2023 June

2023 Manufacturers' Rep of the Year: Marsh & Moore

PM Engineer's 2023 Rep of the Year: Marsh & Moore

St. Augustine, Florida-based agency takes this year’s Rep of the Year honors.

June 14, 2023

The past few years, the plumbing industry has seen unprecedented challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Product shortages and supply chain issues forced engineers and contractors to adapt by finding alternative, readily available products for projects and jobsites.

Maximizing indirect water heater systems in commercial settings for optimal ROI

Design considerations for indirect water heating systems.

Nicholas Lane

June 26, 2023

The benefits of indirect water heating systems are well-known throughout the industry and include system versatility and aiding in electrification to lower utility costs (if it is used in co-generation environments). Other advantages are higher operating efficiency, lower maintenance costs and longer system life.

IRA reduces cost barriers for geothermal heating and cooling

Tax credits, rebates and accelerated depreciation help make geothermal a more attractive option.

Joe Parsons

June 19, 2023

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) tap into the constant temperature of the Earth to provide both heating and cooling in a highly efficient manner. As concerns about climate change and the need for sustainable energy solutions grow, more and more businesses are looking towards more sustainable methods of regulating their buildings' temperatures. These systems use the earth's relatively constant underground temperature to reduce the electrical energy required to provide heating, cooling and even water heating.

The national challenge of converting office space to residential

Residential infrastructure is quite different from office infrastructure.

Daniel Colombini

Aristotle Labiaga

June 21, 2023

The conversion of office buildings to residential is a lasting and growing byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, which catapulted remote working to the forefront and made it a continuing trend. Plumbing and fire protection will be central to the conversions, with plumbing the big beneficiary.

Nicole Krawcke: The importance of work-life balance in the plumbing industry

Readjusting work ethic expectations in order to attract the next generation of plumbing engineers.

Nicole Krawcke

June 12, 2023

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the Plumbing Industry Leadership Coalition (PILC) meeting, which was held at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. While there was a lot of great discussion on a number of important issues, one topic really caught my interest, and that was workforce development in this post-pandemic era.

Dan Holohan: Electrification may become more mainstream, but not overnight

Times change.

Dan Holohan

June 9, 2023

Morris had me on the phone. It was 1974 and he was calling from Brooklyn, New York. I had a waxed handlebar mustache that year, and my workmates at the manufacturers’ rep were calling me Rollie Fingers because he was pitching for the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Looking at those 1974 photos, I realize that the ‘stache was not one of my best ideas, but the 1970s were their own time and no one can change that.

Todd Stuart: Are PVC pipes a health hazard?

Engineers rely on products that are listed and approved for use in the design and installation of water service and distribution systems.

Todd Stuart

June 7, 2023

On a recent weekend, I was catching up on the news and goings-on when I came across this article published on the front page of a well-known national newspaper that caught my eye: “PVC pipes are called a health hazard.” In the back of my mind, I thought “wait, what?!”

David Dexter: Circulation in plumbing system design

Entrapped air can be a problem in domestic water systems.

David Dexter

June 5, 2023

Mechanical engineering is an integral part of both HVACR (Heating, Ventilating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration) and plumbing. While both disciplines utilize the same science and engineering principles, their application diverges depending on the system under consideration. A prime example of this is the “wet” piping system that moves water through the piping network.

John Siegenthaler: Performance metrics for modern hydronic heating and cooling sources

Abundant acronyms

John Siegenthaler P.E.

June 1, 2023

Those who evaluate the performance of HVAC source equipment such as boilers, furnaces and heat pumps have to work with a wide variety of acronyms. Some of them were spawned by government bureaucrats, mostly the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Others were created through a consensus process based on input from manufacturers and other industry stakeholders.

Misty Guard: Summer standards activity

Energy, water systems, refrigerants and product standards are having a busy year.

Misty Guard

June 2, 2023

This month of June, six months into 2023, is a great time to review the activities of Standards Development Organizations, or SDOS. These organizations develop standards through voluntary consensus processes for product performance and safety, services, processes, systems and personnel.

ASHRAE publishes first Zero Energy and Zero Carbon Building Evaluation Standard

May 16, 2023

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 228-2023, Standard Method of Evaluating Zero Net Energy and Zero Net Carbon Building Performance, sets requirements for evaluating whether a building or group of buildings meets a definition of “zero net energy” or a definition of “zero net carbon” during building operation. The standard draws from ASHRAE Standard 105, among others, to address energy and carbon flows across a site boundary, their measurement, and their balance.

IAPMO publishes 2024 Editions of Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC)

May 17, 2023

The 2024 Uniform Codes will once again be available electronically.

Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US opens Florence, New Jersey Distribution and Training Center

May 17, 2023

METUS plans to use the facility to generate 60 distribution center jobs and empower HVAC businesses with the training and support needed to sell, install and service all-climate heat pumps.

LG VRF system

June 12, 2023

Multi V i is a wholly redesigned, innovative, intelligent, and interactive variable refrigerant flow (VRF) all-electric cooling and heating system.

Little Giant sump pumps

June 9, 2023

Franklin Electric’s Little Giant brand has expanded its sump pump lineup to better equip professional plumbers and installers.

Merit Brass CarbonPress fittings

June 8, 2023

CarbonPress Fittings are suitable for use on steel pipes conforming to ASTM A53, A106, A135, a795 (schedule 10 to 40) or constructed of black iron, epoxy coated or galvanized steel.

PVI domestic water heater

June 7, 2023

PVI, a Watts brand, expands its Centurion family of compact, direct-fired domestic water heaters with the addition of a 1600 MBH model to complement its existing 2000 MBH size.

Caleffi North America adjustable thermal balancing valve

June 6, 2023

Caleffi North America’s ThermoSetter is an adjustable thermal balancing valve.

Goulds Axial grinder pumps

June 5, 2023

The AGS Series grinder pumps feature axial grinder and semi-open impeller technology to easily slice through the solids, flushables and trash found in the modern wastewater stream without roping or clogging.

The Trailblazer HP is an air-cooled scroll chiller

Daikin Applied heat pump chiller

June 1, 2023

The Trailblazer HP is an air-cooled scroll chiller that uses heat pump technology to deliver electricity-powered heating and cooling for commercial buildings and industrial processes.

NIBCO space-saving boiler vent valve

June 2, 2023

Webstone, a brand of NIBCO, announced a new patent-pending Boiler Vent Valve. This space-saving valve expands the utility of a boiler’s existing 3/4" pressure relief valve (PRV) port, capitalizing on its location at the top of the unit as the ideal placement for an air vent and other accessories.

On Demand This webinar will discuss the available options in electric tankless water heaters, and how to avoid pitfalls when specifying the equipment.

On Demand Installing and maintaining traditional tank-style heat pump water heaters is a challenge due to the added complexity these systems require. This webinar will discuss the ways in which contractors can harness the benefits of tankless heat pump water heaters to their advantage and ensure positive customer feedback.

Earn: 1 PDH; 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU

PM Engineer Magazine

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