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.
CSA Publishes Research Report on the Sharing Economy
CSA Group, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has announced the publication of a free research report that addresses the sharing economy, or the shared creation and consumption of goods and services.
"The Rise of the Sharing Economy" discusses how the system has grown significantly, with transformations in many industries into models that accommodate this structure. As such, there has been a need for the development of tools that can aid policy development, and protect consumers and industry in this fast-growing marketplace. The report provides information on potential standards-based solutions for the challenges and issues that arise in the sharing economy.
To access the free report, visit CSA's website.
CRRC Provides Information on Cool Roofing for Home and Building Owners
The Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, offers home owners and builders free resources on cool roofing, which reflects sunlight and cools itself by emitting radiation to its surroundings.
Stakeholders interested in learning more about cool roofing can read about the benefits of a cool roof, including reduced utility bills, lower roof maintenance costs, and prolonging the life of the home's air conditioning system. Resources provided by CRRC include graphic representations that explain how cool roofs work, information on the right roofing material for a home or building, product types, and determining if you quality for a cool roof rebate.
See CRRC's website to access these resources.
CTA Podcast Discusses Smart Tech in the Home
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has posted a new podcast: "Smarter Tech in Smarter Homes."
The episode delves into technology used in homes to make them smarter and more energy efficient, including the use of 5G, AI, and voice activation. Listeners will hear from Matt Swatsky, vice president - residential mid-market business at Lutron, and Chris Turkstra, director of product management for Google Assistant.
Listen to the free podcast on CTA's website or on your podcast app.
CGA Offers Safety Information on Nitrous Oxide
The Compressed Gas Association (CGA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has developed a page of facts and safety information on nitrous oxide, with general information for all stakeholders as well as material specific to producers, commercial carriers, container fillers or distributors, and legitimate users.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) has numerous beneficial uses, from medical and dental anesthesia to chemical manufacturing, but it can quickly become dangerous or even deadly if mishandled. Abuse of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug is on the rise, so CGA offers guidelines for N2O sales and security to prevent theft or misuse. They include establishing a written sales policy that identifies legitimate applications for N2O, keeping an inventory of both full and empty cylinders and investigating any discrepancies, providing customers with CGA's N2O fact sheet, and reporting any thefts promptly to the police.
Read more guidelines and general information on N2O on CGA's website.
BHCOE Applies to Become an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer
The Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (BHCOE), a new ANSI member, has submitted an application for accreditation as an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer (ASD) and proposed operating procedures for documenting consensus on BHCOE-sponsored American National Standards. BHCOE's proposed scope is focused on the development of standards that guide organizations who provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services. ABA is a therapy used primarily with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities and is widely funded by private and public insurance carriers, schools, and state programs.
To obtain a copy of BHCOE's application and proposed operating procedures or to offer comments, please contact Sara Litvak, chief executive officer, Behavioral Health Center for Excellence (310.627.2746 ext. 1001; [email protected]). Please submit any comments to BHCOE by January 14, 2019, with a copy to the ExSC Recording Secretary in ANSI's New York Office ([email protected]).
As the proposed procedures are available electronically, the public review period is 30 days. You may view or download a copy of BHCOE's proposed operating procedures from ANSI Online during the public review period at www.ansi.org/accredPR.