The Midwest Insulation Contractors Association (MICA) announced the release of the latest revision to its insulation standards manual: the 9th Edition. This latest edition includes updates to existing plates, the addition of several new plates developed upon request from industry to show additional details of certain applications, and updated information for material specifications and standards.

The manual is published as a service to contractors, engineers, designers, owners, and the mechanical insulation industry in general. The manual was conceived by MICA, and the first edition was introduced in 1979. Since then, this resource has grown to be recognized as the authoritative source for specifying and communicating installation details for mechanical insulation systems across the United States and internationally. This guide is a definitive source of technical information for the design, specification, and installation of commercial and industrial insulation. Many engineers use the manual to help them  document and outline exactly what needs to be done on a project. In turn, contractors use the MICA Manual in their submittal packages to convey insulation information and installation plans to the mechanical engineer and help eliminate large punch lists of items the engineer flags as incorrectly installed. Taking the guess work out of a project for both engineers and contractors helps in project planning and minimizes problems and delays in  execution.

Using the MICA Manual can save contractors time and money by giving a detailed explanation of the materials and installation process to the engineer, who can identify anything he or she may want done differently. For engineers, using the MICA Manual in the submittal process offers the opportunity to communicate easily with contractors and installers, preventing miscommunications and streamlining the building and installation process. Fixing and rebuilding aspects of installation can be very costly. It is much more cost efficient to prevent errors than to attempt to fix them after they occur.

The National Insulation Association (NIA) has been a decades-long partner and promoter of the manual and teaches its use as part of some of NIA’s training courses. With the introduction of the 9th Edition, MICA is pleased to announce that the Thermal Insulation Association of Canada (TIAC) has agreed to formally endorse the manual throughout Canada. Based in Ottawa, Ontario, in Canada, TIAC (http://tiac.ca/en/tiac-home) is the national industry association in Canada for contractors, distributors, and manufacturers of commercial, industrial, and institutional thermal insulation, asbestos abatement, and firestop.

The manual has been commonly referred to as the “MICA Manual” since its introduction to the industry, but now—to highlight its expanded use across all of North America—it has been renamed the North American Commercial and Industrial Insulation Standards (NACIIS) manual. The TIAC logo is now featured on the front cover, along with NIA’s logo, showing both organizations’ recognition and endorsement, and providing recognition to TIAC and NIA members of their support of the manual. NIA and TIAC will promote the NACIIS to increase awareness and education among their members and affiliates, and to
nonmembers, engineers, owners, and specifiers.

MICA will be offering this publication in both an English and a French version. The English version is available for purchase now at www.micainsulation.org, and the French version will be available in the near future. The 9th Edition is available for purchase in print and electronic formats, along with a bundled package that allows the purchaser to buy both at a discounted rate. As a bonus, when you purchase the electronic version, future updates are included in the price! To purchase the manual, visit www.micainsulation.org, email mica@micainsulation.org, or call 1-800-747-6422.

MICA is based in Omaha, Nebraska, and represents Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, Michigan, Colorado, and Wyoming. Formed in 1956, it provides its members the opportunity to be part of a professional and dynamic association of commercial and industrial insulation contractors, abatement contractors, associate manufacturer/distributor and material supply firms, and affiliate firms that interact with the insulation industry. For more information, visit www.micainsulation.org.