Many of the topics I have discussed in my column to this point have been about temperature considerations within the supply and return system based on recommendations in the community and right-sizing domestic water piping to reduce the overall volume of water in the building’s piping system.

Almost 80% of all water consumption comes from two groups: No. 1, thermoelectric power, and No. 2, irrigation (farming). Public supply, which includes industrial buildings, commercial buildings and residences, accounts for only 10%.

Somewhere along the way, fossil fuels have gotten a bad rap. Coal, oil, natural gas — you name it. We use fossil fuels for everything from creating electricity, warming the shelters we live in and scooting around town. Burning fossil fuels has become a necessity for our way of life.

Most plumbing professionals in residential construction know PEX. They have either used it themselves or know other designers or installers that are using it. That’s because PEX is the piping product used in more new-home construction than copper and CPVC combined.

All signs are pointing to a positive 2023 on the nonresidential construction front. On one hand, the sector is likely to be bolstered by funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. On the other hand, residential construction is anticipated to slow. Either way, it won’t be all smooth sailing ahead.

There are some amazing builders in our industry that I’ve been fortunate to work with — men and women who lead teams with great success while at the same time building great leaders beside them.

“Governmental members” may desire a public perception of having “no vested financial interest in” the development process. But there is no requirement or mandate for them to be transparent in avoiding conflicts of interest.

Why does a bike stay balanced when you are moving and fall to the side when you are standing still? Anyone who has ridden a bike knows that if you keep moving you won’t fall but as soon as you come to a stop you will need to put your feet on the ground or risk tipping over.

There is a battle going on in the industry when it comes to domestic water distribution systems, and it lies in how plumbing engineers size domestic water piping. System longevity, pressure drop, water age, noise and building codes will influence the approach taken in sizing a domestic water system.

In 2012, the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), the University of Cincinnati (U of C), and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) began to work on a new sizing technique 80 years in the making. The main drivers were Dan Cole (IAPMO) and Steve Buchberger (U of C), and later Toju Omaghomi (U of C). As part of this effort, hundreds of thousands of data points were taken and evaluated to determine actual human behavior and plumbing fixture use in residential homes.