The initial COVID-19 outbreak fast-tracked the specification of touch-free restroom products in commercial facilities. The typical manual faucet and toilet handles harbor anywhere between 107 to 17,976 germs per 10 square centimeters. With the restroom full of these “high-touch” surfaces that can be a breeding ground for viruses and bacteria, going touch-free quickly became a pivotal element for the safety of building occupants.

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) hydromechanical grease interceptors have become much more popular in the commercial plumbing engineering community. Why has this segment grown so quickly in the last 10 years?

There’s no doubt the plumbing industry has had a hyper-focus on Legionella and prevention over the past few years. Yet a simple search on Google reveals outbreaks in an Illinois prison, a Hawaiian hotel and in Riverside County, California — all within the past two months.

Think you know pump systems? Think again. From misidentifying the major culprits of ownership costs to taking the wrong approach in implementing variable speed drives, misconceptions around pumps create missed opportunities for greater efficiency and cost savings.

The passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act last year will help inject billions of dollars into both potable water and wastewater upgrades over the next several years. Coupled with that, President Joe Biden has issued an executive order and Federal Sustainability Plan that will put the U.S. federal government on a path to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, which includes directives for federal buildings and facilities to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045 through energy efficiency, electrification and use of carbon-free electricity along with sustainability principles.

PM Engineer did a quick spot check with PVF manufacturers to get their take on current market trends, industry challenges and what to expect in 2022.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, most of our nearly 100,000 public schools across the country have opened full-time again to ensure a sense of normalcy for both children and their parents.

After taking a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 AHR Expo will return in-person Jan. 31 — Feb. 2 in Las Vegas. ASHRAE’s Winter Conference — a joint in-person and virtual event — will be held during the same time, from Jan. 29 — Feb. 2, at Caesar’s Palace.

The stakes are always high for commercial businesses’ decisions and especially those related to equipment investments. Every penny adds up and, in some industries like restaurants, margins are notoriously unforgiving.