Industry News
We would like to take this opportunity to give a special thanks to this month's sponsor -- Bradford White Corporation. Bradford White Corporation is a full line manufacturer of residential, commercial and industrial products for water heating, space heating, combination heating and storage applications. The company is headquartered in Ambler, PA and has manufacturing facilities in Middleville, MI, Niles, MI and Rochester, NH.
Bradford White was recently ranked highest among water heater and boiler manufacturers in satisfying subcontractors, according to the J.D. Power and Associates/McGraw-Hill Construction 2006 HVAC and Water Heater/Boiler Subcontractor Satisfaction Study released recently. Bradford White ranks highest among water heater/boiler manufacturers, with the highest ratings in four factors: warranty and repair; ordering process; credit/billing and product. This is a positive reflection on the importance Bradford White is placing on satisfying their customers.
To find out more about special e-newsletter advertising opportunities, please contact your Plumbing Engineer sales rep by visiting www.plumbingengineer.com.
Noritz America Hosts Grand Opening at Headquarters
On May 7, Noritz America hosted a grand opening at its new headquarters facility in Fountain Valley, CA. The move was designed to accommodate the rapid and constant expansion of the company’s business in the U.S.
The new facility features:
- A state-of-the-art 4,000-sq. ft. showroom to highlight the latest in tankless water heaters.
- An advanced research and development center for Noritz tankless technology.
- A fully stocked 51,000-sq. ft. warehouse that will act as the central logistic hub for all North America distribution.
Sustainable Buildings Standard to Define Green Buildings
A proposed new standard that will provide minimum guidelines for green building practices is nearing completion. Applicable to new commercial buildings and major renovation projects, it will address energy efficiency, a building’s impact on the atmosphere, sustainable sites, water use efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.
Proposed Standard 189, Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, is being developed by ASHRAE in conjunction with the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This is the first such green building standard in the U.S.
The proposed standard has been released for public review. Comments will be accepted through July 9, 2007.
“Standard 189P will become the benchmark for all sustainable green buildings in the U.S. because it is being developed for inclusion into building codes,” says committee chair John Hogan. “This means that owners and designers will have a consensus-based document that will set the minimum criteria that a building must satisfy in order to be considered a green building. The real impact of Standard 189P is that ASHRAE, along with IESNA and USGBC, are taking advanced energy conservation guidance mainstream for the general public's benefit.”
Hogan, chair of the Standard 189 Project Committee, notes that the standard is not a building rating system but rather a compilation of criteria that must be met in order for local building code officials to provide a Certificate of Occupancy for a facility.
Energy efficiency will be a large part of the standard. The goal is to achieve a minimum of 30% reduction in energy cost (and carbon dioxide equivalent) over that in ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, which provides minimum energy efficiency design requirements for buildings except low-rise residential buildings and is the basis for building codes worldwide.
The standard shows leadership in renewable power generation on-site by having high-performance, green buildings avoid a total reliance on conventional energy sources. The committee that wrote the standard wants building projects to produce a minimum percentage of their peak electrical load through on-site generation such as by photovoltaic panels or equivalent solar water heating systems.
Another important part of the proposed standard will be water use efficiency. According to Hogan, the standard may require that interior water achieve a minimum of 25% reduction through improvements from the Energy Policy Act of 1992 for plumbing fixtures and strategies for reclaiming water in other areas. Exterior water systems would have more sophisticated controls and not use potable water, he said.
Proposed Standard 189P will be available only during public review periods. To read the addenda or to comment, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.
LA Recognizes FlexHead’s Seismic Qualification, Grants General Approval
The city of Los Angeles has granted general approval for flexible fire sprinkler connections manufactured by FlexHead Industries Inc. The company’s products, which include hose, fittings and bracket, are the only flexible solutions to gain such approval.
Yogen Thaker of the city’s Mechanical Testing Laboratory, Engineering Bureau, noted in the approval that examination of product samples and supporting test data show that “these products are suitable for the intended use and comply with the Los Angeles Plumbing Code in quality, strength, fire resistance, effectiveness, durability and safety.”
A key factor in the decision is that FlexHead is the only manufacturer to meet seismic qualification testing pursuant to AC156, “Seismic Qualification Testing of Nonstructural Components.” The testing was conducted by the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo. The Los Angeles approval also noted that FlexHead products are in compliance with Factory Mutual Global Testing Standard FM 1637, and with Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Standard UL 2443.
“We are delighted that the city of Los Angeles recognizes the hard work that we’ve put in to make sure that FlexHead products perform as expected under even the most stringent conditions,” says FlexHead’s CEO Norman MacDonald III. “With more than 80% of states now adopting new seismic provisions of the International Building Code, this approval is an important step in raising visibility for maintaining the structural integrity of fire protection systems during seismic events.”
FlexHead invented the first viable flexible fire connections more than 20 years ago to protect billion-dollar semiconductor manufacturing facilities. Since then, the company has developed a full product line for both general and specialty construction requirements. Learn more at www.flexhead.com.
Sloan Valve Earns Prestigious Design Award
Sloan Valve Co. has received a platinum-level award in the 2006-07 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) competition for its sensor-operated Royal SMOOTH Flushometer. The platinum-level is the highest award level given by design professionals on the judging committee.
"Sloan is proud to be recognized for the design excellence of our Royal SMOOTH Flushometer," says Sloan Valve’s Susan Kennedy. "It's an honor to be singled out for the high-quality, water-efficient features that Sloan builds into its Flushometers."
The Royal SMOOTH Flushometer provides automatic, infrared, adaptive sensing operation without the need for AC hookups or wall alterations. Sensor range is adjustable. A true mechanical manual override button enables the Flushometer to work in the event of a power failure. A low-battery indicator light signals when it's time to replace the unit's four "C" batteries. Water consumption, which varies between models, is as low as 0.5 gpf/1.9 Lpf for urinal Flushometers. Other water-efficient features include the non-hold-open handle, fixed metering bypass and no external volume adjustment. For more information, visit www.sloanvalve.com.
New Products
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Green Washfountain Bradley offers a classic washfountain suited for LEED projects because it is made with 100% recycled glass terrazzo, which helps to conserve energy, water and space. In addition, the washfountain can help reduce the amount of waste in landfills and conserve resources. Recycled glass terrazzo is made entirely of recycled glass bottles, which are amber, blue, green, clear and gray. Washfountains will be available in 54-in. and 36-in. circular and semi-circular configurations. Both units have a 9-in. deep bowl, ideal for heavy-duty hand washing applications. Activation types include foot pedal, infrared or pushbutton operation.
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Condensate Neutralizing Tube JJM Boiler Works offers a complete line of condensate neutralizing tubes designed to raise the pH level of discharged condensate produced by high efficiency commercial and residential boilers and warm air furnaces. Neutralizing tubes enable users to safely discharge condensate without damaging septic tanks, cast iron or ABS drain pipes, sump pump seals, pump levels, city sewer systems, wastewater treatment facilities or outdoor vegetation.
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Toilet System One-piece, wall-hung SANISTAR Macerating Toilet System from SFA Saniflo Inc. allows the home or business owner to create a new powder room wherever one is need. System saves both space and water. Euro-contemporary design combines a macerating pump and an electronically activated flushing mechanism into a single package. Measuring only 18 in. wide and 20-1/2 in. deep and with no external water tank, the self-contained wall-hung unit is ideal for tight spaces where installation space is at a premium. In addition, the unit uses just 1.1 gpf.
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Valve Positioner Spirax Sarco Inc. has released the new SP200 line of electropneumatic smart control valve positioners. The SP200 can be fitted to any of SSI’s pneumatic direct actuators. The compact positioner marks a new standard in ease of use with simpler installation and commissioning, adaptive valve control and smarter functions. Installation is simplified by the absence of mechanical linkages between valve stem and positioner and the smart auto-calibration function. Plus, local calibration and parameter setting can be performed through menu-driven software with an integral keypad and a large, LCD alphanumeric data display. |
Movers & Shakers
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A.O. Smith Water Products Co. recently announced the appointment of Jane M. Sanford to the position of vice president-global human resources. In her new position, Sanford will be responsible for the global human resources function including strategy development, employment, compensation, employee relations, performance management, organization development and internal comm-unications. She also will be a member of the Water Products Leadership Team.The Sump and Sewage Pump Manufacturers Assn. (SSPMA) recently elected the following officers and directors to a 2-year term: President, Ryan Fickes (Pentair Water, Delavan, WI) Vice President, Ted Foti (Franklin Electric Water Transfer Systems, Oklahoma City, OK); Secretary-Treasurer, Susan O’Grady (Pentair Water, Delavan, WI). Directors elected were Charlie Cook (Liberty Pumps, Bergen, NY) and Loran Knudsvig (SJE-Rhombus, Detroit Lakes, MN). Continuing on the Board as Past President is Raymond Zoeller (Zoeller Co., Louisville, KY). Nike Professional Services provides management services, with Pamela Franzen serving as managing director. |
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Watts Water Technologies Inc. has announced that Sam Blankson has joined Watts as director of North American distribution. Blankson will be responsible for all domestic distribution locations. Blankson has had extensive involvement in the Supply Chain and Customer Support disciplines including several years experience with The Home Depot where most recently he was responsible for running its largest group of import distribution centers in Baytown, TX. Blankson received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and postgraduate degree in Transport Studies from the University of London, U.K. Blankson will be based out of Spindale, NC.Bradford White recently announced the promotion of R. Bruce Carnevale to the position of vice president - Sales and Marketing. Additionally, Frederick D. Vattimo has been promoted to the new position of director - Corporate Advertising. |