Standards That Support Contractors and DesignersTo develop TR-56, PPI interviewed Tomas Lenman, the Swedish engineer who led the creation of the original standards. The report also tracks how PEX entered North American plumbing codes, beginning with the BOCA National Plumbing Code in 1993 and later into the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) in 2000. “North American standards ASTM F876 and ASTM F877 were first published in 1984,” said Lance MacNevin, P.Eng., director of engineering for PPI’s Building & Construction Division. “ASTM F876 contained the primary requirements for PEX tubing itself, while F877 contained performance requirements for fittings to be used as a system with PEX tubing. MacNevin added, “ASTM F876 has provided guidance to manufacturers, certifiers, code officials, system designers, installers, and end-users about the capabilities of PEX tubing systems, helping to foster growth and responsible use of PEX materials.