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