Working through ASTM Committee D03, “Gaseous Fuels” this week, Ted Williams worked with the D03 Committee chair and former chair to initiate a standards development project to develop a Standard Practice for validation methods for measuring methane leaks from natural gas systems based upon methods originally developed by NYSEARCH. The D03 chair enthusiastically presented the proposed project, including presentation of background materials from NYSEARCH and an outline he developed for the Committee’s consideration at this week’s D03 meeting under the “new business” agenda topic.  The Committee endorsed further action on the project by the D22 Committee, “Air Quality” and specifically under the D22.03 Subcommittee, “Ambient Atmospheres and Source Emissions.” Ted Williams has joined both the full D22 Committee and the D22.03 in anticipation of acceptance as a voting member on both bodies to both work on the draft Standard Practice and support it through the ASTM consensus process.  Since the NYSEARCH outline of the validation was complete and the support from the D03 chair will continue, Ted has agreed to write the ASTM scope statement for the draft document and the development of the Standard Practice is expected move forward much faster than other new ASTM standards projects.  The former chair of D03 is the chair of D22.03, which will help in expediting standards development.  As an ASTM Standard Practice, the resulting document should facilitate broader recognition of an array of field methane leak measurement methods and their validation, avoiding potential technical barriers to individual technologies or preferentially treatment of technologies that might not meet consensus requirements.

 

As discussed in previous Friday updates, Addendum ‘a’ to ASHRAE Standard 62.2 would effectively ban unvented combustion heating appliances in residential occupancies, and since the ASHRAE Board has reversed itself, Addendum ‘a’ is officially back in the ASHRAE standards process after being disapproved.  A coalition of industry partners including manufacturers, fuel suppliers including AGA, and standards executives met this week to discuss ways of responding to this Board action.  Appealing the Board action is one pathway that needs to be pursued.  AGA has offered to provide a letter of support to a manufacturer-authored appeal as it did in 2018 on a prior appeal of Addendum ‘a.’  However, it has been identified that the return of Addendum ‘a’ did not follow normal standards action requirements and since it had been previously vacated, it is not an actionable document.  An inquiry to the ASHRAE manager of standards has produced a disagreement with this interpretation but has allowed an extension of the appeals period.  Procedurally, the complaint about the vacating of Addendum ‘a’ is open to challenge both within ASHRAE and at ANSI should the Addendum move forward from ASHRAE.  AGA continues to believe that these procedurally-based actions are insufficient and recommends as it has previously that ASHRAE actions that effectively ban products that are design certified to nationally-accepted consensus standards are open to challenge under U. S. law. To date, manufacturers have preferred to restrict activities to ASHRAE procedural options, but it is increasingly clear that a legal challenge may be a necessary approach to pursue.

 

For those interested in shipment trends for residential and commercial gas and electric storage type water heaters, residential gas and oil furnaces, electric heat pumps and air-conditioners, click here for the December 11, 2020 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the October 2020 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data. You may also wish to share this information with other groups or individuals within your organization that would be interested in water heater and HVAC equipment shipment trends.

 

[This is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards.]

 

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