Photo courtesy Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association International (RIMA-I)
The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association International (RIMA-I) presented its Alexander Schwartz Award to Dr. Hamed Saber. The award is presented to a person or entity that has motivated industry representatives, contributed significantly to, and advanced, the reflective products industry, RIMA-I, and the acceptance of reflective products in the marketplace.
Dr. David Yarbrough, of R&D Services Inc., based in Watertown, Tenn., says, “[Saber] has written and contributed to over 150 papers in the area of building science sponsored by the leaders in this field, including the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ASHRAE, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Recently, [Saber’s] paper was awarded a certificate for the best paper at the 2023 Envelopes Conference in Clearwater Beach, Fla. This was an incredible accomplishment. A reflective paper was awarded recognition at a major buildings conference!
“[Saber] has done many similar things for the reflective industry. He’s given presentations for many years at BEST Conferences (Building Envelope Science and Technology) sponsored by the National Institute of Building Sciences.
“He has authored a large number of papers in the technical literature on reflective insulation, and that is only one of the areas in which he is active. In the history of reflective technology, I suggest that there are three spikes in activity. One is the mid-1950s, the U.S. National Bureau of Standards published what is referred to as Housing Research Paper 32 (HRP32), which provided over 90 hot-box tests that form the basis for the ASHRAE handbook data on reflective air spaces, and served to stabilize the reflective industry for many years. The second spotlight is the 1980s when the DOE and ORNL repeated much of the early work in HRP32 and completed another 100 or so hot-box tests that were added to the database for reflective insulation technology. The third big spike is [Saber], who has jumped from one dimensional to three-dimensional analysis, and considered previously ignored factors. So, it is most significant and justified that [Saber] should receive this award. RIMA International is pleased to recognize Dr. Hamed Saber for all he has contributed on behalf of this organization and the industry it represents throughout his professional career. The industry has benefited greatly from his efforts, and it couldn’t go to a more deserving person.”
