Steve Strawn Chosen to Lead as NFRC's New Chair



Steve Strawn Takes the Reigns as NFRC's New Chair 

Steve Strawn officially became NFRC’s new Chair during this afternoon’s closed Board of Directors meeting.

Strawn, who most recently served as NFRC’s Ratings Committee Chair, replaces outgoing Chair, Joe Hayden.

As an employee of JELD-WEN since 1990, and serving as the company's Product Compliance Manager, External Affairs, Strawn brings to his new position extensive experience with policies concerning codes and product regulations.

Strawn has been involved with NFRC since 2001. Prior to serving as the Ratings Committee Chair, he Chaired various Task Groups and SubCommittees and also served the NFRC Board as the Vice Chair.

One of Strawn’s over-riding goals in serving NFRC has been simplifying existing ratings programs. Strawn is also concerned with making sure attachment product ratings are appropriately developed and included in NFRC’s ratings programs.

NFRC Membership Concludes Work in San Francisco During Open Board Meeting, Committees Present Reports, Several Motions Approved

NFRC Chair, Joe Hayden, Oversees Open Board Meeting

NFRC’s Fall Membership Meeting concluded this morning with an open meeting of the Board of Directors hearing committee reports.

Accreditation Policy Committee
Chair: Marcia Falke

Falke is retiring, and the Accreditation Policy Committee (APC) is seeking a new Chair.

Three simulation labs were inspected in 2010, and one remains to be inspected.

Twelve simulation lab inspections are scheduled for 2011, and four test labs will be inspected.

The Next LAP Laboratory Workshop will be a face-to-face gathering of all laboratories at the Spring 2011 Membership Meeting.

Mandatory training of all Certified Simulators for WINDOW6/THERM 6 for non-complex glazings has been conducted, and the committee is waiting for Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) to release the final version of this software before simulators will be authorized to use it.

Two of the three scheduled mandatory training sessions of all Certified Simulators to use CMAST has been conducted, and the last remaining workshop is scheduled for November 22.

Technical Interpretations Policy Committee
Chair: Tom Culp

Charlie Curcija has moved from Carli to LBL but will remain on the Technical Interpretation and Policy Committee (TIPC). LBL has a contract to maintain the Simulation Manual, presenting a potential conflict of interest. This was disclosed to the membership, and Charlie will recuse himself on any votes directly affecting the Simulation Manual.

A 2010 TI Manual is drafted, and TIPC will review it on December 8, 2010 for possible approval.

A new Simulation Manual has been drafted and is ready for final publication, pending review and approval by TIPC.

There are four pending Technical Interpretation Requests (TIR) to be reviewed by TIPC. These include TIR-2010-06: Single glazing thickness in CMAST, TIR-2010-10: Door infill/glazing grouping, Tir-2010-11: Entry Door Panel Sizes, and TIR-2010-12:Exterior Frame Cavity Aspect Ratio.

A motion to approve two Technical Interpretations, TI-2010-06: Custom Skylight and TI-2010-07: Entry Door with Storm, received unanimous Board approval.

Certification Policy Committee
Chair: Steve Johnson

Staff is performing online inspections (two of four Inspection Agencies), which are being monitored, and the process will be reviewed at the end of the year for possible implementation into NFRC 702.

Three Inspections that were completed this year have shown good results. One more inspection is scheduled for December.

A face-to-face CAP Workshop will be held before the 2011 Spring Membership Meeting.

Research and Technology Committee
Chair: Werner Lichtenberger

Research Subcommittee

A motion to approve a deadline extension on W6/T6 Validation Research project to Spring 2011 meeting received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to approve a deadline extension on CMA CR Research to Spring 2011 meeting received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to authorize CMA Improved Algorithm RFP to be released for bid received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to authorize final $9,610 payment on TDD U-factor Rating Project to ATI (contractor) received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to provide $7,500 toward the Window Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCA) Research by University of Minnesota received unanimous Board approval, with Kerry Haglund recusing herself from voting.

The committee Chair reported that seven summary pages were approved for full RFP development and may be presented at the Spring 2011 membership meeting.

Thermophysical Properties of Materials Subcommittee

The thermophysical properties ILC is complete. Four commercial labs are now listed on the NFRC Website, and NFRC 103-Verification of Thermophysical Properties may be officially implemented.

Electronic development of NFRC 101 appendix A is complete, and appendix B is being developed.

Optical Properties Subcommittee

The NFRC 302-Optical Properties Verification Program ballot was withdrawn and will return to the NFRC 302 TG for major revision. Staff recommends measurement tolerances, data acceptance, and the challenge procedure be reconsidered by the TG.

Regulatory Affairs and Marketing Committee
Chair: Garrett Stone

EPA reported on the development of Blind Product Verification Testing, which is required for all ENERGY STAR product categories.

NFRC's Retailer Program has been reinstated with substantial success and renewed emphasis on reaching consumers.

CMA has been successful getting people into the program.

International outreach has been successful, particularly in Australia, where NFRC is referenced in their codes, and India will become partner country in 2011.

Technical Committee
Chair: Jeff Baker

Validation TG

Task group has been disbanded.

Air Leakage Subcommittee

Michael Thoman has resigned as Chair. A motion to approve Chris Nolt as the new Chair received unanimous Board approval.

U-Factor Subcommittee

A motion to approve the three ballots pertaining to NFRC 102, as approved at Technical Committee, for implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.

Condensation Resistance Subcommittee

Nothing to report.

CMA Subcommittee

Formed a TG to be Chaired by Peter Lyons. The TG will discuss the development of a parametric software tool for CMAST. The first order of business will be to create a name and scope for the TG.

The CMA Subcommittee will also bring to the Board for discussion, Charlie Curcija's suggestion that software should not be under Technical but rather under the Research and Technology Committee. 

Attachment Subcommittee

Chuck Anderson will be new Chair of the PCP TG.

A motion to approve the NFRC 100A ballot approved at Technical Committee for publication received unanimous Board approval.

The Subcommittee had voted 56-0 to move this forward for Board approval.

A motion to approve the NFRC 200A ballot approved at Technical Committee for publication received unanimous Board approval.

The Subcommittee had voted 58-0 to move this forward for Board approval.

Solar Heat Gain Subcommittee

A motion to approve NFRC 201 ballot as approved by Technical Committee for implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.The Sightline TG has developed a concept for grouping sightlines within a product line and may have a ballot for Spring 2011.

Software Subcommittee

A motion to extend the sunset date of WINDOW5/THERM 5 to July 1, 2011 based on the motion approved at the Technical Committee received unanimous Board approval.

Annual Energy Performance Subcommittee

Nothing to report

Ratings Committee
Chair: Steve Strawn

Labeling Subcommittee

A motion to approve extending the requirement date of the use of the applied films label showing the U-factor requirement to January 1, 2012 as approved at Ratings Committee received unanimous Board approval.

A motion to  approve the NFRC 700 Dash Ballot as approve by Ratings Committee for approval and implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.

CMA Subcommittee

No action items.

Certification Subcommittee

A motion to approve NFRC 700 Reprint and FMC ballots as approved by Ratings Committee for implementation upon publication received unanimous Board approval.

A motion rrecommending that the Board direct staff to investigate and report back on the impact of revising the ungrouping practice (time and resources) in the CPD received unanimous Board approval. The goal of this request is to not ungroup individual product options where the SHGC and VT are not affected.

In closing, NFRC Chair, Joe Hayden, praised the meeting participants for their hard work and dedication during the proceedings, calling the meeting yet another successful endeavor.

"See you Las Vegas in the spring, and thanks for all you do," he concluded.