ULSE International Standards 2024: The Year in Review

Fire safety is a priority sector for ULSE’s work in Latin America. We aim to advance the region’s fire safety management efforts through hosting or co-hosting events and active participation in others hosted by our partners to facilitate knowledge sharing and drive impact. Among the key partners for these engagements are the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (ICONTEC), National Association of Fire Protection of Colombia (ANRACI), and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Over the past few years, we have built the LATAM Fire Safety Congress into a premier event, gathering experts to discuss and address current fire safety challenges affecting the region and to spur innovation in the sector. In 2024, the Congress was held in conjunction with esteemed partners such as ANRACI and the International Code Council (ICC). Highlights include ULSE Principal Engineer Wil Fletcher’s presentation on the unique firefighting challenges posed by electric vehicle fires and their impact on firefighter safety and response strategies. Also, ULSE Data Science Manager Ben Rodrawangpai presented data on the types of fire emergencies within some of the region’s economies.

In September, ULSE Director of Data Science and Engineering Dr. Denice Durrant and Data Scientist Leo Wei shared statistics on fires in the region and standards to mitigate fire risks in a fire safety webinar co-hosted with the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT). Their presentations supported an objective to create a technical committee to focus on developing ULSE standards for the Americas which are regionally focused and able to be tailored for optimal local application.

Other engagements included ULSE’s participation in fire expos for Peru and Mexico, and we hosted a webinar on fire dampers targeting the region’s stakeholders.

Throughout the year, we developed working relationships with several new potential partners in the space, such as Vietnam’s Police Department of Fire & Rescue (PDFR) and its Ministry of Construction. ULSE facilitated discussions with local stakeholders to advance the exploration of international standards within domestic regulations. Another highlight of our fire safety efforts in Vietnam came in March when Regional Director Kolin Low met with leaders of the Vietnamese fire safety community on the emergent fire safety issues relating to electric vehicles.

In Indonesia, ULSE participated in a conference in Surabaya to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the nation’s firefighting service. Our team provided multiple presentations introducing attendees to the variety of ULSE standards for fire safety and firefighting.

Our partnership with several Indian fire safety entities led to our hosting meetings and training sessions for members of the local fire service. In August, we partnered with the Fire & Security Association of India (FSAI) to host a roundtable on passive fire protection for a select group of stakeholders seeking to improve resilience in the built environment to achieve safer outcomes. A parallel effort to the roundtable was the drafting of a white paper titled “Passive Fire Protection: An Imperative for Building a Safe Built Environment.” It presents strategies and case studies on codes and standards adoption and best practices for implementation to enhance the ability of India’s infrastructure to withstand emergencies.

ULSE was also invited to participate in a training program for state fire officers that was organized by the Directorate General of Fire Service, Civil Defense and Home Guard. The program provided a practical understanding of mitigation strategies to extinguish fires involving electric vehicles. During this event, ULSE Vice President International Standards Sonya Bird spoke about the emerging challenges for fire safety professionals brought about by new technologies. Senior Regional Manager Manjunath V. presented overviews of ULSE standards for active fire protection and the UL enterprise’s research capabilities for EV fires.

In September, ULSE jointly organized a conference in Manila with the Bureau of Philippine Standards to analyze a series of domestic fire incidents caused by substandard photovoltaic systems. Promoting Standards in Photovoltaic and Energy Storage System to Enhance Safety and Fire Protection featured presentations advancing awareness about ULSE standards for ESS and other battery safety topics to help address some of the root causes of the fires. Speakers included experts from UL Solutions, Singaporean ESS expert Dr. Lionel Moh, and representatives of Philippine industry and government – including Dr. Florigo Varona, the 2024 President of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineer (IIEE), and officials from the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Department of Energy, who spoke in support of renewable energy development in the country.  

We built upon existing relationships with additional national standards bodies in the region through hosting a variety of events, as well as participation in events hosted by these partners. This included multiple presentations in Indonesia by Regional Director Kolin Low about ULSE’s portfolio of standards for battery and fire safety, including at the International Battery Summit.

We were proud to co-host the first Thai Standards Forum with the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI). The Forum explored various trends, issues, and regulatory gaps related to battery safety. ULSE Data Science Manager Ben Rodrawangpai joined Dr. Carl Wang and Winter Ho represented the UL enterprise as speakers. In his presentation, Rodrawangpai discussed lithium-ion battery safety along with the analytical and visualization methods ULSE uses to study these and other issues. Other presenters included professionals from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand and the Provincial Electricity Authority.

Two roundtables were organized on the Forum’s sidelines – one with TISI’s network of professionals involved in the Thai battery landscape, and another with the Thai Energy Storage Technology Association (TESTA) led by its president, Dr. Pimpa Limthongkul – to discuss battery safety issues and gaps and addressing solutions. Both roundtables provided insights into the opportunities for international standards to solve for gaps in existing guidelines and regulations.

In June, we hosted an extensive sharing session on standards that could bolster the economy’s electric vehicle infrastructure, at the request of our partner, IBNORCA – Bolivia’s national standards body as it explores the adoption of several ULSE standards for EVs. Alex Krabbe, ULSE senior standards engineer, shared insights and data developed by ULSE on the trends and challenges of lithium-ion batteries for Bolivia and the LATAM region, and UL Solutions experts presented on the range of ULSE standards for EVs. 

Our China-based team hosted the first ULSE international standards forum for home appliances in May in partnership with the China Household Electrical Appliances Research Institute. Held in Hangzhou, the forum was a gathering of standards experts with deep knowledge of the different standards and regulatory requirements of trading household appliances across various markets. Participants took away knowledge of the key regulatory requirements to note when exporting products from China to the various markets represented and of interest – the U.S., the EU, India, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and Japan. New requirements of Chinese national standards and updates to Chinese regulations were also presented. ULSE speakers at the event included Randi Myers, electrification program director; Amy Sim, ASEAN regional manager; and Richie Stephen, senior regional standards project manager.

To build upon the success of the first international standards forum, the team hosted the second in September – this time on plugs and sockets – in Guangzhou. Attendees heard presentations by experts from UL Solutions about the technical requirements of relevant ULSE standards such as UL 498, Attachment Plugs and Receptacles, and UL 817, Cord Sets and Power-Supply Cords. Grace Roh, lead international standards project manager for ULSE, delivered a presentation about the work of IEC TC 72, covering automatic electrical controls, on which she serves as secretary. Lim Say Leong, representing our partner organization, Enterprise Singapore, presented on Singapore’s experience managing electrical safety gaps in plugs and sockets amidst a decades-long evolution in the standards landscape for these devices. On the sidelines of the forum, a roundtable was held to discuss the standards for plugs and sockets adopted in China and the ASEAN region. Participants discussed the various standards and regulatory requirements and opportunities to advance trade.

Through hosting these types of events, ULSE provides a platform for industry, government, and other stakeholders to share knowledge about the requirements of key standards and regulations of different countries to foster international trading of goods meetings safety standards.

Driven by interest in adopting a ULSE standard to cover parols, an ornamental lantern traditionally used as part of Filipino celebrations of Christmas, ULSE jointly organized a conference with the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) in March 2024. The event was held in San Fernando City, considered the country’s ‘Christmas capital’ because it’s where most Parol makers are from, to discuss UL 588, Seasonal and Holiday Decorative Products. Attendees included Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Brigida T. Pili and BPS Director Neil Catajay. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) officials presented the commission’s current regulatory frameworks for decorative lighting products, which references UL 588, and Neo Hsiao, engineering manager for UL Solutions, presented on the standard’s technical and supply chain requirements and about its ongoing development.

As another highlight was our formation of the first ULSE National Mirror Committee (NMC) with BPS to optimize Philippine stakeholders’ participation in ULSE TC 62, Flexible Cords and Portable Power Cables, and TC 588, Seasonal Holiday Decorative Products. Two workshops were organized with the NMC members and other stakeholders to build familiarity with the ULSE standards development process, and how to get the most out of their participation.

Our teams in India and Latin America participated in a variety of engagements about household electrical products. Highlights include a panel discussion on standards for variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioners moderated by Manjunath V. at a summit hosted by the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISHRAE) and the Refrigeration & Air-Conditioning Trades Association (RATA); and an electrical engineering seminar in Costa Rica hosted in collaboration with the College of Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial Engineers (CIEMI). At the latter event, ULSE’s Diana Rico presented about the importance of standards to advance safe innovation in electrical engineering.

ULSE contributes directly to the development of IEC and ISO standards by submitting UL standards, either in full or in part, as proposals that help shape international standards—particularly in emerging technology areas. Our involvement positions us at the forefront of setting benchmarks for the next wave of technological advancements. As of the end of 2024, UL standards’ content—including texts, tables, and figures—has been incorporated into more the provisions of more than 20 IEC standards and 4 ISO standards.

ULSE staff members Randi Myers, Valara Davis, Grace Roh, and Brooke Martens support IEC through serving as secretaries on various technical committees. These include IEC TC 61 (Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances), IEC TC 72 (Automated Electrical Controls), and IEC TC 108 (Safety of Electronic Equipment within the Field of Audio/Video, Information Technology, and Communication Technology).

We are also engaged in the activities of ISO; as an example, Valara Davis serves as the Committee Manager for ISO TC 92 / SC 2 (Fire Resistance).

As part of our service to these technical committees, it was our honor to host some of their meetings. In April 2024, ULSE hosted an ISO TC 92 / SC2 meeting at our office in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and in November 2024, we hosted a meeting of IEC TC 61 at our Evanston, Illinois headquarters.

ULSE proudly sponsored the 2024 IEC General Meeting held in Edinburgh, hosted by the British Standards Institution (BSI). Leveraging the event’s convening of one of the largest global standards communities, we provided presentations on our standardization work and to build and strengthen partnerships.  

Caitlin D’Onofrio presented on the ULSE’s portfolio of sustainability standards during the BSI Smart Cities Showcase Day and contributed to its panel discussion on the value of sustainability standards in the growth of smart cities. 

ULSE – led by Board Chair James M. Shannon and Sonya Bird – hosted a welcome reception attended by approximately 100 partners and stakeholders to celebrate past, current and future collaboration. We also co-hosted the Women in IEC Afternoon Tea. The latter event celebrated both the achievements and growing participation by women in standardization and greater recognition of the importance of gender-responsiveness in standards requirements. 

Additionally, ULSE hosted a booth in the expo area, at which we showcased our organization and examples of our work. We were honored by a visit from Anne, the Princess Royal, who visited the General Meeting to address IEC delegates.  

Our teams in India and Latin America participated in a variety of engagements about household electrical products. Highlights include a panel discussion on standards for variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioners moderated by Manjunath V. at a summit hosted by the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ISWe continue to look for opportunities to engage on regional standardization platforms where we can add value through supporting harmonization, coordination, and economic opportunity through international trade.

CANENA: This regional organization focuses on electrotechnical standards harmonization activities across North and South America. International Standards Manager Valara Davis serves on the CANENA Executive Committee as the U.S. standards development organization representative. She presented at the 2024 CANENA General Meeting on opportunities for Latin American SDOs to participate in CANENA’s harmonization process, as well as regional collaboration between CANENA and IEC – a key focus of a new CANENA strategic task force.

COPANT: Serving as the forum of North and South American national standards bodies (NSBs) and other SDOs, this organization fosters alignment on regional priorities, the sharing best practices, and work to address standardization challenges. COPANT provides important opportunities to ULSE to build and maintain relationships with other member organizations, and to develop or translate ULSE standards addressing regional needs.

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): ULSE’s involvement with provides opportunities to grow awareness of regionally relevant standards, such as when Regional Director Kolin Low participated in an APEC webinar to present about our standards for electric road passenger vehicle supply equipment.

US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC): Low was appointed vice chair of the ASEAN Committee and chair of the Standards Subcommittee for USABC, succeeding ULSE’s Phil Piqueira upon his retirement. ULSE has held these roles since their initiation in 2020. The committees will continue their work with the ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality (ACCSQ), focusing on areas such as electric vehicles and cybersecurity to support regional standards harmonization efforts and technical exchanges.