IAPMO R&T, North America’s premier plumbing and mechanical product certification agency, has reached a cooperative agreement with WESTPAK, Inc.; an arrangement that will greatly enhance IAPMO R&T’s certification program for solar thermal products and Photovoltaics.
IAPMO R&T has been certifying solar thermal products to the requirements of the Uniform Solar Energy Code® (USEC) since the code was introduced in 1976, but with the more recent advent of Photovoltaic (PV) technology such cooperation with a solar testing organization has become paramount. WESTPAK distinguished itself as the best partner for this expansion of IAPMO R&T’s certification services.
“We were already familiar with the technical expertise offered by WESTPAK in the area of PV and solar thermal,” said Shahin Moinian, senior director of IAPMO R&T, “and our recent evaluation of laboratory candidates proved that WESTPAK and IAPMO R&T share a similar mission — providing the fastest, most credible service possible for the expedient introduction of products to the marketplace. We firmly believe that the cooperation between our two organizations will benefit manufacturers in the solar technologies arena.”
This partnership, combined with the retention of preeminent engineers in the field of solar energy generation, further distinguishes IAPMO R&T as the third-party certification agency of choice for the solar industry throughout North America. It also makes IAPMO R&T the only certification body to offer certification to the requirements of the Uniform Solar Energy Code, as well as standards including UL 1703, IEC 61215, OG-300 and SRCC 100.
The USEC governs the installation, inspection and certification of solar energy systems and component products as a means of promoting the public’s health, safety and welfare. It features provisions for performance, such as the requirements in the referenced standards, as well as the installation of solar equipment, including items such as heat exchangers, solar thermal and photovoltaic systems.
Since 1936, Authorities Having Jurisdiction have trusted IAPMO R&T to certify products that meet every required standard.
For more information on certification of solar products to the USEC, contact Brenda Madonna at brenda.madonna@iapmort.org or by phone at (877) 4UPC-MARK.
About WESTPAK, Inc.
WESTPAK, established in 1986, is a leading independent environmental testing firm with laboratories accredited by
the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) in Northern and Southern California. WESTPAK
specializes in product, reliability, distribution, packaging and related custom testing services for numerous industries,
including solar, technology and medical device packaging. WESTPAK’s ISO 17025:2005 accreditation includes
various ASTM, ISTA and solar-related IEC test standards. WESTPAK delivers accurate and reliable test information to
help customers make critical decisions in product/package performance, regulatory compliance, product development
and certification. WESTPAK’s philosophy is “Integrity is the priceless ingredient in testing.”
About IAPMO R&T
IAPMO R&T certifies and lists electrical, plumbing, mechanical and solar products according to established U.S. and Canadian codes and standards, ensuring continuous compliance to such documents. IAPMO R&T is part of The IAPMO Group’s family of companies.
Last modified: December 22, 2009