Columnists: Editorial
Residential fire sprinklers are also green
On our front page this month Associate Editor Candace Roulo reports on the slow yet inexorable march toward universal adoption of residential fire sprinklers. Beginning Jan. 1, 2011, the International Code Council’s International Residential Code requires fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses. ...
When did saving energy get so convoluted?
Saving energy is good. Convince homeowners to install energy-saving home improvements by throwing some rebates their way. Contractors get the work. The homeowners and the country save energy. Everybody wins, right? Leave it up to Congress to do this and the result gets Kafkaesque. ...
Will we heat houses with water heaters?
Last month I had the privilege of hearing two really smart guys (who don't know each other) arrive at exactly the same conclusion. John Siegenthaler, P.E., speaking at the Radiant Panel Association's Building Radiant conference and show in Reno, Nev., and Gary Klein, speaking at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy's Hot Water Forum in Ontario, Calif., said the future of space heating is an efficient water heater....
Giants fight through another tough year
Last year may have been one to forget for many contractors and this year isn’t going to be much better. The commercial, industrial and institutional markets that large mechanicals depend on will be down drastically this year. ...
Policing the showerhead outlaws
After just 18 years, the Department of Energy is cracking down on showerhead manufacturers that sell products that flow more than 2.5 GPM. DOE announced enforcement actions against four manufacturers for failing to certify that 116 products complied with EPACT92, the federal law that mandates that showerheads flow no more than 2.5 GPM....
Cool products
Both of the major January trade shows, the International Builders Show in Las Vegas and the AHR Expo in Orlando were smaller than a few years ago, although the AHR Expo, with 28,582 registered visitors, a nearly 8% increase from the 2005 AHR Expo in Orlando, set a new record for Southeast HVACR shows....
It's not going to be a walk in the park
ALTHOUGH WE ran our 2010 forecast story in last month's issue, we have two stories in this issue that continue to mull over what will happen this year. ...
EPA finalizes WaterSense for Homes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its version of the WaterSense for Homes standard in mid-December, although in the world of water conservation...
Synthetic drywall rots mechanical product
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has confirmed what many people have suspected for quite a while now Chinese-made drywall is causing corrosion of...
Sprinkler advocates beat builders again
I was going to write about how little I miss the ISH-North America Show, but then we received some exciting news. I'll get back to this at the end of...
Will home buyers pay for green features?
An interesting little controversy has sprung up over green building and, once again, it leaves me with nothing good to say about homebuilders. It seems that the National Association of Home Builders commissioned a survey that said homeowners are interested in green, as long as they don't have to pay much for it. ...
Got to be smarter than the average bear
I'm with Kevin Tindall on this one. At the recent meeting of the International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials Green Technical Committee,...
NFPA study: Sprinklers don't hurt sales
Last month in this space I talked about how homebuilders are determined to kill residential sprinklers (July, p. 50). Sprinklers cost too much, the builders...
Homebuilders continue to be our nemesis
Every once in a while something comes up that reminds me of how much I dislike homebuilders. I have colleagues who work with homebuilders and I'm sure...
Water heaters, tax credits and financing
Water heating has been a commodity for way too long. Homeowners seemed unwilling to pay more than $120 at a home center for what was essentially a pot...
Giants stay giant because of their resilience
I'm no longer surprised at how well the nation's largest mechanical contractors seem to handle everything that's thrown at them. In the depths of the...
Here are some ways to fight the recession
Has the recession caught up with you? Here are some ways to not let the economy run your business. Don't wait for the phone to ring. Go out and sell water...
Use the stimulus to sell industry products
This is going to be a tough year for contractors, but now that the money and tax breaks are available, it's up to us to use them to sell the industry's products. ...
Following the money in a tough market
Contractors and manufacturers engaged in energy-saving, water-saving and alternative energy technologies are doing well. ...
GreenBuild show settles down to business
This year's GreenBuild show in Boston seemed a bit more business-like than last year's version in Chicago. Perhaps it was the recession forcing attendees to focus on the practical. ...
Where's the tradeshow for the regular Joes?
The recent ISH-North America Show in Atlanta can only be called disappointing. Attendance was sparse, and the show may be losing major sponsors. Perhaps...
Certificate program takes aim at ethics
Word of an interesting program just came across my desk, an Excellence in Ethics certificate from the American Subcontractors Association. ASA is promoting...
Is Going Green Too Expensive for Most People?
I was watching an episode of the reality television show Greensburg on the Planet Green channel where they were talking to an old ex-Marine, who declared,...
What is Green? Criteria Remain Lacking
In May of this year, Mechanical Service Contractors of America introduced its GreenStar program, a certification program that's similar to the association's...
WaterSense Needs More Backing and Teeth
We're pleased to report on page 1 and page 3 of this issue about the issuance of draft WaterSense specifications for high-efficiency urinals and for whole-house...
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