Industry events to take notice of
If you are strapped for time with work, graduations and summer vacation plans competing for your attention, you may have missed the announcement recently that two prominent trade associations in the HVAC industry, the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have merged to create a new organization, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).
As a result of the merger, AHRI instantly becomes the largest trade association in the industry, and more importantly, an organization that you should take notice of in the future. Its 350+ member companies, account for more than 90 percent of the market and are setting the foundation for the future direction of the industry. If you haven’t already, you should consider becoming a member to learn what trends are emerging and how you can leverage the collective groups experience to improve your competitiveness.
Standards change for HVAC industry
As a member of AHRI and with the resources to do so, Schneider Electric continuously looks for and evaluates trends in the industry that may be beneficial to us and our HVAC customers. This past month, we uncovered one of these stemming from the issuance of a letter by Underwriters Laboratory (UL) specifically addressing UL1995 - the UL standards focusing on the HVAC industry.
The letter sets in motion a plan to require HVAC manufacturers to comply with SCCR rating in accordance with the 2005 & 2008 NEC Article 440.4(B) marking requirements. While this is not yet mandatory as UL1995 is a bi-national standard (U.S. & Canada) and may take two or more years to be fully revised, the direction it sets is clear for HVAC equipment manufacturers — prepare now for SCCR markings requirements in the future.
Having dealt with similar directives in other industries in the past, I would encourage you and your colleagues to begin evaluating your processes and understanding what you need to do to comply with these requirements before they become mandatory. Early adoption will help you establish credibility and avoid any missteps to achieving compliance. To get started, visit Schneider Electric’s codes and standards website to learn more about these requirements and the services we provide to customers to help them benefit from our experience. |
