October 2018

President's Message

Autumn is upon us and we are officially off to a great start!

What an outstanding first meeting of the chapter year we had … Dr Nadia Sabeh came highly recommended and she delivered! We also tried out our new venue at the Atlantis and your feedback was all for the good.

Bryan Tilton once again graciously coordinate the efforts for our 7^th Annual Golf Tournament and nailed it!  Huge thanks go out to Bryan, the amazing staff at Wolf Run Golf Course, all the generous donations, hole sponsors, teams and your board members and chairs who came together to make the event such a success ~

This months’ meeting will have a LOT to offer – Please plan on attending . . . Not only do we have a hot topic, our Sustainability Chair, Haley will have a short presentation for us and it is also Membership Promotions night! So round up someone you think should join us to learn something new, meet some peers and maybe . . . join ASHRAE!

* UPCOMING EVENTS * UPCOMING EVENTS *

• Annual Wine Tasting! Date TBD
• Research Promotions & Government Advocacy – November Meeting (11/15)
• Past Presidents Night (2/21) - Renaissance Reno (Possible visit by DRC)
• Membership Promotions – March Meeting (3/21)
• Sporting Clays Shoot – Date TBD

These events are in the works:

• K/12 STEM Activities (9/28) Depoali Middle School Career Day
• Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA)
• Women in ASHRAE (WIA)
• Day on the Hill (GAC) In conjunction with Las Vegas Chapter
• Student Activities (SA)
• Night at the Ballgame – Aces Game

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President Elect Report

President Elect / Programs Chair - Adrienne Thomle

The meeting will be held at the Atlantis Casino Resort

Networking at 11:30, Lunch at 12:00
 

New Registration/Payment Policy Now in Affect:  Advanced registration/student = same as always or $30/$15.  Week of event $35/$20. Day of or at the door $40/$25.

Speaker:

  Craig Swift – Yaskawa America, Inc.

Topic: 

"The Future of VFD Application"

Bio

Over 30 years in the commercial and industrial industries selling and supporting automation including sensors, instrumentation, DDC, PLC and VFD devices. Spent the last 15 years specializing in drives and harmonic mitigation.  Has worked with commercial HVAC and industrial refrigeration control systems including Honeywell and Johnson Controls.  Has worked with most major brands of VFDs and is factory trained to repair a few.   Regional Drive Specialist for Yaskawa since March 2016.

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Membership Promotions Chair Report

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Treasurer's Report

TREASURER: ALEC LYONS

As of September 28, 2018 the chapter account balance is (deleted by editor - we are solvent). 

Alec

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Research Promotion Chair Report

RESEARCH AND PROMOTION CHAIR: Sandor Duran P.E., CEM

ASHRAE Members-

Let's keep the 2018/2019 research promotion campaign going by thinking of what you can do to help the chapter reach its goal of $5,200. I’d like to thank those that have contributed in the past, but we will need everyone’s help to reach our goal for this year. Please start thinking about what you can do as an individual to help our chapter do its part to support the research projects that help keep our industry moving forward by improving technology.

Please at a minimum take some time to request that your company support our chapter with a donation to the ASHRAE RP Campaign!

To make a contribution online please visit the following website:

https://xp20.ashrae.org/secure/researchpromotion/rp.html

Please bring donation to a meeting and give it to me there! You will receive receipt that can be used for tax-deduction purposes.

If you would like to see more information on how ASHRAE uses our donations you can visit https://www.ashrae.org/standards-research--technology/ashrae-rp and you will see that this world-wide effort also supports numerous projects within our region totaling over $1.4 million. This is a great cause that benefits us all and I hope that everyone will continue to help our chapter support it. If you know a specific research project you would like your money to go to, your donation can be bookmarked to that project.

With your help we can make the Research Promotions 2018/19 campaign more successful than the 2017/18 campaign.

Thank you,

Sandor Duran, P.E., CEM 

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Historian's Report

Historian: Dean Borges

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Government Activities Chair Report

GAC Chair - Dave Wyllie

The Chapter is planning to participate in a Government Outreach event (formerly known as Day on the Hill) during the upcoming 2019 Nevada Legislative Session.  During this event will be meeting with Legislators to discuss issues that are of importance to ASHRAE members.  We need volunteers to make this a successful endeavor, and ask that you consider participating.  Earlier this year the chapters in California participated in this activity in Sacramento, those who participated found it to be a very rewarding event, as we an opportunity to see our goverment in action.  Please let me know if you are interested, at dwyllie@celticenergy.com.

I am also reporting on the quarterly meeting of the Nevada Energy Code Collaborative.  The meeting was held on August 23rd, these meetings are attended by several stakeholders in the energy codes for the state, and are run by Jim Meyers of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP).

Upcoming Events
September 14, 2018 ZERH training at the UNR Innevation Center. To register https://conta.cc/2wxjORw .
Questions – contact Tom at tpolikalas@swenergy.org. Registration fee is only $10. (meeting now in the past)

Triconic Nevada Certified Ratings Program –Triconic LLC will be certifying home energy ratings to the ANSI 301 standard, certifying diagnostic tests, working with state based raters and analysts and more. They offer this service for new single family homes, existing homes, and Water Efficiency Rating System (WERS) for buildings
Darrell Lehman with Triconic, LLC presented on the Nevada Certified Ratings Program which recently started in Nevada. Darrell presented on the program currently running in Florida sponsored by the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA). The certified ratings program was developed to support multiple markets and they are now launching in Nevada, California, Maryland and some activity in Georgia.

Darrell mentioned that UL and Intertek are independent from Triconic. They have been speaking to 18 different states to start up the program.

Primarily is built around the concept around a certified rating certificate. Many building officials have seen UL and Intertek compliance certificates in the field over the years. They are taking the concept of the ERI and incorporating into a certification program and then providing the UL and Intertek certificate. They are also providing these certificates for duct leakage tests, air infiltration tests and code compliance as well as other inspections that may be needed for a utility program.

The goal is not to re-create the wheel but leverage the scale, knowledge, and resources in the current certification market all are familiar with today.

When 2015 IECC incorporated the ERI path they received questions from building officials asking if there could be a certified inspection. They realized there are current resources in the market, Raters, BPI, etc. with experience with these testing protocols but not provide a compliance certificate for the code.

The FHBA is the sponsor of the program. Triconic runs the program, facilitate transactions and movement and storage of data and distribution of the certificates. They are following the testing and inspection process and they did not want to require another set of standards they are following ISO 17065 (certification) and ISO 17020 (inspection). This six step program continues to meet the needs in the program such as the RESNET program.

They leverage Raters and certifiers in the market place provide they have credentials are in good standing, and complete the onboard training required by the program, and agree with code of ethics and program requirements. They provide unannounced surveillance audits on raters/certifiers and also the Raters QA process.

Triconic is in discussions with the HBAs in Nevada. They are starting the onboarding process with local inspectors. ERI certificates are available now. Water rating certificates are also available now. Energy code compliance certificates are being readied and non-code certificates can be considered, e.g. water or power utility programs. 

Triconic considers inspectors to include Raters, QADs, and Providers, all of the inspection activity that RESNET separates apart. Inspection companies can sign on to the program at any time but cannot provide inspections unless they Raters in good standing with RESNET or good standing with BPI, IAS.

They have the ability to only support inspectors for specific certifications such as duct leakage or air infiltration testing. There is a one?time $50 fee for the inspector (company) to sign up for the program. Then there is a $250 fee for the individual inspectors to go through the onboarding training. These are UL and Intertek certifications and that is why they have the onboarding questions.

If there is a requirement for inspectors to be licensed in Nevada, to provide inspections for energy code in new construction, the program follows the requirements by either state or local requirements. The program also requires insurance. When they started the program in Florida there were a number of Raters who dropped out of the program because they did not maintain their insurance requirements.

Note: NRS 645D.057 does not distinguish between new and existing homes. All residential energy auditors must be licensed.

They originally had envisioned this program rolling out with the partnership of the state HBAs. Triconic shares revenue with the HBAs. In Florida they rolled out under the state HBA umbrella and then the local/regional HBA’s come on board to participate with the program.

There is a fee for each certified certificate that comes out of Intertek and UL. There is a $50 fee paid to the program for the UL certification process and management of the certificates. The HBA gets a portion of that fee. This gives the HBA an opportunity to participate in the program. Triconic has not had push back from the Florida home builders about the $50 fee. 

If there are specific requirements in a state real estate division they, the Triconic program, can add any new requirements to support state needs.

For additional questions you can reach Darrell Lehman with Triconic, LLC at darrell.lehman@triconic.com or at 608-556-0052.

2018 IECC trainings in Northern and Southern Nevada
Robin Isaacs with GOE shared that the office would like to either provide funding for similar trainings that took place in June in Reno and Las Vegas and also interested in funding 2019 EduCode trainings. Tentative energy classes at the 2019 event include 2018 IECC Residential, 90.1-2016 Standard, Right sizing HVAC, HVAC installation and testing for building inspectors, EV and Energy Storage systems, and ASHRAE 189.1 Standard.

2018 IECC Updates
Robin Isaacs said there are requirements in the State regulations under NAC 701.195/NAC 701.235 if local jurisdictions adopt amendments that make changes to the climate zones, are more stringent than what the State has currently adopted, or deviate from the standard. In some instances they must petition the GOE with the changes to receive approval from Director of the Energy Office. The 2018 IECC was adopted with an effective date of June 26, 2018.

Report from 2018 DOE Energy Codes Conference
Jim Meyers shared information from the 2018 U.S. DOE National Energy Codes Conference held in July 2018.  There were a number of topics that filtered to the top at the conference and were discussed across sessions and days.

• Energy codes are life-safety codes
• Zero energy (net, ready, capable) and when and if the ICC codes will reflect changes currently happening at the state and local level
• ERI compliance path, where it is today, some study findings and next phases. 
• Additional subthemes included electric vehicle readiness, commercial energy code compliance, multifamily, smart devices in buildings, third party code enforcement and water usage and conservation.

Utility and Legislative Report
Tom Polikalas the Public Utility Commission has received NV Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which includes substantial spending on energy efficiency. Businesses and consumers can make comments on the IRP. There is a formal process to submit comments to the PUC. The following link is where you will start a comment;

http://puc.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/pucnvgov/Content/About/Docs/Forms/Commenter%20Form.pdf

The energy efficiency plan is good, but it could be better. As an example there is no incentive for a new home construction program, or home performance. Opportunities for consumers to speak about the plan start approximately September 19, 2018.

The next meeting of the collaborative is in November.

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Sustainability Chair Report

Sustainability Chair - Haley Anderton-Folmer

Opportunity to Influence Policy:

The City of Reno is holding a Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Workshop on Thursday, October 18^th at McKinley Arts & Culture Center. According to the City, “The Plan will provide a roadmap for decision-making and investments that improve quality of life, health and well-being, and protect the unique natural environment our community so highly values. The Plan will strive to balance the triple bottom line—environment, economy and equity—each as equally important elements of the Sustainability & Climate Action Plan.” You can register to attend this workshop at the Reno Resilience Eventbrite page.

Opportunities to Learn through the REENERGIZE RENO Program at the Innevation Center:

You may wish to email ReEnergize@reno.gov prior to registering to see which events count for ASHRAE Professional Development Hours.

• LEED v4 Building Design and Construction Webinar | October 9 from 11 AM to 1 PM
• Tenant Engagement | November 13 from 11:30 AM to 1 PM
• PACE Financing | December 11 from 11:30 AM to 1 PM

Conferences and Expos:

Geothermal Resource Council (GRC) Annual Meeting & Expo | October 14 to 17 at the Peppermill

Want to get involved?

Just a heads up: Our chapter will soon be looking for members to volunteer for our Day on the Hill at the Nevada Legislature to meet with legislators one-on-one.  This won’t be until 2019, but I just wanted to get you all to start thinking about it in advance.

We’ll also be looking for volunteers to help out with our Community Sustainability Project.  If you have any ideas for this project, email me at handerton@gmail.com.  Thanks!

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Student Activities Chair Report

STUDENT ACTIVITIES CHAIR: ANDREW HUIE 

The year has started and Northern Nevada ASHRAE is already getting the ball rolling on Student Activities! Diane and I volunteered at the Depoali Middle School Career Day to present on our careers and ASHRAE for groups of 6^th and 7^th graders. This was a great way to kick off Student Activities for the year and it also brought recognition to our chapter amongst the rest of ASHRAE! To see the article from ASHRAE Region X, click here (https://www.regionx.org/single-post/2018/10/01/Career-Day-with-the-Northern-Nevada-Chapter).

Looking ahead, we have nothing planned currently for the month of October, giving us the opportunity to organize and focus on other ASHRAE items.

Coming up in the month of November, we are anticipating two events that I would like to see more members participate in! The first is going to be a tour of the Central Plant at UNR and will hopefully be in conjunction with a UNR student engineering group. The second event is going to be another way to reach out to K-12 students! We will be visiting a local school to host a STEM experiment that compliments the curriculum. More information on both of these events will be available soon!

If you are interested in helping with Student Activities, or have any questions regarding anything related to Student Activities and Young Engineers in ASHRAE, feel free to reach out to me.

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Technical Article

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