News of Plumbing, Hydronics, Fire Protection and PVF

@PHCPPros July 2020

2020 Tankless
Water Heater
Report
The trends leading the way for the future of the industry. Pg 68

pe07_pgs_001_003.indd 1 6/17/20 11:01 AM

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 News of Plumbing, Hydronics, Fire Protection and PVF

@PHCPPros July 2020

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF
2020 Tankless
Water Heater
PLUMBING ENGINEERS
Report
The trends leading the way for the future of the industry. Pg 68

pe07_pgs_001_003.indd 1 6/17/20 11:01 AM

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Volume 48, Number 7 - July 2020

FEATURES ASPE REPORT

24 FROM THE PRESIDENT'S PEN
68 Cover Story: 2020 Tankless Water Heater Report 26 FROM THE EXECUTIVE'S DESK
The trends leading the way for the future of the industry.
28 2020 ASPE EXPO

88 Education for the 21st Century

Bringing modern technologies and comforts to the learning COLUMNS
environment.
6 Editor’s Letter
Essential
94 Insulate ‘dem pipes – Please!
Hot water pipes are long radiators.
36 Code Classroom
IPC Code Changes, Part 6

102 Sloan Case Study 46 The Future is Now

Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Is Off-Grid Living Making
A Comeback?

106 T&S Brass talks water conservation 56 FPE Corner

Choosing and operating restroom plumbing for sustainability. SFPE Core Competencies and
Fire Suppression System Design

DEPARTMENTS
8 Industry News
132 Product News
138 Ad Index

The views and opinions expressed in this issue's articles are

those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect a
position of Plumbing Engineer, TMB Publishing Inc., or ASPE.

4/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_004_005.indd 4 6/17/20 12:56 PM

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 Editor’s Letter
Ashlei Williams, Editor
ashlei@phcppros.com
THE OFFICIAL
PUBLICATION OF THE
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF
PLUMBING ENGINEERS

Essential PHCPPros
6201 W. Howard St.,

O
ur industry reports are always highly anticipated. This year’s tankless Suite 201, Niles, IL 60714
report is a bit more anticipated, however, due to the unprecedented chang- (847) 564-1127 • Fax: (847) 564-1264
es that have taken place and continue to take place due to COVID-19.
“As the country grapples with the current pandemic, and both consumers Chairman of the Board
and businesses adjust to a new normal, tankless water heater manufacturers Tom M. Brown
continue to work, produce and innovate, all in an effort to provide a product that
Editorial, Production, Admin
brings comfort and safety to millions across the nation. And although the rapid Cate C. Brown, Vice President/Principal
development and constant change of COVID-19 has led to serious implications Ashlei Williams, Editor
across manufacturing and supply chains, the manufacturers we spoke to for this Nicole Meyer, Digital Media Specialist
report remain steadfast at keeping business as usual.” Steve Smith, Senior Director
An excerpt from the report, which starts on page 68. Even through a global of Content Management
crisis, the essential workforce of the PHCP industry continues to innovate with Mark Bruno, Senior Designer
consumer comfort and convenience in mind. Check out the report for insights
from North American manufacturers on the trends leading the way for the ASPE Managing Editor
future of the industry. Gretchen Pienta
gpienta@aspe.org
Other features in the July issue include: another piece from Peter Skinner
and Gary Klein, this time looking at pipe insulation; a submission from a
senior designer Turpin & Rattan Engineering about bringing modern plumbing Sales
technologies and comforts to learning environments; a case study from Sloan Brad Burnside, East sales
Valve Company on a project at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; and 6201 W. Howard St., Suite 201,
submission from T&S Brass on choosing and operating restroom plumbing for Niles, IL 60714
sustainability. Phone: (847) 564-1127
Finally, our columns this month come from Ron George, Victoria Valentine, Fax: (847) 564-1264
and BF Nagy. George takes another look at IPC Code Changes. Valentine E-mail: brad@phcppros.com
brings in her colleagues Kelly Finzel and Connor Van Scyoc to explore how the
David Schulte
design of fire suppression systems relates to the SFPE recommended minimum Midwest, South and E. Canada sales
technical core competencies for fire protection engineering. And, Nagy asks, is 6201 W. Howard St., Suite 201,
off-grid living making a comeback? Niles, IL 60714
Remember that in addition to our print issues, you can find daily content at Phone: (847) 564-1127
phcppros.com; including podcasts, webinars, and COVID-19 updates.O Fax: (847) 564-1264
E-mail: dave@phcppros.com

Diane Spangler
West, Texas and W. Canada sales
Fountain Valley, CA
Tel: (714) 839-6700
E-mail: diane@phcppros.com

Art Mazzone
Sales Manager
6201 W. Howard St., Suite 201,
Niles, IL 60714
Phone: (847) 564-1127
PLUMBING ENGINEER Fax: (847) 564-1264
(USPS 567-950) ISSN 0192-1711 E-mail: art@phcppros.com
PLUMBING ENGINEER (USPS 567-950) ISSN 0192-1711 is published monthly by TMB Publishing Inc., 6201 W. Howard
St., Suite 201, Niles, IL 60714. Phone (847) 564-1127, Fax (847) 564-1264. Magazine is free to those who design and
specify plumbing/piping systems in commercial, industrial, institutional and governmental buildings; as well as govern- ASPE Offices
ment officials and plumbing inspectors. Subscription rates for U.S. and Canada: $50 for one year, $90 for two years. 6400 Shafer Court, Suite 350
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MI, and indexed by Engineering Index Inc. Publications Mail Agreement No. 41499518. Return Undeliverable Canadian
Addresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6

6/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

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 Industry News
ASHRAE Virtual Conference Technical Program
Now Available
The technical program is now available for the 2020
ASHRAE Virtual Conference, with sessions starting June
22 and continuing through July 2.
The technical program includes eight tracks, with 300
speakers, and offers an in-depth learning experience pro-
viding solutions, technology demonstrations and industry
insights.
“ASHRAE is excited to re-imagine our annual confer-
ence and has proactively created as a dynamic, interactive
and virtual conference experience, with an affordable
registration fee, that make it accessible to more industry
professionals,” said 2019-20 ASHRAE President Darryl
K. Boyce, P.Eng.
The virtual conference will include 97 technical ses-
sions, updates from society leaders, and virtual network-
ing events. Live sessions addressing the latest information
relating to the COVID-19 pandemic will take place daily
starting June 29.
“Our robust technical program explores how building
and energy systems interact, while examining how build-
ings are becoming integrated, flexible and resilient sys-
tems to respond to climate change challenges,” said Bing
Liu, conference chair.
The conference tracks are listed below:
• Fundamentals and Applications
• HVAC&R Systems and Equipment
• Research Summit
• Professional Development
• Grid-Interactive Efficient Built Environment
• Multifamily and Residential Buildings
• Zero Energy Buildings and Communities
• Resilient Buildings and Communities
Featured live sessions include the following:
• COVID-19: Opportunities for Sustainable Development
• Impact of COVID-19 on Buildings
• SARS, MERS, Ebola, COVID-19: How to Prepare for
the Next Epidemic
• The Benefits of Off-Site Construction
• Technical Consultants Aren’t ‘Designers of Record’
so No E&O Insurance is Needed
8/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 8
• It’s Not a Hot Potato! Engineering Cannot Delegate
Design as They See Fit
• Crafting an O&M Plan for a Net Zero/Passive House:
An Interactive Workshop
• Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: Introduction and
Demonstration Projects
• Off-Site Construction for Resilient Buildings: Getting
Details Right
• ASHRAE’s Latest Guides for Zero Energy Design
The cost to attend the virtual conference is $99
for ASHRAE members ($329 for non-members, which
includes an annual ASHRAE membership) and offers the
following:
• Twelve live technical sessions with live Q&A with
presenters
• A technical program of more than 90 sessions
• Scheduled live video chat sessions with speakers from
on-demand sessions
• Downloadable copies of all conference papers
• ASHRAE Leadership Moments each day from society
leaders
• Virtual networking happy hours
ASHRAE’s technical program will be accepted for
many jurisdictions' continuing education requirements
and most sessions are approved for LEED AP credits and
AIA learning units.
Professional development hours can be earned for all
on-demand sessions and 12 live sessions upon success-
fully completing a short quiz. Registration includes access
to all the technical content on-demand for 18 months.
Company packages are also available.
To learn more about the 2020 ASHRAE Virtual
Conference and to register, visit www.ashrae.
org/2020virtual.
Carrier Launches Healthy Buildings Program
As people around the world adjust to a new normal,
the health of buildings — and how they influence per-
sonal health — is critically important. On June 2, Carrier
introduced its Healthy Buildings Program, an expanded
suite of advanced solutions to help deliver healthy,
safe, efficient and productive indoor environments across
key verticals including commercial buildings, healthcare,
hospitality, education, retail and marine. In support of
this, Carrier also launched www.Corporate.Carrier.com/
HealthyBuildings to help customers consult with Carrier’s
experts to take advantage of the broad range of industry-
leading healthy building technologies. Carrier Global
Corp. is a leading global provider of innovative heating,
ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration,
fire, security and building automation technologies.
“COVID-19 has reinforced the important role that
buildings play in ensuring and protecting public health,”
said Dave Gitlin, president and CEO, Carrier. “As people
return to work, hotels greet guests, schools welcome back
students and stores reopen, indoor air quality and safe
buildings are of paramount importance. For the economy
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 Industry News
to successfully recover, people need to have trust in the
safety of the buildings they are entering. New technologies
like microscopic filtration systems and touchless building
controls have gone from nice-to-have conveniences to
must-have protections. The Carrier Healthy Buildings
Program can help enable healthier and safer indoor envi-
ronments as we get back to our new normal.”
As a founding member of both the U.S. Green Building
Council (USGBC) and the International WELL Building
Institute, Carrier has long been an industry leader in
enhancing building health to promote personal health.
Now, it’s essential that the world have the solutions and
services that enable healthy environments.
“The company that invented modern air conditioning is
uniquely positioned to deliver healthy building expertise,”
said Rajan Goel, who leads Carrier’s Healthy Buildings
Program as the head of Carrier’s Building Solutions
Group. “Through the Healthy Buildings Program,
Carrier’s experts will work closely with customers to not
only design but operate, maintain and upgrade buildings
that protect what’s most important – the health of those
inside.”
Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program will draw from a
comprehensive suite of solutions and services designed to
help improve indoor air quality (IAQ), increase outside
air ventilation and enable touchless interactions. These
include, but are not limited to, the following:
Carrier Healthy Building Services
Carrier offers expert services such as consultation,
implementation and continuous monitoring. These ser-
vices can enable customers to restart, operate, maintain
and upgrade their buildings safely and efficiently. These
include the following:
Safe Start Service helps ensure that buildings are ready
for occupancy through a rigorous recommissioning of
HVAC equipment and the implementation of best prac-
tices, which may be executed remotely.
IAQ Assessment to test air quality and develop and
implement upgrades to help ensure optimal filtration,
ventilation, airflow, controls, etc. Carrier experts can also
develop and implement corporate-wide IAQ engineering
standards.
Remote Airside Management provides continuous vali-
10/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 10
dation of IAQ parameters, periodic checks of equipment
health and continuous airside commissioning, enabled by
a 24x7 Command Center.
Wellness Services include helping customers to achieve
the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL build-
ing standard certification, which implements strategies
that can help improve a building’s features – air, water,
thermal, lighting, acoustics, etc. Carrier also conducts
WELL performance testing to help ensure continued high-
performance operations and to upgrade certification levels
in support of companies’ increased concerns regarding
public health.
Remote Energy Management connects HVAC and
other building systems to provide advanced cloud-based
analytics that help optimize energy efficiency, equipment
uptime, occupant comfort and operational productivity.
Emergency Assets support building needs with a wide
variety of HVAC equipment on demand to meet building
system upgrade requirements to reopen quickly and safely
in the current environment.
Advanced Access Services helps to improve control site
density by setting limits on the number of people allowed
in a specific space and can prevent access once that num-
ber is met. Customers can also set up alerts for attempts
to access blocked areas or generate reports for contact
tracing. Carrier also provides remote monitoring and other
custom solutions to meet the new challenges of today.
Security Services provide solutions and upgrades to
help ensure increased resilience and a healthier and safer
working environment. These solutions include contactless
management, temperature screening and video analytics
supported by connected services, remote monitoring and
remote diagnostics.
Carrier Healthy Building Technologies
In addition to Carrier’s comprehensive HVAC, fire,
security and controls product offering, Carrier’s Healthy
Buildings offering includes the following:
Filtration technologies, available in new equipment and
for retrofits, include various MERV filters, HEPA filters
for particulate matter and the Infinity electrostatic filters
for airborne pathogens. Carrier also offers devices using
UVC light, which are intended to target viruses, and UV
photocatalytic oxidation to help remove volatile organic
compounds and improve IAQ.
OptiClean Negative Air Machine cleans contaminated
air and creates pressure to prevent air from spreading to
different sections of a building. If negative pressure is not
required, the machine can be used as an air “scrubber” to
pull air in, remove contaminants and discharge cleaner air
back into a room.
ActivAir hybrid hydronic air terminal delivers increased
ventilation and outside air – key infection control strate-
gies – in an energy-efficient way with low noise.
Environmental Index in the company's building auto-
mation platform enables building operators to manage
temperature, humidity and CO2 levels in a way that iden-
tifies and addresses healthy building performance issues.
DirectKey mobile access solution has empowered mil-
lions of hotel guests to safely access their hotel rooms
July 2020
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 Industry News

without contact by bypassing the front desk check-in and

eliminating many traditional touch points in the process.
BlueDiamond touchless access enables building occu-
pants to eliminate a significant number of access touch
points through implementation of industry leading mobile
credentialing technology, making their environment safer.
MyWay building services platform integrates HVAC
and other system controls, touchless access, indoor loca-
tion and other services for a safe and personalized occu-
pant experience.
Carrier can help upgrade and operate facilities with the
appropriate package of solutions based on its customers’
industry applications and requirements. Learn more about
Carrier’s Healthy Buildings Program at www.Corporate.
Carrier.com/HealthyBuildings.

MRC Global Announces Retirement Plan for
President and CEO Andrew Lane
MRC Global Inc., the largest global distributor, based
on sales, of pipe, valves and fittings and other infrastruc-
ture products and services to the energy industry, has
announced the retirement plan for MRC Global President
and CEO Andrew Lane.
After discussion at a board of directors meeting on
May 27, Lane announced his plan to retire as president
and CEO, effective Dec. 31, 2021. He will also resign
from the board on that date. Lane has served as a director
of MRC Global and president and CEO since September
2008 and was the MRC Global chairman of the board
from December 2009 until April 2016, when the positions
of chairman of the board and CEO were separated.

12/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 12 6/17/20 11:13 AM

 Human innovation meets robotic precision

Introducing Navien
NFB-C fire tube commercial boilers
• Advanced stainless steel fire tube heat exchanger
• 7" Touch screen and smart controls
• 97.5% Thermal efficiency
• Common venting and cascading capability
• Top and bottom piping connections

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pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 13 6/17/20 11:13 AM

 Industry News
“Next year I turn 62. I will complete my 13th year as
CEO, and the company will reach it’s 100-year milestone
next year," said Lane. "It’s the right time for me to retire.
I’m especially proud of helping to build the global PVF
distribution leader in the energy industry. It has been an
honor to lead our team in achieving a successful initial
public offering in April 2012, reaching $5.9 billion in
sales in 2014 at the last peak in the oil and gas cycle,
successfully addressing the volatile market conditions in
recent years and working to build our MRCGO digital
platform as we continue to position our business into the
future.
“I look forward to continuing to work closely with the
board, the executive management team and our dedicated
employees over the next 18 months to take the necessary
actions in response to today’s low oil and gas price and
the COVID-19 external environment to position MRC
Global for the eventual recovery in the years to follow,”
Lane added.
Rhys Best, MRC Global’s chairman of the board, said,
“On behalf of the board of directors we want to thank
Andrew for his leadership of MRC Global and his many
years of service to our company. Given the extended time-
line before Mr. Lane retires at the end of 2021, the board
of directors will begin a thorough and deliberate CEO
selection process.”
HEAT-FLO COMMERCIAL LINE
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AHR Expo Show Management Shares Update
on 2021 Event
AHR Expo Show Management has shared a state-
ment and details regarding the 2021 event. The 73rd
International AHR Expo will be held at McCormick Place
in Chicago from Jan. 25–27, 2021.
"We are eight months away from our event in Chicago.
With time to plan, learn and adapt, AHR Expo Show
Management, our industry partners, endorsing organiza-
tions and industry colleagues are committed to hosting a
safe event experience in January 2021," said AHR Expo
Show Management.
"With that in mind, we are communicating with Chicago
city officials, our vendors and industry partners to follow
necessary guidelines. We will update any new information
on our website as we know it.
"The AHR Expo plays an essential role in bringing
together the HVACR industry to experience products as
they launch, offer demos for deeper understanding and
networking opportunities for growth in both business
and knowledge. We’re looking forward to seeing you
in Chicago as we regain our momentum. Until then, we
wish you continued business success in these challenging
times."





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 The show hosted its first gathering in 1930, with the
intent to bring together HVACR professionals from all
sectors of the industry. Serving commercial, industrial,
residential, institutional and technology markets, the show
has grown to represent the industry’s most cumulative
gathering of all professionals and markets under one roof.
Each year, manufacturers come together to exhibit their
systems, equipment, and components with air-condi-
tioning, heating, plumbing, ventilation, and refrigeration
applications. Professionals such as contractors, engineers,
OEMs, distributors and other industry roles attend the
show in search of new and innovative products and servic-
es that enhance the way they do business, as well as net-
working opportunities that are unmatched in the industry.
Attendees can expect new opportunities at the 2021
AHR Expo, including the following:
• AHR Expo Podcast Pavilions: After a successful 2020
debut, the AHR Expo will again host some of the indus-
try’s top podcasters in three Podcast Pavilions, including
The HVAC Jerks, HVAC School with Bryan Orr, Mike
Mayberry HVAC Refer Guy, ToolPros with Brent Ridley,
HVAC Uncensored with Gil Cavey, HVAC 360 with Matt
Nelson, Service Business Mastery with Tersh Blissett and
others
• Heavily attended by popular industry personalities:
Instagram and other social channel community members
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will be onsite for meet-and-greet opportunities
• Trend Talks with AHR Expo Council Members:
Aiming to address some of the biggest trends affecting the
HVACR Industry, Council Members will lead discussions
on opportunities and potential impacts
Advance registration opens in the summer of 2020 and
is free to qualified professionals and students ages 18 and
up. An online registration fee of $30 will apply after the
January 2021 cut-off date; as well as to attendees who
register onsite. On show days, 16- and 17- year-old stu-
dents accompanied by a supervising adult will be allowed
admission to the Show floor.
For further information, visit the AHR Expo web-
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 Industry News
ASHRAE Publishes Updated Legionella Guideline
ASHRAE has published an updated guideline to assist
in control of legionellosis associated with building water
systems.
ASHRAE Guideline 12-2020, Managing the Risk of
Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems,
provides guidance useful in the implementation of ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 188, Legionellosis: Risk Management
for Building Water Systems. The guideline is intended for
use by owners of human-occupied buildings and those
involved in the design, construction, installation, commis-
sioning, management, operation, maintenance, and service
of centralized building water systems and components.
“ASHRAE Standard 188 gives direction regarding
what to do to control the spread of legionellosis, such as
to follow a risk management process, but does not neces-
sarily explain how to do it in a prescriptive way,” said
Paul Lindahl, committee chair for ASHRAE Standing
Standard Project Committee (SSPC) 188, the committee
responsible for writing Guideline 12-2020. “Guideline 12
complements Standard 188 by providing detailed guid-
ance for water management program teams to develop
the necessary elements of an effective water management
plan. This can be a particularly important aspect of plans
to reopen buildings following the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Guideline 12 applies to spaces such as hotels, office
buildings, hospitals and other health care facilities, assist-
ed living facilities, schools, universities, commercial
buildings, industrial buildings and centralized systems
in multifamily residential buildings. Buildings with non-
centralized water systems, and single-family residential
buildings, though not included, may also benefit.
Three presentations on Guideline 12-2020 will take
place during the 2020 ASHRAE Virtual Conference:
• History of Standard 188, Guideline 12 and Other
Guidelines
• ASHRAE Guideline 12 and the Facts about Legionella
Growth in Building Water Systems
• Guideline 12 Is a Tool Designed to Support the
Preparation of a Water Management Plan Using ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 188
16/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 16
While Legionnaire’s Disease has been known for many
years, recent outbreaks have increased awareness of the
disease, its causes, and prevention strategies. According
to the World Health Organization, because many countries
lack appropriate methods of diagnosing the infection or
sufficient surveillance systems, the rate of occurrence is
unknown.
Those interested can purchase ASHRAE Guideline
12-2020, Managing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated
with Building Water Systems from the ASHRAE
Bookstore or contact ASHRAE Customer by phone at
1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada), 404-636-
8400 (worldwide) or fax 678-539-2129.
IAPMO Holds Technical Committee Meetings for
Development of 2021 USHGC and USPSHTC
In May, The International Association of Plumbing
and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) concluded Technical
Committee Meetings toward the American National
Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited development of
the 2021 editions of the Uniform Solar, Hydronics and
Geothermal Code (USHGC) and Uniform Swimming
Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (USPSHTC). The meetings
were held via teleconference.
The technical committees, consisting of a broad coali-
tion of industry experts — installers, inspection officials,
contractors, engineers and manufacturers — considered
public comments to amend the USHGC and USPSHTC
in advance of the release of the 2021 editions. Their
actions to accept, modify, or reject these comments will
be electronically balloted to the technical committees for
formal voting June 5-26. The results of these votes will be
published in the Report on Comments to be published for
review in September.
The USHGC Technical Committee met via teleconfer-
ence and considered public comments seeking to amend
the code in such areas as applicable standards for hydronic
system components; heat pumps; dual purpose water
heaters; protection of potable water supply and applicable
standards; pressure testing; discharge piping; expansion
tanks and sizing; oxygen permeation; joining methods
and connections for hydronic distribution piping and tub-
ing; safety devices; radiant wall and ceiling panels; tube
fasteners; tracer wires; solar photovoltaic systems; and
applicable equipment standards.
The USHGC is a model code developed by IAPMO to
govern the installation and inspection of solar energy sys-
tems as a means of promoting the public's health, safety,
and welfare.
The USPSHTC Technical Committee met via tele-
conference and considered public comments seeking to
amend the code in such areas as flood resistant design and
construction for flood hazard areas; applicable material
standards for building supply, water distribution, and cir-
culation system piping and fittings; water supply and cir-
culation system pipe joints and connections; tracer wires;
pool lifts and accessibility; slip-resistant walkway sur-
July 2020
6/17/20 11:13 AM
pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 17 6/17/20 11:13 AM
 Industry News

faces; islands; lazy rivers; bridges; vanishing edge pools; announced the passing of Vice President of Advanced
beach entry pools; ventilation of indoor aquatic facilities; Energy Programs Les Nelson. Nelson died in May at his
water chemistry; heaters; zero-depth entry pools; signage; home in Corona, California. He was 66.
and secondary entrapment prevention. Nelson joined IAPMO in January 2012, bringing
The USPSHTC is a model code developed by IAPMO extensive industry knowledge and experience to The
to govern the installation and inspection of both public IAPMO Group’s rapidly expanding solar energy profile.
and private swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs to ensure He also brought uncommon kindness and warmth to his
the safety of their operation. For questions about the fellow staff members at World Headquarters in Ontario,
USHGC or the USPSHTC, contact Taylor Costea at 909- California.
218-8126 or taylor.costea@iapmo.org. Nelson was instrumental in incorporating additional
hydronics code language and the new sections of geo-
thermal into the Uniform Solar Energy Code, making it
PPI Announces Building & Construction Division the Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code it is
today. He was working on projects related to the increased
Management Committee Changes electrification of hydronic systems.
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) has announced that its
Building & Construction Division (BCD) has elected Kate
Olinger of Uponor North America to division chair and
Christian Herrild of Teel Plastics to vice chair. Olinger,
who will also represent the division on the PPI Board of
Directors for the next two years, takes over from Rich
Houle of Reliance Worldwide Corp., who now moves into
the past chair role. The changes take effect June 1. PPI’s
BCD focuses on plumbing and mechanical systems.
Herrild previously served on the BCD Management
Committee as the communications committee chair. That
position will now be filled by Bill Melvin of Legend
Valve. Other spots in the BCD include Jason McKinnon
of Viega, who remains as the education committee chair,
a position he has held for more than four years, and Gary
Morgan of Borealis, who will continue as R&D projects
chair, managing the work of BCD’s active research group.
Don Townley of Lubrizol, who served as BCD division
As the executive director of the Radiant Professionals
chair from 2016 to 2018, has accepted the role of advisory
Alliance (RPA) and staff liaison to the Hydronics Industry
council liaison and strategic planning chair. Rich Houle,
Alliance – Commercial (HIA-C), Nelson was able to gain
Gary Morgan, and Don Townley also serve on the PPI
increased cooperation within the industry. He was skilled
Board of Directors in other roles.
at keeping the teams focused in order to maintain and
“PPI’s management committee members provide sig-
grow these industry segments.
nificant guidance to staff on topics from advocacy and
“Les’ ability to coordinate the efforts of multiple manu-
education, to codes and standards," said Lance MacNevin,
facturers, many of us competitors, for the good of the
P. Eng., director of engineering for PPI's BCD. "These
industry was vital,” said Rick Bostian, HIA-C chairman.
new leadership positions solidify their continued commit-
Greg Cunniff, HIA-C chairman of Engineering and
ments to PPI and the piping industry. We are grateful for
Software, added, “Les provided invaluable insight and
the volunteer service of these dedicated members.”
focus on how HIA-C could ‘tell our story’ to the con-
PPI is the major trade association representing all seg-
struction industry and building owners. He was able to
ments of the plastic pipe industry. The BCD represents
take involved technical topics and make them understand-
plastic pressure piping systems such as CPVC, HDPE,
PEX, PE-RT, PP-R and PP-RCT used in plumbing and able. He also was the consummate professional and his
mechanical applications. More information can be found approach created an atmosphere of cooperation.”
Nelson authored several technical journal articles and
at www.plasticpipe.org/building-construction.
was interviewed numerous times by industry press for his
expertise.
Prior to joining IAPMO, Nelson was president of
RPA Executive Director and IAPMO Vice Western Renewables Group, through which he provided
President of Advanced Energy Programs Les consulting services to federal, state and private clients
Nelson Passes Away since 1992. His involvement in the solar heating indus-
try began 20 years earlier, two decades during which he
With deep sadness the International Association worked in solar thermal manufacturing and contracting,
of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) has regulatory and policy development, and solar energy
advocacy at the state and federal levels.
18/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 18 6/17/20 11:13 AM

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pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 19 6/17/20 11:13 AM

 Industry News

Nelson was at times a director of the Solar Energy

Industries Association (SEIA) and chair of its Solar
Heating & Cooling Division, a director of the California
Solar Energy Industries Association (CAL SEIA), and
a director of the North American Board of Certified
Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). He also served as oper-
ating agent for the International Energy Agency Solar
Heating and Cooling Program's Task 43: Solar Rating and
Certification Harmonization
“Les was an incredibly kind and extremely knowl-
edgeable professional who will be missed terribly,” said
IAPMO CEO GP Russ Chaney. “Our hearts go out to his
wife, Christine, and their family during this difficult time.”
Nelson is survived by Christine and their two children,
Ian and Ariana. Those who desire to express condolences
or send a charitable gift to Nelson’s family should for-
ward it to Mrs. Christine Nelson, c/o IAPMO, 4755 E.
Philadelphia St., Ontario, CA 91761-2816.

NIBS Hosts Limited Invitation Virtual Leadership

Series for Women in the Building Industry
On May 28, the National Institute of Building Sciences
(NIBS) hosted the first in a series of virtual events aimed
at engaging and prioritizing women in leadership through-
out the built environment.
Twenty women executives were selected to join the
Women Executives in Building: Virtual Leadership Series
meeting, which was co-hosted by Lakisha A. Woods,
CAE, president and CEO of NIBS, and Nancy Novak,
chief innovation officer with Compass Datacenters.
"Data shows that the industry and nation do not put
enough tools and resources toward helping to grow
women in leadership – particularly in the building indus-
try," Woods said. "That needs to change. It's not about
bringing people together this one time. We need to con-
tinue to talk amongst ourselves so we can address how to
overcome common issues and find solutions."
The meeting focus was around work production and
maintaining productivity in a workplace or jobsite. Some
of the topics discussed include logistics and supply chain,
technology and innovation, contractual arrangements,
communication and partnerships.
"It's human nature to want to be productive," Novak
said. "Production gives you purpose, and it helps you
grow. Change is hard, and investing in change is risky. But
not changing could be fatal."
Statistics show that 51 percent of nation is female, yet
more than 90 percent of the building industry is male. The
number of women entering construction and other built
environment-related jobs continues to grow, but it's not
enough.
"These jobs are essential," Woods said. "The people in
this business affect where we live, work, learn, and play.
You want to have diversity in an industry that shapes the
safety and sustainability of your home, work and schools."
NIBS hosted the first annual Women Executives in
Building Summit on Oct. 4, 2019, with the goal to gather a

20/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

Bradley_Keltech_halfpg_vert_PlumbEng_3.25x10_rev0420_outlines.indd 1 4/7/2020 7:25:16 AM

pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 20 6/17/20 11:13 AM

 LUNCH
AND
EARN.

McWane Technical Services is part of ASPE’s
CEU Provider Program offering continuing
education units (CEUs) for professional
development. Here is the current list of
programs available by McWane Technical
Services:
• Cast Iron Soil Pipe Manufacturing and Associated
Standards
• Environmental Sustainability of Cast Iron Soil Pipe
Production and Use
• History and Overview of Cast Iron Soil Pipe
• Joining Methods for Cast Iron Soil Pipe and Fittings
• Overview of Underground Installations of Waste
Systems

LEARN MORE:
mcwaneplumbingtechservices.com

pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 21 6/17/20 11:13 AM PM

McWane-ASPE-lunch-and-earn-8.5x11in.indd 1 4/10/2020 5:30:31
 Industry News
group of female executives to talk about tough issues like
diversity, inclusion and management in the built environ-
ment. The NIBS team handpicked the executives invited
to the summit, which was held at the headquarters of the
National Restaurant Association in Washington, D.C.
The summit featured a strong panel of CEOs, includ-
ing Paula Glover, of the American Association of Blacks
in Energy; Andrea Rutledge, with the Construction
Management Association of America; and Dawn Sweeney,
of the National Restaurant Association. Some of the issues
discussed include balancing work and family, reaching
career counselors and youth in high school and college
to recruit into the industry, and whether companies are
doing a good job with recruiting and taking care of women
entering the workforce.
Subsequent webinars in the series are scheduled for June
25 and July 30. The second annual Women Executives
in Building Summit is scheduled for Sept. 23-24 in
Nashville, Tennessee.
Bradley Corp. Shares Five Restroom Upgrades
to Improve Hand Washing and Minimize Germs
The rapid spread of COVID-19 has made an unprec-
edented and indelible mark on how society responds to
potential germ exposure, raising new questions around the
hygienic and safe usage of public restrooms.
In a matter of weeks, the pandemic caused a major
uptick in hand washing, taught the virtues of social dis-
tancing and elevated awareness of hand-to-surface contact.
“As businesses and public establishments reopen and
Americans return to using facilities, all eyes are on public
restrooms,” said Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and
corporate development, Bradley Corp., a global manufac-
turer of restroom equipment. “Today’s commercial wash-
room will be of paramount importance in providing hand
washing systems and supplies, and mitigating sickness-
causing germs.”
Dommisse offers several considerations for keeping
restrooms clean, maintained, well-equipped and prepared
for a healthy hand washing experience:
Post signage. Reinforce cleanliness with friendly
reminders about washing hands for 20 seconds per Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, maintaining safe
distances between users, throwing away paper towels,
etc. The Healthy Hand Washing Survey by Bradley Corp.
shows that 40 percent of Americans increase hand wash-
ing when signs are posted.
“Posting updated cleaning schedules in restrooms also
goes a long way in helping to reassure customers the facil-
ity is taking steps to ensure a clean environment and cares
about keeping them safe,” Dommisse said.
Offer touchless fixtures. Cross contamination of
germs in restrooms can be reduced by using touch-free
fixtures for everything from soap, faucets, hand dryers/
towels, doors and flushers. Public health experts agree:
“Under any circumstance, using touchless fixtures helps
to inhibit the spread of germs in restrooms and buildings,”
22/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 22
said medical microbiologist Michael P. McCann, Ph.D.,
professor of biology, Saint Joseph's University. “The more
we avoid restroom touchpoints, the healthier and easier
our operations will be. Hands-free washrooms are a win-
win for consumers and businesses.”
Research shows that consumers are highly in favor
of using touch-free fixtures. “Ninety-one percent of
Americans believe it’s extremely or somewhat impor-
tant that public restrooms are equipped with touchless
fixtures,” Dommisse said. “In fact, making everything
touchless is Americans’ most requested improvement in
restrooms.”
Increase cleaning, sanitization and restocking.
Proper and frequent cleaning and disinfection is key for
restrooms, especially for high-touch surfaces, such as
doorknobs, faucets, sinks, toilets, stall door openers and
paper towel dispensers. According to the CDC, daily
cleaning with soap and water reduces germs, dirt, and
impurities on the surface, and should be done frequently,
especially if there is high traffic.
“It’s also important to disinfect surfaces to kill germs at
least once daily, and more often if the restroom is busy,”
Dr. McCann said. Finally, supplies should be checked and
restocked regularly. Experiencing unclean low-stocked
restrooms are pet peeves for restroom users.
Provide trash cans and hand sanitizer near exits.
“Our research shows that 65 percent of Americans use
paper toweling to avoid contact with restroom doors and
faucets,” Dommisse said. “Keeping paper towels and
waste containers near doorways can be helpful so people
can throw them away upon exiting.”
Installing hand sanitizers outside restrooms is another
way people can sanitize their hands upon entering and
leaving the restroom.
Prop open doors to increase visibility and minimize
contact. To limit the number of people in restrooms and
encourage social distancing, a propped open door can give
people a small window into seeing how many others are
already inside. In addition, a slightly opened door allows
people to maneuver the door with their elbow, as opposed
to their hands.
For more information, visit www.bradleycorp.com/
handwashing.
July 2020
6/17/20 11:13 AM
pe07_pgs_008_025.indd 23 6/17/20 11:13 AM
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ASPE Report aspe.org
A
Monthly News from the American Society of Plumbing Engineers Mon

Fo
From the President’s Pen 2018–2020 ASPE BOARD Th
Carol Johnson, CPD, LEED AP, CFI, FASPE OF DIRECTORS in
in
2018–2020 ASPE President President ge
Carol Johnson, CPD, LEED AP, CFI, FASPE
aspepres@aspe.org M
Di
Vice President, Technical Co
Don Strickland, CPD, GPD, FASPE
ye
ASPE — Convention, Leadership, and Truth Vice President, Education Aw
We all are products of genetics and environment. When I was growing up my mom would always say, Blair Minyard, PE, CDT, CPD
“There is strength in truth.” As I grow older, I understand that statement on so many more levels. The AS
truth is that the plumbing industry is critical for our society. The truth is that we have some of the Vice President, Legislative Co
greatest members in our organization. The truth is that we have wonderful, dedicated industry and Brianne N. Hall, PE, CPD, of
professional leaders in this Society. The truth is that ASPE is providing more for our members. The LEED AP BD+C, GGP AS
truth is that our members build ASPE. Jas
In June we held our first-ever virtual Region Meetings. They were directed by our Region Directors Vice President, Membership
and were well attended and positively received. Personally, I had the opportunity to attend all five of Vincent (Vinny) Falkowski, PE, PMP, CCM in
the meetings. The interaction with the members was good. The feedback has been positive, and we 20
are looking forward to our first Joint Region Meeting to be held in Chicago in June 2021. I thank our  
  Ch
Chapter leaders and Region Directors for making the Region Meetings a success. Thomas P. Sharp La
This year’s CPD exam was also held online. We have been talking about finding silver linings in po
our current pandemic environment, and communication is one of them. This is another one of those Treasurer inc
instances where I am hearing positive feedback. We are hearing from various members that the test is Jim Zebrowski, PE, CPD, FASPE Te
more accessible because they can take it from home.
Just a reminder: credentialing can be a critically important factor in your career. The Certified in Region 1 Director Ra
Plumbing Design (CPD) credential indicates that you have reached an advanced level of knowledge R. Paul Silvestre, FASPE AS
in plumbing. Recently I was on a committee call, and I asked an individual what direct impact the Ra
CPD had on his career. His response was that he received a raise, he was given a leadership role in his Region 2 Director Na
firm, other employees asked him more questions, and he felt that they trusted his answers. I person- Keith Bush, CPD, GPD, CSI (A
ally thought, “Wow. That is a great result.” This Society was founded on members collectively build- Ra
ing our knowledge base. Credentials are an indicator or an exclamation point providing recognition Region 3 Director pu
of outstanding professionals with advanced skills in the design of plumbing systems. If you are not a Steve E. Mastley, CPD, FASPE 20
CPD, please go to our ASPE website to learn more: aspe.org/education-credentialing/cpd.
The 2020 Convention & Expo is around the corner. New Orleans is calling our name. First, let Region 4 Director AS
me say that I will be thrilled to see everyone. The time to register and book your flights is upon us. Scott M. Steindler, CPD, GPD, LEED-AP Ou
ASPE’s Education Committee and Staff have put in many hours to plan programs, meetings, the BD+C, ARCSA-AP (IS), GPD, GGP am
Expo, and networking events. Our Convention & Expo is professional development at its best. The Bu
numbers speak loudly! It is the largest plumbing tradeshow in the country, spanning six days, with Region 5 Director Pla
thousands of industry professionals, hundreds of exhibitors, and numerous technical sessions. Bryan Hutton, CPD Aq
If you are a designer or a manufacturer representative who wants to be at the top of your field, the 20
ASPE Convention & Expo is where to be. You will have an opportunity to see the latest products, AYP Liaison to the Board pr
network, earn CEUs, expand your knowledge base, and see local attractions close to the venue. Visit Christoph Lohr, PE, CPD, LEED AP BD+C, th
the website to learn more and register: expo.aspe.org. ASSE 6020
There is strength in truth! The truth is that our Chapter leaders are amazing. Our members are stel- AS
lar, and this profession is important. Let’s continue to build our industry. Let’s encourage each other Executive Director/CEO AS
in our growth. Let’s continue to build our profession, and let’s build our Society. This is your time! William “Billy” Smith, FASPE AS
Grow your skill set. Grow your value for your employer. This is your ASPE family. Let’s grow ASPE Di
together. Ch
I want to see you in New Orleans! Eq
tio

pe07_pgs_026_031.indd 26 6/17/20 11:15 AM

 ASPE Report aspe.org
Monthly News from the American Society of Plumbing Engineers

Founding Member Ed Saltzberg, FASPE, Passes Away

ARD The American Society of Plumbing Engineers and the plumbing engineering industry recently lost a pioneer
in the profession, Mr. Edward Saltzberg, PE, CPD, FPE, FNAFE, FASPE. During his long career, Ed served
in many capacities for ASPE, including Society President, and he played a crucial role in fostering upcoming
generations of plumbing engineering professionals. In 1992, Ed received the George W. Runkle Award of
, FASPE Merit, the highest recognition presented by the Society, and in 2006 he was presented with the Donald F.
Dickerson Founder’s Award. Ed also was a member of the inaugural class of the ASPE Kenneth G. Wentink
College of Fellows in 2008.
SPE In recognition of his decades of dedication to ASPE and the plumbing engineering profession, earlier this
year ASPE renamed the Distinguished Service Award as the Edward W. Saltzberg Distinguished Service
Award, and Ed was the first recipient. He will be missed by everyone he influenced in our industry.
D
ASPE Members Named to CSE’s 2020 40 Under 40 List New ASPE Members
Consulting-Specifying Engineer recently announced the recipients Baltimore Chapter New York City Chapter
Wayne Reynard Smith Peter Michael Angelone
of the 2020 40 Under 40 award, and we are pleased to share that Jeanne Schmager Tebera, PE Joshua Michael Gormley
ASPE members Karen Schulte, PE, CPD, LEED AP BD+C, and Boston Chapter John P. Malescio, PE, CPD
Jason Witterman, PE, LEED AP BD+C, were included. Daniel Ring Nicholas James Vella
p British Columbia Chapter Tyrone Anthony Shelton Wells, PE, LEED AP
Karen is a Mechanical Project Engineer with Mueller Associates Jan Luechachandej Northern California Chapter
MP, CCM in Linthicum, Maryland. She has been an ASPE member since Tim D. Souza, PE
Drew Laurance Makortoff
2017 and is the Women of ASPE (WOA) Liaison for the Baltimore Godfrey Nash Oklahoma Chapter
Buffalo-Niagara Chapter Eric Paul Rogers, PE
Chapter. Jason is the Associate Director of Mechanical for NV5 in Shelley Trent Young
Austin Douglas Kozuch
Las Vegas. He joined ASPE in 2011 and has served in numerous Central Florida Chapter Orange County Chapter
positions on the Southern Nevada Chapter Board of Directors, Micheal Dirienzo Chitai Chung
including Treasurer, Vice President, Membership, Vice President, Central Indiana Chapter Overseas Chapter
PE Andrew James Whelton Nestor Sadile Coronel
Technical, and President. Congratulations Karen and Jason! Central Texas Chapter Victor M. Garcia
Alfred Hernandez, PE Philadelphia Chapter
Rainwater Catchment Systems Standard Is Updated Charlotte Chapter Robert H. Barnett
Shalon Neal Sledge, LEED AP William Michael Pruitt
ASPE is pleased to announce that ARCSA/ASPE/ANSI 63-2020: Phoenix Chapter
Chicago Chapter
Rainwater Catchment Systems has been designated as an American Robert Gonsch Stephen Anthony Hostutler
National Standard by the American National Standards Institute John Owen Varley, PE, LEED AP Pittsburgh Chapter
Carlos Viramontes Matt James Stewart
(ANSI). It was developed in collaboration with the American
Connecticut Chapter Raleigh Chapter
Rainwater Catchment Systems Association and is now available for Ed Rivera William Charles Greskovich
purchase at ASPE’s Bookstore: aspe.org/product/arcsa-aspe-ansi-63- Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter Richmond Chapter
PE 2020-rainwater-catchment-systems. Kotoe Manno Miles Cary Johnston
Denver Chapter Rafat Z.A. Zaqqut
Derek B. Moffett San Diego Chapter
ASPE Member Wins PPI Award Houston Chapter Elizabeth Huebscher
ED-AP Our congratulations go to Jim Paschal, PE, CPD, LEED AP, Marisol Carranza David Wolf
GP a member of our Intermountain Chapter, who was named the Intermountain Chapter San Francisco Chapter
Savannah Lee Augustine Alejandro Arellano
Building & Construction Division Member of the Year by the Jim Lindsley Daniel Alfonso Avendano
Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI). Jim is the Chief Technology Officer for Los Angeles Chapter Charles Joseph Regan
Manuel Ramos Castro III, PE Imaan Taghavi
Aquatherm North America and has been an ASPE member since Seattle Chapter
Daniel Gleiberman
2009. He was recognized by PPI due to his work on the PPI Poly- Jason Klopfenstein Lisa Mia Carson
propylene Pressure Pipe Steering Committee, for which he has been Member at Large Southwestern Ohio Chapter
BD+C, the Chair since its inception in 2017. Spencer Louis Bylsma Eric Jack Nash
Grant Kidd Jeremy Michael Williams, PE, LEED AP
Minnesota Chapter St. Louis Chapter
ASPE Featured on #KnowledgeShared Video Series Andrew Phillip Cutter Stephen L. Kramme, PE
ASPE President Carol Johnson, CPD, LEED AP, CFI, FASPE, Matthew Michael Novak Toronto Chapter
E Montreal Chapter Jody David Swartman
ASPE Executive Director/CEO Billy Smith, FASPE, and ASPE Rolland P. Blais, P.Eng Washington, D.C. Chapter
Director of Affiliate Relations Brian Henry recently chatted with New Jersey Chapter Yin Kay Wong
Charli K. Matthews, CEO & Founder of Empowering Pumps & Adam Straka West Coast Florida Chapter
New Orleans Chapter Erin Hibbard, PE
Equipment, about the role plumbing engineers play in the construc-
Jonathan Michael Coates, PE Wisconsin Chapter
tion industry. You can watch the video at bit.ly/2UDFetk. Douglas Mark Verhagen, P. Eng

pe07_pgs_026_031.indd 27 6/17/20 11:15 AM

ASPE Report
Monthly News from the American Society of Plumbing Engineers
From the Executive’s Desk
William “Billy” Smith, FASPE
ASPE Executive Director/CEO
bsmith@aspe.org
Are We There Yet?
I hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July, spending quality time
with family and friends. Also, I wish each of you continued health
and safety as we travel together on this long trip we are sharing,
without having any idea just how long the trip will be. Considering
that, please go back with me to our respective early years, when our
families may have been going on a long trip. As young children, we
didn’t really know or understand how long it would take us to get
to the destination. Can you recall asking, “Are we there yet?” How
many different excuses did we come up with to get our parents to
stop, just to get out of the car? Let me guess, one of those excuses
was, “I’ve got to go!” Anything—just let me out!
Similarly, yet so different due to current circumstances, I would
suggest that we find ourselves right back where we were then,
wondering how long our current trip is going to last. The trip that
began a few months ago, brought about by the COVID-19 pan-
demic, seems like it started many years ago. I bet many of you feel
like you did back in the day: I need to get out!
Considering the question we’ve asked so many times, it’s inter-
esting that the “are we there yet?” feeling has returned. Many of us
may be getting back to a certain level of normalcy relative to living
and working in the early stages of buildings opening up again.
Regardless of where you live and work, we seem to be getting closer
to the lives we remember prior to social distancing. We place tre-
mendous value on some of these activities and have been missing
them so much. So, are we there yet? Let’s hope so. However, let’s
also remember to not get so comfortable that we forget about the
continued relevance that this pandemic still carries as to our lives,
our families, and our workplace.
Sadly, I will bring to your attention a tremendous loss that
the American Society of Plumbing Engineers and the plumbing
engineering industry recently suffered. ASPE lost one of our asso-
ciation’s founding fathers and a pioneer in the profession when Mr.
Edward Saltzberg, PE, CPD, FPE, FNAFE, FASPE, passed away in
May. On a personal note, I am so thankful for all of his important
work and his desire for success from the beginning of ASPE to this
day. That success will continue for many years to come because of
the efforts of one Edward W. Saltzberg.
You can read more about Ed’s life and professional successes in
the item earlier in this ASPE Report and also on ASPE Pipeline:
pe07_pgs_026_031.indd 28
aspe.org
bit.ly/2ZXHhfi. He will be missed by all who benefited from his
years of mentorship and love.
As a professional society, ASPE is committed to disseminating
technical data and information, planning and sponsoring activities
that facilitate interaction with fellow professionals, and, through
the education process, expanding the knowledge base of the
plumbing engineering industry. ASPE members are leaders in inno-
vative plumbing design, effective materials and energy use, and the
application of advanced techniques, and we should communicate
that through our industry partnerships whenever possible.
Now is a great time to be doing that with all of the online tools
we are taking advantage of during this season in which we are
working. Recently, we were fortunate to speak with Charli K. Mat-
thews, CEO and Founder of Empowering Brands, as she hosted a
live video chat with three members of ASPE. Joining this discus-
sion in the second part of the #KnowledgeShared video series were
ASPE’s President, Carol Johnson, CPD, LEED AP, CFI, FASPE,
who is a Project Manager with Edmonds Engineering, ASPE’s
Director of Affiliate Relations, Brian Henry, and me, ASPE’s Exec-
utive Director/CEO.
If you are interested, you can find a link to the video on ASPE
Pipeline at bit.ly/30oAtHz. During our 30-minute conversation
you will get an inside look at the world of plumbing engineers and
how they work behind the scenes to support safety in buildings for
not just potable water, fire protection, and domestic water systems,
but also medical gas, sewer, and municipal waste systems. We also
discussed the major issues facing the industry today, what role the
plumbing engineer plays, and how plumbing engineers interact
within the design/construction world. We ended by talking about
ASPE’s Convention & Expo in New Orleans on September 11–16,
2020. We hope you are making plans to attend.
Well, here we are, at our destination. It’s been a long trip, hasn’t
it? From start to finish, the trip has had many frustrating and chal-
lenging hurdles for us to overcome, some of which are still there.
As stated, things are now opening up in various stages around the
country. The most important questions to ask now are these: Are
you ready? Are we ready? Am I ready? We can be. To ensure our
success, to be ready, to be prepared, we must be together.
Ending this column just as I began it: “Are we there yet?”
6/17/20 11:15 AM
 Early Bird Deadline
is AUGUST 12!

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Designers | Engineers | Specifiers | Contractors | Installers | Code Officials | Manufacturers/
Service Providers | Manufacturer Reps | Government/Regulatory Officials | Wholesalers |
Distributors | Master Plumbers | Architects | Students | PEs, CPDs, CPDTs, GPDs

expo.aspe.org | #ASPEConv2020

Brochure_2020_desktop.indd
pe07_pgs_026_031.indd 29 1 6/12/2011:15
6/17/20 9:12AM
AM
 TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
SEPTEMBER 15 & SEPTEMBER 16
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans

The 2020 ASPE Convention & Expo

features more than 20 professional
development sessions, each offering
0.1 CEUs that can be used for


   
education requirements.

CODES, COMBUSTIBLE VS. EQUIPMENT

HEALTH AND SYSTEMS AND PLUMBING
TIME STANDARDS, AND NON-COMBUSTIBLE AND EQUIPMENT
SAFETY SYSTEM DESIGN CALCULATIONS
WATER QUALITY PLUMBING DESIGN DESIGN

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 TBA

8:45 - 9:45 am TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Hands-On
Practical
Workshop for Fire Protection
UL1738 Venting Plumbing
Non-Combustible Water Multi-Story Special Hazards
3:15 - 4:15 pm Standard, Current That Improves
Systems Design Fittings in High- and Hazard
State and Adoption Customer
Rise Vertical Analysis
Satisfaction
Construction

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Managing Water In-Building
Practical
Flow in Domestic Firestopping Made Black Water
Plumbing Plumbing
Hot Water Systems Simple: Details from Not All Alloys are Reclamation and
8:45 - 9:45 am That Improves Calculations,
When Performing Inception to Inspection Created Equal Thermal Energy
Customer Part 1
Thermal for Plumbing Engineers Recovery in
Satisfaction
Disinfection Manhattan
Lab Water
Commercial Plumbing
Selecting the Right Type Design—An Plumbing
10:00 - 11:00 Physical Water High-Purity Water Systems
of Water-Based Fire In-Depth Case Calculations,
am Conditioning Systems and and Global
Protection System Study and Part 2
Applications Pandemics
Review
Grease and Oil
Interceptor Design
Double
11:15 am - Let’s Take a New Look at and Sizing with Fuel Oil Systems
Containment Fuel
12:15 pm Firestop Respect to Dangers for Generators
Piping/UL 1369
of Hydrogen


Session dates, times, and topics are subject to change

expo.aspe.org | #ASPEConv2020

Brochure_2020_desktop.indd 2 6/12/20 9:13 AM Brochure

pe07_pgs_026_031.indd 30 6/17/20 11:15 AM
 2020 ASPE EXPO
SEPTEMBER 14 // 11:00 am – 5:00 pm | SEPTEMBER 15 // 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans

The Largest Event for Plumbing System

Design Professionals
The 2020 ASPE Convention & Expo is the only event designed
to enhance the professional development, technical education,
and career growth of plumbing engineering professionals.
  
     
 
solutions, and new ideas to maintain your competitive edge.

Gain Access to People, Products & Innovations

Discover the newest technologies and trends, network with


  

 
practical solutions to common challenges directly from product
engineers… all in one location.

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

ASPE thanks the following sponsors and media/supporting partners for their
generous support of the 2020 ASPE Convention & Expo.

ASPE SUNDAY LANYARDS MEDIA/SUPPORTING PARTNERS

NIGHT PARTY
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expo.aspe.org | #ASPEConv2020

0 9:13 AM Brochure_2020_desktop.indd 3 6/12/20 9:14 AM

pe07_pgs_026_031.indd 31 6/17/20 11:15 AM
 CONVENTION & EXPO REGISTRATION

ASPE offers two ways to experience the

2020 ASPE Convention & Expo.

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expo.aspe.org | #ASPEConv2020

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 Code Classroom
IPC Code Changes, Part 6
A continued summary of significant revisions of
the International Plumbing Code to be published
in the 2021 edition.
By Ron George, CPD
T
his is the continuation of a series of columns cov-
ering only the code changes that were approved
as submitted from 2018 to the 2021 International
Plumbing Code (IPC) change hearings. There were many
code change proposals and two rounds of code hearings
for the 2018 IPC. The following is a summary of the
significant code changes that were approved during the
International Code Council hearings in Columbus, Ohio,
and Richmond, Va.
These code changes will appear in the 2021 edition
of the International Plumbing Code, which will soon be
published and available for jurisdictions to consider for
adoption. I recommend you refer to the 2021 IPC for the
final version of any code changes reported on hereinafter.
Proposed additions are underlined and deletions are
struck through. They are followed by the proponents’
published reason statements, along with any of my com-
ments, as noted.
Code Change: IPC Section 412.10
Revise as follows:
412.10 Head shampoo sink faucets.
Head shampoo sink faucets shall be supplied with hot
water that is limited to not more than 120° F (49° C).
Each faucet shall have integral check valves to prevent
crossover flow between the hot and cold water supply
connections. The means for regulating the maximum
temperature shall be one of the following:
1. A limiting device conforming to ASSE 1070/ASME
A112.1070/CSA B125.70.
2. A thermostatic mixing valve conforming to ASSE
1017.
3. A water heater conforming to ASSE 1082.
4. A water heater conforming to ASSE 1084.
5. A temperature actuated flow reduction device con-
forming to ASSE 1062.
Proponent’s reason statement: The scald prevention
requirements for head shampoo sink faucets is similar
to the upper limit requirement for shower valves. There
[are] other viable means available for setting the maxi-
mum temperature besides a device complying with ASSE
1070/ASME A112.1070/CSA B125.70.
Section 412.7 already permits the use of a TAFR
complying with ASSE 1062 for controlling the water
temperature discharging from a faucet. Hence, the iden-
tification of the standard in this section complements the
requirements in Section 412.7.
A thermostatic mixing valve is an effective method of
regulating the maximum temperature. The temperature
is maintained within a few degrees, depending on the
flow rate. Scalding temperatures are in excess of this
36/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 36
temperature. Other viable means of maintaining the water
temperature to a maximum of 120 F are water heaters
meeting one of the two new standards.
The two new standards for water heaters are ASSE
1082 and ASSE 1084. These water heaters are equivalent
to ASSE 1017 and ASSE 1070, respectively. As such,
they have the capability of providing an equivalent level
of performance as the corresponding mixing valve.
My comments: There were a couple of issues with
this code change. As stated in previous code change
comments, an ASSE 1082 device that conforms to the
requirements of an ASSE 1017 mixing valve has not been
considered a scald protection device, according to ASSE.
A shampoo sink faucet is a shower application for your
head where the user is laying in a compromising position
and does not have access to the controls or to the shower
spray head. When a user is standing at a lavatory or any
kind of sink, typically they are not in a compromising
position. If the water suddenly gets too hot, it is easy for
the user to withdraw his or her hands to avoid serious
scald burns.
However, when someone else controls the water tem-
perature and the shampoo sink faucet spray wand, and
the user is laying with his or her head in a shampoo sink
bowl, the risk of scalding increases. An ASSE 1017 tem-
perature-actuated mixing valve would not be appropriate
temperature controls for a shampoo sink faucet because
of the testing requirements that allow such a large tem-
perature swing and a significant time delay before mea-
suring the outlet temperature, such that sudden spikes in
temperature can be mixed in with the flow of water in the
distribution piping.
So, it only seems logical that an ASSE 1082 water
heater that meets the same temperature control require-
ments as the ASSE 1017 thermostatic mixing valve,
which is intended for hot water system distribution sys-
July 2020
6/17/20 11:20 AM
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pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 37 6/18/20 1:06 PM
 Code Classroom
tems, should not be used for point-of-use scald prevention
applications, such as at a shampoo sink faucet. If 1082
devices are allowed, the same temperature swings and
time delays associated with temperature spikes or varia-
tions in the 1017 standard will be allowed to occur.
I have investigated several shampoo sink faucet instal-
lations in hair salons where flush toilets or washing
machines were installed on the opposite side of a wall or
nearby. The shampoo sinks often have two-handle fau-
cets with nonpressure or nontemperature-compensating
controls for the shampoo spray hose. This combination
without check valves to prevent crossover flow creates
a condition ideal for full hot water temperature to flow
from the spray hose when there is a pressure disturbance.
When there is a cold water pressure drop from a fixture
flushing or a washing machine nearby filling, it can cause
a sharp rise in hot water temperature, such that the person
laying with their head in the shampoo bowl can experi-
ence significant thermal shock. In some cases, the person
can be exposed to scalding hot water while in a somewhat
compromised position.
This can cause scald injuries instantly. In my opinion,
only the ASSE 1084-type water heater and the ASSE
1070 devices are appropriate for shampoo sink faucet
applications.
Code Change: IPC Section 412.11
Add new text as follows:
412.11 Pre-rinse spray valve.
Pre-rinse spray valves for commercial food service
shall conform to ASME A112.18.1/CSA B125.1
Proponent’s reason statement: Currently, the IPC
does not address pre-rinse spray valves, but these are in
widespread use for rinsing off dirty dishes prior to put-
ting them though a commercial dishwasher. IPC Section
412.6 is not sufficiently clear enough as to whether this
applies to pre-rinse spray valves. Therefore, this new sec-
tion is needed.
Code Change: IPC Sections 202, 419.1 and 419.3
Add new definition as follows:
GROUP WASH FIXTURE. A type of lavatory that
allows more than one person to utilize the fixture at the
same time. The fixture has one or more drains and one or
more faucets.
Revise as follows:
419.1 Approval.
Lavatories shall conform to ASME A112.19.1/CSA
B45.2, ASME A112.19.2/CSA B45.1, ASME A112.19.3/
CSA B45.4 or CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124. Group wash
fixtures shall conform to the requirements of Section
402. For determining the number of lavatories required
by Table 403.1, every 20 inches (508 mm) of rim space of
a group wash fixture shall be considered as one lavatory.
Code Change: IPC Section 419.3
419.3 Lavatory waste outlets.
Lavatories and group wash fixtures shall have a waste
outlets outlet not less than 1 1/4 inches (32 mm) in diam-
eter. A strainer, pop-up stopper, crossbar or other device
38/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 38
shall be provided to restrict the clear opening of the waste
outlet.
Proponent’s reason statement: The current code uses
two terms to describe the same fixture. In Section 419.1
the term “group wash-up equipment” is used. In Section
419.5, the term “group wash fixture” is used. The proper
term used in the plumbing industry is group wash fixture.
Definition of group wash fixture is being added. The
group wash fixture definition identifies what the fixture
is, including that there could be one or more drains and
one or more faucets connected with the fixture.
The changes to the subsections in Section 419 become
editorial in nature with the addition of the definitions.
There is also clarification added that the 20 inches of rim
space is only used for determining number of lavatories
that are specified in Table 403.1. This is the only applica-
tion of the 20 inches of rim space.
Code Change: IPC Sections 416.1
416.1 Approval.
Domestic food waste disposers shall conform to ASSE
1008 and shall be listed and labeled in accordance with
UL 430. Commercial food waste disposers shall be listed
and labeled in accordance with UL 430. Food waste dis-
posers shall not increase the drainage fixture unit load on
the sanitary drainage system.
Proponent’s reason statement: The current code
requires domestic food waste disposers to conform with
UL 430. However, this standard applies to both domestic
and commercial food waste disposers. A second sentence
has been added to address commercial food waste dis-
posers. It should be noted that ASSE 1008 only applies
to domestic food waste disposers, hence the word “com-
mercial” cannot be added to the first sentence.
My comment: Commercial food waste disposers are
already required to be listed for their application. This
merely adds the correct standard for testing and listing
to the code.
Code Change: IPC Sections 421.1
Revise as follows:
421.1 Approval.
Prefabricated showers and shower compartments
shall conform to ASME A112.19.1/CSA B45.2, ASME
A112.19.2/CSA B45.1, ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4 or
CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124. Shower valves for individual
showers shall conform to the requirements of Section
412.3.
Proponent’s reason statement: The current standards
are only for ceramic and plastic-type plumbing fixtures.
Including standards for enameled cast iron, enameled
steel plumbing fixtures and stainless-steel fixtures pro-
vides for more flexibility in fixture selection. The added
standards are already in the IPC.
This proposal is submitted by the ICC Plumbing/
Mechanical/Gas Code Action Committee (PMG CAC).
Code Change: IPC Sections 421.3.1
Add new text as follows:
421.3.1 Waste Fittings.
July 2020
6/17/20 11:20 AM
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pipelines are lifelines.
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manufacturing during this time of crisis.

97199_CPF_2020_Thanks_Essential_Doctor_PlumbingEngineer.indd 1 5/1/20 11:20

10:41 AM
AM
pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 39 6/17/20
 Code Classroom

Waste fittings shall conform to ASME A112.18.2/CSA 1082 or ASSE 1084.

B125.2.
Proponent’s reason statement: Section 421.3 discusses
the waste outlet requirements for showers but there is no
mention of waste fittings. Waste fittings are only men-
tioned in 412.1.2 for faucets or 412 for floor and trench
drain types. The latest version of ASME A112.18.2/CSA
B125.2 contains specific requirements for typical shower
drains and also linear-type drains which are different
from trench-type drains.
This standard also includes requirements for built-up
shower drain systems which are normally used in field-
fabricated shower systems.
My comment: This proposal simply identifies the prod-
uct standard that the industry is already making these
waste fittings comply with and are certified to.
Code Change: IPC Sections 423.3
Revise as follows:
423.3 Footbaths and pedicure baths.
The water supplied to specialty plumbing fixtures, such
as pedicure chairs having an integral foot bathtub and
footbaths, shall be limited to not greater than 120° F (49°
C) by a water-temperature-limiting device that conforms
to ASSE 1070/ASME A112.1070/CSA B125.70 or CSA
B125.3 or from a water heater complying with ASSE
Proponent’s reason statement: There are two new
standards for water heaters, ASSE 1082 and ASSE 1084.
These water heaters are equivalent to ASSE 1017 and
ASSE 1070, respectively. As such, they have the capabil-
ity of providing an equivalent level of performance as the
currently listed water-temperature limiting device.
Water heaters complying with either one of these stan-
dards can provide tempered water within a range of a few
degrees, depending on the flow rate. The temperature
range is similar to the allowable temperature range for
an ASSE 1070/ASME A112.1070/CSA B125.70 device.
My comments: The same issue with the ASSE 1017
vs. ASSE 1082 standard applies to this code change.
As stated in previous code change comments, an ASSE
1082 device that was developed based upon matching
the temperature control requirements of an ASSE 1017
mixing valve has not been considered a scald protection
device, according to ASSE for point-of-use applications.
This is because of the significant temperature swings and
significant time delay in measuring the temperature in the
ASSE 1017 standard that the ASSE 1082 device testing
was based upon.
Code Change: IPC Sections 202, 425.1, 425.1.1,
425.1.2 and 425.1.3

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Since 1993, Concast Metal Products Co. has manufactured and sold millions of pounds of
lead-free replacement alloys for pipes, fittings, faucets and other plumbing components.
Concast offers more than 100 standard stocked sizes of C89835 – a lead-free
replacement, as a standard-stocked inventory item. This alloy is also a suitable
replacement for C836 and C844.
Our C89835 has a max lead content of 0.05%, compliant with the 3874 Reduction in
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©2020 Concast Metal Products Co.
40/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 40 6/17/20 11:20 AM

 Revise as follows:
425.1 Approval.
Water closets shall conform to the water consumption
requirements of Section 604.4 and shall conform to ASME
A112.19.2/CSA B45.1, ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4 or
CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124. Water closets shall conform
to the hydraulic performance requirements of ASME
A112.19.2/CSA B45.1. Water closet tanks shall conform
to ASME A112.19.2/CSA B45.1, ASME A112.19.3/CSA
B45.4 or CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124. Electro-hydraulic
water closets shall comply with ASME A112.19.2/CSA
B45.1. Water closets equipped with a dual flushing device
shall comply with ASME A112.19.14.
Add new definition as follows:
DUAL FLUSHING DEVICE. A feature that allows the
user to flush a water closet with either a reduced or full
volume of water depending upon bowl contents.
Add new text as follows:
425.1.1 Hydraulic performance.
Water closets shall conform to the hydraulic perfor-
mance requirements of ASME A112.19.2/CSA B45.1.
425.1.2 Water closet tanks.
Water closet tanks shall conform to ASME A112.19.2/
CSA B45.1, ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4 or CSA
B45.5/IAPMO Z124.
425.1.3 Dual flush water closets.
e
e
D
of
.
To learn more about our lead-free alloys,
please visit www.concast.com.
Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 41
Water closets equipped with a dual flushing device
shall comply with ASME A112.19.14.
Proponent’s reason statement: This proposal revises
Section 425.1 so that it is more user friendly. Adding
specific requirements to the IPC will assist the end user to
know which standards apply to what fixture. The defini-
tion for dual flushing device is being added as code does
not have a definition. The definition is consistent with the
definition found in ASME A112.19.14.
This proposal is submitted by the ICC Plumbing/
Mechanical/Gas Code Action Committee (PMG CAC).
My comments: This proposal simply removed the stan-
dards from a long list of standards and slit them out into
sub-headings that explain what each standard is for.
This is a continuation of coverage on the significant
plumbing code changes from the 2018 to the 2021
International Plumbing Code. Over the next few months,
we will continue with the significant changes to the
International Plumbing Code. Following that, we will
cover the significant changes to the Uniform Plumbing
Code.O
Ron George, CPD, is president of Plumb-Tech Design
& Consulting Services LLC. Visit www.plumb-techllc.
com for more information.
14315 State Route 113 | Wakeman, OH 44889
800.626.7071 | www.concast.com
September 2017/41
6/17/20 11:20 AM
 ProVent’s DWV System is not practical to use in most buildings,
NOT TRUE
 
   
 


ProVent takes less time & material for a complete DWV piping system
ProVent’s Code Approved DWV system is easier to handle & install

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pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 42 6/18/20 9:23 AM

 ProVent’s ProSeal Push-Fit
Sink & Lav Connectors.
NEW
It is the new clean modern way.

1st. Wood studs with a stack and stub-0ut 2nd. Stub-out with test cap
1. The Stub-Out should all be cut on the rough at the same length, no 2. The test cap covers the stub-out exposed pipe keeping the connection
more than 1” or 3/4” passed the finished wall. Just enough space to clean while water testing. The screw worm should be installed on the
connect a special test cap for water testing. top of the cap making it easier for the drywall cut and caulk work

3rd. Stub-out with push joint 4th. P-Trap installed

3. The test cap is removed to insert the proper size ProSeal Push-Fit 4. The P-Trap is sealed inside the stub out by simply pushing the Trap
Joint into the stub-out to seal the 1-1/2” or 1-1/4” P-Trap into the stub into the ProSeal Push-Fit into the proper distance to connect the P-Trap
out drain opening. to the sink or lav tailpiece.

The four above photos show the most complete and modern
method of securely connecting sink and lav fixtures to the
drainage system. It doesn’t require any primer or solvent
cement that can drip or spill inside new cabinets.
The Push-Fit joints are tested with a ten-foot head pressure of
water. Certified by ICC ES* PMG Listing for the US and Canada.
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pe07_pgs_034_043.indd 43 6/18/20 9:23 AM

 2020
MANUFACTURER
SPOTLIGHT
Reopening After COVID-19:
Safe and Sanitary Plumbing
for Commercial Buildings
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing commercial
buildings such as daycares, hotels, schools and
health clubs to remain closed for abnormally long
periods. When the coast is clear to begin reopening,
ensuring safe and sanitary plumbing water will be of
utmost importance. Plumbing systems left idle can
be susceptible to harmful bacteria such as Legionella
which can proliferate to dangerous concentrations.
Experienced water maintenance managers know
susceptible systems should be flushed before reusing.
Important considerations should not be overlooked
such as ensuring all service lines are purged and dead
legs drained.
Several factors determine if the system equipment
requires treatment such as how long a system is left
idle, the temperature of the stagnated water and
condition of the internal surfaces. This is so bacteria
that are resistant to simple purging/draining and
have become resident in biofilm can be addressed.
Common methods include thermal treatment or
treating with chemicals such as chlorine, chlorinated
gas and chlorine dioxide.
A significant benefit of thermal treatment is that
it’s a proven, cost-effective method for bacteria
management on an ongoing basis in the hot side of
the plumbing system. The cold side doesn’t typically
require ongoing treatment unless water remains
stagnated for extended periods within the temperature
range that Legionella grows which is 68°F to 122°F.
Thermal treatment requires little additional
maintenance compared to chemical treatment.
Also, common plumbing equipment such as seals,
gaskets and polymer components are not exposed to
potentially incompatible life-shortening chemicals.
Residual chemicals in the water can also be a human
health concern if acceptable concentration values
are exceeded. In contrast, most common plumbing
materials can withstand, without effect, thermal shock
temperatures such as 160°F.
44/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_044_045.indd 44
Dan Firkus, Caleffi Applications Engineer, commissioning
the LEGIOMIX 6000 for a large Wisconsin hotel.
Thermal treatment consists of periodically
circulating elevated water temperature such as
160°F through the entire system for a specific and
measured period of time, thereby killing harmful
bacteria and restoring the water to a safe and usable
condition. During this period it is important to ensure
all point-of-use fixtures are either disabled for access
or equipped with anti-scald devices. An example
is the Caleffi scald-protection valve SinkMixer™
- an innovative, easy to install valve for under-sink
applications.
Often the most difficult portions of the hot
water side to circulate sufficiently through is the
recirculation return risers. This because they are sized
and balanced to a relatively low flow rate such as 0.5
GPM. The Caleffi ThermoSetter™ thermal balancing
valve automatically responds when it senses high
temperature water by fully opening an internal by-
pass, thereby allowing a sufficient return riser flushing
during treatment. It then automatically returns to
standard operation state when water temperature
decreases to normal.
If a building is equipped with a Caleffi
LEGIOMIX® digital mixing valve, it will enjoy
highly accurate mixed water temperature 24/7. The
LEGIOMIX has industry-unique, calendar-based
automatic thermal disinfection programs. For thermal
monitoring, it has data logging capabilities and can
connect to a building automation system for remote
monitoring and access.
LEGIOMIX combined with SinkMixer anti-scald
valves and ThermoSetter recirculation balancing
valves offer an innovative total thermal solution for
control of safe and sanitary domestic hot water.
Call or log on for more information:
414-238-2360 | www.caleffi.us
July 2020
6/17/20 11:23 AM
 High Performance DHW Temperature Control

®
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pe07_pgs_044_045.indd 45 6/17/20 11:23 AM

 The Future is Now
Is Off-Grid Living
Making a Comeback?
The current pandemic is boosting interest in various
styles of homes that are remote and self-sufficient.
By BF Nagy
T
he first half of 2020 has been dominated by the
COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our health
and day-to-day existence.
As I write this, it’s difficult to make predictions even
a few weeks ahead about what happens next. Still, it is
likely that during the latter half of the year, Americans
will be affected as much by the recession the pandemic
has created, as by the disease itself.
If unemployment levels remain high or increase, people
may start doing crazy things. During May, armed protest-
ers in Michigan stormed the legislature, voicing opposi-
tion to lockdown rules. As the weather and the recession
both heat up, numerous chaotic scenarios could emerge.
With governments providing social supports to people
in need — taking on more debt to do so — and providing
tax relief, our institutions could be weakened. Some will
question the ability of governments to be there when we
need them.
All these influences are feeding growing interest in
different models for homes and businesses. It seems as if
concerns about health, personal safety, security and cyber-
security are leading to increasing interest in “off-grid”
living (and off-grid campuses for organizations).
Passive House + Earth Tube
“Off-grid is how our house has been described, but
we’re not completely there,” says Andrew Michler, an
architectural technologist living with his wife in the foot-
hills of the Rocky Mountains north of Denver.
The self-built house operates independently from the
electric grid because it’s a passive house envelope with an
earth tube, a traditional 8-watt water heater, some coils, a
35-watt heat recovery ventilator (HRV), rainwater collec-
tion and filtering, and a cooktop — all fueled by photo-
voltaic (PV) solar panels, a 12-kilowatt battery bank and
a bit of propane.
The total load is equivalent to about 60 kilowatts,
which Michler says is comparatively low. “Some people
couldn’t get down to 60 even if they turned off everything
in their house,” he notes. “I tell people about my house
and explain that they’ve been doing Passive House for
decades in Europe; they don’t believe me. Eighty percent
or 90 percent less heating? They think I’m making it up.”
Michler adds that he’d like to “get off the carbon grid
and drive a Tesla. But as of now, we’re still on the grid in
terms of transportation, the Internet, food and the financial
system. The idea of total independence might be a fantasy,
but I think we are all going to have to be more resilient in
the way we live.”
He recently purchased more solar panels, which have
dropped significantly in cost since he started buying them
46/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 46
Andrew Michler with his off-grid house in the Colorado moun-
tains.
in 2014. He also began work on a house design for a new
neighbor who also wants a mostly off-grid existence.
The pandemic is shining a light on the issue of escaping
the rat race and on indoor air quality, Michler says. “Many
people have been staying home more in poorly built city
structures with HVAC systems that often keep recirculat-
ing the same air,” he explains.
His home’s HRV brings in more fresh air while retain-
ing the heating or cooling energy before expelling stale
air. In addition, all the building materials in the Michler
home were selected with IAQ in mind — from the cel-
lulose insulation to the preference for raw indoor timber.
The earth tube is a re-emerging concept that works
well with modern low-load systems. In this case, Michler
repurposed 250 feet of 4-inch water main lines that had
been abandoned on the site. They are buried 6 feet below-
ground and supply outdoor air to the HRV. They harvest
5 to 10 degrees of ground-source temperature differential
for pre-warming in the winter and pre-cooling in the sum-
mer.
It’s the same principle as geothermal, but very low tech,
using air rather than liquid. It’s vital to ensure the earth
tubes are sloped to drain moisture and avoid mold. In large
commercial applications, fans and pathogen monitoring
are added.
When the Michler’s first purchased the land, there was a
small existing shack. “It began falling apart as soon as we
moved in, so we built this house from scratch, and what’s
left of that original building is now part of the expanded
work shed,” Andrew Michler explains.
He talks about the relatively high cost of battery stor-
age and says reducing energy consumption is critical for
a successful off-grid home. It’s why he gravitated toward
low-load models that require very little active space con-
ditioning.
July 2020
6/17/20 11:27 AM
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pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 47 6/17/20 11:27 AM

 The Future is Now
3D-printed, high-tech home pods from haus.me in Seattle.
“At the beginning, it was all about energy, but now I’m
thinking about it more in terms of health and comfort,”
Michler notes. “We may not be completely off-grid, but
we’re breathing good air inside and outside. We’re fairly
resilient and very comfortable.”
Futuristic 3D-Printed Home Pods
Although the inside of the Michler’s home feels con-
temporary, from the outside, it may look like the tradition-
al 1990s’ off-grid mountaineer project. The fact that it’s
self-built over 20 years fits that mold. But a different kind
of off-grid model is emerging in the 2020s: the factory-
built, high-tech, self-sufficient futuristic home pod, such
as those found at haus.me.
One of the news reports on the website suggests
the product is what you would get if Apple and Tesla
got together to design a house. These are 3D-printed,
400-square-foot (or larger), well-sealed, pod-like homes,
self-contained or grid connectible with loads of green and
high-tech features. There’s at least one similar competitor
called coodo that we know about, and there are probably
others. We talked to haus.me, which has prefab plants in
Seattle and Germany.
“I’m from Europe and we think about energy a lot
because it is expensive there, and because we worry
about climate change,” says Max Gerbut, CEO of haus.
me. “Now, Americans are starting to think this way and
we have 39 orders, more than enough for our Washington
state plant to build during 2020.”
The prefabricated, polymer homes are highly insulated,
but they have plenty of glazing on two sides for enjoying
sunlight and natural surroundings, depending on where
they are located. You can buy a double or a quadruple,
and so on.
The company jokingly claims it has “standard zom-
bie protection.” The remote-control, tinted windows are
6-pane tempered glass, with integrated smart blinds
and an insulating value of R-24. There’s no mention of
whether they are bulletproof, but they seem to be more
protective than the photographs might suggest. Walls are
9-inch-thick polymer composite at R-54. The polymer
never needs painting and there’s a lifetime warranty on
walls, insulation and corrosion.
Gerbut explains that the HVAC is easy because the
48/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 48
house is super-insulated. It comes with a heat pump and
an HRV, a remote phone-controlled Nest smart learning
thermostat, electrocatalytic filters, anti-allergy filters and
air ionization — for 99.9 percent protection from bacteria
and viruses, high-level dust and odor control.
Potable water offerings are conventional hookups,
high-tech air humidity collection, or both. “Sewage can
be managed through a conventional connection or the
included 345-gallon tank that requires pump-outs,” Gerbut
explains. “Another 345-gallon tank can optionally collect
greywater from sinks.”
A third 52-gallon reserve tank is part of the potable
water purification system, which Gerbut describes as
membrane-based and highly advanced, capable of purify-
ing about 7 to 9 gallons each day of rainwater, well water,
river or lake water. “Any water except saltwater,” he says.
The kitchen includes a built-in espresso machine, steam
oven, microwave, refrigerator, hands-free electronic fau-
cet and dishwasher. The bathroom also is equipped with a
hands-free faucet and a smart mirror. An optional shower
water filtering and recirculating system can save 90 per-
cent of the water and 80 percent of the energy, according
to the haus.me website.
The solar power system is integrated right into the roof
of the pod — a 7.4-kilowatt-hour thin-film array (for
cloudy places), coupled with a 10 kWh or 24 kWh lith-
ium-ion battery, and optional grid hookup. Each home is
beautifully equipped with built-in LED dimmable lighting
and motion sensors. The security system also uses motion
sensors for indoors, and cameras with facial recognition
for outdoors. Fingerprint security and remote access door
locks are standard.
The haus.me homes offer an estimated lifetime of 60
years, with a five-year warranty, optional 10-year war-
ranty extension, and maintenance plans if you want them.
They’re not inexpensive. For a single pod, the base finance
price is $1,163 per month for 20 years. The company sug-
gests it’s like living for $750 per month due to savings on
utilities, maintenance and so forth.
If you bought a pod outright, they start at about
$200,000 for the single pod, $379,000 for the double pod.
Flatbed-truck shipping from the Seattle factory is $4 per
mile.
N.C. Off-Grid Dream Home
These two examples are small homes for living lightly,
independently and relatively economically. The Haw
River House in Chatham County, N.C., is a larger, mostly
off-grid family home that seems to have enjoyed a much
bigger budget. It will be occupied by a couple of profes-
sionals, their blended family and their pets.
Completed last year, the 2,600-square-foot home fea-
tures many luxurious touches and green features, but some
of them are necessities because it’s out in a remote and
challenging location — deep in the woods on the Haw
River, overlooking a beautiful set of rapids.
The area is subject to frequent power outages, and the
existing well on the site can provide just 1 gallon of water
per minute. The solar PV power system and rooftop water
collection are both considered critical.
November
July 2020
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pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 49 6/17/20 11:27 AM
 The Future is Now

Andrew Michler’s Colorado off-grid house includes healthy air

systems and materials.

A butterfly roof and large gutter channel water to down-

spouts on each end of the house, then into two 5,000-gal-
lon, aboveground cisterns. When they’re full, they provide
water for up to about 230 days without a rainfall. A three-
filter system includes UV, which kills 99.9 percent of any
bacteria that could get into the rainwater.
The local health department had never approved a pota-
ble rainwater system before. It’s being done in two steps:
it first approved the greywater collection scheme; and
after a few months of water-quality data, it will approve
the potable system.
The home is heated and cooled by a geothermal system,
combined with an energy recovery ventilator, superinsula-
tion and a tight envelope. Roof insulation hits R-75 and
there are numerous triple-glazed windows. One sliding
glass patio door is massive, at 20 feet wide.
The architectural design from Arielle Condoret
Schechter aims at generous natural light and cross-ventila-
tion in all rooms in the shoulder seasons and incorporates
sophisticated solar-shading devices to help control heat
gain in the summer.
Luxury appointments include a soaking tub with a
corner window by a fireplace in the master bathroom, a
home sauna and a hot tub overlooking the rapids. Hey,
if you’re going off-grid, a few luxuries are essential for
mental health.
Whether it’s a self-built mountain hideaway, a high-tech
polymer safe-pod, or a self-contained chalet in a remote
wilderness, it might be time to go a little more off-grid.
There seems to be growing interest in the topic online and
increasing demand for some of these off-grid technolo-
gies.
Study up and discover a bunch of new clients, or build
your own private oasis. Just remember which species you
belong to and try talking to other humans once in a while,
even if it’s through an electronic device. Stay balanced,
stay safe and try to stay healthy out there. O

BF Nagy specializes in sustainable technology solu-

tions, government energy initiatives and modern econom-
ics. He writes for magazines, journals and clean tech
organizations all over the world. He recently completed
15 years of expert interviews for a book that is nearing
completion, “The New Energy Age.”
50/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 50 6/17/20 11:27 AM

pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 51 6/17/20 11:27 AM
pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 52 6/18/20 9:16 AM
pe07_pgs_046_053.indd 53 6/18/20 9:16 AM
 2020
MANUFACTURER
SPOTLIGHT
AB&I Foundry – Economic
Success of an American
Manufacturer
A
B&I Foundry is a cast iron soil pipe and fitting
manufacturer based in Oakland, California. The
company believes that being an American manu-
facturer is one of their key strengths.
“The importance of being a U.S. manufacturer is para-
mount. The U.S. still has the most productive workforce
in the world and we provide high-paying jobs to over 200
team members,” said Kurt Winter, executive vice president
of McWane Plumbing Group.
AB&I manufactures high quality products while respect-
ing the environment. “We are very conscientious about the
environment and our community and continue to identify
ways to recycle as much as possible in the foundry includ-
ing wood, metal and even sand from our molding process”,
Winter said. Also pointing out that AB&I Foundry, being
located in California, means that they must follow much
stricter environmental regulations than anywhere else in
the world.
Engineers and Contractors are becoming more con-
science about sustainability in their building designs. Kurt Winter, Executive Vice President of McWane Plumbing
AB&I’s products are in line with this growing trend to ‘go Group.
green’ as their products are manufactured using 100-per-
cent post-consumer scrap metal, which reduces the demand
on landfills. Additionally, a cast iron system is the safest
piping solution as its non-combustible, easy to firestop, and
durable often outlasting the lifetime of a building. It also
provides the best sound performance making a cast iron
DWV system the ideal choice for condominiums, schools
and hospitals where acoustic performance matters. In addi-
tion, the piping system is then 100-percent recyclable at the
end of service life.
AB&I has strong corporate values and they believe that
it is important to find business partners who share their
philosophy and values. AB&I strives to develop strong
bonds with their customers. One way they accomplish this
is to invite customers to the foundry to see firsthand how
cast iron pipe and fittings are made. It’s the personal touch
throughout every step in the relationship that makes the dif-
AB&I makes their products by using 100% post-consumer
ference. You can view their manufacturing video by visiting
scrap metal — keeping this waste out of landfills.
GotIron.US.
54/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_054_055.indd 54 6/17/20 11:29 AM

pe07_pgs_054_055.indd 55 6/17/20 11:29 AM
 FPE Corner
SFPE Core Competencies
and Fire Suppression
System Design
Understanding how the design of fire
suppression systems relates to the industry’s
minimum technical guidelines.
T
he Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE)
developed its “Recommended Minimum Technical
Core Competencies for the Practice of Fire
Protection Engineering,” (https://bit.ly/2MpKSdS) which
outlines the skills needed in various areas of fire protec-
tion engineering to achieve a minimum competency level.
Their purpose is to identify core knowledge and skill areas
and corresponding experience duration in which practic-
ing engineers must be well versed.
This provides a guide for local jurisdictions to define
fire protection engineering, recognize competent practi-
tioners and protect public health and safety. By creating
these guidelines, SFPE has produced a set of universally
recognized minimum criteria that helps ensure that a suit-
ably high level of quality is maintained within the fire
protection engineering profession and its related activities.
The core competencies document is a guide to under-
standing the knowledge and technical skills necessary for
those practicing principles that fall within the fire protec-
tion engineering discipline. Depending on the locality,
fire protection engineering also can be referred to as fire
engineering or fire safety engineering. These terms are
generally understood to apply to those applying engi-
neering principles “to prevent and mitigate the unwanted
impact to fire.”
Due to the interdisciplinary nature of fire protection
SFPE News
The “SFPE Guide for Peer Review in the Fire
Protection Design Process” (2020 edition) is available
for digital download at www.sfpe.org/store. Created
for fire protection engineers, project engineers of other
disciplines, architects, code officials/authorities having
jurisdiction, fire department representatives, building
owners or owner representatives, and insurance inter-
ests, the purpose of this guide is to address the initia-
tion, scope, conduct and report of a peer review of a fire
protection engineering work product.
A peer review may be conducted on a fire protection
engineering work product, including but not limited to
conceptual approaches, supporting analyses, calcula-
tions, application or interpretation of code require-
ments. Peer review is a tool that can be used to help a
stakeholder make decisions regarding the suitability of
a design.
Typically, a peer review is sought by a reviewing
authority to provide a second opinion regarding a work
products’ likelihood of achieving the stated objectives.
However, other situations may also necessitate a peer
review.
56/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_056_063.indd 56
By Kelly Finzel, PE, and Connor Van Scyoc
engineering, it is often the case that engineers other than
those who principally practice fire protection engineering
will execute some skills or elements of fire protection
included within the core competencies. Such is the case
for plumbing engineers who design fire sprinkler systems
or electrical engineers who design fire alarm systems.
For professionals who are practicing a portion of the
skills related to fire protection engineering, the core com-
petencies document can provide context as to how these
practices tie into the greater canvas of fire protection
engineering skills.
The most common path toward achieving competency
in each of the core skill areas is to complete a university-
level education program with specific coursework in fire
protection engineering, followed by professional practice
under the supervision and guidance of experienced and
competent fire protection engineers. There are many
pathways available to achieving competency, but a critical
aspect of competency is gaining the appropriate experi-
ence through professional practice.
Structure of SFPE Core Competencies
The competencies consist of five tiers. Tiers 1 through
4 represent both the academic preparation needed to be
competent in overall engineering, as well as the profes-
sional work experience.
The competency guide begins with broad personal
effectiveness competencies in Tier 1, core academic and
workplace skills in Tiers 2 and 3, and technical knowledge
base in Tier 4. These skills are relevant to and essential for
plumbing engineers, fire protection engineers, and other
engineering disciplines and are not specific to the practice
of fire protection engineering.
Due to the common foundation of general competen-
cies, the knowledge of core engineering principles and
the interdisciplinary nature of fire protection engineering,
some overlap occurs concerning specific aspects of fire
protection engineering, as can be the case for fire protec-
tion systems design. The design of fire protection systems
July 2020
6/17/20 11:32 AM
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 FPE Corner
is one of the core knowledge areas addressed in Tier 5 and
is specific to the fire protection engineering industry.
Building on the skills outlined in Tiers 1 through 4,
Tier 5 defines the technical competencies specific to fire
protection engineering: fire science, human behavior and
evacuation, fire protection systems, and fire protection
analysis. Of these competencies, overlap between plumb-
ing engineering and fire protection engineering is most
prevalent within the fire protection systems competency.
Within the SFPE core competencies document, knowl-
edge of suppression is listed as a technical requirement
and is considered to be core to the profession of fire pro-
tection engineering. This technical competency requires a
“comprehensive understanding of fire mitigation, includ-
ing water- and non-water-based suppression,” amongst
other active and passive building systems.
This includes knowledge of the applicable codes and
standards, fundamental principles, design criteria and
installation requirements for these fire suppression sys-
tems.
In addition to water-based fire suppression, fire protec-
tion systems also include clean agent systems, gaseous
suppression systems, chemical extinguishing systems,
foam fire suppression systems, and fire and detection
systems.
As is the case for water-based systems, such as sprin-
kler and standpipe systems, design of all the aforemen-
tioned systems must account for the construction features
specific to a building or project, the use and occupancy
of such, and the effects of heat transfer and oxygen dis-
placement that are inherent to a particular system type, as
applicable.
All engineers responsible for designing fire suppression
systems are held to the same level of competency in this
and other subject areas. And, as with all engineering prac-
tice, practitioners must operate only within those areas
where they possess technical competence.
Other Technical Competencies
In addition to fire protection systems, Tier 5 of techni-
cal competencies also includes fire science, human behav-
ior and evacuation, and fire safety analysis. The range
of these technical competencies allows fire protection
engineers (FPEs) to function in an interdisciplinary role
in project teams. This breadth of skills enables FPEs to
develop solutions to complex fire issues utilizing a holistic
view toward building fire protection and life safety.
Fire science refers to the underlying physical principles
58/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_056_063.indd 58
related to fire, including heat transfer, fire chemistry and
fire dynamics. With this knowledge comes an understand-
ing of the principles of ignition, combustion and heat
transfer, amongst others. This skill set provides for an
understanding of varying fire types, fire development and
the potential impact on the surrounding environment.
Human behavior and evacuation include the behavior
of people during a fire emergency and principles related
to egress. Understanding these principles can help inform
on critical aspects of building design related to occupant
movement during an emergency and understanding the
impact on evacuation.
Knowledge related to visibility during fire and smoke
conditions and impact to occupant speed, decision making
and required versus available safe egress time are some
aspects encompassed within this technical competency.
Fire protection analysis includes the “principles of tech-
nical analysis related to fire safety design.” These types of
analysis can range significantly and may consist of study
related to structural fire protection, performance-based
design as an alternative to prescriptive building require-
ments, providing a risk management analysis, or model-
ing such as computational fluid dynamics for cantilevered
buildings.
The technical competencies in Tier 5 cover a vast
knowledge base. A solid foundation of engineering knowl-
edge is necessary in each area; however, this does not
necessitate developing expertise in each technical com-
petency. As is the case with any engineering discipline,
expertise is developed based on an individual’s practical
experience.
Maintaining Skills
Engineers utilize continuing professional development
(CPD) throughout their careers to ensure they maintain
the level of competency needed to keep practicing in their
disciplines. Throughout one’s career, significant changes
occur in technologies, standards, regulations and common
practices.
It is essential both in the fire suppression technical com-
petencies, as well as in all other competencies, and other
engineering disciplines that practicing engineers maintain
a knowledge base reflecting the current built environment.
This continued learning can be done in the form of
relevant training, professional development programs,
and mentoring and independent research. When contin-
ued education involves crossover between branches of
engineering, such as from plumbing to fire protection,
guidance must be provided from an experienced and
competent engineer. An engineer developing a new skill
set can benefit greatly from strong mentorship and work
experience.
The SFPE core competencies guidelines are intended
to provide guidance for jurisdictions and the engineering
community alike, including the knowledge and technical
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64/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_064_067.indd 64
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 North American manufacturers provide
insight on the trends leading the way
for the future of the industry.
By Linda P. Noir
T
he world was first introduced to the tankless water
heater in 1889. More than 130 years later, the on-
demand product is more in demand by consumers,
and that trend is expected to continue.
According to Grand View Research, the global tank-
less water heater market size was valued at $2.8 billion
in 2018 and expanding at a compound annual growth rate
of 7.5 percent through 2025.
As the country grapples with the current pandemic,
and both consumers and businesses adjust to a new
normal, tankless water heater manufacturers continue to
work, produce and innovate, all in an effort to provide a
product that brings comfort and safety to millions across
the nation. And although the rapid development and
constant change of COVID-19 has led to serious implica-
tions across manufacturing and supply chains, the manu-
facturers we spoke to for this report remain steadfast at
keeping business as usual.
We spoke to several tankless water heater manufactur-
ers — A. O. Smith, AERCO, Bosch Thermotechnology,
Bradford White, Diversified Heat Transfer (DHT),
Eemax, Intellihot, Navien, Noritz, Rheem, Rinnai,
Stiebel Eltron and Vesta.DS — to get their views on
trends in the industry, as well as where they see it going
in the future.
Demand for Efficiency Keeps Business Efficient
Throughout North America, consumers have become
68/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 68
accustomed to on-demand solutions that allow them
to lower their own eco footprint while maintaining a
desired level of comfort. Tankless water heaters provide
hot water only when it is required, thus reducing wasted
energy. Add to that the benefits of technology such as
the Internet of Things (IoT), smart-controls and self-
diagnostic functionality, and you’ve got a product that
will remain in demand for the foreseeable future.
According to energy.gov, the tankless water heater
can be 24 percent to 34 percent more energy efficient
as compared to a traditional water heater. These benefits
extend to both the residential and commercial markets as
they can save both space and money.
And although there aren’t any new federal regula-
tions coming down the pike for tankless water heaters,
increasing awareness on the adoption of energy-efficient
and eco-friendly water heaters will continue to fuel the
demand as well as innovation and competition in North
America.
On a more localized level, there are discussions in
a few states that could impact tankless water heaters.
Massachusetts, for example, is considering banning PVC
as a venting material, and California is debating whether
or not to apply low NOx standards to propane models.
California is also holding discussions on other, more
stringent, regulations.
“Many of the regulations we’re seeing today have
started in California with Title 24, Building Energy
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
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 Tankless
Efficient Standards,” says Jeff Ogan, director of product
management for A. O. Smith. “These regulations were
designed to reduce wasteful and unnecessary energy con-
sumption in newly constructed and existing buildings.”
Not everyone saw the regulations coming out of
California as a good thing. According to Randall Oshiro,
senior supervisor of application engineering at Noritz,
there are new regulations under Title 24 in California
that are shaping the entire water heating market region-
ally, and potentially nationally.
“There is a strong push through a number of different
bills to phase out natural gas in the home, which would
negatively impact consumer choice,” he says. “This will
force the only option to be electric heat pump water
heating. In this case, tankless water heating would not
be an option for compliance as there would be no gas in
the home.”
DHT’s Director of Engineering Peter Rimassa adds,
“Phasing out the usage of fossil fuels and moving
toward electricity will cause challenges for many
manufacturers in designing innovative high-efficiency
product solutions.”
California residential and nonresidential new con-
struction, additions and alterations permitted after Jan.
1, 2020, must comply with the 2019 Building Energy
Efficiency Standards. “I could be wrong, but I think all
of the gas tankless water heaters sold in the U.S. already
comply with those standards,” notes Richard Ponce,
national sales manager of Vesta.DS. “That said, these
new regulations will eventually migrate to other states
and will continue to affect tankless water heater sales
now and in the future.”
Other manufacturers are keeping a close eye on a new
plumbing standard — ASSE 1085 — that was added
to the 2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC) change
proposal process. It will be published in the 2021 edition
of the IPC.
“ASSE 1085 covers water heaters with precise set-
point controls under varying flow conditions,” says
David Calkins, product manager at Eemax. “It is for
water heaters supplying tepid water to emergency equip-
ment, including eyewash, eye/face wash, emergency
showers and combination units.”
North of us, Canada also has increased the minimum
efficiency value to a level that requires condensing tech-
nology that took effect on Jan. 1, 2020. “This effectively
bans the sale of noncondensing models,” explains Dan
Moffroid, director of product management at Bosch.
As with most consumer-driven industries, better and
more efficient will always be in demand, even if it comes
at a cost. How these manufacturers navigate new rules
and regulations, especially in changing times, will con-
tinue to drive innovation as well as competition. They’re
all in it for the long haul.
What’s the Forecast for Tankless Water Heaters?
The current public health and economic crisis and
when it will end — as well as regulations, tariffs and
technology — will ultimately play a crucial role in how
the tankless water heater industry will fair in the next two
70/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 70
to five years. That said, the manufacturers we spoke to
seemed mostly optimistic about the future.
The benefits of a tankless water heater are not
short-lived and as consumers — both residential and
commercial — consider options, they will weigh all
the benefits of this very essential product. “Energy
efficiency, sustainability and green product solutions
will continue to drive purchasing and installation
decisions,” Ogan says. “This will make tankless water
heaters a top choice for residential and commercial
applications.”
Nery Hernandez, product manager of hot water solu-
tions at AERCO, notes they expect tankless water heaters
to be a growth market in 2020. “The benefits of tankless
are becoming more widely recognized in the commercial
marketplace,” he says. “Along with the efficiency gains
associated with tankless water heaters, Legionella miti-
gation is another benefit that is a factor with many users.
Being able to provide hot water on-demand is a proven
methodology (among many) in helping reduce risk to
Legionella.”
Bosch also expects solid 7 percent to 9 percent growth
in 2020, but cautions of a flattening or slight decline in
the noncondensing segment. “This would continue the
long-term growth rate the tankless industry has seen over
many years,” Moffroid notes. “Of course, I am saying
this in the early stages of the novel coronavirus crisis,
which may certainly affect demand, but that remains to
be seen.”
All the manufacturers we spoke to reported steady
growth in 2020 and expected that to continue through the
remainder of the year. Some, however, cautioned of the
unknowns that still need to play out.
“Continued growth of the tankless water heater market
is expected in 2020,” says Carl Pinto Jr, senior direc-
tor of marketing communications at Bradford White.
“However, the rate at which it has been historically
growing will likely begin to level off.”
Eemax’s Senior Director of Wholesale Sales Bill
Dahlin says the company has seen positive market gains
for the first quarter of this year with double-digit year-
over-year growth in residential, commercial and safety
product segments, but adds: “COVID-19 has impacted
commercial jobs in many cities affected by current stay-
at-home guidelines, and Eemax has seen a slight shift
away from commercial/light industrial product demand.
However, at the same time, we are seeing an increased
focus on handwashing product solutions, including our
MiniTank product family.”
COVID-19 is affecting everyone across the nation, but
manufacturers are getting creative in how they respond
to the crisis and keep operations going.
“COVID-19 certainly has an impact on all businesses
— lowering demand in a few sectors such as hospitality
while increasing it in others such as residential,” notes
Sridhar Deivasigamani, Intellihot’s CEO. “Despite the
pandemic, we expect to continue our strong growth as
we effect market transformation. We expect that there
will be a strong recovery in late Q3/Q4. In general, there
is an increased awareness of health and the environment
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
 Navien, the leader in condensing tankless water heaters, brings endless hot water
comfort to homes and businesses across North America. Keep hand washing and
Navien will continue to supply plenty of hot water. Learn more at NavienInc.com.
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pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 71 6/17/20 11:52 AM

 Tankless
that has led consumers to choose healthy products as well
as conserving energy.”
“We are expecting a drop in residential installations and
an increase with commercial installations,” explains Chai
Lin, Navien’s tankless water heater product manager, add-
ing that the current crisis makes it hard to predict what the
market trend will be.
Noritz’s Oshiro echoed that sentiment: “We like to stay
optimistic about the market. There’s still a huge market
share of existing tank installations that tankless can tap
into. We may have to pivot due to economic uncertainty,
but there will always be a need due to the essential nature
of plumbing and water heating.”
Scott Cohen, senior manager at Rheem, notes: “We are
optimistic. We are seeing an emphasis on providing more
advanced tools and resources for plumbers, which will ulti-
mately optimize residential and commercial installations.
This emphasis is because plumbers have a big influence on
their customers’ water heater selection, whether it be tank
or tankless.”
Rinnai shares that optimism and belief that it is ulti-
mately the homeowners, builders, and contractors who will
continue to push for tankless water heaters.
“We see strong continued growth into the foreseeable
future for the tankless market,” says Jennifer Kaminski,
product director of residential tankless at Rinnai. “Market
data shows condensing tankless consistently growing at
over 10 percent year-over-year for the last 10 years, so
it remains a strong growth category in water heating.
Homeowners, builders and contractors recognize the ben-
efits of tankless in residential applications and continue to
recommend and promote the product, increasing the base
of installations.”
Julius Goodman of Stiebel Eltron agrees: “The market
will continue to grow as people realize the benefits of
endless hot water, plus the energy savings of eliminating
the standby losses of a tank. As we have said in the past,
electric tankless is poised for growth due to the increasing
generation of electric energy though renewable technolo-
gies rather than the use of fossil fuels.”
DHT’s Rimassa notes that the company continues to see
tremendous growth in the tankless water heater market.
“As the industry mandates higher efficiency and end-users
and installers realize the space-saving, energy-saving and
water-saving benefits tankless water heaters provide. we
will continue to see tankless water heating make an impact
in the market,” he says.
“Current energy standards mandate requirements to
facilitate future installations of high-efficiency systems
using gas or propane,” Vesta.DS’ Ponce concludes. “These
requirements are for new construction and additions if
a water heater is installed in the added floor area. These
requirements will make it easy to retrofit from storage tank
to gas tankless systems. That’s got to be good for future
business!”
Regardless of where we are regarding predictions, we all
know that there are various factors at play. We also know
that tankless water heaters will remain both a necessity in
some areas and a sought-after product in others. But what’s
driving or, in some cases, holding back the market now?
72/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 72
Drivers of the Tankless Market
Simply put, the efficiency benefits of a tankless water
heater are driving growth. But beyond that, the tankless
water heater also provides a smaller footprint, saving
space in both residential and commercial properties. The
convenience of having hot water when you need it and
without wasting energy — while also saving money and
space — is very appealing. These things, either individu-
ally or collectively, have been a driver for a while now
and will continue to be drivers for years to come.
“The tankless water heater’s biggest appeal is its abil-
ity to produce endless hot water, giving owners access to
it as they need it,” A. O. Smith’s Ogan said.
Rheem’s Cohen agrees, adding: “Factors driving the
tankless water heater market include energy efficiency
and the ability to provide an uninterrupted flow of hot
water, even for a large home or big family that uses a lot
of water. Tankless is also a smart home upgrade.”
Technology absolutely plays a part in all the drivers.
“Manufacturers are integrating new technologies includ-
ing smart monitoring and control features to improve the
product life and efficiency,” Rimassa from DHT says.
“As the industry continues to shift toward Legionella-
conscious owners and smart buildings, we are seeing the
utilization of low-flow fixtures to conserve water usage,
reducing the need for storage.”
Pinto from Bradford White believes that new con-
struction will also play a role in driving the tankless
water heater market. “This is especially true in warmer
climates of the country,” he says.
Almost all the manufacturers agreed on the market
drivers. “It comes down to reliability, space, operational
savings and availability,” Intellihot’s Deivasigamani
says. Navien’s Lin adds: “Consumers’ increasing aware-
ness for green products is definitely a factor.”
Vesta.DS’ Ponce agrees: “Just as its always been, it’s
still the same factors — space savings, energy savings
and continuous, precise hot water — that has contrac-
tors, builders and savvy homeowners driving the tankless
water heater market.”
Barriers of the Tankless Market
With all the benefits tankless water heaters provide
— and there are many — there are downsides, too.
Installation requirements are one of those barriers. A
tankless unit needs up to five times the amount of gas
to run (tankless water heaters range between 120,000 to
199,000 BTUs) versus a tank-type water heater (40,000
BTUs). A tankless unit also requires a different venting
system to allow the internal fan to run properly.
“Another barrier to installation is cost,” Ogan explains.
“Tankless installations may be two to three times more
than a tank-type water heater to purchase and install.”
Bosch’s Moffroid echoed the concerns over cost: “The
barriers to growth have long been the higher purchase
price and convenience of installing like-for-like when
a tank fails.” But he adds that those barriers have been
coming down in recent years. Navien’s Lin suggests the
added costs make it difficult to compete with other types
of water heaters.
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
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 Tankless
But it’s not all about cost and installation. Other bar-
riers include those imposed by regulations. Bradford
White’s Pinto points to the regulation limiting fuel price
as a barrier to growth as well as to innovation.
“As I mentioned earlier, there is a big movement in
California to phase out natural gas, which will definitely
provide a barrier to growth of the gas water heating
market,” Noritz’s Oshiro said. “In other parts of the
country, however, natural gas water heating is on the rise
as customers and utilities look to increase efficiency and
reduce their carbon footprint.”
In some instances, technology can hinder the sales
of tankless water heaters. According to Stiebel Eltron’s
Goodman: “Unfamiliarity with the technology can be a
barrier to adoption and, therefore, sales.” Deivasigamani
notes, however, that although “the apprehension of new
technology and its durability was a barrier, it’s no longer
the case.”
It’s easy to get bogged down with barriers and chal-
lenges, but where there is a will, there is a way. And
these manufacturers have proven to find innovative ways
to work around the obstacles and develop products that
rise to the challenge, whatever it may be.
Rising Above the Wave of Uncertainty
Each of these manufacturers are at the top of their
game. They not only design and produce tankless water
heaters, but they also actively participate in educating
the public on the benefits and longevity of their products
and services. We asked all who participated in the report
to tell us how their company is helping the professional
channel both market and sell their products. Here’s what
they had to say:
A. O. Smith is always looking for ways to increase
the value it provides to its downstream channel partners.
“We understand the importance of proper training and
are proud to invest the time and resources into educa-
tional tools that support our contractors, wholesalers and
specifying engineers,” Ogan says. “Training is led by our
full-time staff of dedicated technicians. We offer virtual
training at www.university.hotwater.com, which com-
bines online digital classes and web-based interactive
sessions. Online certifications are available in multiple
categories, including tankless, residential and a course
specific to our new X3 Technology.”
The manufacturer also offers free on-campus training
sessions in its recently remodeled facility in Ashland
City, Tenn. Professionals interested in the in-person
classes should visit the website for dates and additional
details.
Hernandez says AERCO offers a sizing tool to make it
easy to size a water heating plant based on system appli-
cation. “Our sizing tool also includes a sizing guarantee:
If you provide accurate information and still run out of
hot water, we will ensure it never happens again with a
fully functioning AERCO plant,” he explains. “Another
initiative we are offering are thought-leadership mate-
rials designed to educate specifying engineers and
contractors on best design practices to optimize system
performance, efficiency and reliability.”
74/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 74
Bosch’s Moffroid said the company firmly believes in
the benefit of product training and puts a great amount
of focus and resources into this area of the business. “We
currently perform trainings at our live-fire training center
in New Hampshire, sometimes remotely with a mobile
training vehicle. We also provide webinars, and we have
a large library of training videos that is constantly being
expanded,” he says.
Bradford White’s Pinto says: “We provide specialized
tankless training for professionals, and we have been
helping our wholesalers who are e-commerce-ready sell
both our tank and tankless products, via their b-to-b
platforms.”
Training is key for DHT. “We are committed to pro-
viding product, installation or troubleshooting training,”
Rimassa says. “We offer training at the DHT factory, on-
site, or via webinar to ensure our customers are 100-per-
cent supported.”
Calkins says Eemax is invested in supporting its part-
ners with continuing education units (CEUs) and Eemax
Product Knowledge sessions.
“Specifying engineers can earn ASPE CEU cred-
its with our live webinar series of courses,” he notes.
“You can visit eemax.com/resources for a list of course
descriptions and to register. Or, to schedule a CEU
presentation for your company, please contact your rep-
resentative. Eemax technical training courses will teach
plumbing contractors and wholesalers how to correctly
size, install and troubleshoot products ranging from 0.2
to 40 gpm and 1.8 kW to 150 kW.”
Interested professionals can request live webinar train-
ing for residential, commercial and industrial products
by visiting surveymonkey.com/r/33WJJCN.
Intellihot regularly holds webinars for engineers with
a relevant range of topics with EIA credits. “We have
developed easy-to-use tools that are available online for
customers to review ROI and compare alternate options
before purchasing equipment,” Deivasigamani explains.
“Additionally, we are in the process of opening a new
headquarters and training facility in Chicago.”
Navien’s Lin says: “Continual product training and
education is key. Training drives sales at all levels for
wholesalers, engineers and contractors.”
“Recently, we’ve started to concentrate on the training
and educating of our contractors with various webinars
and other training resources,” Oshiro of Noritz notes.
“We feel like once they learn the value of tankless, they
start to fully embrace and buy into the advantages versus
traditional water heating products.”
Rheem’s Cohen says: “Rheem is committed to making
lives easier for plumbing contractors. For example, the
RealSupport feature in Rheem’s Contractor App allows
a plumber to connect with another plumber like one
would via a video call, using a smart device’s augmented
reality capabilities. Plumbing contractors can use their
smart device as a video screen and drawing board to
point out situations and to troubleshoot without sacrific-
ing productivity or dispatching additional technicians to
the jobsite. Once drawn, if a plumber were to move the
phone and point the phone’s camera away, the drawing
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
 From the name you know in home heating!

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 Tankless

would still be visibly in place as a helpful learning tool.”
He adds that the manufacturer invests heavily in train-
ing distributors and contractors, including equipping
them with industry-leading technology and routine edu-
cation. Rheem offers comprehensive, in-person training
programs at its five state-of-the-art Innovation Learning
Centers throughout the United States and Canada.
“Given current times surrounding the coronavirus
pandemic, Rheem has shifted from in-person training to
e-learning and online webinars,” Cohen explains. “More
information on online training can be found at www.
rheemtraining.com. And lastly, for specifying engineers
working on commercial tankless water heater projects,
Rheem has application engineers on staff available to
help with sizing and product selection.”
David Federico, brand director for Rinnai, says the
company has an excellent training team that regularly
puts on training for newcomers to the industry (Level 1
and Level 2) and for service veterans (Level 3).
“They are also training our dealer network and dis-
tribution partners via webinars and local classes,” he
notes. “We employ a lean philosophy with our training
and regularly innovate with content, frequently based on
suggestions and requests from our participants. Rinnai
also is launching the new Rinnai PRO Network, which is a
channel program that provides professional installers with
many benefits and tools to assist with driving growth of the
tankless category.”
Goodman from Stiebel Eltron says: “We have been hard
at work to energize and equip our manufacturer’s represen-
tatives with the tools they need to reach out to the people
and companies they deal with.”
“Vesta.DS is committed to supporting the professional
channel market by partnering with wholesalers who provide
excellent service to contractors and their b-to-b customers,”
Ponce notes. “At the end of the day, our wholesalers, speci-
fying engineers and contractors service the end-users. Our
goal is to provide excellent products and support for them.”
As we all navigate these uncertain times and as tankless
water heater manufacturers learn to adapt to new business
processes, regulations and demands, we can all find com-
fort in knowing this essential industry is here to stay for the
long haul.
All the manufacturers we spoke with are dedicated to
producing a product that delivers comfort and convenience
without sacrificing quality or safety. Thank-you all for your
commitment and for your readiness to work through this
crisis. O

PRODUCTS
traditional tankless. This technology
makes it the first tankless product
that maintains like-new performance
longer without requiring regular
scale-related maintenance. Available
in three sizes with maximum BTU/H
inputs of 160K, 180K and 199K, all
models come with an integrated recir-
culation pump providing the benefit
of instant hot water.
www.hotwater.com

AERCO Enhances Innovation

A. O. Smith ProLine XE Gas
Tankless with X3
The A. O. Smith ProLine XE Gas
Tankless with X3 integrates scale
prevention technology to extend the
life of the unit three times longer than
Tankless Water Heater
AERCO has enhanced its Innovation
commercial tankless water heaters
with the Edge Controller and propri-
etary AERguard stainless-steel heli-
cal fire-tube heat exchanger assembly.
The Edge Controller saves time and
money on install and operating costs,
simplifies startups and maintenance,
and strengthens system efficiency
and performance. Innovation’s robust
AERguard improves scale and corro-
sion resistance for reliability and long
product life. The tankless water heater
provides safe, reliable hot water on
demand without the need for any sig-
nificant storage volume to buffer load
change and provide stable hot water
temperatures. www.aerco.com

76/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 76 6/17/20 11:52 AM

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pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 77 6/17/20 11:52 AM

 Tankless Products
Bosch Greentherm 9000 Series
The Bosch Greentherm 9000
Series brings homeowners more
than endless hot water. It saves time,
money, space and unnecessary stress.
From its exterior to the sophisticated
technology on the inside, Greentherm
water heaters are designed with
unique features to deliver ultra-effi-
cient, endless hot water.
www.bosch-thermotechnology.us
78/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 78
Bradford White Infiniti K Series
The Infiniti K Series of tankless
water heaters from Bradford White
uses STEADISET technology to
keep water temperatures consistent
and virtually eliminate the cold-water
sandwich effect with no internal buf-
fer tank. Scale reduction technology
offers longer life and lower mainte-
nance costs than conventional units.
Exceeding Energy Star efficiency
standards maximizes the financial
benefits. The Infiniti K offers best-
in-class venting lengths and up to
24 units can be connected with an
optional kit. Available in indoor and
outdoor models.
www.bradfordwhite.com
Diversified Heat Transfer
SP Series
The DHT SP Series of advanced
plate-type boiler water-fired water
heaters incorporates DHT’s PID
controller with a high-efficiency
plate-and-frame or brazed-plate heat
exchangers to satisfy potable water
heating needs in commercial and
institutional environments without
the need for large hot water stor-
age tanks. The packaged systems
use simple, real-time load tracking
and responsive controls to maintain
accurate hot water temperature under
various load patterns.
www.dhtnet.com
Eemax ProSeries XTP
The ProSeries XTP from Eemax
is ideal for commercial applications
that require temperatures up to 180
F with specified flow rates from 0.5
to 20 gpm. Using Adaptive Stability
Technology, the tankless water heater
provides eXact Thermal Performance
in demanding conditions. Self-
diagnostics with intelligent con-
trols actively protect the heater in
the installed environment. SafeStart
technology engages upon start-up to
help avoid dry-fire occurrence. Self-
modulating technology saves energy
and eliminates standby heat loss by
activating the heater only on demand.
Also features a digital LED display
with an easily navigated user inter-
face. It communicates detailed sys-
tem status and operation feedback
without the need to open the unit up
for troubleshooting.
www.eemax.com
Intellihot Gas-Fired
Tankless Water Heaters
Intellihot now offers tankless units
with capacities of more than 2 million
BTU/h and 3 million BTU/h. These
units are compact and fit through a
standard doorway and freight eleva-
tor. They heat water on demand,
eliminating storage and its associated
Legionella risks. They can be eas-
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
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pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 79 6/17/20 11:52 AM

 Tankless Products
ily cascaded and common-vented for
larger application needs. Not only do
they cut capital and operating expen-
ditures by 40 percent, but they come
with a 10-year nonprorated warranty.
Two years of free factory monitoring,
two years' parts, remote access and
predictive analytics are all available.
www.intellihot.com
Keltech Electric
Tankless Water Heater
Bradley’s Keltech electric tankless
water heaters deliver instantaneous
tempered water for process applica-
tions or ANSI/ISEA-required tepid
water to emergency safety showers
and eye/face washes. Drawing energy
only when needed, these tankless
water heaters are highly efficient and
precise in supplying heated water at a
second’s notice even in extreme work
environments. Installation is easy, as
only one electrical connection and a
cold-water line are needed - saving
labor time and additional costs.
www.bradleycorp.com/keltech
-tankless-water-heaters
80/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 80
Noritz NRCR Residential
Condensing Tankless Water
Heater Series
The NRCR residential condensing
Navien NPN Series Premium tankless water heater series uses a
Noncondensing Tankless Water fully integrated circulator to keep hot
water close to even the farthest outlet
Heaters in the home, minimizing the wait
Navien’s new NPN series premium
and, therefore, the waste of unused
noncondensing tankless water heaters
potable water down the drain.
are offered in two series — NPN-U
www.noritz.com
(universal) and NPN-E (exterior)
— both in 160,000 BTU/h, 180,000
BTU/h and 199,900 BTU/h models Rheem’s Prestige High-
for either natural gas or liquid pro- Efficiency Tankless Water
pane. The NPN series is the first and Heater
only noncondensing tankless series Rheem’s line of Prestige high-effi-
to offer NaviTech technology with ciency tankless water heaters make it
a stainless-steel heat exchanger and easy to have continuous hot water and
advanced stainless-steel burner with save on energy costs. These Energy
precision control flame technology Star-certified water heaters are engi-
for eco-friendly low NOx emissions neered with Rheem’s
comparable to condensing burners. exclusive Hot
www.navieninc.com Start program-
ming, minimiz-
ing cold water
bursts by stay-
ing in ready-
fire state for
consecutive hot
water needs.
EcoNet Smart
Te c h n o l o g y
is also avail-
able on select
Prestige mod-
els. It provides
Wi-Fi connec-
tivity and fea-
tures that offer
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
 Control the • Continuously monitors for potential
catastrophic flood condition

Power of Water
• Automatically shuts off water
supply

• Provides real time

multi-channel alerts:
The New Standard for Plumbing call, text, email
Connected technology and IoT-enabled products are not the future. • Available as an upgrade
They’re here. kit, in conjunction with
a backflow or ACV,
SentryPlus Alert™ Technology by Watts uses these innovations to or as a complete
detect and protect against excessive Reduced Pressure Zone system
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pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 81 6/17/20 11:52 AM
 Tankless Products
system protection, control and mon-
etary savings.
www.rheem.com/tankless
Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters
The new Rinnai hydronic air han-
dler systems connect seamlessly to
82/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_068_087.indd 82
select Rinnai tankless water heaters
to deliver efficient home heating and
domestic hot water simultaneously in
one complete system. This product
solution saves energy, compared to
traditional furnaces, when integrated
with Rinnai's highly efficient tank-
less water heaters or boilers that
can deliver home heat and domestic
hot water. It can also be configured
to work with AHRI-certified cooling
solutions, including indoor cooling
coils and outdoor condensing sys-
tems. www.rinnai.com
saving, water-saving, and space-sav-
Stiebel Eltron Tempra ing at 17 inches x 15 inches x 5
Stiebel Eltron Tempra electric inches, the easily installed Tempra
tankless water heaters are 99-percent needs no venting. Available with a
efficient, saving a minimum 15 to 20 seven-year leakage/three-year parts
percent over an electric tank, with warranty against leakage.
possible savings up to 50 percent. www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
Tempra Plus features the Advanced
Flow Control, which automatically
maintains hot water temperature if
demand exceeds capacity. Energy-
Vesta.DS Revolution Series:
VRP & VRS Models
The Vesta Revolution series is
available in both residential and com-
mercial applications, comes in natu-
ral gas or propane conversion models,
and can be used for indoor or outdoor
use. The series is designed for 2-inch
to 60-inch venting, easy field conver-
sion, and includes an eco-friendly
low NOx metal fiber burner, dual
stainless-steel heat exchanger, mix-
ing valve and a built-in recirculation
pump (VRP model only).
www.vestahws.com
July 2020
6/17/20 11:52 AM
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pe07_pgs_068_083.indd 83 6/18/20 1:06 PM

 Celebrating a Century of
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pe07_pgs_084_087.indd 84 6/17/20 12:04 PM

 ECM High-Efficiency Circulators – 34 ft. Head | 50 gpm • BIO Barrier® protection from system contaminants
For closed and open loop hydronic circulation • SureStart® automatic unblocking & air purging
• Rotatable control cover • activeADAPT™ self-adjusting proportional pressure
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pe07_pgs_084_087.indd 85 6/17/20 12:04 PM

 2020
MANUFACTURER
SPOTLIGHT
RHEEM UNVEILS
ALL-NEW PROTERRA
HYBRID ELECTRIC
WATER HEATER
North America’s most efficient water
heater qualifies for the highest level of
energy rebates and can save homeown-
ers hundreds of dollars upon purchase
Rheem®, a leading global manufacturer of HVAC and
water heating solutions, recently unveiled the indus-
try’s most efficient hybrid electric water heater. Named
ProTerra™ for its unmatched efficiencies, this ENERGY
STAR® certified water heater from Rheem is over 400
percent more efficient compared to any standard electric
tank-type water heater in market and is more eco-friend-
ly than ever at up to 4.0 UEF.
The ProTerra’s compact design makes it a perfect tank
replacement for even the home’s smallest spaces. The
system is available in the widest selection of gallon sizes
in its category – 40, 50, 65, 80 – to support various hot
water needs, and the ProTerra with LeakGuard™ model
is now the industry’s only hybrid water heater with built-
in leak detection and auto-shutoff that limits water loss
from the tank to no more than 20 ounces. LeakGuard
protects the home against water damage, providing peace
of mind for end-users.
This all-new hybrid water heater also has Rheem’s
exclusive EcoNet® WiFi technology built in. Once con-
nected through the EcoNet mobile app, users can monitor
86/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_084_087.indd 86
the system from any location, adjust water temperatures
for controlled comfort and receive maintenance alerts
to ensure the system continues to run smoothly without
interruption. Additionally, through the EcoNet mobile
app, users can access Rheem’s Hot Water Availability
feature which indicates how much hot water is available
in the tank, preventing any cold shower
surprises. Other advanced features
include scheduling around peak
electricity rates, an energy usage
tracker to manage consumption
without sacrificing comfort and
five operating modes to balance
between energy usage and hot
water availability.
Plumbers can access detailed
system diagnostics through
Rheem’s Contractor App, which
shortens service visits and
improves credibility in the field.
The ProTerra has all serviceable
components on the front of the
unit, which also saves plumb-
ers valuable time on a jobsite.
Another benefit to plumbers is
the unit’s zero clearance require-
ment on the sides. This makes
earthquakes straps easy to install,
providing an extra benefit in
California where earthquake
straps are code.
The ProTerra qualifies for the
highest level of energy rebates,
will save homeowners up to near-
ly $500 in annual energy costs1
and will pay for itself within
two years2. For more informa-
tion on utility rebates, ask your
local utility provider and visit
www.Rheem.com/Hybrid.
1. Based on comparison against the estimated annual operat-
ing cost of a standard electric water heater of like capacity
manufactured prior to 2015 under NAECA II which is likely being
replaced. 2. Based on purchase price and energy cost savings
of a 50-gallon Hybrid Electric Water Heater with 3.55 UEF (3.50
EF) over a 50-gallon standard residential electric water heater
with a 0.93 UEF (0.95 EF).
July 2020
6/17/20 12:04 PM
 SAVE YOURSELF EFFORT.
SAVE YOUR CUSTOMERS MONEY.

Easy-to-use Controls
Introducing the Rheem®
ProTerra™ Hybrid
Condensate Connection
Electric Water Heater

• Easy Installation
0" Clearance Requirement
Qualifies for
• Easy Service
All service components
on the front of the unit
$
300
Federal
• Most Efficient Tax Credit1
Up to 4.0 UEF

• Unmatched Savings
Up to $480/yr2
Easy-service Design
• Quick Payback
Less than 2 years

• Whisper-quiet Operation
Less than 49dBa
LeakGuard™ Auto
Water Shut-off Valve3
Rheem.com/HybridSolutions
Long-lasting
Brass Drain Valve

Built-in 360° Leak

Detection Cable3

1
Information on tax credit accurate at time of publishing; consult your tax advisor for details on eligibility
requirements for tax credits or go to rheem.com/federal-tax-credit. 2Based on comparison of the 50-gallon
Hybrid Electric model against the estimated annual operating cost of a standard electric water heater of like
capacity manufactured prior to 2015 under NAECA II which is likely being replaced. Savings varies per gallon
capacity. 3Leak detection and leak protection built in for ProTerra Hybrid with LeakGuard only.

pe07_pgs_084_087.indd 87 6/17/20 12:04 PM

 Education for the 21st Century
By Liza Cusimano, CPD
Photo courtesy of HMC Architects
A
t the close of World War II, 2 million soldiers
returned from overseas to the United States. Many
married and began starting families, moving to
the suburbs using the GI Bill and FHA programs that had
begun a decade prior. With these new families and homes
came the need for more schools. The birth rate in the U.S.
surged nearly 50 percent higher in 1946 over the rates of
the previous decade [1]. Because of this, there were not
nearly enough school facilities nationwide to accommo-
date this new generation that came to be called the Baby
Boomers.
In San Diego, there has been a devoted effort at the San
Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) to renovate the
older schools built and expanded during this period. The
goal is to bring modern technologies and comforts to the
learning environment and to have many future generations
to come enjoy their local schools.
Older elementary schools in the SDUSD generally
consist of 5-8 one-story classroom buildings, one admin-
istration building, one multipurpose room/cafetorium
and one library. The classroom buildings house four to
six classrooms each and are typically blocked by grades.
Temperatures will rarely fall below 55°F or reach above
80°F during the school day. In most classroom buildings
there are no internal hallways. For the most part student
lockers and cubbies are located outside for student storage
needs. There is no centralized hot water system except in
the cafeteria as the groundwater is 60°F, and the children
eat outside in shaded lunch structures unless there is
inclement weather.
There are many unique issues to focus on when reno-
vating schools. It is no surprise that a heavy emphasis
is placed on the health and safety of the children of our
communities.
Drinking water quality
Lead has long been an issue throughout the country in
the antiquated water distribution systems built in the past.
The effects this would have on the people and animals
drinking the water from lead pipes was not well known.
The EPA now states that drinking water levels are consid-
88/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_088_093.indd 88
ered actionable when lead levels exceed 15 ppb [2].
In 2017, after becoming aware of a possible lead
contamination issue at an elementary school in 2017 the
SDUSD led a massive testing effort with the City of San
Diego. This served to identify any elevated lead sources
at schools throughout the District. The District has com-
mitted to a strict lead level cap of 5 ppb at all school sites
when this occurred.
One result of this has been the removal of bubblers
at classroom sinks in existing buildings. This avoids the
possibility of lead contamination from existing piping.
Instead, focused points of drinking water dispensing were
provided around the campuses. As a design professional,
it is necessary to specify the use of in line water filters for
sink bubblers in new classroom buildings.
Centralized dual height drinking fountains with bottle
fillers are provided, usually one per classroom building,
and located near the student restrooms. This allows the
water to be more closely monitored to ensure quality. The
model selected should be appropriate for either interior or
exterior use, capable of withstanding the weather condi-
tions of your area, whether these involve winterization,
high UV, pitting or any combination of these issues.
Restrooms
Along with water consumption comes the inevitable
outcome of visiting the restroom. After fifty plus years of
student use and abuse some of these restrooms are in need
of upgrades. Many facilities may have been upgraded after
the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
to provide accessible facilities. Currently, more accessible
facilities are being provided across campuses.
Though we personally are no longer the height of kin-
dergarteners, it is important to look at things through the
eyes of a child in considering fixtures, child accessibility
and ease of use. Architects may want to use wall hung
water closets in all restrooms. A kindergarten height water
closet is 10” to the top of the seat, and is not available
in wall hung style. But, it is available as a floor mount
fixture. While we may not normally consider this a factor,
for schools it’s worth considering how fun some fixtures
July 2020
6/17/20 12:59 PM
 Introducing the Cyclone® XL
The A. O. Smith Cyclone® family of commercial water heaters is now bigger than ever with the addition of the new Cyclone
XL. The XL model extends the Cyclone family’s input range up to 1 million BTU/h while maintaining a compact footprint, and
the unit’s patent pending stainless steel heat exchange system delivers 97% thermal efficiency. Built to meet most critical
load requirements, the Cyclone XL delivers superior performance and the ease of installation Cyclone water heaters are known
for.

97% Thermal Efficiency Up to 1 Million BTU/h iCOMM Remote Monitoring

www.hotwater.com

pe07_pgs_088_093.indd
L3MD Cyclone89Family Ad_TheBestBigger.indd 1 6/17/20 12:082:38
PM PM
20-AOST-0005 2/28/20
 Education
are when designing for children. Foot- or knee-activated
wash fountains can make washing up more entertaining
as a group activity and help instill good hand washing
hygiene from a young age.
Kitchens
Whether providing a full-service cooking facility or a
simple warming and holding station for the cafeteria, the
kitchen is an area full of activity that must be carefully
coordinated between disciplines to provide a functional
space for the owner.
The food service consultant will often take the lead
on the design of the kitchen, but the plumbing designer
needs to make sure that the equipment selected meets
both local health codes and plumbing codes. These can
vary in requirements. For example, the health code may
allow a smaller grease interceptor based on school food
being prepared off site or have a minimum hot water
tank size much smaller than will be needed for hours of
continuous dishwashing.
While our work is contained inside the building, the
grease interceptor will still be within our scope of work.
The civil and structural consultant must be contacted to
coordinate the new interceptor location. This will help to
identify the area of influence of the building footings and
to avoid placement too near to other utilities.
90/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_088_093.indd 90
Along with a new interceptor, a camera scope of the
building and facility underground piping should be pro-
vided at the start of a project. This will determine the
viability of the sewer piping. If this cannot be provided
pre-construction, always note for the contractor to cam-
era test the lines prior to commencing with the work. Be
upfront and give appropriate advice to the architect as
to whether sewer replacement or slab removal will save
headaches and costs down the road.
Former location
When working with vintage buildings there’s always
the sage advice to remember: Expect the unexpected.
At times schools are built on overlooked sites that
were in need of improvement or were in disuse for one
reason or another. This makes for easy acquisition of the
large parcels of land needed. While perfectly safe ordi-
narily, when undisturbed there can be deleterious effects
on digging in unknown ground.
Several school sites in the San Diego District were
formerly military facilities and these have a complicated
history due to property transfers and remediation efforts.
In 2008 in a central Florida neighborhood, more than
100 military explosives were unearthed. The property
was formerly a World War II bombing range. The first
explosive found was next to the track of the local middle
school. Obviously, it is important to know what the prop-
erty was used for before building commences.[3]
If it is suspected that unexploded ordinance may be
present on the building site, consult with the architect
about providing an unexploded ordinance note on the
site plan. The note should require a magnetometer test or
other below ground verification prior to excavation. This
will help to avoid dangerous situations on sites previ-
ously used for industrial or military activity.
Community
All schools are a vital part of their neighborhood.
There is so much more involved than just feeding, car-
ing for, and educating our children. As a focal point for
social activities, volunteer work, or providing before and
after care to support working parents, schools are heav-
ily used facilities that often go unappreciated. The effort
made to breathe new life into these campuses will be
felt and appreciated by families and teachers for years
to come.
Disclaimer: No school sites mentioned in this article
have been known to contain munitions. O
Footnotes
1.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/statab/
natfinal2003.annvol1_01.pdf
2.https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/lead-and-
copper-rule
3.https://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/30/
backyard.bombs/index.html
Liza Cusimano, CPD, is a senior plumbing designer at
Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc. She can be reached at
lcusimano@treisd.com.
July 2020
6/17/20 12:08 PM
 Spec Willoughby. Spec the Best!
CSI CSI CSI CSI

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pe07_pgs_088_093.indd 91 6/17/20 12:08 PM

 We salute our
dedicated associates.
Thank you for your commitment to American manufacturing
during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can’t beat the system.®

97200_CPF_2020_Essential_Associates_PlumbingEngineer.indd 1
pe07_pgs_088_093.indd 92 6/17/20 12:09 PM
 5/1/20 12:09
11:02 PM
AM
pe07_pgs_088_093.indd 93 6/17/20
 Insulate ‘dem pipes –
Please! Hot water pipes are long radiators.
By Pete Skinner and Gary Klein
H
ello again. Gary and I covered a lot of ground in
our last article in this magazine. That one focused
on the tensions between achievement of fast deliv-
ery of hot water and the price paid in terms of pressure
loss in smaller tubing that makes it all happen. It also
focused on making the tenants happy with fast delivered
hot water and the world happier because of minimized
water and energy waste.
Now plumbers and engineers, let’s please consider
some of the energy ramifications of hot pipes inside our
buildings. Face it, be it PEX, CPVC, copper or any other
piping material, long pipes with hot water inside are
radiant heaters. Yeah, in the winter, in some climates,
these pipes help heat the building. But in the warmer
months, and these are increasing in all climates, these long
pipes, also known as radiators, give off heat that must be
removed in today’s tight buildings with HVAC systems.
This results in electricity or fossil fuels getting used to
create hot water. Some of which gets consumed and some
of which is dissipated as heat on the way to being used.
The waste heat from which must be captured and dumped
back outdoors – with yet more energy. Our clients lose
both ways.
And, excessive recirculation exacerbates this problem,
especially if the pipes are not fully insulated. We have an
amazing example for you. One that is unfolding even as
we write this article. Read on. We have quite a story to tell.
Pipe heat loss phenomena
Hot pipes in cooler spaces cool down over time. The
losses from the piping need to be included as part of the
94/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_094_101.indd 94
cost of heating the water used in the building.
ASHRAE has a method to calculate the heat loss
rate expressed as Btus/hour/lineal foot. References like
Uponor’s Plumbing Design Assistance Manual (PDAM)
provide matrices of values for different PEX pipe sizes at
different temperature differences between water tempera-
tures inside and air temperatures outside for a range of
diameters of bare pipe and insulated pipe.
Here’s an example. Let’s say we designed, and the
plumber installed, a 1” PEX tubing 200 foot long hot
water circulation loop without insulation in a client’s
house. The house has 130 degree water flowing inside the
pipes with continuous recirculation and the building is at
70 degrees. That’s a delta T of 60 degrees. Uponor’s table,
on page 171 of the manual, shows that the heat loss rate
for that bare pipe would be 16.6 Btu/hr/ foot but for pipe
insulated with 1” fiberglass it would only be 6.5 Btu/hr/
foot. Let’s do the math to determine the heat loss associ-
ated with the uninsulated loop: 16.6 Btu/hr/foot times 200
feet = 3,320 Btu/hr times 8760 hours per year comes to
29,083,200 Btus/year lost. It would be about 33 percent
worse if this bare PEX loop was in a 50 degree basement.
Let’s assume that we hung the PEX loop in conditioned
space and our client heats her hot water with electricity
with a 95 percent efficiency. She will be spending 8,972
kWhrs annually because we didn’t insulate her PEX loop.
Again, let’s assume she lives alone and uses 20 gallons of
hot water per day and the annual average cold water tem-
perature is 55 degrees. Our client would use 1,409 kWhr
to heat the hot water she uses over the year. This means the
loop losses are almost 6.4 times larger than the actual use.
July 2020
6/17/20 12:59 PM
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pe07_pgs_094_101.indd 95 6/17/20 12:12 PM

 Piping
This is a big price to pay annually. Yes, the heat lost from
the pipe in the winter helped keep her house warm. But in
the summer, she will have to pay even more money to run
the HVAC system to dump the wasted heat outside. If the
loop was in an unconditioned basement, the heat lost by the
loop would not do her house energy budget any good.
Heat waste is writ large in multifamily buildings
Let’s look at what happens when our client is a 35 unit
new multifamily building. The mechanical specifications
call for a hot water trunk, riser and branch design. The
pipes were sized using the International Code Council’s
water supply fixture unit approach which resulted in a peak
flow of 50 gpm even taking advantage of the savings due
to bathroom groups. By the way, in a similar building with
senior occupancy, we only measured on-site a 2.85 gpm
maximum at the 99.9% level.
An isometric of the design appears below. A large pipe
conducts hot water to the ceiling of the third floor and ris-
ers conduct water downward, though the 14 risers to the
mechanical closets of the individual apartments. The simple
(as opposed to a reverse) return collects the water at the end
of the risers in the first floor ceiling and brings it back to
the main mechanical room. According to the project docu-
ments, the piping was to be insulated with 1 inch fiberglass
pipe insulation.
Figure 1
Verifying the performance of the design
Our collaborator, Hugh Henderson, set up a state-of-
the-art, one-minute data measurement system at a similar
building that measures the flow rate and temperature of
Figure 2
96/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_094_101.indd 96
the hot water flowing out of the thermostatic mixing valve
and returning through the recirculation pump for reheating.
It also measures the incoming cold water temperature and
flow rate.
These numbers allow us to calculate the energy it takes
to heat the water used by the tenants as well as the energy
needed to keep the loop hot. Figure 1 shows the schematic
of the instrumentation layout. There are four flow rate and
temperature sensors that feed their information into the
data logger which transfers it to the cloud from which we
download the data and analyze it. Figure 2 shows Hugh
Henderson, adjusting the settings in the onsite data capture
box.
Table 1 shows that the circulation pump was moving
water at about 6.7 gpm. The temperature drop around the
loop was 6F. The calculations show that the heat loss is
about 20,000 Btu/hr and the annual loss more than 176
million BTU.
Table 1
These losses seemed large and got us wondering how
these losses compared to calculated heat loss and to actual
hot water use. Recent measurements have confirmed this
troubling heat loss pattern.
Table 2 presents the energy needed to heat the hot water
used by the tenants. The average hot water use per apart-
ment is 15.7 gallons per day. The energy to heat this water
is 9,163 Btus per day per apartment.
Table 2
Let’s compare the energy used to the energy lost in the
loop. The loop losses are 482,207 Btu per day. The hot
water energy is 320,705 Btu per day. Okay, we knew loop
losses were often a large portion of the daily energy use,
but these losses are larger than the use by 50 percent. This
got us wondering how the measured losses compared to
calculated heat losses.
Table 3 presents the calculated heat losses for the
designed hot water circulation loop. As before, we used
Uponor’s manual as the source for the heat loss per foot
numbers. We calculated the heat loss for each diameter
and length of pipe and summed these up to get the hourly
totals. We then extended the numbers to get daily, monthly
and annual totals.
Wait a minute. The measured loop losses are remark-
ably close to the calculated values for uninsulated pipe! If
the pipe had been well-insulated, losses would be only 37
percent as large.
July 2020
6/17/20 1:00 PM
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pe07_pgs_094_101.indd 97 6/17/20 12:12 PM

 Piping
Table 3
Table 4 provides a summary of this analysis. Any way
you look at it, the as-built loop losses are large; much
larger than the energy used by the tenants; either 60
percent of the daily energy use or 150 percent of the hot
water used. The calculated losses demonstrate that the
loop is acting as though it is uninsulated. Not a good sign!
The calculated values show that a properly insulated loop
would require less energy than the uses. While still large,
this would be much better than what we found.
Insulating hot pipes is critical
Insulating pipes and fittings is something of an art
98/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_094_101.indd 98
Table 4
form, best practiced by pipe laggers who do this work all
day. Plumbers strive diligently to make their piping leak
free – at least for fluids. Energy losses are leaks too but
sadly, are invisible. This article should be taken to heart.
Uninsulated or poorly insulated pipes can create huge
leaks of energy. Think about it when the job appears done
when the water is flowing nicely without leaks.O
Peter Skinner, P.E., owner and founder E2G Solar LLC,
designs, installs, repairs, researches and teaches about
residential and commercial solar thermal systems and
their integration with heat pump systems in New York and
neighboring states. Gary Klein, president of Gary Klein &
Associates, Inc., is intimately involved in energy efficiency
and renewable energy, with an emphasis on the water-
energy-carbon connection.
APPROVED
July 2020
6/17/20 1:00 PM
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pe07_pgs_094_101.indd 101 6/17/20 12:13 PM

 Case Study
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Exterior photograph by Daniel Dubois
/ Vanderbilt University.
Submitted by Sloan Valve Company
T
he Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC)
is one of the largest academic medical centers in the
Southeast, managing more than 2 million patient
visits each year.
With its adult and children’s hospitals consistently
ranked as one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best
Hospitals, VUMC is the primary resource for specialty
and primary care in hundreds of adult and pediatric spe-
cialties throughout Tennessee and the Mid-South.
That’s why when it came time for VUMC to install
new faucets, it needed a product that would help promote
a hygiene-friendly handwashing process while standing
up to high-traffic environments. VUMC also wanted a
cutting-edge product that was easy to maintain while also
enabling the facilities team to become smarter water man-
agers. Sloan provided the solution.
Multi-Functional Faucets
Hospitals can be a breeding ground for germs and dis-
ease, and Sloan’s Optima faucets help to promote proper
hygiene with their touch free-operation to cut down on
cross-contamination. Installed throughout both public
restrooms and nurses’ stations, the faucets improve the
handwashing process for patients and caregivers alike.
With 2 million annual patient visits in addition to on-
site medical staff, Sloan’s faucets are subjected to plenty
of wear and tear. The Optima faucets are not only durable
102/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_102_105.indd 102
enough to meet the demands of this high-traffic environ-
ment, but also deliver VUMC with sustainable water-
saving benefits.
Maintenance Made Easy
VUMC specified over 500 Sloan ETF-80 Optima
hardwired deck-mounted faucets as the new standard for
the entire facility. Not only do Sloan’s redesigned faucets
feature an underdeck Optima Control Box that reduces the
service time needed by VUMC’s facilities team, but the
maintenance staff is also able to remotely monitor each
individual faucet through the Sloan Connect App.
Enabling the maintenance staff with a mobile device
on-site puts data right at the VUMC team’s fingertips. The
maintenance team is able to conduct weekly check-ins
on specific fixtures throughout the facility. The data they
gather allows the VUMC’s staff to be able to measure and
report water usage as needed.
“Sloan’s faucets have proven to be very effective. They
are high performing, and they have the ability to give us
an understanding of how our faucets are performing at an
exact moment,” said Randy Howington, Plumbing Shop
Manager, Facilities Management, Vanderbilt University
Medical Center.O
Since innovating the Royal Flushometer more than 100
years ago, Sloan has been a leader in water efficiency,
offering products that are built to perform and guaranteed
to last. Visit www.sloan.com.
July 2020
6/17/20 1:00 PM
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pe07_pgs_102_105.indd 103 6/17/20 12:18 PM

 WHEN IT MATTERS
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6/15/20 12:42 PM
pe07_pgs_102_105.indd 105 6/17/20 12:18 PM
 By David Scelsi
Choose and operate restroom
plumbing for sustainability
W
ater conservation is an issue of increasing
importance the world over as awareness grows
over crippling water shortages. Many areas
are using water faster than it can be replenished in water
basins and other sources and are facing dire threats to
water availability.
The United Nations reports that 4 billion people experi-
ence severe water scarcity during at least one month of the
year. India’s sixth-largest city, with a population of 10 mil-
lion, last year was forced to deliver drinking water to its
residents via train to help alleviate a critical shortage. And
in the U.S., a government-backed study predicted serious
water shortages coming in the next half-century.
These threats — coupled with economic concerns and
even local legislation mandating water conservation —
have led many facilities to adopt a new focus on water use
as part of an overall sustainability plan.
Commercial and institutional facilities are the second
largest consumer of publicly supplied water in the U.S.,
according to the EPA. Use varies, but in no type of facil-
ity do restrooms account for less than 30 percent of total
water consumption, so savings in this part of a building
can have a significant impact on the facility’s overall
water use.
Here are some tips for boosting sustainability in
commercial restrooms, from the design and installation
through day-to-day operation.
Start with the low-hanging fruit
The easiest way to cut overall restroom water consump-
tion is simply to require less water every time a sink or
toilet is used.
Faucets are perhaps the most cost-effective place to
realize immediate water savings. Adding or updating aera-
tors — those easy-to-install and inexpensive devices that
restrict water flow — can cut use to 0.5 gallons per minute
(gpm) or less, a dramatic reduction from the 2.2 gpm com-
mon in non-public settings. Vandal-resistant versions also
prevent unauthorized removal and subsequent increased
water flow.
Toilets and urinals can also be guilty of unnecessary
water guzzling, particularly when these fixtures haven’t
been updated in several years. EPA’s WaterSense esti-
106/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_106_113.indd 106
mates there are nearly 27 million flushometer-valve toilets
currently installed in the U.S. Of those, about 26 percent
(7 million) have flush volumes as high as 3.0 to 7.0 gal-
lons per flush (gpf), far higher than the federal standard
of 1.6 gpf.
Updating toilets to the new standard, or going further
to a 1.28 gpf or 1.1 gpf version, can reduce water con-
sumption significantly. Urinal flush valves that use a pint
(0.125 gallons) per flush are also an option for curtailing
consumption.
Reduce demand through technology
Modern plumbing technology can reduce water use
and environmental impact further, often by taking messy,
sometimes thoughtless humans out of the equation.
Switching to electronic sensor faucets can save up to a
gallon of tempered water per hand wash by flowing water
only when needed — while providing the hands-free
experience users prefer.
Sensor faucets also eliminate the potential for users
to accidentally or purposefully leave water running. An
automatic shut-off feature ensures any malicious efforts to
cover or otherwise interfere with sensor operation won’t
result in an untended flow of water.
Facilities can extend resource conservation further with
hydrogenerators to power sensor faucets and flush valves.
These devices employ turbines that harness the flow of
water to produce and store energy, eliminating the need
for regular battery replacements or electrical wiring.
Audit, monitor, repair
While updated fixtures can make a big difference in
water conservation, particularly when their impact is
multiplied across larger facilities, knowing how water is
being used is an important preliminary step. Before buy-
ing and installing a raft of new products, a commercial
facility should undertake a water audit to analyze water
flow across the facility and determine where efficiencies
can be gained with repairs, retrofits or updated equipment.
Leak monitoring is another critical component of a
viable water savings plan. Leaks account for more than 6
percent of an average facility’s total water use, according
to the EPA. For example, a faucet leaking at the rate of one
July 2020
6/17/20 1:01 PM
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pe07_pgs_106_111.indd 107 6/17/20 12:21 PM

 Restrooms

positive impact on both water conservation and overall

drop per second can send an extra 3,000 gallons of water
per year down the drain.
This kind of waste may go undetected if a facility
doesn’t regularly monitor for and repair leaks. The good
news is that leak repairs are often easy, requiring inexpen-
sive parts and a low investment of valuable maintenance
time.
Think holistically
In addition to the day-to-day function and maintenance
of restrooms, facilities can boost their sustainability with
a more holistic approach to their plumbing.
Choosing quality fixtures, for example, can have a
sustainability by reducing time and money associated with
maintenance and also limiting the facility’s overall waste.
Durable, commercial-grade restroom fixtures last sub-
stantially longer than lower-quality options, requiring
little in the way of repair and replacement. Faucets that
don’t stand up to regular wear and tear may need to be
replaced frequently, as often every year — leading to lots
of faucets being sent to landfills. And high-quality faucets
are less likely to develop leaks, helping operations keep
water use in check.
There is also increasing awareness that how a product is
manufactured should be part of the overall sustainability
equation for whatever facility it ends up in. That changing
perspective is reflected in LEED and other green building
certification programs that incorporate the manufacturing
processes of building materials into their assessments.
Selecting restroom fixtures from manufacturers that
adopt sustainable manufacturing processes can lighten
the building’s footprint beyond the four walls, helping to
promote better environmental stewardship throughout the
supply chain.O
David Scelsi is Marketing Product Manager with T&S
Brass, a leading manufacturer of commercial plumbing
products. Visit www.tsbrass.com.

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pe07_pgs_106_113.indd 108 6/17/20 1:01 PM

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12:24 PM
6:24 PM
 Quick
Thinking
at Haws
Produces
New Hand
Washing
Station
‘Is there anyway we
could Reece’s Peanut
Butter Cup this?’
By Steve Smith

W
as that a keg party we stumbled upon recently on
a Haws LinkedIn post? Considering what we’ve
all had to deal with lately, who could blame Haws
if the drinking fountain and emergency response products
maker didn’t decide to throw down a get-together right on
the company’s Sparks, Nevada manufacturing floor.
But that was no beer keg – although it certainly looks like
one. Technically, it’s just a “pressurized water tank” that the
company buys from an OEM that’s topped with a goose-
necked faucet instead of, you know, a tapper.
Together, they make up Haws’ newest product – the
Haws Portable Handwashing Station Model No. 7603-
2000, a 15-gallon unit built to stand up to tough jobsite con-
ditions that will provide 30-40 all-important hand washes to
keep workers safe and COVID-19 at bay. their teams are in the field, on trucks, or in train yards
“Great example of teamwork by the Haws team,” said without access to running water. Using existing products a
the post written by Brett Engelland, director of national cross functional team of engineering, customer service and
accounts at Haws. “With everything happening around the sales produced a fast, durable and effective solution. Go
current pandemic our customers have been asking us to team Haws!”
help solve their problem of providing hand washing when Standing alongside the product in Engelland’s post is
Michael Schmidt, a manufacturing engineer, whose quick
But that was no beer keg – although help went into developing the product and whom we can
only imagine is smiling for the camera under his face mask.
it certainly looks like one. Technically,
Customer calls
it’s just a “pressurized water tank” that “When the pandemic hit, we started getting a lot of calls
from our customers wondering if we offered a portable
the company buys from an OEM that’s hand washing station,” Engelland told us. “At first we said
no, but we have been in the portable pressurized eyewash
topped with a goose-necked faucet market for a while now, which was the main reason for the
instead of, you know, a tapper. calls.”

114/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_114_117.indd 114 6/17/20 12:25 PM

 GREAT FOR THE ROAD.
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pe07_pgs_114_117.indd 115 6/17/20 12:25 PM

 Handwashing

That would be the Haws 16-inch diameter beer keg, err, steel production sample and we knew this
Portable Air-Pressurized tank, and you can begin to see why was going to be what customers had
Emergency Eyewash Model light bulbs started to go off above the been asking us for.”
No. 7603, which came head of that “cross functional team”
out about four years ago. Engelland mentioned in his LinkedIn Remote crews
On the company’s website, post. While it’s a 15-gallon tank in
Haws describes the prod- Of course, a tank is only half the dimension, it’s best to fill it with 10
uct as “an ideal, cost-efficient answer. In addition to the portable gallons to pressurize the product cor-
solution for a facility’s eyewash station, Haws also offers rectly. Based on a 20- to 30-second
ANSI eyewash Sink Faucet Model No. 5519LF, a hand wash, the station will provide
requirements in stay-open lever handle, compression 30-40 hand washes before refilling.
locations without gooseneck faucet. According to the “Anywhere where you’re going to
access to a con- company’s website, “this type of deck- have remote crew working and you’re
tinuous potable mounted glass-filler faucet may be worried about hand washing, this is the
water source. The placed in settings such as: school, perfect product,” Engelland says. “It’s
pressurized 15 classrooms, laboratories, restaurants built tough and can also be strapped on
gallon (56.8 L) …” the back of a truck, too. A great way
personal portable “So everyone is having a conversa- to stay safe during this pandemic is to
eyewash provides tion where we know we have this tank wash your hands frequently. The only
a reliable source and we know we have these faucets jobsite this new product wouldn’t help
of safety for the and is there a way we could Reece’s keep everyone safer is if the workers
irrigation pro- Peanut Butter Cup this thing together,” did have access to running water.”
cess.” Engelland said. “We got our engineer- Users can plan to add a special
One look at that ing team involved and in the space of bacteriostatic preservative that Haws
product, particu- one night they said they could do it, sells in 8-ounce bottles, one of which
larly a very familiar and within a couple of days we had a will preserve 5-20 gallons of potable
water for up to four months. While the
water isn’t designed to drink from, the
company recommends the use of the
additive to keep skin protected.
“Any water that sits for a pro-
longed period of time can grow bio-
films when stored in a con-
tainer like this, which can
then clog up the faucet on
this unit and be unpleasant
and unsanitary for the user,”
Engelland explains. “The feed-
back we’ve gotten from custom-
ers is they want something they
can drop out at a remote jobsite
or park on a truck or train car
and then leave there
for a while, so the
additive makes
sure the water will
be fine for use over
that, say, four-month
period of time.”
The unit is
designed to drain to
the ground, but there
are third-party drum
spill containment
products easily avail-
able for indoor areas.
A tempering blan-
phcppros.com/off_the_cuff ket is also available to
keep the water warm, if
need be. O
116/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_114_117.indd 116 6/17/20 12:25 PM

pe07_pgs_114_117.indd 117 6/17/20 12:25 PM
 Industry News

2021 UPC/UMC and 2018 NSPC-New Jersey
Edition Available in the IAPMO Codes App
The International Association of Plumbing and
Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) added three codes to the
IAPMO Codes mobile app — the 2021 Uniform Plumbing
Code (UPC), 2021 Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) and
2018 National Standard Plumbing Code (NSPC)-New
Jersey are now available for download — giving users
constant access to their purchased code books on their
mobile devices even when they are offline.
Eemax Brings Handwashing Solutions to Quick
Service Restaurants
Quick service restaurants (QSRs) are preparing to
reopen as shelter in place restrictions lift. The CDC rec-
ommends handwashing with soap and water for at least
20 seconds when employees arrive at work and at sched-
uled times throughout their shift to prevent the spread of
COVID-19. The FDA advises frequently cleaning floors,
counters, and other facility access areas. Having reliable
hot water is a necessity at QSRs to aid in comfortable
handwashing and support janitorial and sanitation require-
ments.
Eemax, a manufacturer of tankless electric water
heaters, is committed to providing safe, efficient, code-
compliant handwashing solutions. Eemax heaters can be
installed at the point-of-use for endless, on-demand hot
water for handwashing and sanitation, helping to prevent
the spread of COVID-19 and foodborne illnesses. Eemax
products are installed in America's most popular QSR
chains, including Subway. Eemax heaters are 90 percent
smaller than a tank heater, maximizing space for franchise
licensees looking to use every square inch of space wisely.
Eemax channel partner, C7 National, has assisted
Subway Restaurants of Central Florida to specify Eemax
in their QSRs to provide endless hot water, free up valu-
able store space, and significantly lower utility costs.
"I want to thank the team at C7 and Eemax for the pro-
fessional business-like manner afforded to us throughout

Users are able to make annotations and recordings,

view the current code development timeline and stay
informed by receiving automatic notifications for break-
ing news, upcoming committee meetings, proposal sub-
mission deadlines, and much more.
The IAPMO Codes app provides the public with an
additional tool. This added service benefits inspectors,
contractors, installers and homeowners as they will be
getting direct access to the IAPMO technical team for any
code questions and be engaged in the code development
process. The app allows users to view their purchased
codes in offline mode while traveling in an airplane or in
rural areas with poor connection. During the COVID-19
pandemic, it is essential that the industry has quick access
to the codes, even when there is not reliable internet
access.
The free IAPMO Codes mobile app is available for iOS
and Android and gives anyone direct access (by phone and
email) to the appropriate IAPMO technical staff for codes
interpretation, a huge time and cost savings for jurisdic-
tions and the industry alike.
Inspectors, contractors and tradespeople frequently
need assistance in code interpretation and application on
the jobsite. IAPMO provides a free formal code interpre-
tation service that is answered by qualified professionals
so users may receive immediate opinions on the code pro-
visions in question, thus avoiding job shutdowns.
The IAPMO Codes app is available on both the iOS and
Google Play app stores.

118/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 118 6/17/20 12:33 PM

pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 119 6/17/20 12:33 PM
 Industry News
the entire process of communicating, purchasing, and
installing the ProSeries XTP tankless electric water heater.
You made it so simple!" said Marco Mendieta, construc-
tion manager for Subway Restaurants of Central Florida.
Eemax Tankless Electric Water Heaters for QSRs are
listed below:
• ProSeries XTP can support an entire QSR's hot
water needs. In a recent Subway installation, it sup-
ported a three-bay sink, two handwashing sinks, and two
washrooms. It can accommodate temperatures up to 180
degrees Fahrenheit and flow rates from 0.5 to 20 gpm.
It supports food prep and sanitation with consistent hot
water at high flow rates.
• AccuMix II supports public handwashing with an
integrated ASSE 1070 mixing valve to ensure code com-
pliance for lavatories.
• LavAdvantage is a thermostatic tankless electric water
heater with a flow activation of 0.2 gpm for multiple
sensor or metering faucets. LavAdvantage can be made
code compliant for public handwashing with the use of an
ASSE 1070 rated mixing valve or if the fixture already has
an integrated mixing valve.
McKinstry Launches New "Return with
Confidence" Service to Prepare Buildings to
Safely Re-Open
McKinstry, a national leader in designing, constructing,
operating and maintaining high-performing buildings, has
announced a new service offering designed to help build-
ing owners and operators ensure their facilities are ready
to safely reopen for occupants. As part of the company's
"Return with Confidence" service, McKinstry will provide
a free phone consultation before performing a tailored
assessment and action plan for reopening based on each
building's unique needs.
During the months-long novel coronavirus pandemic,
many buildings have been sitting empty or operating
120/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 120
at limited capacity. Reopening requires specific proce-
dures to ensure the health and safety of all occupants.
Even buildings that have remained operational need to
be assessed, retuned and reprogrammed to minimize the
spread of illnesses like COVID-19.
"McKinstry's team of experts will assess a building and
create a custom action plan that will allow everyone to
return to the facility with confidence," said Adam Gloss,
general manager of Service at McKinstry. "Our licensed
technicians, plumbers and electricians are available to
assist, or to perform the work, if needed, to deliver the
assurance that it is safe for occupants to return."
McKinstry will evaluate indoor air quality, ventilation,
temperature, humidity, mechanical systems and water
quality following CDC, ASHRAE and OSHA guidance.
The detailed assessment will provide the basis for an
actionable plan for facility staff to follow to maximize
occupant health and safety.
Action plans may also include measures to reassure
and inform occupants on steps taken to prevent the spread
of viruses and bacteria. These measures range from
simple building signage to comprehensive dashboards
that engage building occupants to remind them to follow
proper social distancing and handwashing protocol, wear
proper protective equipment and more. McKinstry experts
stay engaged, returning to monitor, verify and fine-tune
operations as occupancy needs and CDC, ASHARE and
OSHA guidelines evolve.
McKinstry's new Return with Confidence service is
available now in all states where McKinstry operates. To
learn more about the Return with Confidence program and
schedule a free consultation, visit www.mckinstry.com or
contact 855-936-2554.
Modine Launches New Website
Modine Manufacturing Co., a leader in technology
in the HVAC industry, has launched a new website that
enhances the user experience with improved functionality
and intuitive navigation and additionally provides quick
access to information about Modine's extensive line of
top-rated products for commercial and residential custom-
ers.
"The entire website was rebuilt and redesigned to be
more responsive and dynamic," said Kimberly Raduenz,
marketing manager for Modine. "The new site meets user
expectations and provides a seamless experience that
showcases Modine and the products we offer."
The new, upgraded www.modinehvac.com includes the
following:
• Improved search function
• Updated, easier-to-find information about Modine's
products and where to buy them
• A robust library of product documents
• Streamlined organization and navigation that groups
Modine products according to market and product
types, making it easier for customers to find what
they're looking for.
July 2020
6/17/20 12:33 PM
pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 121 6/17/20 12:33 PM
 Industry News
Victaulic Adds Virtual Access to Continuing
Education Program
Victaulic, a world-leading manufacturer of mechani-
cal pipe-joining systems, is now offering free virtual
courses from its accredited and award-winning Victaulic
University program to construction professionals around
the world.
Growing demand for more versatile training options and
shrinking access to traditional classes given the COVID-
19 pandemic presented an opportune time for Victaulic to
make its robust catalog of courses, many of which offer
International Association for Continuing Education and
Training (IACET) Continuing Education Units (CEUs),
available to industry professionals such as owners, engi-
neers, contractors, architects and designers online.
"The launch of Victaulic University's virtual platform
is another successful result of collaborating with custom-
ers to help solve their challenges," said Eric Luftig, vice
president at Victaulic. "We are pleased to introduce an
innovative and convenient way to support the industry's
need for high-quality education."
Victaulic has instructed 175 live sessions since March,
attracting approximately 7,200 virtual learners from 99
countries. Attendance is growing rapidly as Victaulic adds
new content and more users discover the program.
"The Victaulic education program presents valuable
information in a well-organized and easily understood
fashion," said Mike Stossel, senior design manager at
KNS Sprinkler Design and a recent Victaulic University
participant. "The content is extremely insightful, and
we look forward to participating in more courses in the
future."
Victaulic's 45-plus piping technology courses are avail-
able at no cost in two virtual formats: live, instructor-led
webinars and self-paced courses, which are available
on-demand at any time. Courses are taught in English,
Spanish, and German, with new languages being added
regularly, and cover several industries, including the fol-
lowing:
• General Engineering/Construction
• Plumbing, Heating and Air
• Data Centers
• Fire Protection
• Virtual Design and Construction
CEUs or Professional Development Hours (PDHs),
which are required for maintaining engineering certifica-
tions are immediately available upon completion of appli-
cable courses.
Victaulic established the accredited Victaulic University
in 2013.
"Between Victaulic's 100-year legacy and over 200
years of knowledge amongst the instructors, the glob-
al construction industry will undoubtedly benefit from
Victaulic University," said Colin Phelps, sales training
manager at Victaulic. "So far, we've had more than 12,000
courses completed. With our robust content and a growing
curriculum, there's something for everyone."
For more information visit www.victaulic.com/learn.
122/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 122
PPI Announces Projects and Members of the Year
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) has announced the win-
ners of its Projects and Members of the Year program dur-
ing its annual meeting held on May 5. A Project of the Year
and a Member of the Year were selected for each of the
five PPI divisions: Building and Construction, Drainage,
Energy Piping Systems, Municipal and Industrial, and
Power and Communications. The meeting was conducted
online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PPI is the major
North American trade association representing all seg-
ments of the plastic pipe industry.
“This year was a little different for us because it was the
first time we could not physically congratulate each win-
ner,” said PPI President David Fink. ”But just as in years
past, the nominated projects in each of our five divisions
were remarkable and the winners exceptional. It was a
healthy competition, and that must be very satisfying to
the winners.”
The association’s annual awards program recognizes
projects and members for exceptional contributions to the
industry. Submissions in the association’s divisions are
reviewed, evaluated and voted upon by the PPI members.
The following are the PPI winning projects and members:
PPI Building & Construction Division
Project of the Year
• Vancouver International Airport Geoexchange System,
Vancouver, Canada
• PPI Member Company: Versaprofiles, Saint-Lazare-
de Bellechasse, Canada
PPI Project of the Year 2020
The Vancouver International Airport’s new Central
Utilities Building (CUB) will improve efficiency by
centralizing all of the equipment needed to meet the air-
port’s heating, cooling and electrical demand. To achieve
this goal, the project will rely on one of the largest
Geoexchange systems in Canada. Geoexchange technol-
ogy uses the earth's renewable energy, just below the
surface, to heat or cool buildings. This system will provide
sustainable heating and cooling for the terminal.
The borefield for the CUB Geoexchange system is sub-
stantial in size— 841 boreholes at 500 feet each in depth
that equals 79.64 miles of drilled borehole and 159.28
miles of 1.25-inch HDPE 4710 piping. The Geoexchange
system is expected to substantially reduce CO2 emissions
from heating and cooling demands by 30 to 35 percent.
PPI Drainage Division Project of the Year
Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal, North Charleston,
South Carolina
PPI Member Company: Advanced Drainage Systems
Inc., Hilliard, Ohio
The original storm drainage design for the new termi-
nal incorporated reinforced concrete pipe and concrete
box culverts. During the design phase of the project, the
engineer became concerned about joint separation and
the potential for infiltration due to predicted sub-surface
July 2020
6/17/20 12:33 PM
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pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 123 6/17/20 12:33 PM

 Industry News
soil settlement along the Cooper River. In order to miti-
gate joint separation and possible infiltration, Advanced
Drainage Systems’ HP Storm Polypropylene Pipe was
selected as the storm drain conveyance pipe for the entire
project due to its ease of handling, extended joint, double
gaskets, and flexible design. As a result of the redesign,
some 27,000 feet of ADS HP STORM was used to convey
all storm water on the 280-plus acre site.
PPI Energy Piping Systems Division
Project of the Year
• Henderson Municipal Gas (HMG) PA 12 Gas Pipe
Installation, Henderson, Kentucky
• PPI Member Company: Teel Plastics Inc., Baraboo,
Wisconsin
PPI Project of the Year 2020
In a multi-stage project, the city of Henderson,
Kentucky, installed 2,720 feet of polyamide 12 (PA 12)
gas pipe extruded by Teel Plastics. This marked the first
PA 12 installation under the PHMSA Mega Rule effective
January 2019, which allows PA 12 to be installed without
a special permit.
HMG installed the pipe through an industrialized
area of the city. To minimize disruption to businesses,
Henderson installed it underneath driveways and existing
utilities. HMG buried sections using horizontal directional
drilling (HDD), pulling the pipe through bored holes
and fusing the sections together. More ductile and much
lighter than steel, PA 12 made the HDD installation much
easier than it would have been with steel pipe.
PPI Municipal & Industrial Division
Project of the Year
• Colsman Tunnel Sewer Sliplining, Centennial, Colorado
• PPI Member Company: WL Plastics, Ft. Worth, Texas
PPI Project of the Year 2020
To rehabilitate a deteriorating brick sewer, 48-diameter
HDPE pipe was sliplined into the old sewer. Flow was not
allowed to stop during the pull, so a custom completely
sealed pull head had to be designed and built so that
sewage would not fill the drill string during the pull in.
Another restriction was that the staging area only allowed
for no more than 200 feet of pipe to be out of the tunnel
at once. So, the pipe string was pulled as each stick of
pipe was fused and added to the string of pipe. Total pull
length was more than 8,000 feet. A custom winch system
was brought in for the heavy pull that included two spools
of wire cable to get the length required.
PPI Power & Communications Division
Project of the Year
• Alliant Energy Private Fiber Optic Network, Madison,
Wisconsin
• PPI Member Company: Teel Plastics, Baraboo,
Wisconsin
PPI Project of the Year 2020
Teel conduit is being installed across Alliant’s service
124/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 124
area in Iowa and Wisconsin to improve its telecom net-
work’s security, speed, and reliability. For a utility with
a large service area including more than 970,000 electric
and 420,000 natural gas customers, reliability and capac-
ity are crucial during critical events. The conduit will pro-
tect the existing infrastructure and allow for later expan-
sion of network capabilities while providing cost savings
to Alliant Energy.
The cost savings associated with installation of the
conduit and fiber benefits Alliant Energy in multiple ways.
Replacing its telecommunication carriers with their own
network will protect them from future price increases.
Alliant Energy will also decrease its reliance on over-the-
air communication, such as microwave radios. In addition,
the fiber optic network serves as a gateway for Alliant
Energy to work on advances in energy efficiency and
technology, which would not be possible without a private
fiber network.
Building & Construction Division
Member of the Year
• Jim Paschal, Aquatherm, Lindon, Utah
Paschal has been chair of the PPI Polypropylene
Pressure Pipe Steering Committee since its inception in
2017. He has led efforts to update product standards for
polypropylene piping systems, and is working to develop
a new ASTM test method for PP-R and PP-RCT materials.
Paschal has been instrumental in defining the type of work
to be initiated and keeping members engaged.
Drainage Division Member of the Year
• TJ Leason, Pacific Corrugated Pipe Co., Newport
Beach, California
Leason is concluding his term as management com-
mittee chair where his leadership broadened membership
engagement on many levels. While MC chair, he success-
fully led the division through its first strategic planning
process and to complete the Drainage Handbook content
and posting it online.
Energy Piping Systems Division Member of the Year
• Dell Doyle, Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Michigan
Doyle has continually helped the division gain new
members, and in 2019, due to his efforts, seven companies
joined. During his six years as a PPI member, he has also
actively participated in efforts to ensure only the highest
quality HDPE products are in the market. Amongst his
other contributions, Doyle has been part of the PPI group
contributing to American Petroleum Institute’s standards,
and was vice chair of the division’s management commit-
tee and will now serve as chair.
Municipal & Industrial Division Member of the Year
• ºMary Houston, Pipeline Plastics LLC, Westlake,
Texas
Houston has served PPI and the Municipal and Industrial
Division for many years on task groups, committees and
chair positions. In 2020, she is leading the MID efforts
to effectively expand the division’s marketing efforts by
serving her second year as MID marketing chair. Houston
July 2020
6/17/20 12:33 PM
 America’s Best
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pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 125 6/17/20 12:33 PM

 Industry News
was also instrumental in helping to introduce polyethyl-
ene piping to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, serving on
that committee from 2006 to 2015. She also led the asso-
ciation’s Umbrella Marketing Committee serving as chair
from 2009 to 2011, and again from 2015 to 2017, plus led
the division’s support of the Municipal Advisory Board.
Power and Communications Division
Member of the Year
• Tom Stewart, Dura-Line
As the Power and Communications Division’s research
and development committee chair, Stewart has been
instrumental in the smooth transition between staff engi-
neers. During the past year, he has directly led three proj-
ects and is an invaluable contributing member of 11 other
active projects.
Plastics Pipe Institute Lifetime Achievement Award
• George Zagorski
Zagorski, who recently retired from PPI member com-
pany Blue Diamond Industries, served on the PPI Board of
Directors from 2011 to 2017 as vice chair, chair and past
chair. During his years as a PPI member, he participated
in the Power and Communications Division in various
positions: advisory council liaison, chair of notable PCD
Task groups, such as the author of the original PPI TR-47
(2011) and PPI TN-48 (2013), and chaired other commit-
tees that worked on PCD-2015-07 “Revise ASTM F2160”
resulting in ASTM F2160-16, and PCD-2016-04 “Revise
Chapter 14 of Handbook of PE Pipe." Zagorski has par-
ticipated in countless other task groups and was named
PCD Member of the Year in 2018.
ISH China & CIHE Rescheduled to August 2020
ISH China & CIHE will now take place from Aug.
5–7, after the fair was postponed from its original May
date due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As a leading HVAC
exhibition in Asia, the fair will be held at the New China
International Exhibition Center in Beijing. ISH China &
CIHE is jointly organized by Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai)
Co. Ltd. and CIEC GL events (Beijing) International
Exhibition Co. Ltd.
"We are pleased to have confirmed suitable dates for
the rescheduling of the fair that meet the needs of our
stakeholders," said Richard Li, general manager of Messe
Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. "Conditions in China have
been steadily improving over the last weeks, and busi-
nesses in the HVAC sector have been actively ramping
up their operations. This gives us the confidence that the
fair can go ahead as planned in August. Meanwhile, we
are in contact with our local and international exhibitors
and supporters to provide them with the necessary support
to facilitate their participation. And Messe Frankfurt and
CIEC GL events are already working to put in place all the
necessary measures to ensure the health and wellbeing of
all fair participants during the fair period."
Hongbo Li, deputy general manager of CIEC GL events
126/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 126
(Beijing) International Exhibition Co. Ltd., added, "The
industry in China is ready to resume operations, and we've
had a lot of positive feedback from companies about the
revised dates and their participation. We look forward to
welcoming many of our supporting partners, exhibitors
and visitors to Beijing in August also. The last few months
have been challenging for everyone in the industry, and we
are confident that ISH China & CIHE in August can be an
occasion to jump-start the industry as we look to make up
for lost time."
As a leading HVAC exhibition in Asia, ISH China &
CIHE covers the product categories of HVAC products
and technology, intelligent control, home comfort and
plumbing. The 2019 edition hosted 1,353 exhibitors and
72,613 visitors.
A further ISH event in China, ISH Shanghai & CIHE,
which focuses on heating solutions for China's East
and Central regions, will be held from Sept. 2–4 at the
Shanghai New International Expo Centre. For more infor-
mation about ISH China & CIHE and ISH Shanghai &
CIHE, visit www.ishc-cihe.com.
ISH China & CIHE is headed by the biennial ISH event
in Frankfurt, Germany, a world-leading trade fair for
HVAC and water which will next take place from March
22–26, 2021. For more information, visit www.ish.messe-
frankfurt.com.
The next edition of ISH India powered by IPA has been
rescheduled to Sept. 18–20 and will take place in Mumbai.
Union Tech and Wolseley Industrial Group
Announce Valve Distribution Agreement
Union Tech and Wolseley Industrial Group, a division
of Ferguson Enterprises LLC, have signed an agreement
for the exclusive distribution of Union Tech’s severe-
service metal-seated ball valves (MSBV) and rising-stem
ball valves (RSBV) throughout the Western United States.
The MSBV products include the following:
July 2020
6/17/20 12:33 PM
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 Industry News

• Z1 Unibody Power Valve – One-piece metal-seated Wolseley’s knowledgeable associates provide peace of
ball valve engineered for clean steam severe-service mind and the assurance operations are running at opti-
(high-pressure, high-temperature) environments, includ- mum performance. Wolseley Industrial Group’s services
ing power generation and critical on/off applications are supported by its Quality Assurance Program to ensure
• Z2 Two-Piece Isolation Valve – Two-piece metal- products meet specifications, technical expertise compris-
seated ball valve engineered for severe-service environ- ing of more than 2,500 knowledgeable associates, and a
ments for use in customized and critical applications, national footprint of 170 strategically located branches.
including chemical/petro-chemical, refining, power, and
mining processes
• Z3 Power Valve System – Consists of a modified Z1 Aquatherm’s Jim Paschal Honored by PPI’s
valve and a pair of end connections and enables inline
replaceability, which eliminates the need to cut-out exist-
Building and Construction Division
ing and weld-in replacement valves, while retaining all Jim Paschal, P.E., LEED AP, chief technology officer,
features of the Z1 Unibody Power Valve Aquatherm North America, has been named Member of
The RSBV products include the following: the Year by the Building and Construction Division of the
• Z4 Rising Stem Ball Valve – Employs a “tilt-and-turn” Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI).
design enabling frequent cycling, zero leakage, and low
torque operation. The valve is engineered for high perfor-
mance applications requiring frequent cycling with posi-
tive shutoff, such as molecular sieve systems for switching
service, and gas transmission
Wolseley Industrial Group supplies quality industrial
products and cutting-edge technology solutions to the
North American industrial market. From pipe, valves and
fittings (PVF), general maintenance, repair and operating
(MRO) supplies to supply chain management services,

Paschal has been chair of the PPI Polypropylene

Pressure Pipe Steering Committee since its inception in
2017. He has led efforts to update product standards for
polypropylene piping systems, and is working to develop
a new ASTM test method for PP-R and PP-RCT materials.
Paschal has been instrumental in defining the type of work
to be initiated and keeping members engaged.
“As Chair of PPI’s Polypropylene Pressure Pipe
Steering Committee, Jim Paschal is generous with his
expertise about PP piping systems,” said Lance MacNevin,
P.Eng., director of engineering, PPI. “He is instrumental
in the development of technical projects, and building
consensus among committee members. For example, Jim
is leading efforts to update several product standards for
polypropylene piping systems.”
“I’ve worked with PPI in various capacities for many
years, and have always had great respect for everything
this organization and the members do to promote the safe
and effective use of plastic piping,” Paschal said. “I’m
incredibly honored to have received this award from the
PPI Building and Construction Division.”

128/Plumbing Engineer July 2020

pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 128 6/17/20 12:33 PM

 Engineered for Maximum
System Performance

STP Series
Storage Water Heater
The STP Series is a fully packaged storage water heater
that utilizes a compact double wall brazed plate heat
exchanger that optimizes heat transfer by generating
more efficient hot water replenishment of the storage
tank. It is ideal for a variety of new and retrofit water-
to-water heating applications that require little to
large storage volume capacities.

FEATURES:
• A compact fully packaged solution
• Modular design with simplex and duplex
heat exchanger options available for built-in
redundancy and extra capacity.
• Double Wall Brazed Plate Heat Exchanger – 316L
stainless steel plates. (AHRI 400 Rated)
• Recovery rates from 600 to 10,800 GPH with 180OF
boiler water for 100OF temperature rise.
• Advanced PID electronic controls compatible with
Building Management Systems with BacNET IP
standard.
• Certifications: ASME, UL (Controls)
For more information:
www.dhtnet.com | 800-221-1522 | sales@dhtnet.com

pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 129 6/17/20 12:33 PM

 Industry News
WPC Connects IWSH, Plumbers Association
of Zambia for Children’s Village Handwashing
Program
The World Plumbing Council (WPC), an interna-
tional organization that aims to achieve the best possible
plumbing for the world through growth and develop-
ment of the world’s plumbing industries, has con-
nected the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Foundation (IWSH) and the Plumbers Association of
Zambia (PAZA) for a pilot program that will provide
more than 50 handwashing stands to the SOS Children’s
Village in the Zambian capital.
The collaboration is the latest example of IWSH’s
support for industry partners fighting the COVID-19
pandemic through community-led water, sanitation and
hygiene initiatives.
SOS Children’s Village Lusaka started its operations
in August 1999. Caring for 147 children and 76 youths,
there are 15 family houses, four youth homes, and a
kindergarten, primary school, high school and vocational
training center.
“As the COVID-19 pandemic has spread across the
globe, millions of people have been heeding the advice
of health experts to wash their hands regularly, with
soap, to help prevent virus spread,” said PAZA CEO and
President Moses Chongo. “But millions more people
around the globe are vulnerable, because they do not
have access to clean water and soap. The washing of
hands is a small action but remains out of reach for so
many.
“Hand washing in public places and residential care
settings is going to become the ‘new normal’ when it
comes to preventing infections,” Chongo added. “PAZA
has decided to play our part in our local communities,
highlighting these new public health guidelines, and
130/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 130
helping equip people of all ages with correct and accu-
rate information about the importance of washing hands
regularly.”
PAZA was founded in Lusaka in June 2019, with the
intention of uniting Zambian plumbing and mechani-
cal services professionals to support and educate com-
munities on skills related to water, sanitation, sludge
management, public health, and safety. The association
has more than 80 members registered from a variety of
backgrounds, including plumbing, water operation and
supply, HVAC, mechanical plumbing services, pipefit-
ting, and water pump maintenance.
“From a World Plumbing Council perspective, we are
excited to witness the ongoing development of PAZA, as
a collaborative platform for the plumbing industry across
Zambia,” said WPC Chair/UA Director of Plumbing
Services Thomas Bigley. “PAZA has been a proactive
member of the WPC since it was established last year,
and this latest initiative is another example of PAZA’s
drive to raise awareness of the role of plumbing in its
local communities.”
The mobile handwashing stations will be installed at
SOS Children’s Village Lusaka starting June 10. The
guest of honor, Adern Nkandela, national director of the
SOS Children's Village Zambia, will be on hand to wit-
ness these activities.
CIPHEX West Postponed to Fall 2021
The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH)
has announced that the CIPHEX West trade show is post-
poned. The two-day trade show and conference will now
take place Nov. 3–4, 2021, at the Pacific Coliseum at the
PNE in Vancouver, British Columbia. CIPHEX West is
the largest event for the plumbing, hydronics, HVACR
and water treatment industries in Western Canada.
“The Province of British Columbia has been very
successful in terms of flattening the curve with respect
to COVID-19,” stated CIPH Chairman of the Board
Andrew Dyck (Barclay Sales), “however the CIPH
Board of Directors felt that postponing the trade show
for a year ensures that the Institute is doing its part to
protect the health and safety of our exhibitors and visi-
tors and respecting the mandate from the BC Ministry
of Health."
“We are pleased to announce that there will be a vir-
tual event in November 2020,” added Show Committee
Chairman Norm Bajwa (Bartle & Gibson). “The CIPHEX
West team and Show Committee are working on the
details, but we are committed to providing brand and
product exposure for our exhibitors as well as an educa-
tion and training program for contractors, wholesalers,
engineers and other industry members."
The virtual event is expected to include eBooths with
company and product information for exhibitors as well
as webinars on technical and business topics presented
by industry experts. More details will be available over
the next few months.
July 2020
6/17/20 12:33 PM
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pe07_pgs_118_131.indd 131 6/17/20 12:33 PM

 Product News
American Standard Avery Selectronic
Touchless Kitchen Faucet
American Standard's Avery Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet
with Selectronic Hands-Free Technology allows users to
operate the faucet with an easy wave of the hand, or switch
to manual operation by simply closing the innovative slid-
ing door to cover the built-in sensor. The Re-Trax spray
head retraction system allows for smooth and easy opera-
tion of the spray head from pull-out to retraction.
www.americanstandard-us.com
Chicago Faucets E-Tronic 80
The E-Tronic 80 from Chicago Faucets is a new, contem-
porary touchless faucet for commercial restroom applica-
tions. All the functional components are housed above
deck in the spout for easy installation and maintenance.
An optional built-in ASSE 1070 mixer further reduces
clutter below the deck and makes it easy to comply with
codes requiring scald protection. E-Tronic 80 is available
with vandal-resistant, water-saving outlets from 0.35 to
1.5 GPM. Full programmability with Chicago Faucets
Commander allows the installer to set optimum run times
for even further water savings. www.chicagofaucets.com
132/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_132_137.indd 132
PlumbMaster and Speakman Mobile Gravity-
Operated Hand Wash Station
PlumbMaster and Speakman have introduced the
HW-4400 gravity-operated hand wash station. It offers
a timely solution to the rising concerns about safety and
hygiene for plumbers, contractors and other trade profes-
sionals on service calls during the current pandemic. With
the attention to cleanliness and sanitation expected to stay
at heightened levels in the long term, this product is a
must-have on every truck. www.plumbmaster.com
AquaMotion Aqua-Shield Recirculation Kits
for Single-Pipe Homes
AquaMotion has introduced three Aqua-Shield
Recirculation Kits for single-pipe homes for use with
outdoor installed tankless heater recirculation systems,
which provide instant hot water comfort and save up to
15,000 gallons of water per year. In the Southern Tier of
the United States, tankless heaters are installed outdoors
to save on the expensive air intake and exhaust system.
The Aqua-Shield recirculation pump can be installed out-
doors next to the tankless heater. The heater manufacturers
can now use smaller enclosures without the difficult-to-
service built-in pumps. The kits offer a stainless pump,
a 10-foot line cord, fittings, and an outdoor enclosure
which is water, sprinkler, bug, and freeze protected, with
an anti-tampering locking device tab. The AMK-ODR
bypass valve is installed at the furthest fixture away from
July 2020
6/17/20 12:44 PM
 2020
MANUFACTURER
SPOTLIGHT
H
eat-flo, Inc. introduced a new line of Stainless
Steel Commercial Electric Water Heaters to their
catalog in spring, 2019.
These were engineered to easily take the place of a
failed existing electric water heater.
The introduction of these models came as a result
of Heat-flo’s favorable reputation in the market due
to their excellent customer service and quality prod-
ucts. This has brought success and growth to Heat-flo.
Consequently, Heat-flo’s greatest interest was to serve
more markets by providing a line of Electric Water
Heaters to their customers.
The features and benefits of these units follow suit
with the rest of Heat-flo’s existing product line in that the
connections are all on the top, they are constructed with
a durable thermoplastic jacket that will not corrode,
they are lightweight, and they are all
stainless steel construction.
All electric models are pro-
vided with two ¾” male
dielectric unions complete
with 4-inch copper tubing
pre-assembled for an easy
press-and-go installation.
Heat-flo offers two
models of Electric Water
Heaters: Model-EC and
Model-SSL/SSN. EC
Models are standard and
sold as marketed. Model-
SSL/SSN units are avail-
able to a spec, but the com-
pany is also selling kits
to offer a wholesaler the
ability to convert the units
to a higher or lower ele-
ment wattage and voltage
as necessary per install-
requirements.
“Conversion kits allow
you to tailor tanks to appli-
cations,” Alex McKenzie,
Heat-flo’s Production
Manager who has been with
the company for more than 8
years, explained.
Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_132_137.indd 133
“You might have space constraints at an install”
Joseph Pichette, Heat-flo’s Inventory Control Manager
of 7 years began. “You get there, and you know you
need a heaping load of hot water, but you have a smaller
space to work in. That’s why we’re offering conversion
kits.”
Details like these are the driving forces of Heat-flo as
a company: quality, attention to details, and catering to
the homeowner, wholesaler, and installing contractor.
In addition to introducing their new line of Electric
Water Heaters in 2019, Heat-flo was also certified to the
ISO 9001:2015 standard.
“We wanted a world class, professional Quality
Management System to help us improve our processes
and, in turn, our products,” McKenzie said.
Chris K., Heat-flo’s Welding Group Supervisor, exert-
ed that Heat-flo takes pride in its work and products.
Chris has been with the company for more than 8 years
and explained how quality is not only expected in the
product, but in the employees who work on and assem-
ble these units from start to finish.
“Quality has been preached since the very begin-
ning,” Pichette stated. “It’s the
reason Heat-flo is where Heat-
flo is. It’s the reason we’ve
introduced a new line of elec-
tric tanks, it’s the rea- s o n
we’ve improved
our insulation
and construction
of the tanks,
and it’s the rea-
son we took
the initiative
to become ISO
certified.”
“Nobody was
telling us to
do it,” George
Celorier, Owner
of Heat-flo said.
“We pride ourselves
in quality, so it was about time
our quality management system
conformed to a world class standard.”
July 2020/133
6/17/20 12:44 PM
 Product News

Taco Comfort Solutions ECM High-

Moen Spring Faucet with MotionSense Wave
Moen's Align Spring faucet with MotionSense Wave
technology offers hands-free control, so users can turn
water on and off with just the wave of a hand — perfect
for when hands are too full or too messy to touch the
handle. This technology can also help prevent the spread
of dirt and germs, since there’s no need to touch it to
start water flow. www.moen.com
Efficiency Circulators
Taco Comfort Solutions has expanded its family of easy-
to-use, high-efficiency ECM circulators with the addition
of the 0034e and 0034ePlus models. With a maximum
of 34 feet of head and 50 gpm, the new circulators offer
up to 85 percent energy savings over a conventional cir-
culator. These circulators are available with cast iron or
NSF/ANSI 61 & 372 certified stainless steel volutes, so
they are ideal for closed-loop heating systems as well as
domestic hot water recirculation systems. Both circula-
tors also offer a convenient, rotatable control box cover
for a professional look. www.TacoComfort.com

Our Lead-Free
Alloys Predate
the Cordless Phone
Concast Has Been Manufacturing
Lead-Free Alloys Since 1993.
Since 1993, Concast Metal Products Co. has manufactured and
sold millions of pounds of lead-free replacement alloys for pipes,
fittings, faucets and other plumbing components.
Concast offers more than 100 standard stocked sizes of C89835 – a lead-free replacement, as a
standard-stocked inventory item. This alloy is also a suitable replacement for C836 and C844.
Our C89835 has a max lead content of 0.05%, compliant with the 3874 Reduction in Lead in Drinking
Water Act (effective January 2014), supporting the market demand for lead-free material.
©2020 Concast Metal Products Co.

pe07_pgs_132_137.indd 134 6/17/20 12:44 PM

 Rheem ProTerra Hybrid
Electric Water Heater
Rheem recently unveiled one of the
industry’s most efficient hybrid elec-
tric water heaters. Named ProTerra
for its unmatched efficiencies, this
ENERGY STAR certified water
heater is over 400 percent more effi-
cient compared to standard electric
tank-type water heaters and is more
eco-friendly than ever at up to 4.0
UEF. The ProTerra’s compact design
makes it a perfect tank replacement
for even the home’s smallest spaces. Goulds Water Technology Comprehensive
The system is available in 40-, 50-, Variable Speed System
65-, and 80-gallon sizes to sup- Goulds Water Technology, a Xylem brand, recently
port various hot water needs. The launched the e-HME and e-SVE pumps with integrated
ProTerra with LeakGuard model and Variable Speed Control and intelligence. The easy-to-
features built-in leak detection and install variable speed systems combine a state-of-the-art
auto-shutoff that limits water loss hydraulic pump with permanent magnet motor technol-
from the tank to no more than 20 ogy and a variable speed drive to provide up to 70 percent
ounces. energy savings in residential and agricultural applications.
www.rheem.com e-HME and e-SVE pumps are pre-programmed for quick
installation, and have stainless steel casing and inner
components for minimal noise levels and long service life.
www.xylem.com

To learn more about our lead-free alloys, 14315 State Route 113 | Wakeman, OH 44889
please visit www.concast.com. 800.626.7071 | www.concast.com

pe07_pgs_132_137.indd 135 6/17/20 12:44 PM

 Product News
Elkay ezH2O Bottle Filling Station with Bi-level
ADA Cooler (dual), Hands-free Activation, 8 GPH
When your needs for water delivery go beyond the norm,
Elkay’s got it covered. In addition to the company's stan-
dard hands-free portfolio, Elkay can construct no-touch,
sanitary, sensor-activated bottle filling stations and water
coolers to meet the specific needs of your business.
www.elkay.com
Zurn EZ Gear Sensor Flush Valves
and Retrofit Kits
Zurn Industries LLC has announced the expansion of its
EZ Gear Technology portfolio with the EZ Gear Sensor
Flush Valves and Retrofit Kits. The EZ Gear Sensor Flush
Valves incorporate the company’s EZ-Flush, AquaSpec
faucets, and chemical-resistant GO BLUE parts. This
series includes water closet flush valves in 1.6 gpf, 1.28
gpf, and 1.1 gpf flow rates. The urinal flush valves are
available in 1.0 gpf and 0.125 gpf flow rates. The EZ
Gear Sensor Retrofit Kits allow contractors and building
owners to replace existing Zurn or Sloan handle-operated
diaphragm water closet or urinal flush valves. Kits include
a Sloan ring adaptor. www.zurn.com
136/Plumbing Engineer
pe07_pgs_132_137.indd 136
Webstone Press to PEX Fittings
Webstone, a brand of NIBCO, has announced an expan-
sion to its line of transition products including Press ×
PEX reducing fittings, baseboard elbow, and dual-vent
elbow for use with the 1/8-inch NPT vent of the user's
choice. The innovative, patent-pending dual-vent design
ensures that an upright vent port is accessible no matter
which orientation the elbow is installed. Ideal for radiant
underfloor or baseboard radiator installations, each elbow
includes a brass stiffener for copper finned tube press con-
nections. All products are certified lead free and available
for F1960 or F1807 PEX. www.webstonevalves.com
Matco-Norca Radiator Union Elbow
Matco-Norca has expanded its line of radiator/heating
valve products with the addition of a ISO-9002 sourced
brass union elbow (ENT-125) in size 1 1/4-inch FIP x
1 1/4-inch MIP. With the addition of ENT-125, Matco-
Norca now offers six radiator union elbows in sizes rang-
ing from 1/2- to 1-inch/ C X C X MIP 1/2-inch to 3/4-
inch. The ENT-125 elbow is made of cast and forged brass
and includes a nut and tailpiece. www.matco-norca.com
June 2020
6/17/20 12:44 PM
 TRUSTED BY PROS
FOR OVER 70 YEARS
BrassCraft Water Stops... This Is Our Craft
® ™

Your clients – and your reputation – deserve the best. With 100% leak-tested valves from BrassCraft,
you make sure they do. They’re designed, machined and assembled in the USA. And the patented 1/4-turn
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Learn more at HomeDepot.com/Pro © 2020 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. All rights reserved.

pe07_pgs_132_137.indd 137 6/17/20 12:44 PM

 Advertiser Index

A.O. Smith ...................................................................33, 89 Kitz Valve ....................................................................57, 97

www.hotwater.com www.kitz.com
AB&I Foundry ....................................................................55 Kusel ...............................................................................108
www.abifoundry.com www.kuselequipment.com
AERCO .........................................................................9, 103 LAARS .....................................................................104, 105
www.aerco.com www.laars.com
American Gas Safety ........................................................12 Legend.........................................................................62, 63
www.americangassafety.com www.legendvalve.com
ANACO/Husky ................................................................ IBC Leonard Valve ...............................................................7, 79
www.leonardvalve.com
www.choosehusky.com
Liberty Pumps .............................................................5, 109
Armstrong ..................................................................3, 117
www.libertypumps.com
www.armstronginternational.com
McGuire .......................................................................52, 53
ASPE ............................................................................29, 60
www.mcguiremfg.com
www.aspe.org
McWane ............................................................................21
AquaMotion.............................................................110, 111 www.mcwane.com
www.aquamotionhvac.com Navien .........................................................................13, 71
Bradford White............................................................66, 67 www.navien.com
www.bradfordwhite.com Niles Steel Tank ......................................................100, 101
Caleffi ................................................................................45 www.nilesst.com
www.caleffi.com Precision Plumbing Products .....................................24, 25
Charlotte Pipe .......................................................39, 92, 93 www.pppinc.net
www.charlottepipe.com ProVent Systems.........................................................42, 43
CISPI ..........................................................................47, 115 www.proventsystems.com
www.cispi.org Rheem ...............................................................................87
Concast Metal .............................................40, 41, 134, 135 www.rheem.com
www.concast.com Slant/Fin....................................................................75, 131
Diversified Heat Transfer..........................................59, 129 www.slant-fin.com
www.dhtnet.com Sloan ........................................................................IFC, 123
Easyflex .......................................................................23, 51 www.sloan.com
www.easyflexusa.com Stiebel Eltron ..........................................................112, 113
Eemax........................................................................73, 107 www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com
The Home Depot .......................................................11, 137
www.eemax.com
www.homedepot.com
Haws ...........................................................................34, 35
Taco.............................................................................84, 85
www.hawsco.com
www.tacocomfort.com
Heat-flo .......................................................................14, 15
ThermOmgaTech ......................................................61, 121
www.heat-flo.com
www.circuitsolver.com
Hoeptner Perfected Products ...........................................90
Towle Whitney ..........................................................49, 127
www.freezeflow.com www.towle-whitney.com
Holby .........................................................................17, 119 Viega .................................................................................69
www.holby.com www.viega.us
IAPMO................................................................................65 Watts ...........................................................................81, 99
www.iapmo.org www.watts.com
Jefferson .....................................................................37, 83 Willoughby ................................................................91, 125
www.jeffersonvalves.com www.willoughby-ind.com
Jomar ................................................................................98 Woodford.....................................................................19, 77
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Keltech/Bradley ..........................................................20, 50 Zurn ............................................................................ 95, BC
www.bradleycorp.com www.zurn.com

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 P R O T E C T W H AT M AT T E R S M O S T W I T H

TOUCHLESS SOLUTIONS
Zurn aspires to provide the safest and most efficient water solutions to protect human health and the
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