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Construction Marketplace Thursday, January 23, 2020 1 8 Global Cooperation Agreements Expand Access to World Markets By Shahin Moinian, P.E., President, ICC Evaluation Service ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) and the Construction Technologies Institute of the Italian National Research Council (ITC-CNR) signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will help streamline the evaluation processes for manufacturers in America and Europe, save time and money, and reduce barriers to trade. ICC-ES and ITC-CNR have collabo- rated in the past as peer companies pro- viding product evaluation reports for construction products to relevant codes and standards, sharing information about their conformity assessment work in America and Europe, respectively. The MoU formalizes this collaboration and enables the companies to create harmo- nized pre-standards that will help indus- try clients to show proof of compliance to such standards in America and Europe. Through this effort, manufacturers exporting building products to the U.S. and Italy can use the MoU as a tool to conduct a 'one-stop-shop' product evalu- ation. This agreement will reduce efforts and costs for manufacturers, and it builds confidence that the evaluated products meet the requirements of both countries. Earlier this year, ICC-ES also signed a trilateral MoU with the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt, German Institute for Construction Engineering), and the China Academy of Building Research (CABR). The MoU will help streamline the evalua- tion processes for manufac- turers in North America, the European Union and China. About ICC-ES A nonprofit, limited liability company, ICC-ES is the United States' leading evaluation service for innovative build- ing materials, components and systems. ICC-ES Evaluation Reports (ESRs), Building Product Listings and PMG Listings provide evidence that products and systems meet requirements of codes and technical standards. The ICC-ES Environmental Programs issue VAR environmental reports that verify a product meets specific sustain- ability targets defined by today's codes, stan- dards, green rating systems and ICC-ES environmental criteria. The Environmental Programs now offer Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), to meet global market demand for science-based, transparent, quality-assured information about a product's environmental per- formance. ICC-ES is a subsidiary of the International Code Council ® (ICC ® ). For more information, visit www.icc-es .org, call 800.423.6587 or stop by booth #C3022 at the International Builders Show and booth #SL1859 at the Kitchen Bath Industry Show. Niagara Enters New Decade with Numerous Awards for Exceptional Product Performance The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently recognized the Nano ® Dual Flush toilet from Niagara ® , creators of water-saving toilets that use Stealth ® Technology, with a 2019 WaterSense Excellence in Labeled Products in the Marketplace Award at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas. This is the fifth award Niagara received in 2019. Recognized by the EPA for its excel- lence in reducing water waste, the Nano is one of the most water efficient toilets available, using 77 percent less water than most other toilets on the market. The Nano offers users the option of a 0.5 or 0.8 GPF with the same power as the industry stan- dard 1.6 GPF, a significant improvement over older toilets, which can use up to six gallons per flush. "We are proud to have our products carry the WaterSense label and be one of the partners who helped consumers save more than 3.4 trillion gallons of water," said Carl Wehmeyer, Executive Vice President at Niagara. "And we are so honored to be recognized by so many influential organizations this year for our innovative products and spirit." According to the EPA, toilets account for 30 percent of the total water usage in an average home. Water con- serving toilets not only help the environ- ment, but they can help save money on water bills as well. The EPA estimates that water conserving toilets, such as the Nano Dual Flush toilet from Niagara, can reduce water usage up to 60 percent every year, lowering monthly water costs significantly and saving more than 13,000 gallons of water annually. Additional recognition of Niagara and its products in 2019 included: This Old House: Top 20 Best New Bath Products – Nano Dual Flush Toilet; Great Place to Work: Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production in 2019- 2020; Green Builder Media: Top 50 Hot Products 2019 – Niagara Bi-Max Fixed Mount Showerhead; and Green Builder Media's Green Home of the Year – Nano Dual Flush Toilet includ- ed. About Niagara Niagara, formerly Niagara Conservation, is leading the water revolution by saving the world's water through everyday inge- nuity. Niagara has re-engineered the flush for a high-power, low-maintenance, no-waste toilet. Chairman of the Board, William Cutler, established Niagara in 1977 and the company is still family owned. Headquartered in Flower Mound, Texas, Niagara supports the U.S. and international markets. About WaterSense WaterSense, a partnership program spon- sored by the EPA, seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering consumers and businesses sim- ple ways to use less water with water- efficient products, homes and services. For more information about WaterSense, visit www.epa.gov/watersense. Visit Niagara at KBIS booth #N2975. For more information, go to www.niagara corp.com, call 800.831.8383 or email info@niagaracorp.com. Fattoria Collection from Casafina The quintessential farmhouse look is the foundation of this collection called Fattoria. The collection com- prises a lovely and robust dinner set with a dinner plate, salad plate, soup/cereal bowl and a mug and a variety of cook- ing/baking and serveware pieces. Those include three sizes of bakers, two rectan- gular and one square, as well as three sizes of mixing bowls that can also be used as serving bowls. There are also three sizes of pitchers, an oval platter, three other baking pans, batter bowls and measuring cups as well as a lovely colander and other useful and dec- orative kitchen accessories. As a whole the collection will transport those who love the look of an Italian kitchen but want their own kitchens to have a more contemporary approach while maintaining traditional country charm. All items are available in white, while a subset of pieces (bakers, batter and mixing bowls, ramekins and creamers) can be pur- chased in a pale gray as well as a retro green. Made from high-quality fine stoneware, all items are dishwasher, oven, freezer and microwave safe. For more information, call 845.277.5700, email office@casafinagifts.com or go to www.casafinagifts.com.