On March 16, 2026, the joint NIA and Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) Standards Committee (SC) 27, Mechanical Insulation, convened during AMPP’s Annual Conference and Expo in Houston, Texas. SC 27 was established as a joint initiative between NIA and AMPP to develop rigorous, industry-consensus standards that recommend best practices for mechanical insulation installation, helping ensure consistent, high-quality outcomes across the industry.

NIA/AMPP SC 27 Meeting Highlights

• Reviewed AMPP Standards Committee processes and procedures, ensuring all working groups are aligned with AMPP’s established framework for developing and balloting new standards
• Provided progress reports for working groups formed within NIA for the Standard Practices and Guidelines currently under development, including:
  • Pipe Supports, led by Darrell Peil, Knauf—addressing best practices for selecting pipe supports that allow for a continuous insulation system throughout the support, taking into account insulation compression, thermal bridging, and future damage.
  • Damaged Insulation, led by Scott Sinclair, Johns Manville—establishing recommended standards/guidelines for identifying, assessing, and repairing compromised insulation systems to restore performance and extend service life.
  • Flanges, led by Lee Stuckenschmidt, Systems Undercover, Inc.—developing installation standards/guidelines for insulating flanges, which are particularly vulnerable to heat loss, condensation, and corrosion under insulation.
  • Vapor Retarders and Vapor Stops, led by Erica Schneider, Bartelt Insulation Supply, Inc.—covering the proper installation of vapor control layers that are essential for preventing moisture infiltration and protecting the integrity of below-ambient insulation systems.

NIA Working Groups—Get Involved

Each working group has convened several times and is actively engaged in developing outlines, drafts, content organization, and standard/ guideline rationale statements. All these efforts are the foundational work necessary to produce documents that will ultimately go through AMPP’s formal balloting and approval process.

Participation in the four working groups is open to all interested industry professionals, and involvement at this stage offers a direct opportunity to shape standards that will influence insulation installation practices for years to come. Nearly 50 NIA members, engineers, facility owners, and industry stakeholders are already enrolled in NIA’s working groups.

NIA Consultant and SC 27 Chair Jeff DeGraaf noted, “I am inspired by the depth of knowledge and diversity within the group. Each member brings unique skills and perspectives. I am eager to see the final products as they near completion, with owners, manufacturers, fabricators, and contractors collaborating to provide a new level of standards for our industry.”

To join one or more working group(s), please sign up here: https://forms.gle/bg7x5b8SmvRZJgQU6. For more information on standards development, visit www.insulation.org/resources/nia-insulation-standards, or contact NIA Consultant Jeff DeGraaf, jdegraaf@insulation.org, or NIA Vice President and Managing Director Kristin V. DiDomenico, kdidomenico@insulation.org.