The Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) announced recently it honored André Desjarlais during the association’s 25th Anniversary Washington Outreach Reception. Desjarlais, group leader for the Building Envelopes and Materials Research Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his role in achieving significant progress in insulation performance.
Congressman Van Hollen, whose congressional district includes PIMA’s headquarters, spoke at the awards ceremony. He congratulated PIMA on its 25th anniversary, while noting the significance of the Association recognizing a civil servant, such as Desjarlais, for his important contributions.
“André’s dynamic, experimental and analytical methods have been instrumental in the advancement of polyiso insulation and more importantly in building thermal performance,“ said Chris Griffin, Chairman of the Board, PIMA. “We are pleased to honor him as part of PIMA’s 25th anniversary celebration.”
A native of Woonsocket RI, Mr. Desjarlais earned a degree in aeronautics with an option in fluid mechanics from Boston University in 1973. He joined the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in 1991 as a mechanical engineer and was promoted in 1998 to group leader of the Building Envelopes Group.
“Desjarlais has been part of many joint research projects with PIMA and has helped in quantifying the energy and environmental contribution of polyisocyanurate (polyiso) insulation,” said Jared O. Blum, President of PIMA. “He has been involved in building envelope and materials research for over 30 years and his efforts have lead to significant improvements in building performance.”
Desjarlais has been a Member of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) since 1987 and serves on Committees C16 on Thermal Insulation, E06 on Building Systems, and D08 on Roofing. He is the past Chairman of ASTM Committee C16. He has also been a member of ASHRAE since 1991, serves on Technical Committees TC 4.4 on Thermal Insulation and Building Systems, TC 1.8 on Mechanical Insulation Systems, and TC 1.12 on Moisture Control in Buildings. He is presently Chairman of TC 4.4 and Research Chairman of TC 1.8.
Since 1992, Desjarlais has been a Member and Past Director of the Single Ply Roofing Institute (SPRI) Technical Committee and Board of Directors. He also has served as a Member and Director of the Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues (RICOWI) since 1993. Desjarlais is the ORNL representative and former Chairman of the Federal Roofing Committee and Past Member of the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).
PIMA’s 25th anniversary reception celebrated the association’s 25 years of leadership in building performance and energy efficiency. Originally formed to address critical environmental challenges, PIMA is a respected multidimensional trade association. Its members, who have served on government-sponsored advisory committees to the EPA and Department of Energy (DOE), frequently testify before Congress and state legislatures, advocate for energy code development and adoption, and develop technical standards to improve overall building performance.
Polyiso is one of the most cost-effective, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible insulation products available. In concurrence with its anniversary, PIMA released a 25-year study that reveals polyiso has contributed to the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by over 4 million metric tons annually.
