As the United States moves to decarbonize commercial and residential building structures, all eyes turn to heat pumps as a way to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions for not only space heating but domestic hot water as well.

Prior to the 1980s, all restroom fixtures required manual operation — an aspect that we have since learned coincides with a high exposure to germs and bacteria. In fact, manual faucet and toilet handles harbor anywhere between 107 to 17,976 germs per 10 square centimeters.

Across commercial applications and in different climate zones, the combination of ambient air temperature, humidity and pipes’ surface temperature can have a big influence on the efficiency and economics of chilled water piping systems.

In the past two years, the PVF sector has faced a multitude of challenges, that, when combined, created what some call the perfect storm. Concerns among plumbing professionals included supply chain shortages and trade disruption, material price increases, freight inflation, fleet shortages and more.

As with most things hydronic, there are multiple approaches, and the “best” approach for each installation has to consider cost, aesthetics, access to the existing piping, available wall space and the goal of how the overall system will operate based on existing or newly created zones.

This month marks the 28th anniversary of the founding of PM Engineer magazine. The magazine was started by four individuals: George Zebrowski, my publisher; Tim Fausch, the group publisher; Jim Olsztynski, my editor; and myself, the plumbing/mechanical engineer. Our concept was to create a new magazine addressing the wet side of plumbing and mechanical engineering.

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.

Two apartment buildings in the Bronx will soon get their heating, cooling and hot water from wastewater and geothermal energy. No more money down the drain, literally!

 If you’re anything like me, the first thing that comes to mind when you think about variable speed circulators is 1970s rock band Supertramp.

What characteristic do solar thermal collectors, hydronic heat pumps and thermal storage tanks supplied by biomass boilers have in common?