The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA), the educational and technical resource to the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) industry, today announced its Professional Certification Program (PCP) has been added to the Department of Defense Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS), a guide for use in specifying construction for the military services. The SPFA’s certification program is now cited for use under the Division 07 Thermal and Moisture Protection, Spray Foam Air Barriers, Quality Assurance portion of the UFGS.
“The inclusion of our Professional Certification Program in these specifications is an important government step toward ensuring quality, performance and safety in the installation of spray polyurethane foam products within its facilities,” said Kurt Riesenberg, executive director of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance. “All installers and manufacturers active in spray foam should take note that if they are not currently certified under our PCP program, they need to work toward that goal now. Certification is where the industry and customers are going, and we take this development as a big nod to the growth in use and reliance upon sprayfoam by one of the biggest customers in the world.”
The SPFA’s five-year old Certification Program is compliant with ISO-17024, the international standard for certification and credentialing of professional personnel. “It was a big lift in the beginning to build the program to such a rigorous standard but, in the end, it provided a great unbiased roadmap for development and operation that assures parity and fairness, along with the earned credibility and recognition that comes with annual compliance to such a standard. As more sophisticated customers, in this case our federal government, move toward reliance upon standardized professional credentials as commonplace, we are making sure our industry professionals have the resources they need to keep growing their businesses,” added Kelly Marcavage, SPFA certification director.
Unified Facilities Guide Specifications are aimed at establishing construction industry best practices are adhered to in military facilities, in both new construction and retrofit projects. UFGS are a joint effort of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE), the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (HQ AFCEC) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The Quality Assurance section of the UFGS Division 07 Thermal and Moisture Protection specification mandates the following:
- When determining the Qualification of a Manufacturer: Submit documentation verifying that the manufacturer of the SPF is currently accredited by the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) and by the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA).
- When determining the Qualification of Installer: Submit documentation verifying that installers of the spray foam air barrier are currently certified by ABAA/BPQI (Building Performance Quality Institute) and/or by the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) Professional Certification Program (PCP).
The SPFA Professional Certification Program is an internationally recognized, only-one-of-a-kind program built for those involved in the installation of spray polyurethane foam. Covering both roofing and insulation applications, the program advocates industry best practices and safety in the installation of the highly effective and energy-efficiency enhancing product. The standards-driven program is ISO 17024 compliant and was developed by committees of industry stakeholders in collaboration with OSHA, NIOSH, and EPA, in addition to other federal agencies and external stakeholders. It is offered both domestically and internationally.