NSF Intl. recently
announced that it has certified the first geothermal pipes to Canadian
Standards Association’s standard C448:Design and
Installation of Earth Energy Systems for Commercial and Institutional
BuildingsNSF is the only organization that certifies
polyethylene (PE) piping for geothermal end use.
NSF Intl. recently
announced that it has certified the first geothermal pipes to Canadian
Standards Association’s (CSA) standard C448:Design and
Installation of Earth Energy Systems for Commercial and Institutional
BuildingsNSF is the only organization that certifies
polyethylene (PE) piping for geothermal end use.
CSA C448 is North America’s only government-recognized design and installation
standard for geothermal systems, systems that use the earth as a heat source
and heat sink. They provide heating or cooling by moving heat, rather than by
creating heat like a furnace. While conventional heating systems rely on
outdoor temperatures that often vary, underground temperatures remain
relatively constant all year round, producing the desired heating and cooling
temperature year round.
NSF’s certification program was developed to incorporate all of the critical
aspects of geothermal piping, including performance, physical, health effects
and quality control requirements. In order to achieve NSF Certification, both Trinus Pipes & Tubes Ltd. and Vanguard Pipe & Fittings Ltd.
had to fulfill the requirements of NSF/ANSI Standard 14:Plastic
Piping System Components and Related Materialsand CSA B137.1:Polyethylene (PE) Pipe, Tubing, and Fittings for Cold Water
Pressure Servicesin addition to the requirements of CSA C448.
Both companies also underwent a rigorous facility audit that verified the
following:
* Formulation and manufacturing
processes
* Use of authorized raw materials
* Quality control requirements
* Sampling of product for monitoring testing
* Product marking
* Product complies with standards and NSF policies
For meeting the requirements, Trinus and Vanguard will bear
the CSA-C448, CSA-B137.1 mark and the cNSF-geothermal mark on its pipes.
Third-party certification for geothermal piping systems provides regulators and
users assurance that products are independently certified to meet requirements
for geothermal end use. To maintain NSF Certification and demonstrate ongoing
compliance, Trinus and Vanguard will be required to pass three unannounced
audits annually.