Product Certification Accreditation Work Group Meets to Bring Product Certification Program to the Next Level

By Sara Krompholz, Director Technical and Product Certification, Vinyl Siding Institute

At the end of July, the Product Certification Accreditation Work Group, chaired by Alan Hoying, Manager, Code & Regulatory, Ply Gem Residential Solutions, met to review the evolving ISO/IEC 17065-accredited certification scheme in preparation for a more robust certification program to be released in 2021. The group took substantial time to review existing procedures and refine the content of the developing certification scheme.

Previously, it was decided that the existing product certification program could be updated to have a foundation based in ISO/IEC 17065 rather than manufacturer self-certification.

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. This significant update to the program will allow for an independent certification body to certify the products involved in the certification program. Other changes to the certification program will include scope expansion to include other test standards beyond what is recognized today, and new deliverables such as Product Certification Listings and Product Evaluation Reports. The listings will show product compliance to specified test standards, while the evaluation reports will validate that the identified products meet the relevant building codes for code compliance.

In addition to finalizing the certification scheme and supporting documents, the Work Group will engage with the VSI Marketing Committee in areas such as the development of the Certified Mark(s), brand recognition efforts and educational collateral for those such as code officials, specifiers, architects and other interested parties. The certified products directory website will also receive updates to promote the enhanced product certification program.

The Work Group intends to at least meet monthly until the revamped product certification program is released in 2021. If you are interested in joining this Work Group, please contact Sara Krompholz at skrompholz@polymericexteriors.fahlgrendigital.com.