The Association of Electrical and Medical Imaging Equipment Manufacturers n www.nema.org n October 2011 n Vol. 17 No. 10
Standards­—
ALSO INSIDE
A Foundation of Business Strategy
n Value Proposition for Standards Participation
n Emerging Scheme for Connected Vehicles
n Smart Grid Standards at FERC
n MITA Focuses on Imaging Standards in China
RELY ON UL
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Copyright© 2011 Underwriters Laboratories Inc. All rights reserved.
FEATURES:
CONTENTS
Electroindustry News...............................21
Study Finds CT Reduces Hospital Admission Rates......21
Finding the Value Proposition for Standards
Participation..................................................9
NEMA Participates as Organizing Partner for
Second Annual GridWise Global Forum.......................21
Innovative Manufacturers Prepare
for Digital Success.........................................11
High-Tech Gains Rely on Low-Tech Tips for Safety,
Energy Efficiency...........................................................22
ANSI Z535 Updates Standards for
Safety Colors and Signs.................................14
Kite and Key Awards Recognize Involvement
in NEMA Committees...................................................23
The Emerging Scheme for
Connected Vehicles.......................................15
Join HPBC Efforts to Transcend Product Sections.........22
Code Actions/Standardization Trends.............24
Inside Smart Grid Standards at FERC..............17
Expanding Energy-Efficiency Efforts
of Rotating Motors........................................................24
Smart Grid Standards Development...............18
Metering and Energy Codes Face Test
of Enforceable Codes.....................................................25
IEC Masterplan Looks to the Future................19
New Roadway and Area Lighting Standard
Clarifies Use of Solid State Lighting .............................26
IEEE P1836/P1837—
Standards Development Focuses
on Harmonic Currents ...................................20
Utah Adopts NEC®.........................................................26
NOTES:
NEMA Officers.................................................................2
EVSE Section Looks to Harmonize
Standards in Early 2012................................................27
Codes and Standards Committee Endorses
Section Proposals for the 2014 NEC®...........................28
New Building Officials Organization is Launched........28
Comments from the C-Suite...........................................2
Listening to Frustrations from the Field.......................29
View from the Top...........................................................3
International Roundup.................................30
View from the Industry...................................................4
MITA Focuses on Standards to Improve
Access to Medical Imaging in China.............................30
Learn More....................................................................34
DEPARTMENTS:
Washington Report.........................................6
NEMA Regulatory Actions Update.................................6
NEMA Testifies on Tax Incentives....................................7
NEMA Breaks Ground with New
Rulemaking Process........................................................7
NEMA, MITA Engagement in States
Yields Many Wins, New Opportunities...........................7
NEMA’s Medical Imaging Division Announces
Commerce Department Grant.....................................30
Economic Spotlight.......................................32
North American Business Conditions
Stabilize in September..................................................32
Lamp Shipment Indexes Show Growth, Decline.........32
Did you know...
The 2011 Electrical Standards and Product
Guide is a comprehensive listing of
NEMA standards and manufacturers.
Download your copy at www.nema.org/espg.
ECO BOX
NEMA electroindustry text and cover pages are printed using SFI certified Anthem
paper using soy ink.
• SFI certified products come from North American forests
managed to rigorous environmental standards.
• SFI standards conserve biodiversity and protect soil and
water quality, as well as wildlife habitats.
• SFI forests are audited by independent experts to ensure
proper adherence to the SFI Standard.
• SFI participants also plant more than 650 million trees each year to keep these forests thriving.
Cover art by Jennifer Tillmann
electroindustry
Publisher | Joseph Higbee
Managing Editor / Editor in Chief | Pat Walsh
Contributing Editors | William E. Green III
Chrissy L. Skudera
Hunter Lia Zager
Economic Spotlight | Timothy Gill
Standards | Al Scolnik
Washington Report | Kyle Pitsor
Art Director | Jennifer Tillmann
Media Sales Team Leader | Stephanie Bunsick
electroindustry (ISSN 1066-2464) is published monthly by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, 1300 N. 17th Street, Suite
1752, Rosslyn, VA 22209; 703.841.3200. FAX: 703.841.5900. Periodicals postage paid at Rosslyn, VA, and York, PA, and additional
mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NEMA, 1300 N. 17th Street, Suite 1752, Rosslyn, VA 22209. The opinions or
views expressed in electroindustry do not necessarily reflect the positions of NEMA or any of its subdivisions.
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COMMENTS FROM
THE C-SUITE
Officers
Chairman
David J. FitzGibbon
Vice Chairman & CEO
ILSCO Corporation
First Vice Chairman
Dominic J. Pileggi
Chairman of the Board & CEO
Thomas & Betts Corporation
Second Vice Chairman
John Selldorff
President & CEO
Legrand North America
Treasurer
Christopher Curtis
President & CEO
Schneider Electric
Immediate Past Chairman
Charlie Jerabek
Vice Chairman
Osram Sylvania
President & CEO
Evan R. Gaddis
Secretary
Clark R. Silcox
If you want to change the world, write a standard. Standards make things fit, keep
you safe, and ensure that when you buy something, it is going to work as expected.
NEMA has shaped standards for 85 years, and counting.
Alphabets, structures, transportation, processes, and procedures have all been
standardized at times throughout history. Put manufacturing in the mix, add the
power of electricity, and the results are products that perform precisely, providing
increased quality of living, safety, and functionality at the individual, commercial,
and industrial levels.
This autumn, in what is NEMA’s 85th anniversary, I am proud to continue what was
begun in the fall of 1926 with the merger of the Electric Power Club and the Associated
Manufacturers of Electrical Supplies. NEMA continues developing electroindustry
standards that open doors for members to manufacture and sell product.
As expressed in its refined strategic plan, NEMA’s core competencies list standards
alongside advocacy and information as the drivers for success. It is still true of NEMA
today what was said 85 years ago when then Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover
wrote to NEMA President Gerard Swope:
“I believe such an association under proper guidance can perform a very useful service
not only to the industry but to the public…we have need of a great deal of standardizing
of supplies and apparatus; we have need of simplification in many directions. We have
need of more economic study and industrial statistics in the industry – all of which
contribute to the more enlightened conduct of business and ultimately results in
greater stability to industry and in favorable returns to the consumer and public. A
constructive trade association dealing with these fundamental questions is a necessity
of our modern industry.”
Since then, NEMA has only changed for the better.
Today we write standards for products such as electric vehicle supply equipment,
where in addition to the physical product requirements, NEMA standardizes the
digital transmittal of customer information. We write standards for the way images
display in doctors’ offices and airports. We are involved in nanotechnology standards
at the international level. And, as Smart Grid becomes a reality, NEMA builds system
intelligence and shapes product interoperability. NEMA’s e-business arm, IDEA,
standardizes data that is transmitted through the industry supply chain, increasing
partner sales, reducing costs, and synchronizing processes. The list continues to expand
as more products and systems make their way under NEMA’s purview.
As we celebrate World Standards Day on October 13, you can expect that NEMA will be
well represented.
I look forward to seeing each of you at NEMA’s annual meeting, Illuminations Weekend,
on October 28-29 at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington D.C. ei
2 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
David J. FitzGibbon
Chairman
View from the Top
ŰŰStandards and Conformity Assessment—Not Sexy, but Important
Ted Crandall, Senior Vice President and CFO, Rockwell Automation and
NEMA Standards and Conformity Assessment Policy Committee Chairman
One of NEMA’s
important roles as
an organization
is to represent the
electrical industry
in the development
of standards,
conformity
assessment
processes, and regulatory matters,
such as those related to environmental
requirements and energy efficiency.
Globalization and rapid changes in
technology present new challenges and
require NEMA and member companies
to increase engagement in standards and
conformity assessment activities.
Standards are important because
they facilitate market access and
business opportunity for the industry
while ensuring safety, security, and
sustainability for customers and
communities. If we do not effectively
participate in standards development, we
risk having our products, solutions, or
services shut out of certain markets.
Conformity assessment, the process by
which products are deemed to comply
with standards, is also important.
Recent years have seen an explosion
of standards and regulations being
issued by governments and standardsetting bodies around the world. For
companies operating in global markets,
requirements for third-party certification
and the need to have products certified to
multiple standards can be very expensive.
It is in the interest of member companies
to drive more commonality in standards
and conformity assessment. Currently,
NEMA holds the U.S. secretariats for the
IEC international conformity assessment
schemes—IECEE CB (electrical) and Ex
(Explosive Atmosphere) schemes.
One natural evolution in NEMA’s
role is related to changes in the global
marketplace. The world continues to
become more economically connected
because of increasing global trade
and technology. This is reflected in
NEMA’s technical budget related to
standards work. In 2011, it was about
equally divided between domestic and
international activities.
Historically, NEMA has been a key player
in the development of product standards,
including the National Electrical Code®,
and conformity assessment processes,
working in concert with national
standards bodies such as ANSI, ASTM,
NIST, and USNC. That role continues
today, and remains a critical role for
many sections whose products are sold
predominantly in the U.S.
But for other sections whose products
have a more global appeal, NEMA
coordinates and facilitates participation
in international standard setting
bodies. This includes regional standards
activities in CANENA as well as broader
international work with IEC, ISO, and
IEEE. For many members, international
standards are increasingly important.
And new global players are becoming
involved. This year China will join
leaders in the IEC, along with Japan, the
UK, Germany, France, and the U.S. It is
critical that U.S. companies be active in
these organizations to ensure that our
interests are reflected in the resulting
standards.
Advances in technology also require
an evolution in NEMA’s approach
to standards. “Smart” products and
advances in networking technologies
require a more systems-oriented
approach to standards, including high
performance buildings, Smart Grid, and
electric vehicles. Integrating products
in these systems requires a new focus
on interoperability that goes beyond
individual product standards.
Thinking Ahead
Because standards are so critical to
our industry, we need to ensure that a
consistent stream of technical experts
is available to support future needs.
The 2012 IEC master plan includes the
Young Professional Program. NEMA, too,
needs to encourage younger technical
professionals to participate in standards
activities. For some individuals, it may
represent a career path. For others, it
can be a valuable experience, especially
related to international work.
Participation in standards development
can expose young engineers and future
technical and business leaders to
new technologies, provide them with
opportunities to benchmark different
approaches to technical issues, help them
to better understand global customer
requirements, teach them to negotiate
and compromise, and allow them to
benefit from a cross-cultural experience.
Strong NEMA leadership in
international standards organizations
will ensure that the standards developed
by those organizations appropriately
reflect U.S. needs. Active participation
in the development of global standards
and conformity assessment processes is
necessary to ensure that NEMA member
companies remain competitive in a
global marketplace, and that customers
can be assured of safe, secure, and
cost-effective products, solutions, and
services.
It can also be a great development
opportunity for our future technical and
business leaders.
It may not be sexy, but it’s very
important. ei
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 3 View from the Industry
ŰŰLighting Standards Empower New Technology
Terry McGowan, Director of Technology, American Lighting Association
It’s no surprise to
NEMA members
that the world
of standards is
changing and that
the importance of
standards has never
been greater. As
we move through a
time of rapid technology changes, there
are more requirements than ever before
that manufacturers must meet in order
to move a lighting product profitably into
the market.
American Lighting Association (ALA)
members participate in the standards
development process via Underwriters
Laboratory (UL), the Canadian
Standards Association (CSA), the
Illuminating Society of North America
(IES), National Electrical Code® (NEC),
and ALA also works with NEMA
members, often jointly, on many
of the standards-making panels. It’s
time consuming, expensive, but
necessary work.
The “standards dilemma” is always
with us, especially with respect to
new technology—is it too soon or too
late to write a standard that involves a
new technology? If written too soon,
innovation is handicapped; if too late,
the cost for manufacturers to change
and adapt increases, public safety may
be compromised, and it may no longer
be possible to write a comprehensive
standard since local or even national
jurisdictions may have already chosen
certain incompatible technical
directions.
4 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
Performance Meets Aesthetics
ALA and its members are now putting
more efforts into standards for two
reasons:
• the development of solid state
lighting (SSL), and
• the growing requirements for
performance testing of lamp and
luminaire products.
The “standards dilemma” is
always with us, especially with
the respect to new technology—
is it too soon or too late to write
a standard that involves a new
technology?
Traditionally, for example, residential
lighting products were not tested for
light output and light distribution
characteristics because such products
were designed, evaluated, and sold
based on appearance—both lighted and
unlighted.
Uniqueness and variety helped make
the sale for many luminaires, so the goal
was not standardization, but the ability
to take a design and customize it with
colors, finishes, and materials. As long
as fire- and user-safety requirements
were met, manufacturers focused
on products that met designer and
customer expectations for function and
appearance.
That thinking is changing. It is driven by
SSL technology, where the characteristics
of the electronic driver and the mounting
of LEDs (SSL that uses semiconductor
light-emitting diodes) are an integral
part of the optics and the performance of
the whole luminaire.
ALA’s challenge is to help determine
where light output is important and then
to classify the luminaire accordingly,
leaving room for lighting that is not
designed to be functional, but is designed
to be seen as a decorative object. ALA
has worked to define “functional” and
“decorative” lighting and continues
to work on similar definitions for
“directional” and “non-directional”
luminaires, which are the terms used by
ENERGY STAR®.
From the standards perspective, the key
aspect of these definitions is to recognize
that electric energy can and should
be used to generate light, not only for
visibility or visual performance, but also
because the light and the products which
generate it have aesthetic benefits. ei
Mr. McGowan has more than 40 years
of experience in the lighting industry. He
serves as technical committee chair for
the International Dark Sky Association,
is a member of the International
Commission of Illumination and a fellow
of the Illuminating Engineering Society,
and is lighting certified by the National
Council on Qualifications for the Lighting
Professions.
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Washington Report
ŰŰNEMA Regulatory Actions Update
In response to the increased workload
from Department of Energy (DOE)
and Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) rulemaking activities, NEMA
government relations centralized its
regulatory activity under one manager.
This reorganization incorporates a
collaboration approach among various
product sections within the association
rather than within individual industries.
Throughout the summer, NEMA staff
met with key DOE and EPA officials to
discuss timelines and industry concerns.
Energy Rulemakings
Motor and Generator Section
anticipates a revised test procedures
final rule (the proposed rule was
subject to much comment), as well as
the preliminary analysis of a proposed
DOE motor efficiency standards rule.
The test procedures rule is expected to
be published first. New motor efficiency
standards went into effect in December
2010 as a result of NEMA-backed
provisions in the Energy Independence
and Security Act of 2007.
Ballast Section looks to DOE for
comments on the proposed fluorescent
ballast efficiency rule and hopes for more
collaboration on proposed performance
levels, which were poorly received in
May and June. DOE is court mandated to
finish this rule before the end of the year.
Numerous public comments indicate
that work is being done to revise it.
Lamp Section awaits DOE’s proposed
rule for test procedures for highintensity discharge lamps, as well as a
framework document for the standard.
The industry also awaits the final rule
for certain elliptical and bulged reflector
incandescent lamps. A framework
document is also expected for a
separate rulemaking on general service
fluorescent and incandescent reflector
lamp standards.
6 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
Luminaire Section looks forward to
the proposed rule for metal halide
fixtures. It also proposed an extension
to DOE’s Compliance, Certification and
Enforcement (CCE) Rule reporting date.
If accepted, the CCE rule will extend the
deadline to 12 months after approval,
which by most estimates is at least
October 2012. DOE has requested public
comments on a Luminaires/Lighting
Systems Rulemaking in response to
comments from NEMA and others. This
approach would focus on final systems
design and combinations of components
to evaluate and regulate overall
efficiency, something NEMA favors.
A summary of all federal appliance
rulemakings is available at
www.appliance-standards.org/national.
Click on “DOE Schedule by Product.”
Transformer Products Section
has agreed to a DOE proposal for
undertaking a “negotiated rulemaking”
process rather than the typical proposalcomment approach. DOE is under a
court order to issue final distribution
transformer rules by October 2012.
Solid State Lighting (SSL) Section
submitted comments in July on
EPA’s proposed guidance for lumen
maintenance testing. Since SSL is
an emerging technology, all parties
want to provide the best guidance to
facilitate acquisition without hindering
innovation.
Power Electronics Section submitted
comments in August on the latest draft
proposal for the Uninterruptible Power
Supplies (UPS) program. Based on the
number of comments from NEMA and
others, it does not seem ready to be
finalized.
Luminaire Section continues to develop
guidance on Optimum Power Density,
a new metric for outdoor lighting
evaluation. NEMA urges EPA to use it in
the development of an outdoor lighting
ENERGY STAR® specification.
ENERGY STAR
EPA recently announced guidance
for its new ENERGY STAR Climate
Controls program. NEMA members are
evaluating the approach for comment.
When EPA cancelled the programmable
thermostat program, NEMA responded
by creating Energy Aware™ to fill the gap.
EPA’s new program seeks to establish
ease-of-use tests whereby the energy
savings potential of an intelligent
thermostat can be best realized, thus
qualifying it for the ENERGY STAR
mark. A NEMA position on this subject
is forthcoming.
California State Efforts
California continues a steady effort,
with Title 20 and Title 24 being updated
every two years. Members in the lamp,
luminaire, UPS, lamp ballast, SSL,
transformer, thermostat, and other
sections are following proposals to these
codes. In addition to its involvement
with the California Energy Commission,
NEMA is strengthening ties with the
California Lighting Technology Center,
California Public Utilities Commission,
and individual investor-owned utilities.
As part of NEMA efforts for
collaboration within the industry, the
Lighting Controls and Residential and
Commercial Controls sections have
discussed common interests related to
California Title 24 proposals for hotel
room residency control requirements
for climate controls, lighting, and plug
loads. As more “products” interact and
work as “systems,” additional industry
collaboration will be taking place. ei
Alex Boesenberg, Regulatory Affairs
Manager | alex.boesenberg@nema.org
ŰŰNEMA Testifies on Tax Incentives
Tax incentives for retrofitting and upgrading commercial
buildings was the focus of a special Senate briefing in September
as Congress returned to address policies that support economic
recovery and jobs.
The briefing was hosted by Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and
Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
The commercial building tax deduction was enacted in the
2005 energy bill with the strong backing of NEMA. It was the
first-of-its-kind provision to incent energy efficiency upgrades in
the commercial sector which has resulted in over $600 million in
deductions benefiting NEMA member technologies, particularly
interior lighting systems.
The briefing outlined opportunities to improve the 179D IRS tax
deduction so that it could have a broader effect and immediate
jobs impact for retrofitting existing buildings. Any changes in the
statute would require congressional approval.
Panel members, from left, are: Kyle Pitsor NEMA; Brad
Molotsky, Brandywine Realty Trust; Duane Desiderio, Real
Estate Roundtable; Tony Malkin, Malkin Holdings (The Empire
State Building); and Lane Burt, U.S. Green Building Council.
Photo courtesy of Real Estate Roundtable
ŰŰNEMA Breaks Ground with New Rulemaking Process
This fall, the NEMA Transformer Section
is participating in an innovative process
to determine new U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE) federal energy
conservation standards for distribution
transformers.
Using its authority under the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, DOE, with
NEMA’s support, is experimenting with
a series of face-to-face negotiations
among DOE-identified stakeholders,
including manufacturers, utilities, and
environmental and consumer advocates.
NEMA staff and NEMA member
companies have seats at the table.
This process allows for greater
interaction among the parties and more
robust conversations between DOE
consultants and stakeholders about
price and efficiency data, underlying
assumptions, and other aspects of
DOE’s technical analyses. The law allows
DOE to increase efficiency standards
for covered products when they are
technologically feasible, economically
justified, and would result in significant
energy savings.
Due to a legal settlement surrounding
the last round of energy-efficiency
increases for medium voltage drytype and liquid-filled distribution
transformers, which went into effect
in January 2010, DOE is required to
establish a new final rule by October
2012. Additionally, DOE, although under
no requirement to do so, has decided to
complete a final rule for low voltage drytype distribution transformers within
this same time frame. One committee
has been established for medium voltage
dry-type and liquid-filled distribution
transformers and another committee for
low voltage dry-type units.
If successful, these negotiations will
result in a unanimous consent proposal
for some or all of the distribution
transformers under DOE’s jurisdiction.
Because all the key stakeholders will have
been part of the consensus proposals,
they would be given a great deal of
weight as the Secretary of Energy Steven
Chu proposes new final rules.
Based on NEMA’s experience with
the negotiation process, it may be one
that other sections with DOE-covered
products may want to consider. ei
Jim Creevy, Director of Government
Relations | jim.creevy@nema.org
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 7 Washington Report
ŰŰNEMA, MITA Engagement in States Yields Many Wins, New Opportunities
In 2011, NEMA and MITA engaged 15
state legislatures directly, advocating
on 31 separate legislative measures. Of
those, NEMA’s and MITA’s efforts have
resulted in 13 wins and 1 loss, with
14 measures still pending at time of
publication. NEMA and MITA also have
engaged with state regulatory bodies
on a number of issues critical to the
electroindustry.
While most state legislatures have
adjourned for the year, several important
states remain in session including
Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Here is a summary of legislative and
regulatory successes to date:
Energy Efficiency
Once again, California continues to
advance many regulatory initiatives
important to NEMA, and the focus
in 2011 has been on energy-efficiency
provisions in Title 20 (California
Appliance Code) and Title 24 (California
Building Code).
Members of several NEMA product
sections (including Lamps, Luminaires,
UPSs, Lamp Ballasts, Solid State
Lighting, Transformers, and Residential
and Commercial Control) have
engaged in drafting and analyzing
code proposals. This work has involved
NEMA engagement with the California
Energy Commission, the California
Lighting Technology Center, and the
California Public Utilities Commission,
as well as individual investor-owned
utilities in the state.
Life Safety / CO Detection
This year, NEMA has built on previous
successes in expanding life safety
protection:
• fought for a precedent-setting
law to require the installation of
carbon monoxide (CO) detection
8 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
requirements in all public and
nonpublic schools in Connecticut
• helped reduce the scope of legislation
designed to undo existing CO
detection requirements in New
Hampshire
• opposed legislation to repeal existing
requirements for CO detection in
rental properties in Montana
• supported legislation (now law) to
establish CO detection requirements in
residential buildings in Arkansas
• participated on the California State
Fire Marshal’s (SFM) Smoke Alarms
Task Force, which examined smoke
detection technology and issued
recommendations to the SFM in
August 2011
Medical Imaging
NEMA’s Medical Imaging & Technology
Alliance (MITA) experienced several
successes to date in 2011:
• supported legislation that became a law
making practical improvements that
simplify compliance with California’s
2010 radiation dose recording and
reporting regulations
• championed exemption language in a
law protecting ultrasound equipment
customers in Washington state
from being forced to comply with
inapplicable clinical guidelines
• advocated for legislation, now law,
that advances the process of creating a
uniform, statewide process of allowing
medical equipment vendors to access
hospitals for sales purposes in Indiana
• opposed legislation to extend a
moratorium on construction of
radiation therapy facilities across
Minnesota
Mercury-Containing Products
NEMA continues to succeed in its
efforts to prevent counterproductive and
overly burdensome state laws directed at
mercury-containing products. Only one
law that NEMA opposed was enacted in
2011—a mercury lamp recycling statute
in Vermont that closely resembles the
framework established in Maine in 2009.
NEMA and its members succeeded in
amending the bill before passage to,
among other changes, limit its scope and
push back the date of compliance. Other
state bills aimed at mercury-containing
lamps and thermostats failed to advance
in the 2011 session.
Meanwhile, manufacturers are
addressing mercury products in the most
effective way possible by introducing
lower mercury-containing products and
non-mercury alternatives—an effort that
proceeds regardless of state legislation.
Outdoor Lighting
NEMA has been successful in
preventing enactment of harmful
outdoor lighting legislation in New York
and Massachusetts. This legislation
would increase the regulatory burden
on manufacturers and require
manufacturers to develop products
for a specific state, rather than a national
market. This legislation has not passed
and NEMA continues to actively
oppose it.
State legislative and regulatory activities
affecting the electroindustry have
increased steadily in recent years, and
this trend undoubtedly will continue in
the absence of federal congressional or
executive action in these areas.
NEMA is poised to continue advocating
at the state level in 2012 and beyond to
ensure that electroindustry priorities are
advanced. ei
Sarah Owen, Government Relations
Manager | sarah.owen@nema.org
Standards—Foundation of Business Strategy
Finding the
Value Proposition
for Standards Participation
Timothy McNeive, Manager, Technical Liaison Group, Thomas & Betts Corporation
I
t has been said that the two primary motivations for investing in direct
participation in standards writing are fear and greed.
These two razor-sharp words are seldom found in a company’s
strategic business plan or in public or private sector strategies
and policies, but the words risk and opportunity often are, and I
suggest that they are respectively synonymous.
The fundamental value of standards is very well described
by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) at
www.standardsboostbusiness.org/value_standards.aspx. What
is needed is a renewed awareness of the importance of standards
and of investing in standards processes—at both working and
policy levels—as vital tools for managing risk and facilitating
opportunities for companies and entire economies.
Developing standards-based market infrastructure…
should be seen as anchoring the long-term reward.
Process Drives Innovation
Standards that are regularly maintained through effective
processes are at the foundation of any developed market
or economy. Many have lost sight of the importance of this
critical foundation in the developed markets of North America
and have reduced or eliminated funding for the resources—
including qualified technical personnel—that is necessary to
sustain standards infrastructure.
The contribution of this legacy infrastructure over the past
century to mitigate risks, such as public safety and product
liability, as well as the facilitation of opportunities such as
new markets, new technologies, and product innovation, has
somehow become discounted in corporate budgets.
It may be too much to ask that C-suite executives
become conversant in the nuances of technical
standards, but there is a critical need to
begin re-educating the current generation
of executives— at top and middle levels
of management—of the important role
effective standards and their processes play
in both developed and developing markets.
Perhaps one way to begin is to look for
the value proposition in terms of risk and
opportunity to each key department in an
enterprise: engineering, operations, sales and
marketing, finance, and legal. In doing so, I
believe we will find that there is a cumulative
value for a business investing in standards
activities. That value will be determined by
each department in the enterprise based on,
“What’s in it for me?”
Engineers and engineering managers are the
most likely to understand the role of standards,
although perhaps not in the broadest sense. On
the risk side, standards that are too prescriptive
or inadequately or inefficiently maintained,
pose barriers to innovation and introduction
of new technologies. Failure to actively
participate, or at least remain vigilant to
the evolution of important standards, can
consume engineering resources through
unplanned, reactive engineering and in
the worst of cases, can entirely obsolete
products and technologies. On the
opportunity side, standards provide an
understandable platform for product
design and innovation and when
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 9 What is needed is a renewed awareness of the importance
of standards and of investing in standards processes … as
vital tools for managing risk and facilitating opportunities.
effectively and strategically managed, facilitate true innovation
and new technology.
Showing Up
It is said that the world is run by those who show up. This is
perhaps most true in the standards world. Direct participants
in standards forums are more likely to achieve their strategic
objectives than those who do not participate. This is because
they know the process and how to support their technical
positions, and have developed necessary relationships within
that process. As direct users of the standards, engineers need
to be key technical contributors, if not direct participants in
the processes.
Standards that are regularly maintained through
effective processes are at the foundation of any
developed market or economy.
Manufacturing and operations managers can be directly
affected by industry standards. On the risk side, quality
programs that do not represent compliance with key industry
standards can inadvertently result in market acceptance
issues or service disruptions resulting from findings by
certification auditors.
On the opportunity side, industrial engineers at factories are
often contributors to value engineering and therefore should
be knowledgeable on how they can influence standards or
how changes in standards can influence their manufacturing
operations. Operations personnel can provide unique inputs as
well. Well-trained quality managers often have the right tool set
for direct participation in standards processes.
As previously stated, developed markets have a strong standards
foundation. Introduction of counter-culture innovation into
10 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
these markets is highly risky without first adapting existing
standards. Marketing and sales organizations who do not take
this into account are often doomed to fail. In undeveloped
markets where standards are not in place, short-term successes
can be achieved.
But as markets evolve, they typically demand increasing degrees
of standardization. Sustaining a hard-fought market position
at this stage of market development can be dependent upon
directly contributing to a developing standards-based market
infrastructure. This effort should be seen as anchoring the longterm reward for all preceding risk.
The finance and legal departments of an enterprise are all
about risk management. From a finance perspective, the
decision to invest resources in standards management does not
follow the classical return on an investment model. The case
for such investments can easily be made with the cumulative
support from engineering, operations, and marketing and sales
management. On the legal front, product liability risks are
mitigated by adherence to well-maintained industry standards.
Direct participation in these standards processes exhibits the
investment by an enterprise in knowledge of these standards
and their employment in risk management priorities.
In conclusion, I suggest that each NEMA member company
conduct an internal audit to present the above assertions to
their engineering, operations, marketing and sales, finance, and
legal departments to determine if the level of investment the
enterprise is making in standards-related activities is adequate
to mitigate its risks and maximize its opportunities.
Whether it’s from fear or greed, risk or opportunity, I look
forward to seeing you, some for the first time, at the next
standards meeting. ei
Mr. McNeive is the vice chair of the NEMA International and
Regional Standardization Committee.
Standards—Foundation of Business Strategy
Innovative Manufacturers
Prepare for Digital Success
Industry collaboration powers the next
generation of data sync
Sonia Coleman, Marketing and Web Consultant
I
n this lean economy, manufacturers are finding themselves fighting a
digital battle as distributors and retailers clamor for more and better
product information to satisfy information-thirsty, mobile-enabled
purchasers. As eCommerce competition rages on, many electrical
manufacturers are finding some of their biggest challenges to be within:
hidden away in the quiet recesses of their own product data and processes.
“Manufacturers are challenged for many reasons; some have
grown by acquisition and have several different technical
structures within their company,” said Del Nickel, past
president of Pentair Technical Products. “Therefore, a lot of
manufacturers have a multiplicity of information—customer
data, transactional data, marketing data, etc.—that isn’t
integrated or aligned. This ultimately leads to costly errors and
productivity loss for both manufacturers and distributors.”
Disparate systems weren’t as much of a problem when
employees manually managed information and a catalog only
had to be released a few times a year. Now distributors and other
customers need comprehensive web storefronts, creating new
uses and requirements for product information, as well as new
competitive pressures.
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 11 “Years ago, internal product data was not meant for external
publication,” said Mark Richards, eCommerce director, Leviton.
“Product data is going through a transition; the web has
changed the way we view this information and has exposed the
importance of having it in one place where it can be maintained
and extracted quickly.”
A Changing Marketplace
One thing that has definitely changed is that product
information has gone public—accurate or not—on numerous
distributor and retailer websites across the nation.
“We had an ‘A-Ha’ moment when we saw examples of our
product data on third-party websites that were completely
inaccurate and misrepresented. Until then, I’m not sure we
made the connection about where customers were getting that
product data for their eCommerce sites. It was a wakeup call
that it’s really up to us—the supplier—to be responsible for
providing accurate product data to customers and monitoring
Why is DMP important?
Accurate and complete product information is the competitive weapon
that helped Amazon win out over Borders. And yet, a simple scan of
Amazon makes it clear which manufacturers are supplying the best
marketing data on their products and which manufacturers are content to
allow inaccurate information flourish.
The marketplace is changing, and electrical products are being published
in e-catalogs across the web—and quite often incorrectly. Your
customers need more marketing information, but your data infrastructure
might be a large barrier to overcome. You need a nimble, speedy response
to market pressures.
IDEA’s DMP enables your staff to consolidate all your internal data in
one location and then validate and send it out to all your customers
in both distribution and retail. This tool removes redundancies and
replaces inefficient, manual processes: which ultimately improves your
communications with customers and brings more dollars to the bottom line.
12 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
our brands,” said Dawn Wright-Perry, master data manager
for Milbank Manufacturing Co. “Our trading partners need
descriptive, robust product data now to do business.”
With product information becoming so transparent to end
users and mission critical to trading partners, manufacturers
have strengthened their focus and commitment to data content
and quality. But many manufacturers are still grappling with
internal hurdles and roadblocks.
“We have more than 80 years worth of data. We have so many
different SKUs, and so much data for each SKU, in different
formats and locations. It would be helpful for manufacturers
in our situation to be able to manage it in one place,” said Ms.
Wright-Perry.
Likewise, other manufacturers realize that to be more
competitive, a more efficient solution is needed to integrate the
different silos of internal product information.
“Cooper is a unique organization with several different
divisions, some of which are heavily reliant on manual
processes and are not fully leveraging the capability of our
enterprise system. We’re interested in taking it to the next
level by consolidating internal processes and implementing a
solution as a single thread across all divisions to improve our
data synchronization efforts with trading partners,” said Samer
Shehadeh, EDI manager, Cooper Industries.
Industry Innovation—A Great IDEA
So what’s a manufacturer to do? Electrical industry
manufacturers and distributors have collaborated with IDEA,
the electrical industry technology service provider, to produce a
solution to help manufacturers aggregate and manage all their
product information in one place. They’ve come together to
create a new software tool that will help the industry achieve the
next generation of data synchronization, the Data Management
Platform (DMP).
The DMP combines the best of the electrical wholesale data
synchronization platform (the Industry Data Warehouse or
IDW) and the retail data synchronization platform (the IRD
CERICOMX®), while incorporating flexible features that enable
manufacturers to manage their internal data and customerspecific data. The new platform acts like an operating system
on a computer: it provides a user-friendly, visual interface
that a manufacturer can use to organize all its product data,
including standardized marketing content, and it validates that
information against industry and global standards as applicable.
Standards—Foundation of Business Strategy
A number of manufacturers and distributors have been
involved with the DMP for several months as pilot participants,
helping IDEA to streamline the platform and plan for
future improvements. While still in the initial stages of
implementation, some of these companies explain why they
want to be early adopters and share their progression towards
the next generation of data sync.
Streamlined Processes
Like many manufacturers, Cooper Industries has several
divisions, each with its own process for providing product
information to trading partners.
“We see our efforts as a two-pronged approach, with IDEA
helping and guiding us. First, we are automating the process
of sending product updates to the IDW throughout each
division. Second, we are focused on integrating key marketing
information into our data sync processes to help our trading
partners compete. As we move forward with automating, we’re
looking at one single automated process across all Cooper
divisions to enable daily product updates to automatically feed
Creating one source of your product information,
automating it through a certified data management
platform and synchronizing it to multiple channels at
one time—now that’s a game changer
the DMP, hence populating the IDW,” said Mr. Shehadeh.
While the company is still early in the process of implementing
the DMP, Shehadeh already appreciates the tool’s ability to
streamline information across all divisions.
“The DMP adds value by consolidating the process and enabling
us to publish the data one time, certify that it is accurate, and
allocate it where needed to our trading partners,” he said.
Saving Time
Manufacturers are also eliminating duplicate work and
redundancies with DMP. Data synchronized through DMP
complies with wholesale distribution industry standards and
Global Data Synchronization standards.
the tool is flexible and more user friendly,” said Milbank’s Ms.
Wright-Perry. “It is a huge time saver. For example, using DMP,
I was able to load about 130 items with standardized marketing
content, and I did it in about 10 minutes!”
Since Milbank’s product niche is utility driven, it’s crucial that
the manufacturer communicate specification changes quickly
and efficiently to trading partners.
“We need one version of the truth for our product data that
every department can use. DMP enables us to store our product
information in one place, and it validates the data against
industry and global standards based on the channel we send
it to. This gives us more time to aggregate detailed, enriched
product marketing content and provide it electronically,” said
Ms. Wright-Perry.
With more efficient processes, manufacturer staff can focus on
more meaningful tasks.
“DMP will help alleviate the burden of looking through
several databases, catalogs, and spec sheets—tying up multiple
resources searching for data that’s been requested by our
trading partners,” said Leviton’s Mr. Richards. “We see DMP as
having a tremendous impact on response time. The quicker we
can get complete data to our customers, the quicker they can
accomplish their goals.”
In the digital marketplace, accessible product information is a
critical competitive tool to ensure success.
“In this industry, it’s really crucial that companies adapt to
change and understand that the cutting edge, next generation
of data synchronization is around us. IDEA is working with
the industry to be ahead of the game, developing best-inbreed solutions,” said Mr. Shehadeh. “Creating one source of
your product information, automating it through a certified
data management platform and synchronizing it to multiple
channels at one time—now that’s a game changer.”
Visit IDEA’s website (www.idea-esolutions.com),
call (703-562-4600), or email info@idea-esolutions.com.
Ms. Coleman has been writing about electrical industry issues for
over a decade. She is a marketing & web consultant. She can be
reached at scoleman@colemanunlimited.com. ei
“Due to differing channel standards and requirements, we had
to reformat the same product data in a completely different
manner and load it twice to synchronize it with distributors
and retailers. With DMP, I can load the data just once, and
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 13 ANSI Z535 Updates Standards for
Safety Colors and Signs
Greg Winchester, NEMA Program Manager
After four years of review by ANSI Z535 committees, the newest revisions of the safety standard have been
released. The reviews led to a reaffirmed safety color standard (ANSI Z535.1) and revisions of the standards
covering environmental and facility safety signs, signage symbols, product labels, safety tags, barricade tapes,
and product literature (Z535.2, Z535.3, Z535.4, Z535.5, and Z535.6). The Z535 Safety Color Chart now bears a 2011
designation with updated and corrected information concerning ink specifications.
ANSI Z535.1 Safety Colors has been released as a reaffirmation
of the 2006 edition. It features:
• updated contact information for obtaining color
tolerance charts
• corrections in the value/chroma specifications for
safety orange
• properly located safety color centroids on the CIE 1931
Chromaticity Diagram
• updated references
ANSI Z535.2 Environmental Facility and Safety Signs is now
better harmonized with Z535.4, Z535.5, and Z536.6. In so doing,
the concepts of accident, harm, and incident have been refined
to more clearly delineate the separation of physical injury and
other safety-related issues. This edition also clarifies the five
types of safety signs for facilities and environments—hazard
alerting, notice, safety instructions, safety equipment location,
and fire equipment location.
ANSI Z535.3 Criteria for Safety Symbols has also been revised
to eliminate an annex on safety symbol examples. Certain
examples from that annex have been moved into the annex
on symbol design to illustrate graphical design principles and
guidelines. Another annex on evaluation of candidate safety
symbols includes:
• a table of equivalent scoring if less than 50 test subjects
are used
• controls and safeguards if the comprehension test is
administered over the internet
• a minimum symbol size to test when the actual symbol
size is unknown
• an optional test question about the consequences
of not following safety instructions
14 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
ANSI Z535.4 Product Safety Signs and Labels was revised to
align Z535.2, Z535.4, Z535.5, and Z535.6. As a result, Z535.4
now includes refinements to the concepts of accident, harm,
and incident to clearly delineate physical injury from other
safety-related issues. Z535.4 also introduces the safety
instructions sign to join the existing hazard-alerting sign
and safety notice sign.
ANSI Z535.5 Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary
Hazards) was similarly part of the effort to harmonize Z535.2,
Z535.4, Z535.5, and Z535.6. It also has the refined concepts
of accident, harm, and incident that clearly delineate physical
injury from other safety-related issues (such as property
damage). As Z535.4 introduces the safety instructions sign,
Z535.5 introduces a safety instructions tag.
ANSI Z535.6 Product Safety Information in Product Manuals,
Instructions, and Other Collateral Materials was accordingly
revised based on the changes made to Z535.4 for product signs
and labels, as well as to Z535.2, Z535.4, and Z535.5. It uses
the refined concepts of accident, harm, and incident to clearly
separate physical injury issues from other safety-related issues.
Z535.6 also clarifies the use of the safety alert symbol, now
permitting its use in the middle of a line of text.
ANSI Z535 is available as individual
documents or as a set. Visit www.
nema.org/stds/z535set.cfm. ei ei
Standards—Foundation of Business Strategy
The Emerging Scheme for Connected Vehicles
The cycle of standards, DSRC radios, and certification
will ensure that our talking cars can talk
Bruce Schopp, NEMA Manager of Transportation Systems
W
ith NEMA’s leadership on Smart Grid and two decades of support for
intelligent transportation systems (ITS), NEMA members are now
ready to be a part of the “Connected Vehicle” future. And that future may
hold newly emerging schemes for the certification of an important piece of
new equipment that will be in our vehicles and at our roadsides.
As previously reported in electroindustry, the U.S. Department
of Transportation (DOT), car manufacturers, after-market
manufacturers, and newly-emerged associations are all
participating in the development of vehicle-to-infrastructure
(V2I) communications with features that support new safety,
mobility, and environmental applications.
Part of the DOT program is sponsorship of DSRC (dedicated
short-range communications), using 5.9 GHz channel
assignments and IEEE 1609 Family of Standards for Wireless
Access in Vehicular Environments for the radio links. A federal
proposal, similar to the one that requires air bags in new
vehicles, could be enacted as early as 2013. It would mandate
that new vehicles sold in the U.S. be “Connected Vehicles,” that
is, they would have DSRC transceivers, which would enable
them to “talk” to each other and to the roadside.
Older vehicles could use after-market DSRC devices to join in
this new vehicle network, and drivers could then experience
many new autonomous features: collision avoidance, sudden
stop messages to trailing vehicles, smoother traffic flow,
improved traffic signal actuation, gas-saving engine control
when at red lights, and many other applications.
With such important safety-based communications, DSRC
radios will require several types of testing and certification
before deployment in vehicles or along the roadside. As we
know in the electrical product industry, any new effort for
technical or interface standards can spawn related product
compliance and safety testing activities, leading to the listings,
labels, certification, and marks that we have known for years.
Here I Am!
Although we’re mostly familiar with standards from NEMA,
the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 15 range and positioning accuracy. OmniAir members involved
in the testing project include Southwest Research Institute and
MET Labs, a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Scheming to Develop Transportation
Standards
others for electrical products, as well as related testing from UL,
CSA, and other Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories
(NRTLs), there are many similar and parallel schemes being
used for other products.
For example, are you aware of the Wi-Fi Alliance? You may
know that your notebook PC operates using IEEE 802.11 “b,”
“g,” or “n.” This set of standards implements wireless local area
network computer communication. But what test helped your
PC work in your local Starbucks hotspot?
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit organization for
high-speed wireless local area networking. The alliance owns
the brand Wi-Fi Certified™, a mark and listing for products to
ensure connectivity through testing and certification. More
than likely your PC, smart phone, and home wireless router
are Wi-Fi Certified. (Look up your devices at www.wi-fi.org/
search_products.php.) To accomplish testing and certification,
the alliance accredits ten test labs worldwide.
So who’s the new player to help connected vehicles connect?
The OmniAir Consortium. OmniAir, whose members
are organizations and individuals advocating for national
deployment of open, effective, and interoperable transportation
technologies, was formed to define a certification program and
services, select affiliated test organizations, and facilitate open
standards and third-party certification.
In May 2011, OmniAir received notice from the ITS Joint
Program Office to start work on “Plans, Procedures, and Tools
for Qualification and Certification Testing of Connected Vehicle
‘Here I Am’ (HIA) Devices.” The purpose is to develop and
document plans, procedures, and tools that will be needed for
the qualification and certification testing of HIA radio devices,
and to actually conduct the tests.
The scope for qualification and certification testing of the DSRC
radios will use a layered approach, including the 5.9 GHz radio
frequency medium, a format check of the IEEE 1609 family of
channel standards, and other selected operational checks while
the device is operating in a moving vehicle.
Testing will include radio- and message-level interface testing of
SAE-based signals, and minimum performance testing for radio
16 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
What’s the lesson here? NEMA has had limited involvement in
testing and conformance schemes, and we need to keep looking
for new opportunities is this area. Although past product
groups have well-defined, decades-old territory and roles (e.g.,
standards vs. conformity), emerging technologies need “the
whole package,” which gives NEMA the opportunity to define
more of the full cycle.
Currently, NEMA has its NEMA Premium® energy-efficiency
program and mark for electronic ballasts, electric motors,
and dry-type distribution transformers. Also, NEMA staff
administers the International Electrotechnical Commission
System for Conformity Testing and Certification of
Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE CB
Scheme), using certification bodies’ test certificates to verify
that product samples have successfully passed the appropriate
tests, in support of the goal “one standard, one test, accepted
everywhere.”
Emerging technologies need “the whole package,”
which gives NEMA the opportunity to define more of
the full cycle.
Most recently, NEMA announced a Smart Grid Interoperable &
Conformant (SGIC) testing scheme for interoperability testing
among NEMA members, utility companies, government, and
consumer advocates for Smart Grid interoperability standards.
As the SGIC scheme owner, NEMA retains the rules and
procedures for managing the processes used to write the test
plans and create the procedures for the actual product testing.
What new schemes can we develop to help our transportation
standards?
Conformity assessment schemes are applied to many products,
in many ways that are invisible, until you start investigating. But
there’s a cycle of life that’s common across these industries: a
product, a standard, a test, a certification, an inspection.
We at NEMA are pleased and proud of the role we play in
developing and maintaining many of those standards that play a
key part of the cycle in many of the world’s conformity schemes.
How can we help in the future?
For further information, see www.its.dot.gov and
www.standards.its.dot.gov. ei
Standards—Foundation of Business Strategy
Inside Smart Grid Standards at FERC
Paul A. Molitor, NEMA Assistant Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Special Projects
O
ne of the remaining open questions about Smart Grid standards deals
with the relationship between NIST (National Institute of Standards and
Technology) and FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) in the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). Section 1305(d) “Standards for
Interoperability in Federal Jurisdiction” reads:
“At any time after the Institute’s [NIST’s] work has led to
sufficient consensus in the Commission’s [FERC’s] judgment,
the Commission shall institute a rulemaking proceeding
to adopt such standards and protocols as may be necessary
to ensure smart-grid functionality and interoperability in
interstate transmission of electric power, and regional and
wholesale electricity markets.”
Between October 2010 and July 2011, NEMA had an
opportunity to see this dynamic play out when NIST submitted
a list of five families of standards for FERC to consider in
a rulemaking procedure. The standards were all from the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
• IEC 61970 and IEC 61968 provide a common information
model for exchanges of data between devices and networks,
primarily in transmission and distribution domains.
• IEC 61850 facilitates substation automation, communication,
and interoperability through a common data format.
• IEC 60870-6 facilitates exchanges of information between
control centers.
• IEC 62351 addresses the cybersecurity of the communication
protocols defined by the preceding IEC standards.
NEMA believes that standards create technical
positions that are in the best interests of the electrical
manufacturing industry and the users of its products.
During deliberations, FERC conducted a joint meeting with state
regulatory commissioners (November), a public hearing in the
form of a technical conference (January), and offered an extensive
open comment period (February through April). It received
detailed input from interested individuals; companies (including
NEMA members); associations and non-profits, such as NEMA
and EEI; state government entities; and consumer advocates.
The resulting order from FERC, issued on July 19, indicated
that it would not institute a rulemaking citing “insufficient
consensus for the five families of standards under
consideration.” While “insufficient consensus” is given as the
reason FERC chose not to rule on the standards, a more detailed
reading of the comments show that the commission’s logic is
very much in line with NEMA’s position on the issue.
Best Interests of Industry in Rulemaking
NEMA believes that it is not FERC’s role to identify winning
technologies for Smart Grid, either directly or indirectly,
by selecting a specific standard for rulemaking. As stated
in EISA Section 1305, this should only be done “as may be
necessary,” which may not have been the case in this instance.
Further, NEMA believes that FERC’s role should be to identify
performance objectives for the bulk generation and interstate
transmission portions of the grid, allowing the industry to
choose standards and technologies based on those standards.
As stated in the NEMA submission during the open comment
period, the challenge for FERC is to “articulate the functionality
they are trying to achieve, and not to simply endorse a
particular set of standards.”
Given its history as an ANSI-accredited standards development
organization, NEMA is committed to the creation of technical
standards and their adoption by industry, as well as regulating
bodies, to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the electric
grid. NEMA believes that standards create technical positions
that are in the best interests of the electrical manufacturing
industry and the users of its products. While there is an
appropriate instance for adopting standards in regulation, it is
not certain that utility companies and the rest of the Smart Grid
community were ready for FERC to act on the IEC standards
submitted by NIST.
At the same time, NEMA is pleased that FERC endorsed the
“NIST interoperability framework process, including the
work of the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) and its
committees and working groups” as being the “best vehicle for
developing Smart Grid interoperability standards.”
As a supporter of SGIP, the NEMA Smart Grid effort is
committed to the functions of the Governing Board, Plenary
Leadership, various working groups, and standards-writing
activities. The challenge for NIST, FERC, NEMA, and others is
to identify the proper method of implementation to achieve the
level of consensus that will satisfy FERC and its responsibilities
in rulemaking.
The full text of the FERC decision is available at www.ferc.gov/
EventCalendar/Files/20110719143912-RM11-2-000.pdf. ei
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 17 Smart Grid Standards
Development
Ken Caird, Senior T&D Systems Engineer Smart Grid, GE Energy
A
s the need for a Smart Grid started to evolve and become a reality, the
need for interoperability standards moved to the forefront. The Smart
Grid is really a “system of systems” that requires interoperability between
subsystems and components that had operated as “islanded systems” in the
past.
The industry clearly saw that if the Smart Grid were to become
a reality and be deployed worldwide, a complete set of Smart
Grid interoperability standards would be needed. This need was
articulated to the IEC Standards Management Board (SMB) in
Geneva. SMB, in turn, set up Strategic Group 3 “Smart Grid”
(SG3) to coordinate and provide oversight of the development
of Smart Grid interoperability standards.
Each country can send a national
representative to be a member of SG3.
The first task of SG3 was to develop a
Smart Grid standards roadmap, which
identified all existing IEC standards
and gaps in existing standards that were
applicable to the
Smart Grid. The
IEC SG3 Standards
SG3
Architecture
Roadmap can
Task Team
be found at
www.iec.ch/
smartgrid/roadmap.
approach. Figure 1 provides an overview of the seven layers of
Smart Grid requirements.
This approach allowed the team to leverage the work done by
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). SG3 also surveyed
associated technical committees and subcommittees (TCs/
SCs) to compile a list of attributes for each standard, where
if applicable, would map interoperability requirements to
standards attributes.
The team developed a mapping tool using the layered database
to automate the whole process and provide a user-friendly
interface allowing people in the standards industry to easily
use the mapping tool to identify associated
standards, gaps in standards, and new
standards requirements for a particular
Top Level System Services
project or product development.
System Capabilities
Use Cases
Reference Architecture
A more detailed explanation of the mapping
tool can be found at
www.iec.ch/smartgrid/
TC8/NIST mappingtool. The
mapping tool is currently
under beta testing by SG3
and should be released to the public for beta
testing shortly.
SG3 has also held two workshops with
TCs/SCs to help develop Smart Grid Use
Cases for the development of Smart Grid
interoperability requirements. These cases
will be imported into the mapping tool.
SG3 is also planning a meeting with other
standard development organizations in late
2011 to determine how it can coordinate
efforts to accelerate development of Smart
Grid standards.
Associated Standards
SG3 then took the approach to
identify which standards required no
modification, which existing standards
IEC SG3 Smart Grid Roadmap
required modification, and which
new standards would be developed
to provide a full suite of Smart Grid
Figure 1. The seven layers of Smart Grid requirements
standards. A special technical team
Graphic courtesy of IECFig. #1
was formed to look at the architectural
and interoperability requirements of
the Smart Grid to identify gaps in existing standards and new
For more information, check out the IEC Smart Grid website at
standards which would have to be developed.
www.iec.ch/smartgrid. ei
The team’s first attempt was to use standard office tools
such as Microsoft Excel and Visio to map interoperability
requirements to the list of 100+ existing standards. This
attempt soon proved to be inadequate and too manually
intensive. The team then decided to automate the process of
mapping requirements to standards by using a layered data base
18 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
Mr. Caird has more than 35 years of experience in the electric
utility automation field. He is the U.S. representative on the
IEC Standards Management Board and is leading the IEC SG3
Architecture Task Team developing a database linking Smart
Grid business and architectural requirements to IEC standards.
Standards—Foundation of Business Strategy
IEC Masterplan Looks to the Future
Ken Gettman, NEMA Director of International Standards
A
ccording to its 2006 Masterplan Vision and Mission1 , the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) wants all countries to use the
IEC standard and join the conformity assessment systems.
On the surface this is a reasonable proposition. The concept of
all manufacturers held to one set of performance and safety
requirements, with consistent certification requirements
applied worldwide, should create a level playing field in
which competition is based on manufacturing expertise
and features desired by the customer. The premise is that all
relevant products are addressed by IEC standards so that all
manufacturers have access to the markets where IEC standards
are adopted.
In accordance with World Trade Organization rules, signatory
countries must look to adoption of international standards for
their markets. It is incumbent on NEMA and its members to
ensure that NEMA member products, along with U.S. wiring
rules and practices, are included in IEC standards being
considered for U.S. adoption.
This premise is reflected in the NEMA Values, Vision, Mission,
and Strategic Plan under “Key Strategies for Standards”2. Alec
McMillan, Rockwell Automation Director of Global Standards
and Trade, serves as Vice President, Technical, of the U.S.
National Committee (USNC) of the IEC. He sees the big picture.
“There are many opportunities for NEMA to engage and lead
IEC into the next generation of standards activities, particularly
on the cooperation between organizations, the outreach to
industry and developing countries, emerging technology
and markets, and especially in systems standardization and
conformity assessment,” said Mr. McMillan.
Addressing the Needs of Stakeholders
IEC standards are developed as voluntary documents that may
be adopted by countries and other bodies as regulation or that
may be the reference document used by specifiers when taking
bids for equipment needed for a project.
The development of standards as voluntary documents is one
of the driving forces that led to the IEC acknowledgement that
it must meet the needs of its stakeholders (including industry,
business, and government) or it will become irrelevant in the
marketplace. IEC’s quest for relevancy will be evident through
increased efforts to raise participation by standards developers,
trade associations, and industry consortia.
“Each organization has its key skills and focus, and each can
benefit from close partnership with each other on selected focus
programs,” said Mr. McMillan. “The value of IEC is undersold
1 www.iec.ch/about/values/vision.htm
2 www.nema.org/NEMA-Strategic-Plan
and undervalued by the industrial community. The desire of
China to become a group A-member should be a wakeup call to
U.S. industry and government to become more active.”
Another stated goal of the IEC is to pursue leadership for
emerging markets and technology, where standards and other
services will be needed. This would benefit a mix of customers—
manufacturers and regulators, exporters and importers, test
houses, and certifiers.
On the other hand, premature standardization can be
impractical and can result in excessive effort on terminology to
the detriment of performance and safety considerations.
NEMA Meets Needs of Members
NEMA’s Emerging Technologies Panel is facilitating the
organization’s efforts to meet the needs of its membership
by providing timely identification of new standardization
opportunities for emerging technologies related to newly
released products. Work in the areas of Smart Grid, high
performance buildings, and electric vehicles are proceeding in
this manner.
Another IEC goal is expansion—both in geography and
in partnership. In concurrence, NEMA must ensure an
environment of cooperation in regions where U.S. products
are a significant part of the product and infrastructure base.
NEMA also must work with other U.S. associations who have
an interest in protecting their members. Continued support for
U.S. leadership will be needed to help maintain a friendly, if
unbiased presence, in IEC activities. Succession planning will
be needed to maintain the continuity.
Are there other methods that could be used to focus energy and
strengthen NEMA involvement in IEC? Would there be benefits
to establishing a NEMA award to recognize member or staff
achievement in IEC? Should the NEMA Emerging Technologies
Panel sponsor a workshop with other U.S. bodies and the
USNC/IEC? Does NEMA need to establish closer linkage
to IEEE, ISO, or other associations,
particularly those where NEMA
member products are used?
Answering these
questions will be
a next step in
implementing
NEMA’s
goals. ei
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 19 IEEE
P1836/P1837—
Standards Development Focuses on Harmonic Currents
Ken Gettman, NEMA Director of International Standards
H
armonic currents are one element of power quality that has been the
focus of standards development efforts for many years. In the 1980s, the
increased use of power supplies using electronic switching circuits to control
voltages instead of iron- and copper-intensive transformers began affecting
building wiring. These switching circuits caused the intended 60 hertz (cycles
per second) wave shape from the power generator to include new waves at
integral multiples of the frequency of that fundamental power.
Reaction to the resulting issues led to the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) developing the first
standard specifying limitations on the level of non-linear
or harmonic current that can be emitted by a variety of
products. In residences and offices there are desktop and laptop
computers, compact fluorescent lamps, personal electronics, and
appliances; in commercial and industrial applications there are
adjustable speed drives (ASDs), uninterruptible power supplies,
welding equipment, and more.
Gauging International Currents
Many problems occurred in Europe, however, where electrical
systems had different characteristics from those in North
America. European utilities felt the need to push for limitations
on harmonic current emissions.
Since IEC standards were developed as international standards,
many countries outside Europe look at them for adoption.
When Canada began the adoption process, due in large part
to domestic utility interest, significant concerns were raised
with both technical content and the ramifications of unilateral
adoption of requirements that could affect products traded
across the border.
Since the U.S. had not been looking at adoption, a technical barrier
to trade could have resulted. Ongoing, multi-year discussions
concerning the validity and availability of data demonstrates a
need to impose restrictions, as specified in IEC 61000-3-2 Limits
for harmonic current emissions <16A per phase and IEC 61000-312 Limits for harmonic currents produced by equipment connected
to public low-voltage systems 16A to 75A per phase.
IEEE 519 Recommended Practices and Requirements for
Harmonic Control in Electrical Power Systems has been available
for facility applications to limit the impact of non-linear loads
(generators of harmonic current emissions) through mitigation
action by utilities or installations. IEEE 519 was not intended to
apply directly to products.
For some products, adoption of any harmonic current limits
could impose the need to either modify existing product design
20 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
by adding components to reduce emissions, or completely
redesign them for future production. Products already marketed
in Europe or elsewhere have already been designed to meet
limits in IEC standards, but may need adjustments to meet
requirements applicable on 120 V systems.
The lighting industry has been using ANSI C82.77 Harmonic
Emission Limits—Related Power Quality Requirements for
Lighting Equipment. Other products that will need to address
North American limits will include ASDs (plus those using ASD
for motor control), uninterruptible power supplies, welding, and
a variety of commercial and consumer products that employ the
switching power supplies for ac-to-dc power conversion.
Reaching Compromise
After a long period of discussions, accusations, and threats—
all preventing the adoption of IEC harmonic current limit
standards in Canada—a compromise was reached by referring
the effort to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE). In agreeing to take on the effort, two IEEE projects were
established—P1836 and P1837—to develop standards based on
IEC 61000-3-2 and IEC 61000-3-12 with adaptations to address
the unique nature of North American electrical systems, wiring
practices, and products.
Of particular note was that IEC standards are primarily based
on a 240 V system while much of the application in North
America is 120 V. In addition, the system impedance in Europe,
affecting the impact of the emitted harmonic currents and used
for determining the limits, is approximately twice that of the
North American systems.
These two criteria have resulted in proposals for including
a four-times multiplier for any resultant North American
harmonic current limit standards. In any case, it is a stated
goal of the projects to achieve publication of documents with
requirements that result in the least cost to society—giving
consideration to the potential impact on product cost to
customers versus the cost of electricity when harmonic currents
must be addressed by the utility or installation. ei
Electroindustry News
ŰŰStudy Finds CT Reduces Hospital Admission Rates
A recent study published in Annals
of Emergency Medicine1 found that
computed tomography (CT) scans in the
emergency department are associated
with a reduction in hospitalizations.
Between 1996 and 2007, the rate of
hospitalization following a CT scan
decreased by almost half, from 26
percent to 12.1 percent.
The Medical Imaging & Technology
Alliance (MITA) applauds the work of
Dr. Kocher and his team whose findings
in the above referenced study underscore
the importance of access to CT scans.
Manufactures have transformed CT
scanning with advances that have
reduced medical radiation exposure
and improved image quality. Continual
innovations in CT technology have
allowed doctors to detect, diagnose, and
treat patients earlier and more quickly
than ever before.
CT scans play an increasingly vital role
in patient care, enabling physicians
to quickly and accurately diagnose
conditions, such as appendicitis, and
determine whether surgery or other
interventions are necessary. This
translates to better patient care and
overall cost savings.
In addition to the study conducted
by Dr. Kocher and his colleagues,
several others continue to highlight the
significant value of CT in the healthcare
system. One such study from the New
England Journal of Medicine2 found
that abdominal CT scans reduced
unnecessary appendix surgeries by
88 percent, dramatically reducing
downstream healthcare costs.
As with any procedure, physicians
should discuss all diagnostic options
with patients. MITA supports the use
of physician-developed appropriateness
criteria to guide doctors in making
the optimal imaging and treatment
decisions. Appropriateness criteria is the
best way to prevent unnecessary scans
while ensuring that patients still have
access to the right scan at the right time.
As CT continues to show unarguable
benefits in addressing health concerns,
we cannot overlook its value in making
efficient, lifesaving treatment decisions.
ei
Dave Fisher, Executive Director of
MITA and Vice President of NEMA |
dfisher@medicalimaging.org
1 Keith E. Kocher, MD, MPH; William J. Meurer, MD, MS; Reza
Fazel, MD, MSc; Phillip A. Scott, MD; Harlan M. Krumholz, MD,
SM; Brahmajee K. Nallamothu, MD, MPH; et al. National Trends
in Use of Computed Tomography in the Emergency Department,
(Annals of Emergency Medicine, August 12, 2011)
2 Steven S. Raman, M.D.; Ferdnand C. Osuagwu, M.D.; Barbara
Kadell, M.D.; Henry Cryer, M.D.; James Sayre, Ph.D.; David S.K.
Lu,M.D. Effect of CT on False Positive Diagnosis of Appendicitis and
Perforation, (New England Journal of Medicine, February 28, 2008)
ŰŰNEMA Participates as Organizing Partner for Second Annual GridWise Global Forum
The GridWise® Alliance, in partnership
with the U.S. Department of Energy, will
host the Second Annual GridWise Global
Forum November 8–10 in Washington,
D.C. It is designed to provide a world
view on Smart Grid—its progress to date
and plans for the future.
Building up the success of the inaugural
event, this year’s forum will bring
together the highest level of international
energy thinkers along with colleagues
from adjacent industries to share
viewpoints on the most pressing topics
impacting the Smart Grid ecosystem.
Countries around the world have
recognized that a modernized electricity
infrastructure is foundational for driving
economic growth, successfully tackling
climate change, and ensuring energy
security. Significant progress is being
made on six continents as individual
countries work to develop and deploy
Smart Grid technologies that will create a
cleaner, safer, and more reliable electricity
system. These nations, along with the U.S.,
are creating innovative programs and
technologies to accelerate this deployment.
The breadth of these efforts provides us
with an opportunity for collaboration on
a global scale, which is the vision for the
GridWise Global Forum.
Sessions will address these energy issues
from unique perspectives unrivaled
by other energy conference series. For
example, a featured panel on consumer
issues will be led by Bob McDonald,
chairman of the board, president,
and chief executive officer of Proctor
& Gamble. Mr. McDonald will share
some of the ways P&G connects with
consumers using a variety of techniques
and media. He will then lead a discussion
with two utility CEOs and two electricity
industry vendor CEOs on strategies for
conveying the Smart Grid message to the
consumer.
The GridWise Alliance has partnered
with key organizations to expand
the breadth and reach of the agenda.
They include NEMA, Edison Electric
Institute, Global Smart Grid Federation,
National Association of Regulatory
Utility Commissioners, and others.
Bloomberg New Energy Finance returns
as the forum’s exclusive research partner,
and Greentech Media will provide
multimedia support as the official
interactive media partner. ei
Paul A. Molitor, Assistant
Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
and Special Projects and
Plenary Secretary of the NIST
Smart Grid Interoperability Panel |
paul.molitor@nema.org
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 21 Electroindustry News
ŰŰHigh-Tech Gains Rely on Low-Tech Tips for Safety, Energy Efficiency
Every day it seems as if a new, high-tech
gadget promises to make our lives better.
It can be daunting to try to keep up with
each one. Investigating a few of them just
might be worth your while, especially
when it involves the safety of your home
and loved ones.
To help with your pursuit for knowledge,
the Electrical Safety Foundation
International (ESFI) has developed the
Virtual Home. This online, interactive
program highlights many of the potential
safety hazards commonly found in
homes, as well as the solutions that can
prevent them. Many safety innovations
also provide energy-efficiency benefits.
Save lives, energy, and in the long run
money? What a winning combination!
According to an article released in
March 2011 by the U.S. Energy
Information Administration1, “a
dramatic reduction in the energy
needed to heat homes, along with
other efficiency improvements, led to
a 31 percent reduction in energy use
per household” between 1978 and 2005.
This reduction reflects advances in
technology ranging from light bulbs
to construction materials.
Here are a few tips to help you easily
lower your household’s energy
consumption while also making it safer.
dangerous if they reach temperatures
of 300 degrees Fahrenheit. If a bulb is
too close to combustible material, such
as paper, it can start a fire.
• Use compact fluorescent lamps
(CFLs) where the light will be on for
extended amounts of time. CFLs use
75 percent less energy than traditional
incandescent light bulbs. Regardless of
bulb type, it is important to always use
correct bulb wattages. Light bulbs with
wattages too high for the fixture can
overheat the fixture and cause a fire.
• Refrigerators are one of the highest
energy-consuming products in your
home. If your current refrigerator
was made before 1993, it uses twice
the energy used by new models.
Place your refrigerator in a cool place
away from a heat source, such as an
oven, dishwasher, or direct sunlight.
Help maintain your refrigerator by
vacuuming the coils every three
months to eliminate dirt buildup
that reduces efficiency and creates
fire hazards.
• Heating can account for 40 percent of
your annual household energy costs.
Keeping your furnace well maintained
can increase its efficiency by more
than ten percent and help prevent fire
• Install timers to save money and
reduce the amount of time your
lights are on. Some light bulbs can be
hazards. Have your furnace cleaned
and inspected annually by a licensed,
qualified professional. To avoid
carbon monoxide poisoning, make
sure all fuel-burning equipment, such
as furnaces, stoves, and fireplaces,
are vented to the outside. Install and
maintain carbon monoxide alarms.
Save lives, energy, and in the
long run money? What a winning
combination!
• In the average home, 75 percent of the
electricity used to power electronics
and appliances is consumed while
the products are turned off. Use the
power strip as a central turn off point
for electronics, video games, and
computers. To avoid overloading a
circuit and potentially causing a fire,
know the capacity of the circuit and
the power requirements of all items
on it.
Please note that surge protectors and
power strips are NOT the same; be
certain you are buying the appropriate
equipment to suit your electrical needs.
For more tips on how to stay safe
and increase your home’s energy
efficiency, visit ESFI online at
www.electrical-safety.org and take
a walk through our Virtual Home.
ei
Monique Perry, Program Manager,
ESFI | monique.perry@esfi.org
1 “Share of Energy Used By Appliances and Consumer Electronics
Increases in U.S. Homes,”
www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/reports/electronics.cfm
ŰŰJoin HPBC Efforts to Transcend Product Sections
NEMA’s High Performance Buildings
Council (HPBC) is the one place in the
electroindustry that brings together
coordinated efforts in government
relations, codes and standards, and
22 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
industry marketing to expand the market
in a manner that transcends traditional
product sections.
All NEMA member companies are
invited to join HPBC for no additional
fees. Non-member companies may also
participate. For details, contact Jim
Lewis, Manager of High Performance
Buildings at Jim.Lewis@nema.org or
703-841-3244. ei
Illuminations Weekend
ŰŰKite and Key Awards Recognize Involvement in NEMA Committees
The Kite and Key Award was established
in 1987 to recognize individuals who
have advanced the interest of the
electroindustry through active and
sustained involvement in NEMA
activities. The 2011 awards will be
presented October 29 at Illuminations
Weekend, in Washington, D.C. ei
Pamela K. Horner, Senior Director, Government and Industry Relations, Osram Sylvania
Pamela K. Horner
has been active
in the lighting
industry for 36
years. An alumna
of Iowa State
University, Ms.
Horner was an
English major
who went on to teach high school. She
describes teaching as “one of the more
challenging sales jobs of my career.”
activities, teaching numerous courses on
lighting and control systems. She was the
first female president of the Houston IES
and later held the positions of regional
vice president and director.
A major change of direction took her
to Texas, where she co-founded a rep
agency specializing in the sales of
dimming systems and specificationgrade lighting products. She joined the
Illuminating Engineering Society (IES)
and actively participated in educational
For five years, Ms. Horner managed the
Outreach Education program for the
Lighting Research Center in Troy, New
York, while working toward her master’s
degree in lighting from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute. Having completed
her studies, she joined Osram Sylvania
In 2001, she became the president of
IES and continues to chair the past
president’s committee. Ms. Horner is
the recipient of the IES Distinguished
Service Award and the IES Louis
B. Marks Award in recognition of
exceptional service to the society.
as manager of lighting education and is
currently senior director of government
and industry relations.
As an active voting representative to
NEMA, Ms. Horner was vice chair
of the NEMA Lamp Section from
2007-2008 and was the chair from
2008-2010. Since 2007, she has been a
member of the Lighting Systems Division
Management Committee and in 2009
she became chair of the Government
Relations Committee for NEMA’s High
Performance Building Council.
For her many years of service to NEMA
and the lighting industry, Pamela
K. Horner is being presented with a
2011 Kite and Key Award at this year’s
Illumination Weekend. ei
Timothy P. McNeive, Manager, Technical Liaison Group, Thomas & Betts Corporation
Timothy P.
McNeive, manager
of the Technical
Liaison Group
for Thomas &
Betts Corporation
(T&B) in Memphis,
Tennessee,
oversees product
certification and standards activities for
T&B’s Electrical Division. Prior to that,
he held the position as manager of global
product standards.
With more than 38 years in the electrical
industry—all of which at T&B—Mr.
McNeive spent his first 20 years as a
marketing professional and the last 18
years in standards development. He
draws on this depth of experience to
highlight the complex role standards play
in business management.
“Standards are integral to market
development,” he said recently when
asked about the two fields. He also
believes that international market
development presents a challenge.
“In our North American markets, we’ve
grown up with established standards
that we take for granted,” he said.
“With globalization, the sustainability
of market development is difficult
because we don’t think of standards as a
prerequisite to market development.”
In his active association with NEMA,
Mr. McNeive is the current vice chair
of the International and Regional
Standardization Committee. He
represents the association as principal
voting member on NFPA 70 National
Electrical Code®, Code-Making Panel 19.
Mr. McNeive is also involved in
other regional and international
standardization activities. He represents
T&B, as well as the industry in general,
on several committees in Canada and
the U.S through CANENA, the Council
for Harmonization of Electrotechnical
Standards in the Nations of the
Americas. He is a past president of
CANENA and is a standing member of
its executive committee.
An active member of the U.S.
National Committee of International
Electrotechnical Commission (USNC
IEC), Mr. McNeive is Technical Advisor
for USNC SC23A and is a member of
USNC IEC SC23B and C technical
advisory groups.
For his commitment to standards,
NEMA recognizes Timothy McNeive
with a Kite and Key Award this year. ei
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 23 Code Actions/Standardization Trends
ŰŰExpanding Energy-Efficiency Efforts of Rotating Motors
The synchronization and harmonization
of performance-related issues affecting
energy efficiencies in motors has been
underway for several decades beginning
with the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct)
and the development of NEMA Premium®
efficiency values established in the
NEMA MG-1 Motors and Generators.
Several developments have allowed
the industry to lead national and
international discussions and define
the debate from an energy-efficiency
perspective. These include the continuing
and proactive involvement within
the International Electrotechnical
Commission Technical Committee (IEC
TC) 2 Technical Advisor Group (TAG),
and the resultant adaption/adoption of
the IEC 60034 series requirements to
MG-1, coupled with the expert testimony
and consultation provided to DOE by
NEMA’s Motor and Generator Section
Technical Committee (1MG TC).
Increasing demands for energy-efficiency
levels prompted NEMA’s Motor and
Generator Section (1MG) to expand
tables for the NEMA Premium® efficiency
electric motor program to include 8-pole
motors. It is expected that this inclusion
will culminate in a proposal for the
expanded scope request to the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 10—Part
431 Energy Efficiency Program for Certain
Commercial and Industrial Equipment
(10 CFR Part 431).
Motor ratings and efficiency values of
large (300–500 hp) induction motors
have been relocated within MG1 and
modified to encompass additional ratings
up to 2,500 hp.
Dovetailing with the recent EU energyefficiency directive and current energyefficiency requirements of IEC 60034-30
Rotating electrical machines—Part 30:
Efficiency classes of single-speed, threephase, cage-induction motors, both
24 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
of which already contain previously
harmonized IEC 60034 series and MG1
50 and 60 Hz efficiency values, is the June
2011 approval by ANSI of MG-1 as a U.S.
national standard.
• IEC 60034-2-3 Ed. 1.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part 2-3:
Specific test methods for determining
losses and efficiency of converter-fed
AC motors
The developing interconnection of
standards containing similar efficiency
requirements comes under the leadership
and technical expertise of 1MG TC
Chair Roger Daugherty, Baldor Electric
Company, and of the IEC’s U.S. National
Committee (USNC) TC2 Technical
Advisor Bill Finley, Siemens. Thus,
1MG has been afforded key influence
with DOE and IEC initiatives related to
energy efficiency.
• IEC 60034-28 Ed. 2.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part 28:
Test methods for determining quantities
of equivalent circuit diagrams for threephase low-voltage cage induction motors
USNC TC2 is involved with:
• IEC 60034-18-21 Ed. 2.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part
18-21: Functional evaluation of
insulation systems­—Test procedures
for wire-wound windings—Thermal
evaluation and classification
• IEC 60034-18-31 Ed. 2.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part
18-31: Functional evaluation of
insulation systems—Test procedures
for form-wound windings—Thermal
evaluation and classification of
insulation systems used in rotating
machines
• IEC 60034-18-34 Ed. 1.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part
18-34: Functional evaluation of
insulation systems—Test procedures
for form-wound windings—Evaluation
of thermo mechanical endurance of
insulation systems
• IEC 60034-18-41 Ed. 1.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part
18-41: Qualification and quality control
tests for partial discharge free (Type I)
electrical insulation systems used in
rotating electrical machines fed from
voltage converters
• IEC 60034-30 Ed. 2.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part 30:
Efficiency classes of single-speed, threephase, cage-induction motors (IE-code)
• IEC/TS 60034-20-1 Ed. 2.0
Maintenance Cycle Report on IEC
60034-20-1 TS Ed. 1: Rotating electrical
machines—Part 20-1: Control motors—
Stepping motors
• IEC/TS 60034-25 Ed. 3.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part 25:
A.C. Motors when used in power drive
systems—Application guide
• IEC/TS 60034-27-2 Ed. 1.0
Rotating electrical machines—Part
27-2: On-line partial discharge
measurements on the stator winding
insulation of rotating electrical
machines
Further commitment
Strategic vision is a guiding principle
for successful harmonization efforts.
Such vision includes the willingness to
proactively initiate realistic and timely
approaches to issues before they become
problematic challenges for an industry.
By providing the technical synergy
needed to successfully harmonize
requirements and by multitasking
standardization efforts, 1MG continues
in its strategic pursuit of harmonized
machine efficiencies to the fullest
extent possible. ei
William Buckson, Program Manager |
bil_buckson@nema.org
ŰŰMetering and Energy Codes Face Test of Enforceable Codes
The concept has been bantered about
in energy conservation and sustainable
building circles for years: You can’t
improve what you can’t measure.
To that end, metering is poised to make
a huge leap—not in voluntary standards,
such as LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design), but in
codes intended to be mandatory, such as
the International Energy Conservation
Code (IECC), the International Green
Construction Code (IgCC), and various
local codes.
The first test of mandatory metering was
found in the Washington State Energy
Code (WSEC), one of the last locally
developed energy codes in the nation.
Most other states or jurisdictions adopt
IECC in some form.
WSEC Chapter 12 required a whole
building meter for buildings other than
those falling under the International
Residential Code (i.e., one-family and
two-family dwellings plus townhomes).
There were also thresholds that would
require more metering or sub-metering.
Writing Enforceable Codes
For any building covered by this portion
of the code with service exceeding
500kva, the whole building meter had
to be provided with either remote meter
reading capability or automatic metering
reading. Other systems requiring
separate metering included onsite
renewable power with a peak of 10kva or
more, general lighting circuits at 15kva,
other electrical loads at 15kva, fans and
pumps at 15kVa, and various mechanical
and HVAC systems.
The entire requirement was introduced
as a proposal to WSEC, based on a
draft requirement from ASHRAE
189.1 Standard for the Design of HighPerformance, Green Buildings. It
required full compliance with metering
requirements any time any of the
thresholds were met through equipment
repair, replacement, or upgrades.
While the concept and philosophy were
sound, the chapter was not written
in enforceable language and was not
detailed enough to be clear in application.
As new projects traveled through the
regulatory pipeline, there were questions
on vague, general requirements as well as
specific ones on the meaning of a 500kVa
service:
• Does it refer to the service equipment
rating, conductor capacity,
calculated load, connected load,
utility capacity, etc.?
• How does it affect a core and shell
building with limited load, which
could exceed thresholds in the future
as tenants are added?
• Do equipment thresholds require a
meter for each system that exceeds the
threshold, such as a 70kVa chiller, or is
one meter adequate to the total all of
the pieces of equipment?
Electrical engineers and designers
were the first to express frustration,
followed by jurisdictions charged with
interpreting and enforcing the code.
To further complicate compliance is
the fact that the Washington State
Electrical Division is independent from
the Building Code Council and does not
enforce the energy code. But cities and
counties are required to follow all codes
adopted by the council. The separation
of enforcement means that the electrical
portions of the energy code could
be applied differently depending on
where the building is located—from no
enforcement to strict compliance.
The frustration grew to unacceptable
levels. The council heard complaints
about the practical problems with
metering requirements, not the least
of which is the questionable usefulness
and economic value of metering in the
absence of any requirement to take action
on data provided.
On July 12, the council voted
unanimously to repeal Chapter 12
metering requirements. This action was
taken as an emergency rule to address
an issue that cannot reasonably wait for
the next code revision. In conjunction
with this emergency action, the council
is required to enter into immediate
rulemaking to enact permanent rules,
which can range from abandoning
metering altogether to modifying the
existing rule.
Following the recommendation of a
technical advisory group, the metering
requirements will be referred to a
committee to review and analyze the
economic implications and enforcement
issues. A review was not done for the
initial rules.
The moral of this story is twofold:
• Measurement and verification is a
critical component of energy-efficiency
management in buildings, and has a
place in the future of energy codes and
sustainable building codes.
• Metering requirements need the
thoughtful and comprehensive
participation and input from the
electrical industry to ensure that
rules are clearly stated, enforceable,
economically feasible, and effective.
With metering appearing in the IgCC
and possibly in the IECC, all affected
stakeholders must work toward a solution
that will advance the industry without
placing undue installation and economic
burdens on the building community.
For more information, visit the Building
Code Council website (https://fortress.
wa.gov/ga/apps/sbcc/default.aspx) ei
Joe Andre, Field Representative |
joe.andre@nema.org
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 25 Code Actions/Standardization Trends
ŰŰNew Roadway and Area Lighting Standard Clarifies Use of Solid State Lighting
ANSI Committee 136 for Roadway and
Area Lighting recently published ANSI
C136.37 Solid State Light Sources Used in
Roadway and Area Lighting, its first solid
state lighting (SSL) product standard. It
addresses the form, fit, and function of
SSL lighting assemblies used outdoors.
C136.37 provides:
• new information and reference to
existing standards
• useful guidance for utilities and
municipalities seeking to specify,
select, install, and maintain SSL
fixtures, either in new installations or
existing installations as retrofits
• information to manufacturers who
are struggling with deciding which
legacy technology standards should be
applied to SSL, how to apply them, and
what gaps in existing references need
to be filled with SSL-specific guidance
Since SSL is a new breed of lighting and
several predecessor systems have their
own standards, the C136 committee
identified which existing standards
might be useful to SSL (and which might
not) and selected the most beneficial
information from each, drawing heavily
from the C136 standards catalog that
includes more than 40 references.
New SSL-specific guidance is provided
where legacy technology standards
do not fully or effectively address
new technology. The standard is
admittedly scant in parts, but represents
characteristics of SSL and its application
where manufacturers, users, and others
agreed that harmonization was possible.
NEMA has published three SSL standards,
with work actively proceeding on two
additional documents and discussion
continuing on others. A list of all NEMA
Lighting Systems Division standards may be
found on at www.nema.org/stds/lighting.cfm.
Also coming to fruition are several
template specifications from the
Department of Energy Municipal
Solid State Street Lighting Consortium
(MSSLC). Three documents are currently
being finalized by the consortium—the
performance specification itself and two
appendices addressing materials and
systems specifications.
These documents differ from a standard
in that they are intended to serve as
guidance from which users may develop
their own specifications. Since there are
several members of C136 on MSSLC, it is
expected that C136.37 will be referenced
often as documents evolve.
While MSSLC is closed to manufacturers
and NEMA, we remain on its contact list
to answer technical questions.
ANSI C136.37 Solid State Light Sources
Used in Roadway and Area Lighting may
be purchased for $52 by visiting
www.nema.org/stds/c136-37.cfm.
A list of all ANSI C136 standards may be
found at www.nema.org/stds/c136.cfm.
For more information on MSSLC, visit
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/
consortium.html. ei
Alex Boesenberg, GRegulatory Affairs
Manager | alex.boesenberg@nema.org
Megan A. Hayes, Program Manager,
Lighting Systems Division |
megan.hayes@nema.org
ŰŰUtah Adopts NEC®
On August 10, the Utah Uniform Building
Codes Commission voted to adopt the
2011 National Electrical Code® (NEC). Only
a single amendment was approved by the
commission, which was to revert to the
wording in the 2005 NEC for ampacity
of service conductors and main power
feeders for individual dwelling units. The
commissioners reasoned that the language
and format in 310.15(B)(6) of the 2005
edition is clearer than that in 310.15(B)(7)
of the 2011 edition.
Significantly, all of the personnel and fire
safety provisions of the 2011 NEC remain
intact in the recommended package,
including tamper resistant receptacles
26 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
(TRRs), expansion of ground-fault
circuit interrupters (GFCI), arc-fault
circuit interrupters (AFCI), and other
provisions. The Utah legislature still
must approve the recommendation, but
no significant opposition is expected. The
provisions of the 2011 NEC are expected
to become effective July 1, 2012.
It should be noted, however, that Utah
recognizes and adopts the electrical
provisions of the International Residential
Code (IRC). That means that the NEC does
not apply to residences covered by the
IRC, i.e., one- and two-family dwellings
and townhouses. Those buildings are
currently covered by the 2009 IRC, which
will be reviewed next year. That code is
not expected to receive similar industrywide support as did the NEC.
Utah homebuilders are expected to
contest TRR and AFCI changes at the
very least, and they will take their request
not only to the commission, but also to
the legislature. If they are successful,
it could mean that Utahans in multifamily buildings, such as apartments and
condominiums, will enjoy a higher level
of electrical safety than those in homes
constructed under the IRC. ei
Joe Andre, Field Representative |
joe.andre@nema.org
ŰŰEVSE Section Looks to Harmonize Standards in Early 2012
Since NEMA started its new Electric
Vehicles Supply Equipment (EVSE)
Section (5EV) last year, 15 companies
have joined. While most already belong
to other sections, there is notable interest
among new and potential members. One
of the reasons for its popularity is the
fact that from the beginning, NEMA had
positioned itself as the EVSE industry
representative, promoting members’
interests on a number of fronts.
Members realized that the electric vehicle
(EV) industry could not be successful
if the infrastructure supporting it was
not standardized for interoperability
and supported by safety standards and
installation codes.
With the EVSE product scope covering
equipment that transports energy from
branch circuit termination to the EV
inlet, one of the section’s most important
activities is related to codes and
standards. Members first targeted the
National Electrical Code® (NEC), which
is at the beginning of a new three-year
cycle. Several 5EV proposals are now
going through the rigorous internal
approval process that would culminate
with proposals for NEC 2014 bearing
NEMA’s signature.
The National Fire Protection Association,
which publishes NEC and SAE, a global
association of engineers and related
experts, heard from interested parties
during a workshop last year in Detroit.
NEC members responded to industry
pressure and voluntarily starting
rewriting Article 625 on EVSE. They
anticipate a deluge of proposals from
relevant stakeholders.
Building Infrastructure
The EVSE industry is looking for other
ways to build the infrastructure needed
to support anticipated EV growth in the
U.S., Canada, and Mexico. While NEC
in the U.S., CEC in Canada, and NOM
in Mexico provide installation safety
requirements, third-party certifications
ensure that products on the market
are safe. Third-party certification
organizations use product-specific
standards developed by reputable
standards development organizations
(SDOs). SDOs involved in EVSE in
the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are UL
(Underwriters Laboratories), CSA
(Canadian Standards Association), and
ANCE (Association of Standardization
and Certification), respectively.
UL was the first out of the gate. It
created the following documents with
various degrees of involvement from the
industry:
• UL 2231 Personnel Protection Systems
for Electric Vehicle Supply Circuits
• UL 2251 Safety of Plugs, Receptacles
and Couplers for Electric Vehicles
• UL 2594 Outline of Investigation for
Electric Vehicle Supply
Last year in Canada, a large group of
EV-related stakeholders, including
automakers, EVSE manufacturers,
and utilities, was formed under CSA’s
umbrella. Named evRTG, it asked CSA
to draft certification standards to enable
building the EVSE infrastructure. CSA
complied and the result was a number of
documents called Technical Information
Letters, which are used for certification
until documents become standards.
The problem was that the documents
differed from UL’s. That means that for
no safety or technical reason, products
had to be tested differently, which
resulted in extra time and costs. Faced
with this issue, the EVSE industry asked
all SDOs involved for a way to harmonize
the certification standards.
Summit Acts on Harmonization
One popular harmonization process for
electrical standards, CANENA (Council
for Harmonization of Electrotechnical
Standardization of the Nations of the
Americas), was rejected because it is
designed to harmonize differences in
existing documents and would lead to a
lengthier process.
After establishing that essentially all
interested parties would benefit from
a fast-track proposed by the industry,
NEMA organized an EVSE summit
meeting in July, which was hosted by
UL. In addition to ANCE, CSA, and UL,
industry representatives in the three
countries were also present—ElectroFederation of Canada (EFC), CANAME
(Mexico), and NEMA.
Participants reviewed the challenge
at hand and came up with a plan to
address the essential differences in
the first harmonization round. They
also agreed to the rules of a long-term
process and timeline, nominated chairs
and secretaries for harmonization
working groups (HWG), and designated
responsible SDO personnel. The plan calls
for a very fast recruitment of product
experts and scheduling of meetings.
Designated CSA technical advisors and
UL engineers will draft the harmonized
document that HWG will review.
Assuming everything goes according to
plan, the draft harmonized documents
would be handed to the SDOs for
internal approval this month. With an
accelerated approval program, SDOs may
be able to get approved documents out by
early 2012.
The results of this new program could
have beneficial ramifications in other
product areas. The essential ingredient
that would make it successful is the
experience of the organizations
involved and the trust established
between them. ei
Andrei Moldoveanu, Technical Director
| and_moldoveanu@nema.org
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 27 Code Actions/Standardization Trends
ŰŰCodes and Standards Committee Endorses Section Proposals for the 2014 NEC®
The Codes and Standards Committee
met on August 10–11 at NEMA
headquarters. The main order of business
was the consideration of 44 draft
proposals submitted by NEMA Sections
for the 2014 National Electrical Code®
(NEC). The committee authorized the
submittal of 37 of these proposals to the
National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), which publishes NEC. It rejected
four proposals and it held three until the
October 19 meeting.
David Kendall, Thomas & Betts Corp.,
turned over the reins of the committee
to John Goodsell, Hubbell Inc., who
will serve as chairman through the
end of 2012.
The committee finalized its
recommendation for membership in 2012.
The recommendation will be submitted
to the Standards and Conformity
Assessment Policy Committee for
approval at its fall meeting.
The committee also authorized the
submittal to NFPA of 40 comments on
proposals developed by the Signaling
Protection and Communications Section
for the next edition of NFPA 72 National
Fire Alarm and Signaling Code.
Finally, the committee heard two
presentations. Bill Bryans, Vice President
of Technical Services Electrical,
ElectroFederation Canada, discussed
his experience and views on IEC
harmonization and related conformity
assessment scheme strategies. William
Colavecchio, Vice President of Industry
Affairs, Underwriters Laboratories, spoke
on the transition of some of its sections to
a for-profit business, as well as discussed
other organizational changes. ei
David Kendall (left) turned over chairmanship of the
Codes and Standards Committee to John Goodsell.
Photo by Marilyn Williams
Vince Baclawski, Senior Technical
Director, Codes and Standards |
vin_baclawski@nema.org
ŰŰNew Building Officials Organization is Launched
In an open letter to the current
International Code Council (ICC)
chapters, the International Association
of Building Officials (IABO) announced
its incorporation as an IRS 501(c) (6)
non-profit organization, dedicated to the
needs of building officials.
Its mission is to promote the code official
profession and enhance the work it does
to safeguard the public health, safety, and
general welfare through administration
and enforcement of building safety
regulations. It will accomplish these by:
• providing a mechanism to increase
attendance by code officials at national
code development hearings
• assuring everyone that IABO is
not intended to be a code writing
organization, but rather to provide the
means for code officials to participate
more fully in that endeavor
28 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
• promoting enhanced response to
natural and manmade hazards that
threaten the built environment
• building a strictly grassroots
organization
• gathering the thoughts and interests of
the building code officials in order to
make it a strong organization
The inception of this new organization
occurred at the ICC annual meeting in
Charlotte, North Carolina. Since that
meeting, industry and code regulatory
groups have weighed in on the merits
of starting such an organization and
are waiting patiently as IABO works
to make it a reality. A new web page
(iabohome.org) has been launched and
a blog will be initiated.
The IABO Launch Board Members are
Jerry Mallory, chairman (Kansas); Bill
Duck, vice chairman (Georgia); Jeff
Bechtold, secretary/treasurer (Kentucky);
Daniel Divito, director (Maryland); Gary
Schenk, director (Washington); Steve
Thomas, director (Colorado); and Tim
Ryan, IABO CEO (Kansas).
The IABO address is P.O. Box 27167
Shawnee Mission, KS 66225 ei
John Minick, Field Representative |
john.minick@nema.org
ŰŰListening to Frustrations from the Field
The manufacturer members of NEMA
have great concern regarding the
direct adoption of the latest edition of
the National Electrical Code® (NEC).
NEMA currently tracks building code
adoptions through the efforts of the
field representatives and with the help of
several individuals employed by NEMA
member companies that have great
interest in promoting that the
latest edition of the NEC be directly
adopted by all jurisdictions.
Timely adoption of the 2008 edition of the
NEC was hard to come by in many states
because of opposition by special interests
to safety requirements that were included
in it. While the 2011 NEC has been readily
adopted by many jurisdictions, adoption
has been extremely difficult elsewhere.
Some authorities seem to be playing
games by dragging out the process to the
point that laws meant to protect it are
being used to abuse it.
Perhaps a more important question is
what happens when a new code, such as
the 2011 NEC, is adopted and especially
when new concepts, new improvements
in equipment, or even new ideologies
are added or have greater emphasis
placed on them.
I know we all inspect under different cycles of the code, but if we cannot be
consistent on common issues confronting our IAEI (International Association of
Electrical Inspectors) chapter, then I have failed as an instructor.
I am not talking about easy-to-enforce items, such as GFCI (ground-fault circuit
interrupters) or AFCI (arc-fault circuit interrupter) protection; those are not
the issue. The issues are some of the oldest ones inspectors fight around the
country and some newer ones we should all be working together as a group
to enforce.
I spoke at [a recent] meeting about the issues I was having with this in my own
city. In a metropolitan area of over 5 million people, it is becoming extremely
difficult to explain why we may be the only jurisdiction in the area asking for
these requirements on a consistent basis.
I know these issues are very political and if the project is not properly designed,
it becomes costly and slows down the permit process and the job itself. This is
the question the building official keeps asking me: “How many other cities are
asking for this?”
My answer seems to be for the most part, “Very few, if any,” on some of these
items. It may be beginning to look like my city may not enforce these articles
without the help of others in the area. They are hot button topics, difficult to
learn, and many times we may find ourselves explaining these to the rest of
the electrical community.
The quotation below expresses the
frustrations of one dedicated electrical
inspector who works for a jurisdiction
that is part of a larger metropolitan area,
which is made up of many individual
jurisdictions, each of which adopts
building codes.
The inspector is frustrated over the lack
of uniform enforcement of the NEC. His
view reflects the safety concerns of other
inspectors as well as NEMA members. ei
John Minick, Field Representative |
john.minick@nema.org
There are four topics with which I would like help:
• Short-circuit calculations for service equipment and all
downstream panelboards
This is not for the new requirements in 110.24, but has always been
in the code located in 110.9 and 240.86. One cannot ensure the
system is properly protected both for fully- and series-rated systems
without calculations.
• Short-circuit current ratings for equipment such as
industrial control panels and HVAC equipment to UL 508A
Short-circuit calculations will also be required to the line side of
the equipment.
• Selective coordination for emergency and legally
required standby systems along with elevators
Each jurisdiction can set its own level of coordination.
• Dealing with unlisted equipment along with the
self-declaration of conformity
All of these items should be addressed on the front end of the project, beginning
at the plan review stage. If any of these items are requested later in the
project, then it’s too late. It may not be too late to make the corrections to the
equipment, but rather too late to stop the political ball that has rolled over us.
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 29 International Roundup
ŰŰMITA Focuses on Standards to Improve Access to Medical Imaging in China
In April 2009, China released a plan to
ensure that all of its citizens have access
to quality healthcare. Healthcare reform
is a massive undertaking there, and the
Chinese government has pledged $124
billion toward the effort. Today, China’s
medical equipment market is growing
at an estimated 15 percent annually
and is currently valued at roughly $10.2
billion, making it the largest market for
medical devices in Asia and third largest
in the world.
Chinese procurement of medical
equipment tends to favor U.S. products
because U.S. device manufacturers are
reliable and continually at the forefront
of technological innovation. While
China has more than 18,000 hospitals
and clinics, roughly 15 percent of
current medical devices are decades
old and access is limited outside of
urban areas. China’s growing demand
for advanced medical equipment and its
need for product replacement is a major
export growth opportunity for Medical
Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA)
member companies.
Improving China’s access to advanced
medical imaging products is affected
by the adoption of internationally
recognized standards, including the third
edition of International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) 60601-1-2005 Medical
electrical equipment—Part 1: General
requirements for basic safety and essential
performance. China’s adoption of this
standard, which has gained significant
global acceptance, will ensure that its
citizens continue to have access to the
newest and safest medical technologies,
while also easing global challenges to
trade across markets.
Manufacturers are developing the next
generation of lifesaving diagnostic and
therapy equipment in compliance with
the third edition of IEC 60601-1. China’s
delay only further restricts its access to
advanced technologies that reduce the
likelihood of medical errors and lower
the long-term cost of healthcare.
This year, MITA has worked closely
with regulatory experts from member
companies, the U.S. Department
of Commerce (DOC), and industry
partners. Through these efforts, MITA
has been able to monitor, develop, and
actively advocate industry’s position.
In April, MITA was part of the U.S.
delegation at the 2011 U.S.-China
Joint Commission on Commerce and
Trade (JCCT) Medical Device Task
Force Meeting.
MITA drafted an industry white
paper and presented it to China’s
State Food and Drug Administration
officials, including Director General
of the Department of Medical Device
Supervision Wang Baoting. He
positively responded to our presentation
saying that he “will positively push
implementation of the third edition.”
Additional cooperation, education,
and technical training are necessary in
order to encourage China’s adoption
of IEC 60601-1:2005, which is why
MITA continues to work with the DOC,
member companies, and industry
partners to maintain a high level of
visibility on this issue.
MITA is scheduled to make an additional
presentation during the next JCCT
Subgroup Meeting in September in
Beijing and has also combined efforts
with the European Coordination
Committee of the Radiological,
Electromedical and Healthcare IT
Industry to create a united industry voice
that better promotes China’s adoption of
this important standard. ei
Zach Helzer, Assistant Manager, MITA
| zhelzer@medicalimaging.org
ŰŰNEMA’s Medical Imaging Division Announces Commerce Department Grant
The Medical Imaging and Technology
Alliance (MITA) received an award from
the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
International Trade Administration
(ITA) Market Development Cooperator
Program.
The three-year Global Diagnostic
and Therapeutic Imaging Access
Improvement Initiative will increase
exports and expand patient access to
diagnostic medical imaging, radiation
therapy, and radiopharmaceuticals in
emerging markets. MITA was one of only
30 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
five nonprofit industry organizations to
win this award.
As a recipient, MITA will receive
financial and technical assistance from
ITA to help streamline government
approval processes to reduce the time
and cost it takes these products to reach
patients in China and India.
Through this partnership, MITA
will promote the harmonization
of international standards, reduce
unnecessary regulation, and expand
market access to enhance the global
competitiveness of member companies
including small- and medium-sized
enterprises. By improving global access
to lifesaving therapies and diagnostic
equipment that MITA members
manufacture, this award may also boost
domestic employment.
Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca
Blank said, “Exports projected to result
from the five new projects will create or
sustain more than 10,000 U.S. jobs.” ei
Zach Helzer, Assistant Manager, MITA
| zhelzer@medicalimaging.org
More
Learn
This year, the U.S. Celebration of
World Standards Day—Advancing
Safety and Sustainability Standards
Worldwide—recognizes the crucial role
of standards, codes, and conformity
assessment in assuring the health and
safety of people and the environment.
Standardization provides an adaptive
framework for developing the most
effective solutions to critical global
challenges. Read more at www.ansi.
org/meetings_events/wsw11/wsd.
aspx?menuid=8.
November
To view a list of recently
published NEMA standards,
visit www.nema.org/stds.
The road ahead is paved with digital
technology.
Download a copy of the 2012 Electrical
Standards and Product Guide at
www.nema.org/espg.
For the past 50 years, transportation
has focused on a model of
superhighways. The next 50 years,
however, will be about technology.
Microgrids are a particular application
of Smart Grid technologies that reduce
the risk of grid uncertainties. These
technologies are available right now
to keep control in the hands of those
with essential missions. Learn more at
www.nema.org/Microgrids, and follow
the conversation at www.nema.org/
Light-in-the-Darkness.
Stock art Credits:
11-13 ©iStockphoto.com/STEVECOLEccs
11 ©iStockphoto.com/polygraphus
14 ©iStockphoto.com/imagotres
Coming in
19 ©iStockphoto.com/ImagesbyTrista
20 ©iStockphoto.com/jeridu
20 ©iStockphoto.com/elly99
Next month, ei will put you in
the driver’s seat to explore the
future of transportation and traffic
management; the role of electric
vehicles in intelligent transportation
systems; pending legislation related
to transportation, infrastructure,
and traffic signal standards; smart
sensor technology for intelligent
intersections; dynamic message signs;
and more.
NEMA electroindustry • October 2011 31 Economic Spotlight
ŰŰNorth American Business Conditions Stabilize in September;
Improvement Seen Over Next Six Months
NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI)
indicated that conditions facing the North American
electroindustry stabilized in September, after signaling
deterioration in each of the three previous months. Just
as many survey panelists (20 percent) reported conditions
improved from August to September as reported conditions
worsened. The rest of the panel (60 percent) reported
conditions were unchanged.
Electroindustry Business Confidence Index:
September 2011
70.8
58.3
50.0
A month ago, nearly 21 percent reported an improvement
against about 38 percent reporting a decline. Thus, the EBCI
for current North American conditions climbed nearly 9
from August to reach 50 in September.
65.2
54.3
54.2
34.1
26.1
The survey’s measure of the degree of change in current
North American conditions also steadied in September,
climbing to 0.0 from -0.3 in August and -0.4 in July.
Panelists are asked to report intensity of change on a scale
ranging from –5 (deteriorated significantly) through 0
(unchanged) to +5 (improved significantly).
September’s EBCI for future North American conditions
rebounded from the decline posted a month earlier and
continues to point toward better conditions over the next
six months. The index increased 3.2 points to 58.3 in the
latest month.
Nearly 37 percent of panelists said they expected conditions
to improve by March 2012 versus 20 percent anticipating
they will worsen. In August, 31 percent of panelists said
they expected an improvement, while nearly 21 percent
reported anticipating a decline. ei
North American Current Conditions Magnitude:
September 2011
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
Tim Gill, Director of Economics |
tim_gill@nema.org
ŰŰLamp Shipment Indexes Show Growth, Decline
NEMA’s shipment index for incandescent
lamps increased for the second
consecutive quarter in 2Q 2011, showing
an improvement of 5.6 percent over the
same period last year. Conversely, the
index for compact fluorescent lamps
(CFLs) declined for the fifth consecutive
quarter. Moreover, the rate of decline
in the shipments index accelerated to
18.5 percent on a year-over-year basis
32 NEMA electroindustry • October 2011
(y/y) versus 16.8 percent y/y and 8.7
percent y/y during 1Q 2011 and 4Q
2010, respectively (www.nema.org/
Lamps2Q-2011).
Shipment indexes for T5 and T8 linear
fluorescent lamps increased 30.2 and 12.5
percent, respectively, during the first half
of 2011 compared to the same period
last year. Moreover, the 2Q 2011 index
values for both T5 and T8 lamps were
at record highs. Meanwhile, first half
shipments of T12 lamps declined 11.1
percent on a y/y basis (www.nema.org/
T5-T8Lamps2Q-2011). ei
Stacey Harrison, Director of Statistical
Operations | sta_harrison@nema.org
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ENERGY STAR requirements. CSA International has
earned EPA recognition as an ENERGY STAR Testing
Facility and Certification Body. That means today we
can meet all of your product safety and energy efficiency
testing needs with a single, seamlessly efficient testing
program that saves you time and money.
Look to CSA International to meet ENERGY STAR
requirements for a wide range of products including:
• Household Appliances
• Fuel Burning and Electrical Appliances
• Commercial Food Equipment
• Information Technology
• Consumer Electronics
• Lighting Products
• HVAC Equipment
• Much More!
If you prefer to perform testing using your own testing
laboratory, we can qualify your lab facilities under our
EPA accepted, Witnessed or Supervised Manufacturers’
Testing Laboratory programs, then verify your test results
and submit them to the EPA.
Contact us today and learn how much time and
money a combined safety and energy efficiency
testing program with CSA International can save you.
1-866-463-1785 cert.sales@csa-international.org
www.csa-international.org
NORTH AMERICA • EUROPE • ASIA
Lighting products • Gas & electric appliances • Motors & generators • Solar energy equipment • Electronics & electrical equipment