Did You Know? offers a quick look at the broad scope of activities underway within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Federation of members and partners, highlighting recent accomplishments and new resources related to standardization.
NIST Develops Economic Decision Tool for Community Disaster Planning
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an ANSI member, has released a web app that helps communities prepare their infrastructures for hurricanes, earthquakes, and other hazardous events.
The Economic Decision Guide Software (EDGe$) tool guides decision makers in investing in cost-effective measures that improve a community's ability to mitigate, adapt to, and recover from a disaster. The platform-independent app offers a method of evaluating different community projects that may improve resilience, comparing options to determine which is a better fit. For example, planners can see the costs and benefits of building a levee versus adding green space to reduce flooding, prompting them to consider crucial variables that may have an impact. The user-friendly tool is free for all interested stakeholders.
See the NIST news item to learn more and access the tool.
IEEE Launches Preprint Server for Unpublished Research
IEEE, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has launched a new resource for the global technology community. TechRxiv.org is a preprint server where researchers can share the initial results of their work before it is peer reviewed and published.
The free repository aims to facilitate the dissemination of scientific findings in electrical engineering, computer science, and related technologies, driving the pace of scientific discovery. TechRxiv.org also offers opportunities for collaboration for ongoing studies with informal feedback from other researchers. Papers submitted to TechRxiv.org can still be formally submitted for a conference or journal for peer review and publication.
"IEEE is committed to open science, and TechRxiv.org enables researchers across diverse areas of discovery the opportunity to share early results and data with their fellow scientists and technologists prior to formal peer review and publication. Based on input from our authors, members, and the engineering community at large, we developed an openly accessible preprint server specializing in engineering and technology for a worldwide audience," said Tapan Sarkar, IEEE vice president of publications.
See IEEE's news release for more information and to access the free server.
NEMA Releases Free Guide for Evaluating Equipment Damaged by Earthquakes
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has published a new guide with information on how to evaluate electrical equipment that has been exposed to earthquakes.
NEMA GD 3-2019, Evaluating Earthquake Damaged Electrical Equipment Guide, offers insight on determining whether exposed electrical equipment is suitable for use, reconditioning, or repair. It is intended for use by suppliers, installers, inspectors, and users of electrical products.
"Earthquake-damaged electrical equipment can be hazardous if re-energized without appropriate evaluation," says Patrick Hughes, NEMA vice president of operations and strategy. "To determine whether electrical equipment can be safely reenergized, or if it must be repaired or replaced, NEMA published the Evaluating Earthquake Damaged Electrical Equipment Guide. The guide will provide on-the-ground inspectors and installers with additional information about what impact a seismic event might have on electrical equipment and whether it can be put back into operation."
Download the guide at no cost on ANSI's webstore. Read more in NEMA's news release.
NAHB Publishes Report on HVAC Trends for New Homes
Home Innovation Research Labs, an independent subsidiary of ANSI member the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), has published a report revealing what systems and materials have gained or lost popularity in recent years, and outlining why these changes have been occurring.
The report, based on results from the organization's annual Builder Practices Survey, indicates that all-electric heating systems have continued to be popular, in spite of predictions of their decline in years past. This popularity can be attributed to modest energy prices and improved efficiency in new homes; an increase in the number of smaller, one-level homes being built; and a rise in "exurb" neighborhood development, far from cities and often without piped gas.
Another trend outlined in the report is the rising popularity of above-code, ultra-high efficiency AC systems, with 22% of homes built in 2018 having 17 SEER systems, compared to 12% in 2013.
Read more about these and other trends in heating and cooling systems.
ICC Releases its 2019 Group B Cycle Report
The International Code Council (ICC), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has announced that the 2019 Group B Final Action and Report is now available.
Read the report on the code development process, released April 8, 2020, on ICC's website.
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