Ontario, Calif. — Recent actions taken by Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals distinguish IAPMO R&T as an approved provider of third‐party certification of solar water heaters within the Pelican State.
A Nov. 3, 2011, letter of intent from Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals specifies that the 2000 edition of the state plumbing code will be revised to add language specific to the design and installation of solar water heating systems, including naming IAPMO R&T as an example of a properly‐accredited listing agency to provide certification to applicable standards. Section “2.1 Certification” of the letter states:
Solar water heating systems shall be certified to the Solar Rating & Certification Corporation’s (SRCC) OG‐300 document, 2010 edition (Operating Guidelines and Minimum Standards for Certifying Solar Water Heating Systems) by the SRCC themselves or by listing agencies [such as the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)] which are currently accredited as meeting the ISO/IEC Guide 65 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or other IAF MLA signatory accreditation bodies.
In August, IAPMO R&T was similarly approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to certify solar systems to OG 300 within the state of Arizona. IAPMO R&T also possesses acceptance by the California Public Utility Commission, as well as the city of Los Angeles, for certification within the state and city, respectively.
IAPMO R&T has been certifying solar thermal products, both collectors and systems, since the technology enjoyed its first heyday in the mid‐1970s and is accredited by both ANSI and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to certify these products to the requirements of OG 300 and SRCC Standard 100, and to IAPMO’s own Uniform Solar Energy Code® (USEC), which has been published since 1976 and is adopted by the states of Colorado and Alaska among others.
“IAPMO R&T’s USEC mark of conformity tells consumers and inspectors alike that the products bearing it meet all minimum standards governing such products’ installation, performance and operation,” said Anish Desai, IAPMO R&T director of Certification. “IAPMO R&T’s addition to the Louisiana State Plumbing Code serves to further our reputation among manufacturers as a most trusted provider of certification services and listings.”
IAPMO R&T is also recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to provide third-party certification of solar water heaters to the ENERGY STAR® product labeling system.
For more information on the certification of solar water heaters, direct your Web browser to www.iapmort.org or contact Charles Gross or Brenda Madonna at (909) 472‐4100.
