NIA Insulation Installation Standard Practice/Guideline Update

March 1, 2026

NIA has formally convened its first four Standards Working Groups, with Document Project Managers (DPMs) selected and kickoff meetings underway. Working groups are tasked with developing insulation installation standard practices and guidelines that address some of the most persistent and costly failure points in mechanical insulation systems.

The first four working groups are focused on issues that repeatedly compromise system performance across industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities.

  1. Damaged Insulation Working Group: Addressing recurring physical damage on rooftops, pipe racks, and within production areas.
  2. Flanges Working Group: Addressing insulation design, removal, reinstallation, and maintenance at flanged connections.
  3. Pipe Supports Working Group: Addressing incorrectly designed or inadequately insulated pipe supports.
  4. Vapor Retarders and Vapor Stops Working Group: Addressing moisture control failures in below-ambient systems.

NIA is in the process of identifying additional recognized “pain points” that continue to challenge insulation system design, installation, and maintenance across the industry. Once identified, additional working groups will be formed to address the challenge and develop a best-practice installation standard draft.

When NIA’s Working Groups complete their insulation installation standards drafts, and they are approved by the NIA Board of Directors, each document will be submitted to the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) and balloted through the joint AMPP/NIA Standards Committee (SC) 27, Mechanical Insulation. AMPP provides a proven framework for standards development, including a rigorous technical review and approval process that supports consistency, clarity, and technical credibility. This collaboration allows insulation installation standards to be released individually as they are completed, rather than waiting for an entire body of work to be finalized—significantly accelerating their availability to the industry.

Structure of the AMPP/NIA Mechanical Insulation Installation Standards and Guidelines

Each standard developed through this process will follow a consistent structure designed to improve usability and technical clarity:

  1. Foreword—Purpose of the Standard
    • Clearly defines the specific issue or condition being addressed. The intent is to remove ambiguity and ensure the reader understands exactly what the standard covers
  2. Rationale—Why the Standard Is Needed
    • Explains the technical and operational reasons for the standard, including common failure modes and risks the standard is intended to mitigate.
  3. Scope—Application Requirements
    • Provides step-by-step guidance for correct application. The focus is on clear, practical instructions that can be readily applied in design, installation, and maintenance activities.
  4. Considerations—Environmental and Site Conditions
    • Addresses factors such as operating environment, exposure conditions, and surrounding systems. These considerations may influence system design or material selection based on location-specific risks.
  5. Material-Neutral Design
    • The standards are intentionally material neutral. Rather than prescribing specific products, they provide the technical criteria and performance considerations needed for owners and engineers to make informed material selections appropriate to their applications.

Availability and Implementation

A key advantage of working within the AMPP standards framework is that once a standard completes the approval process, it becomes immediately available to end users. This approach allows the industry to begin applying improved practices without waiting years for a complete suite of standards to be published.

Through this phased release process, NIA aims to deliver actionable, technically sound guidance that supports better insulation system performance, reduced lifecycle costs, and improved asset reliability—one standard at a time.

The AMPP/NIA SC 27 met in conjunction with the 2026 AMPP Annual Conference and Expo in Houston, Texas. Actions from this meeting will be shared in future updates. In-person registration is required, and virtual attendance options are available.

  • SC 27 Chair: Jeff DeGraaf, NIA Consultant
  • SC 27 Vice Chair: Scott Sinclair, Johns Manville
  • SC 27 Secretary: Michael Pardo, S&B Engineers and Constructor

Interested in getting involved? Please use the following link: https://forms.gle/bg7x5b8SmvRZJgQU6

Contact NIA Consultant Jeff DeGraaf, jdegraaf@insulation.org, or NIA Vice President and
Managing Director Kristin V. DiDomenico, kdidomenico@insulation.org for more information.

Jeff DeGraaf

Jeff DeGraaf’s extensive experience, leadership, and commitment to industry standards have made him a respected figure in the insulation community. With over four decades of national contracting experience, he continually drives advancements and is currently creating new national standards for the mechanical insulation industry as the Chair of AMPP/NIA Joint Standards Committee, SC 27 on behalf of NIA. DeGraaf currently serves as a Consultant for NIA, is a former member of NIA’s Board of Directors, a Past President of the Midwest Insulation Contractors Association (MICA) and served on MICA’s Board of Directors for 9 years. For 12 years, he has served on MICA’s Manual Committee, helping to develop and revise both the 8th and 9th versions of the North American Commercial and Industrial Insulation Standards manual, and the highly anticipated 10th edition scheduled for release in the spring of 2026. Previously, he was a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for NCCER, playing a key role in revamping their insulation class materials and tests.

Kristin V. DiDomenico

Kristin V. DiDomenico is NIA’s Vice President. With over 20 years of association experience, focusing on membership, operations, and project management, she has overseen the implementation of NIA’s association management software systems and the integration with its learning management system. She is the current project lead of NIA’s development of national mechanical insulation standards and is a program manager for the Foundation for Mechanical Insulation Education, Training, and Industry Advancement, a 501 (c)(3). She works with SMEs and Consultants to develop and execute educational and awareness initiatives to advance the mechanical insulation industry..