ARLINGTON, Va. - The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Educational Institute has released a draft of its “HVAC Quality Installation Verification Protocols” for public review in accordance with the procedures of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The ANSI public-review draft can be downloaded, free, at www.acca.org/ansi. Comments must be submitted, using the response form also found there, by Dec. 1, 2008.

According to ACCA, rising energy costs, concerns about the environment, and the desire for an objective evaluation have led to requests for quality installation verification (QIV) efforts. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Energy Star program works with utilities to verify that an HVAC system was installed according to the nationally-recognized, industry-adopted standard for HVAC system installations, the ACCA Quality Installation Specification (see www.acca.org/quality/).

The independent and objective verification of an HVAC system installation by a qualified third party adds credibility to the professionalism of the installing contractor. ACCA said its Verification Protocols provide an approach to effectively evaluate HVAC system installations while optimizing manpower and expenses.

ACCA’s proposed protocols establish requirements for the minimum sampling rates, evaluation procedures, and documentation. Also defined are the primary roles and responsibilities for the main participants in the process (contractor, verifier, and administrator). It is anticipated that potential administrators of verification efforts might include OEMs, or chapters of professional HVAC associations, municipalities, utilities, or groups of HVAC contractors seeking to differentiate themselves.

For more information, contact ACCA’s Wes Davis at 703-824-8847 or wes.davis@acca.org.

Publication date: 10/27/2008