Reminder: The BECS Meeting Scheduled for May 8-9, 2024, at The Wigwam, Litchfield, AZ.
The next BECS Committee meeting will be held on May 8-9, 2024 at the Wigwam in Litchfield, AZ. (outside of Phoenix). Attached is the Notice of the Meeting that includes registration and hotel room reservation information. A tentative agenda for the meeting is attached and includes sessions on the varies model codes, indoor air quality, educational items, NGV issues, research items, etc. and presentations on federal legislative and regulatory items impacting the end use of natural gas, manufacturers presentations, etc. Note that there is no registration fee for attending meeting, but registration is required.
For meeting registration click here: BECS Committee Meeting.
The Wigwam cut-off date for sleeping rooms is next Thursday, April 18, 2024 (623) 258-4676. Reference: American Gas Association – Building Energy Codes & Standards (BECS) Committee Meeting to get the discounted group rate of $269.00 single per night plus applicable taxes.
Report of the International Code Council’s April 10 Committee Action Hearing in Orlando, FL on Proposed Changes to the International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC).
As reported in last week’s Update on End Use Codes and Standards, the proposed code changes to the International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) were open for public review, allowing those interested to express their opinions on the changes to the relevant code committees and other stakeholders. On Wednesday, April 10th, the IFGC Code Change Committee (CCC) met to act on all the proposals to the 2024 version of the IFGC. We are pleased to report that, for the most part, the CCC took actions in support of the BECS Committees recommendations on the majority of the proposals submitted on the IFGC. These included changes to add optional methods to provide combustion air from adjacent rooms for appliance, reducing the burden of adding test ports interior piping systems, rejecting onerous non-metallic venting requirements, permitting press-connect joints for hydrogen interior piping systems, rejecting proposals to Chapter 7 on Hydrogen since the chapter deals with mainly hydrogen distribution applications and would not be appropriate for the hydrogen blending approaches that the gas industry is working to develop that at this time, would be limited to hydrogen in the 15% to 20% be added to existing fuel gas distribution systems. An amendment to clarify the application for blending was not addressed by the committee but can be introduced during the open public comment period that will take place within the next few months for comments on all committee actions on all of the I-Codes subject to this code cycle. Special thanks to the IFGC CCC AGA representatives and BECS Committee members on the 12 member IFGC Code Change Committee, Chris Byers, Piedmont Natural Gas, Kevin Carney SoCal Gas & San Diego Gas and Electric Company, Ralph Euchner, Dominion Energy, Andrea Lanier Papageorge, Southern Company Gas, Stanley Smith, Oak Ridge Utilities District and Jason Stanek Metropolitan Utilities District. All public comments received on the public review of the CCC actions will be heard at the ICC final hearings on October 23-31, 2024, in Long Beach, CA.
AGA Files Brief in Ongoing Challenge Against Department of Energy (DOE) Appliance Minimum Efficiency Final Rules.
Attached is the April 9, 2024 AGA Press Release announcing the filing a brief in the ongoing challenge against the DOE final minimum efficiency rules for residential gas furnaces and commercial gas water heaters that would require that products included in the departments minimum efficiency requirements finalized by the DOE would have to be using “condensing” technology that we have shown is not to be cost effective in many applications and creates installation problems for many consumers in need of replacing their existing appliances. In addition, the brief also request that the DOE reinstate separate product classes for condensing and non-condensing gas furnaces and gas commercial water heaters that would alleviate the negative impacts that the “only condensing type products can be built” rule.
AHRI Releases the February, 2024 Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data.
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 April 12, 2024 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the February, 2024 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data. For previous monthly shipment releases and historical data, please click here . You may also wish to share this information with other groups or individuals within your organization that would be interested in this shipment data.
State Codes Activity Update.
Attached 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. Please review the update and determine if there are state code activities that impact your service territory or organization.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions on these issues.
Best Regards,
Jim
Jim Ranfone | Managing Director, Codes and Standards
400 N. Capitol St., NW | Washington, DC | 20001
P: 202-824-7310 | [email protected]
The American Gas Association represents more than 200 local energy companies committed to the safe and reliable delivery of clean natural gas to more than 73 million customers throughout the nation.
2024 BECS Committee Meeting Schedule
May 8-9, 2024, Location Phoenix, AZ Hotel The Wigwam
To: The AGA Building Energy Codes and Standards (BECS) Committee:
You are invited to attend the upcoming Building Energy Codes and Standards Committee (BECS) Meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, May 8-9, 2024, at The Wigwam, in Litchfield Park, AZ.
There is no registration fee for this meeting, however registration is required. Additional, detailed information including the comprehensive agenda will be sent out as we approach the meeting dates. Note that the preliminary agenda (attached) may be modified based on recommendations by the BECS Executive Committee but the timeframe for the meeting will remain the same. We wanted to provide you with plenty of lead time to make your travel arrangements. Also, please provide us with your top 3 codes and standards issues that you want to be included during discussions at the meeting. We will make sure those items are included during the meeting. Additional Registration Guidelines and Special Discounts are also attached.
See attached meeting announcement letter to make hotel reservations.
For meeting registration click here: BECS Committee Meeting.