By Healthcare Facilities Today

The Blow In Blanket Contractors Association (BIBCA) Board met with top executives from long-time partners CertainTeed, Johns Manville, Knauf Insulation, and Service Partners to determine the future of this 25-year effort to cultivate the Blow In Blanket® System and it's contractor members. The resulting new organization of High Performance Insulation Professionals (HPIP) brings new partners aboard to increase use and awareness of  Grade-1 installed systems and related components. HPIP will work with partners CertainTeed, Johns Manville, Knauf Insulation, and Owens Corning to provide training, networking and marketing tools to members.

 The most significant change for BIBCA is the broadened range of systems supported.  In the past BIBCA was exclusive to only BIBS® and BIBS® HP, HPIP will advocate for numerous systems including Owens Corning's blown-in fiberglass system ProPink Complete®, and additional systems offered by our partners such as CertainTeed's Optima®, Ecoseal® by Knauf, and Johns Manville's Spider®.  "Our big thing is moving everyone toward offering Grade-1 systems.  The fact is that everyone needs support and education just to keep up with code changes," notes Board Member Tanner Kinzler of Kinzler Construction Services.  "The increased number of systems we endorse provides more avenues to membership, and that's a good thing for contractors."

 "Our partners have banded together with HPIP for greater awareness and use of blown-in fiberglass systems in general, rather than advocate for one specific branded system over another," said Executive Officer Kristin Bennett.  "Manufacturers compete vigorously in the marketplace, but agree that working together in this effort is a win for manufacturers, for contractors, and for consumers."

 The Board expects to see nearly double membership by 2015, partly due to education offerings available nowhere else and the addition of an Insulation Analyst Certificate available to non-contractor professionals.  "We will move from an organization of around 250 contractors, to a whole network of building science professionals who recognize the value of the systems we endorse," notes President Dean Moody of Intermountain West Insulation.  "Contractors, raters, analysts, architects, and inspectors will work together grow the use of high-performance fiberglass systems."

 Existing relationships with like-minded organizations RESNET and BPI will be strengthened.

 "The more people we have beating the drum for efficient systems, the better it is for everyone in the building industry.  Hats off to HPIP for leading the charge to educate the insulation industry," states RESNET Executive Director Steve Baden.

 "BPI is excited to be part of this movement.  We're looking forward to increased partnership with HPIP as an organization that can help bridge the knowledge gap between insulators and whole house BPI certified technicians," said Larry Zarker, BPI CEO.

 The full re-brand will be complete before the end of 2013, and a new web site is in the process of being launched.  "We will keep bibca.org live until the new web site is live to provide the same great resources that bibca.org is known for," said Bennett.  "We expect our convention in February (Dallas, TX) to be a significant time for members to learn more about HPIP."

 For more information on BIBCA's re-brand and the direction of HPIP, contact Executive Officer Kristin Bennett at 605-949-2427 or kristin@bibca.org