to the members area of the AMCA website.
A Message From President Mats Sándor ...
We Should Be Proud of Our Products and What They Achieve
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Sustainability has become increasingly important in the valuation of organizations. We see this in the growing expectation authorities and consumers have for companies to meet, comply with, and report on sustainability initiatives. Global concerns related to climate change truly have underscored the need for accountability among all stakeholders. We, as representatives of the ventilation industry, must likewise be aware of the role we play in this unfolding narrative. We are an important part of the wave of sustainability sweeping across the world, as ventilation products can help or hinder wider climate-change mitigation efforts.
If we look at the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we can see how the ventilation industry can contribute to several key international targets, particularly 7.3, “double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency,” and 11.6, “reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality.” These goals align with the main objective of ventilation, which is to create an indoor climate that ensures “safety, health, productivity, and comfort.”
At the end of the day, the biggest reason we ventilate is to make life better for humans. However, there still is a need to raise awareness that good indoor-air quality (IAQ) is not the same as thermal comfort. We spend almost half of our time at home, and, although we may have a bit more influence on the air quality in our houses, most people still prioritize thermal comfort over air quality. Even if comfort is important to our productivity and learning, the quality of indoor air has a great impact on our health. Air quality tends to be overlooked with common installation of split units, which does not always lead to good ventilation.
Today, though much of the focus remains on reducing building energy consumption, we are seeing greater emphasis placed on IAQ. The indoor environmental requirements of BREEAM and LEED are a good indicator, one I see only growing stronger in the coming years.
We also have a part to play in changing the mindset of the market. One might think efforts to curb energy use run counter to those to improve IAQ, but that is not the case. Modern ventilation systems with energy-efficient components and demand-adapted control can be both environmentally and occupant-friendly.
This is where we must step up and accelerate our efforts. At the end of the day, our products can be useful only if they are designed, installed, and used correctly. For that to be, published technical data must be accurate and trustworthy. This is where third-party certification, such as that provided by AMCA International, is essential.
We should be proud of our industry and our products’ contribution to the improvement of human health, comfort, productivity, and safety in an energy-efficient way.
I wish you all a nice and pleasant summer.
AMCA Making Inroads in the Middle East
Terra Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. Credit:
Yuriy Seleznev/Bigstock
AMCA has been very active in the Middle East, raising its profile through lunch-and-learns, webinars, and regular interaction with consultants, architects, and firefighting companies, Prakash Asnani, chair of the AMCA Middle East Region Steering Committee (MERSC), reported.
“Maintaining relations and updating the list of regional governmental and non-governmental agencies, industry organizations, trade publications, and events has increased the reach of AMCA in the region,” Asnani said. “The MERSC works very closely with AMCA staff to help consultants and architects vet specifications to ensure AMCA directives are being followed.”
A growing number of consultants, architects, and contractors in the Middle East are using AMCA-certified products in their scope of work, and AMCA has become a preferred partner, Asnani said.
AMCA-certified products including sand louvers, volume-control dampers, sound attenuators, and small domestic fans have been certified for what currently is the largest project in the United Arab Emirates, the country pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai, Asnani said.
“This is a landmark achievement that highlights to the global community the benefits of using AMCA-certified and tested products,” Asnani noted.
Another “iconic” project in Dubai featuring AMCA-certified products is Port De La Mer, a community of 4- and 5-star resorts, Asnani said.
Currently, the MERSC is focused on getting AMCA-certified products specified for such major projects as Etihad Rail.
“This will be a milestone project, as it would be a rail link between the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) states,” Asnani said.
Webinars, which “are being attended regularly by leading designers and architects from the region,” have been particularly effective in “helping AMCA build its brand image,” Asnani said.
“I am sure that these efforts of AMCA will surely pave the way for increasing the brand value through visibility in the Middle East and surrounding regions in the GCC,” Asnani concluded.
AMCA Sets Webinar on Advocacy in Building, Mechanical, Fire Codes
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On July 7 at 1 p.m. ET, AMCA will present “AMCA Advocacy in Building, Mechanical, and Fire Codes—Present and Future,” a free webinar for AMCA members only.
Presented by Amanda Hickman, president of independent code consulting firm The Hickman Group; Bill Koffel, PE, FSFPE, SASHE, president of independent fire-protection engineering and code consulting firm Koffel Associates; and Aaron Gunzner, AMCA advocacy manager, the 60-minute webinar will cover recent code-revision efforts, namely, those within the International Code Council’s and International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials’ current code cycles, with a focus on Air Control Division products.
To register, click here.
AMCA in the Media
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AMCA Senior Director, Global Affairs Michael Ivanovich and AMCA Advocacy Manager Aaron Gunzner in May were the guests for the fourth episode of HPAC Engineering’s “On the Air” podcast, titled “Riding the Winds of Change With AMCA International.” HPAC Engineering Editor in Chief Rob McManamy interviewed the pair about AMCA’s role in the industry, how AMCA has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and what AMCA sees in the air-systems industry moving forward. To listen, click here.
Also, in its Summer 2021 issue, focused on health-care occupancies, Life Safety Digest, the quarterly magazine of Firestop Contractors International Association, republished from the recently honored 2020 edition of AMCA inmotion magazine “Field Modifications of Fire, Smoke, and Combination Fire/Smoke Dampers” by James Carlin of the AMCA Fire and Smoke Damper Subcommittee. (To read the article on the AMCA website, click here.)
These are among approximately 75 publishing opportunities across a dozen media outlets of possible interest to AMCA and its members in 2021 identified by AMCA Manager of Industry Content Scott Arnold. Evaluating and prioritizing these opportunities is among the tasks of the new AMCA Industry-Content Subcommittee to the North America Marketing Committee. If interested in serving on the subcommittee, contact Arnold at +1 847-704-6335 or [email protected].
AMCA to Offer Digital Badges
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Do you serve on an AMCA committee? Have you attended an AMCA webinar? Perhaps you completed one of the modules in AMCA’s new online education portal. Whatever the case, AMCA wants to recognize your accomplishment.
Through a partnership with Credly, AMCA soon will be offering digital badges for AMCA-related achievements.
“Digital badging is an internationally recognized way of sharing one’s achievements,” AMCA Education Manager Lisa Cherney said. “Badges can be posted on and shared via an individual’s social-media sites, added to e-mail footers, printed, or sent to colleagues and employers.”
Credly has issued badges to individuals and organizations in more than 195 countries, Cherney added.
AMCA’s digital-badging program will launch by July 30. Stay tuned for details.
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Whom Do I Contact?Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc.