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It's Time To Renew
We've just passed the halfway point of 2008. And if you receive PM Engineer magazine in the mail each month, it's time for your annual renewal. If you're not currently receiving PME, sign up today! Click on
this link to answer a few quick questions and receive your FREE subscription to PME, and all the industry insight from our plumbing and heating experts.
[Note: Regardless of when you last renewed or when you first started receiving your free subscription, you must confirm that you wish to continue receiving PME each year.]
If you wish to subscribe to BNP Media's other plumbing magazines, click on these links for Supply House Times or
Plumbing & Mechanical.
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Latest Headlines
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The EPA is asking for comment on a WaterSense draft specification for water-efficient single-family new homes. Once the criteria are finalized, new homes that meet them can be certified and labeled under the WaterSense program.
- Fox and NBC report that automatic
water pipes designed to deluge wooden movie sets in case of fire are being investigated as a possible cause for the low water pressure that hampered firefighters at the blaze at Universal Studios [CA] on June 1.
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Green Organizations Announce New Members 
Both the United States Green Building Council and Green Mechanical Council (GreenMech) announced new members recently. Apollo Valves has formally joined the USGBC through its parent company Conbraco Industries, Inc. Zurn and Viega have joined GreenMech as founding members and Wilo USA LLC has joined as a manufacturer member.
AwwaRF Changes Name to the Water Research Foundation
The Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to change its name to the Water Research Foundation. "After several months of deliberation, the Board approved the name change to enhance our ability to procure the funding necessary to better serve our subscribers," said David Rager, Chair of the Board of Trustees. The name will be formally introduced in 2009.
Charlotte Pipe Opens New Plant In Utah 
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Co.has opened its new plastic pipe manufacturing plant in Cedar City, UT. The plant will manufacture PVC and ABS pipe for drain, waste and vent systems and FlowGuard Gold®
CPVC CTS pipe for domestic water applications. Located about 250 miles south of Salt Lake City, the plant features high-output extrusion lines and energy-efficient lighting and chilled water systems.
Green Construction Institute Advances Sustainability Practices
The Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago recently established the Green Construction Institute, which offers educational opportunities for the association's member contractors to keep them up-to-date with the latest green building technology. The Institute provides green classes for engineers, city officials, building owners, and United Association Pipe Fitters Local Union 597 apprentices, and also offers training for LEED Accredited Professionals.
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SFA Saniflo recently announced that Regis Saragosti has succeeded Bertrand Bouchard
as president and chief executive officer of its operations in the United States. Prior to this promotion, Saragosti had been serving as marketing manager for SFA's U.S. subsidiary after relocating from Paris to the Edison office in December 2007.
Fluidmaster has named David Kenyon [photo]
 as its new vice president of global marketing. Kenyon will be responsible for channel, product and marketing communication activities, as well as generating global marketing strategies while defining quality business opportunities and relationships.
KAI Design & Build recently hired Anthony Summers of Arnold, MO, as a new senior project manager. In this position, Summers is responsible for managing the firm's projects to a successful conclusion, exceeding clients' job expectations and meeting company financial goals. Summers has more than 30 years of industry experience.
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Solar Design Notebook...
New column by John Siegenthaler Appears Regularly in PM Engineer.
Dear PM Engineer Readers:
Interest in solar energy technology has increased almost as fast as fuel prices in recent months. Many HVAC engineers have undoubtedly been asked if solar energy hardware can somehow be incorporated into more traditional system designs in the interest of reducing operating cost.
Fortunately, modern space heating and domestic hot water systems (especially those using hydronics technology) are often quite adaptable to the use of solar energy. Unfortunately, there aren't many references currently available in North America that show engineers how to do this.
PM Engineer recognizes this need and is responding by launching a new bimonthly column titled "Solar Design Notebook." Its intent is to familiarize engineers with modern equipment and design concepts for integrating solar thermal technology into traditional HVAC applications.
The first column appeared in the June issue of PME. Subsequent columns will appear in the August, October and December issues. Initial columns will cover the fundamentals of solar thermal system design.
Later columns will delve into more detail as they discuss systems ranging from residential domestic water heating to larger commercial applications of solar thermal technology. The column will also contrast the concepts and hardware now used in North America with those used in Europe, where solar thermal technology is now a mainstream market.
Our goal is to provide readers with information that encourages and supports the use of solar thermal technology in applications where it makes economic and environmental sense. We sincerely welcome your feedback on the new column as we strive to bring you information that fulfills this goal.
Sincerely,
John Siegenthaler, P.E.
Contributing Editor - PM Engineer
Subscribe to PM Engineer today!
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Enter The 2008 Excellence in Design Awards Competition!
PM Engineer Wants to Hear About Your Most Unique Design.
Entries Now Being Accepted. Deadline is Sept. 8, 2008.
If you're a consulting, specifying or design engineering firm, you can submit your most interesting projects for PME's Excellence in Design Awards contest. PME is ready to honor the most unique designs of 2008 in these market segments: plumbing, piping, hydronics or sprinklers.
Designs will be judged based on the following criteria:
1. Innovation in design. Explain why you feel your project is an innovative design.
2. Customer satisfaction. What steps did you take to satisfy the customer on this project?
3. Ability to meet schedules. How did you ensure that the schedules were all met on the project?
4. Cost-efficient strategies. What strategies did you employ to meet your budget or improve cost efficiency on the project?
5. Community improvement. How does this project improve the community in which it is based?
To nominate your company's best design, e-mail the editor a very detailed statement describing how your design meets any or all of the five criteria outlined above. We'll follow up by contacting those who submit the most intriguing descriptions.
Please e-mail all submissions to Jim Camillo at camilloj@bnpmedia.com. (Include the name, phone number and e-mail address of the correct contact person at your company.) Nominations also can be mailed to: Jim Camillo, PM Engineer, 1050 IL Rt. 83, Suite 200, Bensenville, IL 60106-1096; or faxed to 248-283-6547. Call Jim with any questions at 630-694-4011.
AN ONLINE ENTRY FORM IS NOW AVAILABLE (simply click
here). |
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Heat Recovery System For Boilers
Thermsavers, Inc
. has launched a patented heat recovery system that helps businesses using boilers greater than 300 hp save between 8-15% in long-term annual natural gas costs. Unlike traditional in-stack economizers, the system recycles both wet and dry exhaust because it is completely independent from the boiler stack. The system recycles approximately 70-80% of the boiler's flue gases and moves the waste to a heat exchanger where gases drop below the temperature at which they condense. |
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 Computer-Aided Sizing Software Online For Engineers
An enhanced version of CASPAK, a computer-aided sizing software program, is available online from
Leonard Valve Co. This free program was developed to help design engineers select master mixing valves used in domestic water applications. This version of CASPAK has been updated to include water-efficient showerheads. Sizing techniques are based on parameters from the American Society of Plumbing Engineers' Data Book and the performance characteristics of Leonard thermostatic mixing valves.
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Enhanced Integrated Boiler Control System
Cleaver-Brooks offers the CB Hawk ICS, an integrated control system embodying precise boiler/burner management and safety with logic-based ancillary devices and functions.
The latest upgrade to the unit is Stack Draft Control, which helps boilers reduce draft losses and balance drafts when the boiler is offline - and customers achieve energy efficiency. Another benefit is how seamlessly it communicates and integrates into an existing building management system. |
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Complete Kits For Toilet Installation
Gerber Plumbing Fixtures introduces the Toilet Pak - a comprehensive package containing all the parts needed for installation: a tank, bowl, toilet seat, wax ring and flange bolts.
The company offers such Paks for three units: the BX-21-412 (elongated 12" rough-in), BX-21-402 (round front 12" rough-in), and BX-21-418 (17" high elongated). All three toilets are 1.6 gpf (6.0 Lpf) models and feature front jet-flushing action. |
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ASK THE EXPERT... AT PM ENGINEER MAGAZINE
Got a general question about plumbing, fire protection or hydronics?
Submit your question to camilloj@bnpmedia.com and we'll get it answered for you in a matter of days, or maybe even hours.
Please be sure to include your position within the plumbing industry [engineer, contractor or wholesaler] so we can forward it to the proper person. |
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Be Sure to Check Out the Latest Issue
of Bath & Kitchen Pro
BNP Media has published the Spring 2008 issue of Bath & Kitchen Pro (BKP), a unique publication created for a powerful audience of bath-and-kitchen installers, distributors with showrooms and designers. Unlike other magazines that focus purely on design, Bath & Kitchen Pro provides information on installation and purchasing, as well as design trends.
To read the latest issue of Bath & Kitchen Pro visit
www.bathandkitchenpro.com. This Web site complements Bath & Kitchen Pro and helps you stay up to date between issues by posting industry news, product news and photos, and a blog written by Bath & Kitchen Pro staff members.
Bath & Kitchen Pro will be published three times in 2008 (Winter, Spring and Fall) and distributed at major B&K shows in addition to its 55,000 circulation drawn from the readers of Plumbing & Mechanical, Supply House Times, Tile, Stone World, and Environmental Design + Construction.
For additional information, contact Publisher Bob Miodonski at 630-694-4007 and miodonskir@bnpmedia.com. |
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MAKE SURE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION TO PM ENGINEER DOESN'T RUN OUT.
Consider using the online subscription option on PME's website. Renew or start a new subscription at
www.PMEngineer.com today!
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For more information about sponsoring the PME Enewsletter, please contact publisher Bob Miodonski at (630) 694-4007 or e-mail: 
Virtual encyclopedia on modern hydronic systems.
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