About the AMCA Certified Ratings Program

Learning Objectives What is AMCA? What is the AMCA Certified Ratings Program? How are products certified? What is the AMCA seal? How should AMCA-certified products be specified? Here are the things we will be going over today.

What is AMCA? About the Association

What is AMCA? Air Movement and Control Association International Not-for-profit manufacturers association Dates back to 1917 Mission is to promote the health, growth, and integrity of the industry More than 350 member companies worldwide

What is AMCA? 27 165 129 23 6 2 AMCA has members worldwide The Middle East and Asia regions are growing rapidly

What is AMCA? AMCA members manufacturer at least one of the following types of products: Fans Dampers Louvers Air curtains Airflow measurement stations Acoustic attenuators (duct) …and more AMCA started in 1917 It is now is an association of many manufacturers of air control and movement products Its mission is to advance the health, growth and integrity of the industry It is headquartered in the U.S. but is a truly international association AMCA is represented globally through Asia AMCA, European AMCA, and the recently-formed Middle Eastern AMCA

What is AMCA? AMCA’s member products are used in Commercial ventilation systems Industrial facilities and processes Data centers and high-tech facilities Power plants Gas, oil, mining and other heavy industries Food processing Waste water treatment … and more

What is AMCA? AMCA contributes to the industry by 1. Developing and disseminating technical information Product-rating test standards Application guides and handbooks White papers, technical articles and educational seminars AMCA develops and disseminates… Test standards Application guides White papers Seminars Product application research AMCA advocates for members, giving them a voice in discussions with… Regulatory bodies Building specification and code developers And AMCA verifies performance data via the AMCA certified ratings program, the primary subject of this presentation

What is AMCA? AMCA contributes to the industry by 2. Advocating for members and the industry: Energy efficiency Fire and life safety Acoustics Indoor environmental quality Codes, standards and regulations AMCA develops and disseminates… Test standards Application guides White papers Seminars Product application research AMCA advocates for members, giving them a voice in discussions with… Regulatory bodies Building specification and code developers And AMCA verifies performance data via the AMCA certified ratings program, the primary subject of this presentation

What is AMCA? AMCA contributes to the industry by 3. Administering product certification programs AMCA Certified Ratings Program (worldwide) European Commission 327 Fan Efficiency compliance verification AMCA listing and labeling program for U.S./state/regional building codes AMCA develops and disseminates… Test standards Application guides White papers Seminars Product application research AMCA advocates for members, giving them a voice in discussions with… Regulatory bodies Building specification and code developers And AMCA verifies performance data via the AMCA certified ratings program, the primary subject of this presentation

What is the AMCA Certified Ratings Program? About the Association’s Hallmark Program

What is the AMCA Certified Ratings Program? How AMCA’s third-party Certified Ratings System works: Companies send products to AMCA for testing AMCA tests products for parameters specified AMCA checks its data against manufacturer literature The AMCA CRP was developed in response to a need for validated product performance ratings Buyers, specifiers, and users of air movement and control devices needed to know they were getting what they paid for. AMCA created the CRP to provide third-party verification of manufacturer data, and it 1. Companies send products to the AMCA laboratory for testing, requesting certification for performance parameters 2. AMCA tests products for parameters specified by the manufacturer 3. AMCA checks its test data against the data the manufacturer provided to verify it is the same, within a certain tolerance Only after the product has been tested and the manufacturer’s cataloged ratings have been approved can manufacturers display the AMCA seal for the parameters tested.

What is the AMCA Certified Ratings Program? After certification, the product Is licensed to bear AMCA’s seal Is listed in AMCA’s online database After certification, The product is licensed to bear AMCA’s seal for the performance specified and tested The product can be listed in AMCA’s online database of certified products, which specifiers may visit to find products they can count on

What is the AMCA Certified Ratings Program? It helps promote the health, growth and integrity of the industry by Promoting fair competition Ensuring product performance Providing a way for manufacturers to promote products beyond just their word The CRP fulfills AMCA’s mission by doing the following Promotes fair competition by leveling the playing field Assures buyers, users and specifiers that manufacturer’s published performance ratings are reliable and accurate Gives manufacturers a way to prove their product is as good as they say it is Lets them place an easily identifiable seal on their product Allows them to point to a third party’s (AMCA’s) database of certified products

What is the AMCA Certified Ratings Program? Some background on the program Over 50 years old 21 types of products certified 3,350 certified products 240 AMCA member companies participate in program Testing in independent labs Some background on the program It has been around for over 50 years There are 21 types of products that AMCA certifies AMCA has certified 3,350 products There are 240 AMCA members that participate in program AMCA has a program to accredit labs that operate independently, providing more options to potential CRP participants

AMCA CRP Is Growing

Top 10 types of products certified AMCA CRP Is Growing Top 10 types of products certified

How Are Products Certified? Steps to Earning the Seal

How Are Products Certified? A quick overview of the steps, to be examined in more detail on the following slides

How Are Products Certified? STEP 1: SIGN A LICENSE AGREEMENT How do you qualify to submit a license agreement? Must be a company While AMCA membership is not required to sign a license agreement, members can certify product at a lower cost The first step to certification is to sign a license agreement Only companies, not individuals, can sign license agreement It is better financially to be a AMCA member if you want to certify because licenses (and testing) will be more costly to non-members while members pay dues and assessments, nonmembers pay license fees and assessments, which are generally higher.

How Are Products Certified? STEP 2: TEST THE PRODUCT AT AN AMCA-APPROVED FACILITY Tests and CRP forms required are dictated by product If a product is nameplated or aerodynamically similar to a certified product, no test is needed Company sends in the appropriate CRP form A precertification test may be required Products can be sent for a precertification test at the AMCA laboratory or any laboratory approved as an AMCA-accredited laboratory. Nameplated products or products aerodynamically similar to a certified product do not need additional testing. When testing is over, the manufacturer must send in the appropriate CRP form, with test results, in order to formally request a license to bear the AMCA seal.

How Are Products Certified? STEP 3: UNDERGO AMCA REVIEW OF CATALOG DATA The company must submit a proof product catalog AMCA staff will check the performance listed against the AMCA-approved lab data When a company submits a proof catalog, AMCA staff will verify performance data and format requirements.

How Are Products Certified? STEP 4: RECEIVE APPROVAL OF LICENSE The product will be added to AMCA’s online database of certified products The product will be permitted to bear the AMCA seal When AMCA approves the license, they will be listed on AMCA’s database of certified products and may bear the AMCA seal Certification lasts indefinitely, provided no license violations are committed and subsequent check tests at the AMCA lab are passed every three years amca.org/certified-listed/cpsearch.php

What is the AMCA Seal?

What is the AMCA seal? Facts about the seal Quick, visual way to associate a product with verified performance Not required to be on a certified product Can be used in manufacturer literature, in certain circumstances The AMCA seal is a quick, visual way to associate a product with verified performance The AMCA seal is not required to be on a AMCA-certified product, though many manufacturers choose to display it Manufacturers can use the seal in their literature, provided that the seal is only used in conjunction with certified products. For example, it is not permitted for a company brochure to have the seal on the cover if there are any non-certified products advertised inside.

What is the AMCA seal? The AMCA seal… Is not an endorsement of a product but supports the accuracy of its published data Specifies the testing parameter the product is verified for The seal doesn’t mean AMCA endorses the product but it does mean AMCA supports the accuracy of its published data The seal means AMCA has tested a specific aspect of performance and verified that the manufacturer’s data is within a certain tolerance of what they say it is The seal will also specifies a testing parameter. The whole product is not necessarily certified—only the tests performed on the product have been verified by AMCA. That’s why, if you see a seal on a louver, you will see that a seal doesn’t certify the louver itself— It only certified the louver for, say, its resistance to wind driven rain

≠ Tested in accordance with an AMCA standard What is the AMCA Seal? “Tested in accordance with an AMCA standard” and “licensed to bear the AMCA seal” is not the same thing

What is the AMCA Seal? ≠ “Tested at an AMCA lab” and “licensed to bear the AMCA seal” is not the same thing, either

Beware counterfeits in the field! Text not right aligned Copyright mark in wrong place Wrong font

Beware counterfeits in the field! Should be water penetration Wrong font Seal wrong width

What is the AMCA seal? Rules for using the AMCA seal Companies must order seals from AMCA and not create duplicates In a catalog, the seal can only be used on the same page as the performance ratings of a licensed product, accompanied by a qualifying statement In a publication, the seal can only be used on the outside cover if every products inside is licensed. Seals cannot be used on any page of a publication containing performance ratings of any non-licensed products Rules for using the seal Includes how to order Specifies that a qualifying statement must accompany the image of the seal in literature

What is the AMCA seal? The seal cannot be used As an image on any page of a publication containing performance ratings of any non-licensed products In photographs or illustrations of products not currently licensed To imply that products not currently licensed to use the seal are licensed To imply the certification of manufacturing quality How can’t the seal be used? The image can’t be on catalog covers or pages with uncertified products Companies cannot use the seal to try to misrepresent their product or what the seal says about quality

How Should AMCA-Certified Products Be Specified? And Pitfalls to Avoid in a Spec

How Should AMCA-Certified Products Be Specified? “Licensed to bear the AMCA seal” vs “tested in accordance with” an AMCA standard… Which is the correct way to specify? LICENSED TO BEAR THE AMCA SEAL TESTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN AMCA STANDARD *ANIMATION—advancing shows checkmark on correct answer* Why is this the correct way to specify? (Next slide.)

How Should AMCA-Certified Products Be Specified? AMCA STANDARDS An AMCA standard outlines a industry-vetted way to test product, approved by the American National Standards Institute. However, just because a product is tested to an AMCA standard doesn’t mean It was tested correctly in an AMCA-approved lab Its test data has been verified by AMCA It passed AMCA’s certification criteria Its performance is periodically verified by check tests Just because a product is tested to a standard doesn’t mean Its test data has been verified by AMCA or any other third party It passed AMCA’s rigorous certification criteria Its performance is checked (and certified) by periodic check tests. AMCA generally performs check tests every three years.

How Should AMCA-Certified Products Be Specified? MUST REFERENCE AMCA CRP PUBLICATIONS AMCA publications provide guidance or outline the rules of the AMCA Certified Ratings Program. Consider the following exemplary language for your specification “Fans shall comply with AMCA Publication 211 and 311 and licensed to bear the AMCA Certified Ratings Program seal for air performance and sound performance” “Louvers will be licensed to bear the AMCA Certified Ratings Program seal for wind driven sand resistance in compliance with AMCA Publication 511” Because AMCA publications may contain the requirements needed for a product to be certified, it is encouraged to reference them in a specification. Here are some examples of language that can be used in a spec. Publications that relate to the AMCA Certified Ratings Program can be identified by their designation, which will end in “11” or “12”

How Should AMCA-Certified Products Be Specified? CRP PUBLICATIONS WITH TEST STANDARDS AMCA publications provide guidance or outline the rules of the AMCA Certified Ratings Program. Consider the following exemplary language for your specification “Fans shall be tested in accordance with AMCA Standard 210 for air performance and AMCA Standard 300 for sound performance and shall comply with AMCA Publication 211 t and Publication 311o bear the AMCA Certified Ratings Program seal for air performance and sound performance” Because AMCA publications may contain the requirements needed for a product to be certified, it is encouraged to reference them in a specification. Here are some examples of language that can be used in a spec. Publications that relate to the AMCA Certified Ratings Program can be identified by their designation, which will end in “11” or “12”

How Should AMCA-Certified Products Be Specified? To ensure certified products are specified, the writer of the spec should Select an AMCA-certified product type Find products via AMCA’s online certified program search http://www.amca.org/certified-listed/cpsearch.php Make sure to mention the certified performance parameters needed Air performance Sound performance Wind-driven rain etc Other things that will make sure AMCA products are specified: Making sure the specifier looks at AMCA’s scope to see that the product called for can actually be AMCA-certified Making sure the product is listed in AMCA’s database on their website And if, for instance, the building calls for a fan that needs to pass a certain criteria for sound, the specifier should be sure the fan chosen from AMCA’s database has been certified specifically for sound performance.

Resources This presentation was based off of AMCA white papers that can be found at amca.org/resources/whitepapers.php: “Guideline Specifications for Selected AMCA-Certified Products” “Introducing the AMCA Certified Ratings Program” “How to Ensure AMCA-Certified Products Get Installed” Questions? Please contact Michael Ivanovich at mivanovich@amca.org