BPI Announces ANSI Accreditation for its Standards Programs

Malta, NY, July 13, 2010 - The Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI), a nationally recognized standards development and contractor credentialing organization is pleased to announce that it received approval today from the American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI) as an accredited developer of American National Standards.

"This is a natural step in BPI's growth toward becoming the national source for technical standards underpinning the residential energy efficiency retrofit community," said Larry Zarker, CEO of BPI. "ANSI accreditation is an important formal approval and third-party verification of the fairness, openness and balance BPI has offered all the stakeholders in residential energy efficiency retrofit work. We look forward to meeting these ANSI obligations with our standards initiatives and to contributing to the overarching ANSI governance programs as a member of the standards community," he said.

BPI's standards development accreditation by ANSI is an increasingly important qualification for its programs in the residential energy efficiency improvement industry. The public sector encourages agencies to adopt existing specifications and standards where they exist that have followed ANSI accreditation requirements (OMB Circular A-119). Moreover, ANSI accreditation shows BPI has a firm understanding of the need to conduct these programs fairly, openly and by established due process. This will ensure its standards-setting work proceeds with a true consensus of views.

"The development and execution of ANSI procedures is a significant undertaking, and BPI has committed considerable resources to ensure its success," stated David Weitz, Director of Applied Building Science at the Conservation Services Group (CSG) and Chairman of the BPI Standards Management Board (SMB). He added "This is matched by the personal commitment of the members of the Standards Technical Committee and its various working groups. These collaborative groups help draft standards for public review and reconcile public comments. All of these elements working together - staff support, technical expertise, and public oversight - are at the core of an ANSI process meant to deliver standards that are technically robust and acceptable to the industry."

John Manz, who directs the Pennsylvania Housing Resource Center at the Pennsylvania College of Technology and chairs BPI's Standards Technical Committee (STC) said "BPI's accreditation by ANSI will strengthen the credentialing process that BPI currently administers. In light of the proposed Home Star legislation and need for national standards, ANSI accreditation will help ensure that consistency is applied throughout the credentialing process and ensure conformance with requirements throughout the industry." Said Manz, "BPI's intention is to not only meet, but exceed the expectations of the home performance industry by improving its standards and seeking the highest quality in home performance work."

ANSI facilitates the development of American National Standards (ANS) by accrediting the procedures of standards developing organizations (SDOs). These groups work cooperatively to develop voluntary national consensus standards. Accreditation by ANSI signifies that the procedures used by the standards body in connection with the development of American National Standards meet the Institute's essential requirements for openness, balance, consensus and due process.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] ANSI coordinates, facilitates, and promotes the development of voluntary consensus standards that are relied upon by industry, government agencies, and consumers across the United States and around the world. ANSI fosters the U.S. standardization system by accrediting the procedures of standard-setting organizations and subsequently approving individual documents as American National Standards (ANS). Nearly 220 ANSI-Accredited Standards Developers are now engaged in the creation and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that are being used in virtually every industry sector. These standards developers - and the experts that populate them - work cooperatively to enhance the U.S. quality of life and improve the competitiveness of businesses operating in the global marketplace.

About the Building Performance Institute
The Building Performance Institute, Inc., (BPI) is the nation's premier building performance credentialing, quality assurance, and national standards setting organization. BPI supports the development of a highly professional building performance industry through individual and organizational credentialing and a rigorous quality assurance program.

BPI offers the following:
• Certification of individuals in building analyst, heating, AC/heat pump, shell/envelope, and multi-family designations
• Accreditation of contractors committed to delivering quality, home performance improvements
• Quality assurance to verify conformance with BPI Standards and provide feedback for continuing improvement
• Affiliation of training organizations that deliver BPI services in their market
• Open, transparent, consensus developed national technical standards based on sound building science

BPI, in cooperation with the building performance industry stakeholders, establishes a professional performance bar at a level appropriate to ensuring the consistent delivery of exceptional building performance services for those entrusting the BPI brand.

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