PM Engineer

Chicago, Georgia Adopt Green Plumbing Codes
The state of Georgia and the city of Chicago have adopted green plumbing codes. Both codes incorporate provisions from IAPMO's Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement (GPMCS). For Georgia's code, click here. For Chicago's code, click here.

Is Your Toilet Wasting Water?
Kohler's water conservation Web site features a number of calculating tools to help assist commercial properties in reducing water usage. The site includes a commercial water calculator, which covers toilet, urinal, bathroom sink faucet, shower and kitchen/dining area faucet water usage. Click here to get started.

Construction Spending Drops To 2002 Levels
Construction spending tumbled in February by $11.6 billion, or 1.3 percent, to $846 billion, a low last recorded in 2002, according to an analysis of new federal figures by the Associated General Contractors of America.

AGC and Manufacturing Institute Support Reform
The construction and manufacturing industries recently announced a new national effort to place greater focus on competency-based education to help cut rising high school dropout rates.

81st IAPMO Conference
The IAPMO 81st Annual Education and Business Conference will be held Sept. 26-30 in Seattle. The event includes the Assembly Consideration Session where IAPMO members will vote on arguably the most substantive changes to the Uniform Codes since the ANSI-accredited development process began in 2001. To register, click here.

NFPA Conference and Expo
The NFPA's annual conference will be held June 7-10 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The fire and life safety event will feature over 130 education sessions in 11 conference tracks, dozens of case studies, test results and code updates and the latest technology from more than 300 exhibitors.

ASHRAE Annual Conference
ASHRAE's 2010 Annual Conference is slated for June 26-30 in Albuquerque, N.M. This year's conference will focus on high efficiency and energy conservation. Guidance on how to improve building systems will be an important focus of the technical program.

Webster Earns Honor
Ken Webster (right), director of sales and marketing for Viessmann-Canada, is the latest recipient of the Carlson-Holohan Industry Award of Excellence. Presenting the award to Webster (see photo) is Jean Eslick, regional sales manager (including Eastern Canada) for BNP Media Co.'s family of plumbing books.

Jacuzzi Names Senior VP-Sales
Jacuzzi Luxury Bath recently appointed Morris Mintz as senior vice president, sales. Mintz is responsible for managing Jacuzzi's North American bathroom products wholesale sales team.

Claxton Honored
Jack Claxton (pictured, right), vice president engineering at Patterson Pump Company, was recognized recently by the Hydraulic Institute for his technical leadership and contributions in the creation of ANSI/HI Standards.

Ask The Expert

Got a question about plumbing, fire protection, hydronics or process piping? Just send it to me at miazgam@bnpmedia.com, and we'll get an answer within days.

Meantime, check out what others have been asking lately.

Products at AHR Expo Exercise Greater Degree of Control
by Bob Miodonski

Electronic Codes and Standards
by Julius Ballanco, P.E., CPD

Four Expanding Markets You Should Pursue Now
by Tim Fausch 

This Is Bureaucracy On Drugs
by Jim Olsztynski  

What About Green?
by Joseph Sanchez

Got something to get off your chest? You, too, can be a blogger sharing opinions, insights and experiences with fellow professionals.
Send us your article or just tell us what you want to say by contacting Mike Miazga at miazgam@bnpmedia.com, or Bob Miodonski at miodonskib@bnpmedia.com.

AEC Store Corner
Further your technical education and industry knowledge at the AEC Store.

Piping Systems Manual // $96.95
This manual is filled with examples drawn from years of design and field experience, this practical guide offers comprehensive information on piping installation, repair, and rehabilitation. All of the latest codes, standards, and specifications are included. Piping Systems Manual is a hands-on design and engineering resource that explains the reasons behind the designs. You will get full coverage of materials, components, calculations, specifications, safety, and much more. Hundreds of detailed illustrations make it easy to understand the best practices presented in the book. CLICK HERE for more info. Visit AECStore.com to view more products for PVF Pros.  

Visit AECStore.com to view all of our technical resources, CDs and DVDs.

DUALFLUSH Handle
AMTC's DUALFLUSH is a water-saving handle for exposed water closet flushometers. The handle is available in 1.6 gpf and 3.5 gpf models.

RePVC Pipe
Charlotte Pipe recently launched RePVC, a PVC pipe that uses 100 percent recycled content as the center layer. The RePVC is a coextruded, solid-wall Schedule 40 pipe. Recycled content makes up 30 to 80 percent of the pipe's overall wall thickness, while the inner and outer skins of pipe are made from virgin materials.

Test Plug
IPS Corporation's new Test-Tite Pressure Relief Pneumatic Test Plug features an internal-pressure, safety relief valve that reduces the risk of exceeding the proper inflation pressure. If the recommended pressure is exceeded by the user, the excess is released, returning the plug to its proper size and pressure.   

Pump Guide Rail
Liberty's new GR22 pump guide rail allows easier installation or removal of submersible pumps in deeper pits. The GR22 is constructed of heavy cast iron and a single-rail design and has a discharge size of 2 inches.  

Stormwater Chambers
CULTEC recently introduced manifold capability to its Recharger 150 and Contractor 100 subsurface stormwater chambers. The feature allows for maximum design flexibility and eliminates the need for costly fabricated pipe manifolds.

Eyewash Unit
T & S Brass' Swing Away Eyewash Unit is countertop-mounted and made of polished chrome-plated brass and comes with a swing-away feature to activate. The unit, which is mounted on the right side of the sink, controls water flow rate when flow pressure is between 30 and 90 psi.  

Fluid System Products
John Guest USA has introduced a new, updated version of its Fluid System Products catalog. The catalog presents product and pricing information for the complete family of JG Standard Line of push-in fittings, shutoff valves and polyethylene tubing that is used in a wide range of industrial water-treatment applications, from water filtration and reverse osmosis to dispensing and vending.

Installation Diagram
Webstone's 11 x 17-inch laminated reference diagram depicts proper plumbing of systems and easily highlights the amount of time and leak paths saved by using the proper Webstone products in hydronic heating systems.

Condensing Boiler
Lochinvar's new CREST Heating Boiler will be available in five models with capacities of 1.5, 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 million BTU/hr. inputs. The boiler will also feature an advanced burner and combustion system and a SMART TOUCH operating control platform enhanced with an 8-inch touchscreen display.

Tankless Water Heater
American Hometec's AHQ-C10 electric tankless water heater features coilless technology, which eliminates lime scale build-up. The C10 also comes with three capacity settings allowing for adjustable power consumption and energy savings. The unit is suitable for all water conditions and provides an unlimited supply of hot water, heating water only on demand for increased efficiency and conservation.

Digital 2010 Radiant Flooring
Guide Now Available
The 2010 Radiant Flooring Guide is an indispensable tool for engineers and other project team members. It provides all the information for making proper choices on flooring over radiant heating systems, including an updated directory of radiant floor product manufacturers.

To purchase printed copies of the 2010 Radiant Flooring Guide for $15, contact Stephanie Weingartz at weingartzs@bnpmedia.com, phone 248-244-1275, or visit www.AECstore.com.