RIMA International
Celebrating 30 Years And Growing
By Mary Edmondson

The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association International (RIMA-I) celebrates 30 years of service to the reflective insulation, radiant barrier and interior radiation control coatings industries this year. The association was founded in 1978 by a small group of industry professionals interested in educating building professionals and consumers on the benefits and uses of reflective products. They also took an active role in the American Society of Testing Materials International (ASTM) by helping write the testing and installation standards for reflective insulation and radiant barriers which continues still today.

One of the association’s first accomplishments was participating in the DOE/FTC 1979 hearings in Washington, DC, that addressed insulation products. At the completion of the hearings, the Federal Trade Commission published what became known as the "R-Value Rule". This rule still governs the way all insulation products and radiant barriers are packaged, tested, and sold today.

In the second half of the 1980's RIMA-I’s efforts helped reflectives make a significant contribution to energy conservation. The process continues at an aggressive pace with efforts directed to gaining greater presence in the marketplace for all reflective products. This is reflected in the recent Freedonia Study which states that reflective insulation and radiant barriers will see the fastest growth over the next five years with a projected 11.4 percent increase from 2007-2012 – 5.5 percent more than any other insulating material.

Reflectives lead the pack over the previous five years as well with an 11.5 percent growth from 2002-2007 – 6.9 percent higher than the rest. One campaign contributing to this growth is the association’s Radiant Barrier Software Task Group which is working to establish uniform calculations among various tax credit software programs when a radiant barrier is added to a building.

The association recently changed its name to RIMA International and has expanded involvement from North American into European countries. Twelve countries make up the current membership, and RIMA-I will continue to evolve to serve the industry on a global level. The association held its first international meeting in April 2007 in Paris, France, and will hold their next in Barcelona, Spain, in May 2009.

RIMA continues to work with many of the organizations, societies, associations, and governmental agencies to gain further acceptance of these products and help establish standards that promote their best use. The association will be launching a new Verification Program for 2009 which will verify test data for member companies, which in turn will provide the consumer a reliable resource for verifying product performance claims.

RIMA International has made a tremendous impact in advancing the reflective insulation, radiant barrier and interior radiation control coating industries over the last 30 years, and they will continue into the future through the hard work and dedication of their membership and their commitment to a more energy-efficient world. As the tag line states, “It’s About Saving Energy”.

The Reflective Insulation Manufacturer's Association International is a group of dedicated people working together to propagate the knowledge and use of reflective insulations and radiant barriers. RIMA-I has been the major force in establishing fair ASTM standards for testing and installation procedures. RIMA-I welcomes all who are interested in promoting and directing the growth of the industry. For more information about membership or the industry, please contact Executive Director Mary Edmondson at 800/279-4123.

Mary Edmondson
RIMA International Executive Director
800-279-4123
www.rima.net

“It’s About Saving Energy”