Colombia. The Colombian Association of Engineers ACIEM, expressed itself on the project of implementation of the Technical Regulation of Thermal Systems and Installations (RETSIT), which will integrate the projects associated with initiatives of the Regulation of Thermal Installations (RITE), the Regulation of Boilers (RTC) and the possible derivatives of the scheme of Thermal Districts.
In the words of Ismael Arenas, National President, and Gabriel Bohórquez, Director of the Commission of Technical Construction Regulations, the Association listed a series of considerations that highlight the generality of the project and that could hinder the regulation of air conditioning systems, air conditioning and refrigeration. Below are some of the comments to the consultation document:
1. Objective: we identified that the RETSIT is still very general and covers all types of thermal equipment. Additionally, it would be difficult to mix or characterize three different groups in many of the aspects mentioned, by employing a single regulatory scheme.
2. Regulation: the RETSIT aims to unify the three draft Technical Regulations that have different technical characteristics in aspects related to design, manufacture, operation, maintenance and risks, which could make the regulation of this matter complex.
The RETSIT (...) would exclude countless thermal equipment that does not necessarily fall into these three categories and that have been widely regulated by multiple standards and codes of worldwide recognition.
3. Supporting information: in the AIN there is important statistical information related to the production and consumption of all types of energy and Rational Use of Energy (URE) that will help decision-making, although this topic alone would not be enough to meet the objectives of the RETSIT.
Additionally, other variables such as environmental impact, accident inventories, equipment classification, technical characteristics, import inventory, national manufacturers, operation and maintenance technical services, and device calibration services should be taken into account.
4. Surveillance and control: a) create training programs in operation and maintenance and certification of qualified personnel in thermal equipment, inspection services, laboratories for testing and calibration of equipment regulation, control and safety systems.
b) Strengthen the accreditation scheme of specialized centers for the training and certification of inspectors, operators, maintainers, instrumentators, among others.
Finally, ACIEM considers it important to have experiences, information and opinion from other actors involved with these teams, such as the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, the National Fire Department, the District Institute for Risk Management and Climate Change (Idiger), the National Learning Service (Sena), insurers, maintenance providers, users and information from other countries that contribute to identifying the main problems and solutions related to the equipment and systems that RETSIT intends to address.
Learn more about RETSIT in https://www.minenergia.gov.co/sistemas-instalaciones-termicas
