July 1, 2008
Articles
The Ultimate All-Weather Patio
Murray, Utah - In these times of economic uncertainty, here's something to keep in mind: there will always be wealthy customers, and they will always...
EPA Drafting WaterSense Specifications for HEUs
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun drafting performance specifications for high-efficiency urinals under its WaterSense program. The specifications, once final, will establish performance criteria to identify products that meet criteria for both water efficiency and performance, according to the EPA. ...
Executive Order Mandates E-Verify System
On June 6, President Bush issued an amendment to Executive Order 12989 requiring federal contractors and subcontractors to use the Department of Homeland Security's previously unreliable E-Verify system to check whether their employees are eligible for lawful employment in the U.S. Within a week after the EO amendment, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council issued proposed regulations laying out the full details of the amended EO requirements. Comments on the FAR proposed regulations are due by August 11. ...
EPA to Create Whole-House WaterSense Program
Washington - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the creation of a whole-house WaterSense specification that can be used by homebuilders...
Relocated Plumbing Museum Set to Open This Fall
Watertown, Mass. Bathtubs and fixtures from the late 1800s, plumbing catalogs from the early 1900s and a variety of other noteworthy artifacts will be...
HDPE, PVC Makers Trade Barbs
Irving, Texas and Poway, Calif. The Plastics Pipe Institute, Irving, Texas, issued a cautionary advisory in June regarding the integrity of fusible polyvinyl...
Elegant and Practical Seen at KBIS, Part 2
Chicago The annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show held here in April filled three halls at McCormick Place for the first time, so we needed to divide our...
LEED AP Urges Greater Sustainable Design Planning
Anaheim - Advances in technology have placed a greater emphasis on sustainable design and cost planning long before the construction phase of any green building project, Marn Heggen, of the firm Davis Langdon, told a group attending the Ecobuild America conference here in mid-May. ...
Illinois Sprinkler Incentive Bill Awaits Governor's Signature
Orland Park, Ill. Illinois fire protection districts may soon have a new tool to help them encourage and reward homeowner fire safety efforts. A bill...
In Brief
Steven Shaw, the former owner of Tougher Industries Inc., Albany, N.Y., will be sentenced to prison in October, after pleading guilty to tax evasion,...
NFSA Awards Golden Sprinkler
Paradise Island, Bahamas The National Fire Sprinkler Association awarded Kevin Fee of Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co. with the Golden Sprinkler Award...
Keys to Building the Profitable Contractor, Part II
The most frustrating part of the mechanical construction industry is achieving consistent, sustainable profitability. Few contractors can say they are...
Green Coordinating Panel Keeps Effort Focused
MCAA has made tremendous progress in recent years in educating its members on green and sustainable construction. MCAA subsidiaries have led the way in this effort, beginning in 2004 when the PCA (Plumbing Contractors of America) identified green building as an important emerging trend in mechanical construction and service. ...
Closing the File Cabinet
An integrated financial management system can enable a mechanical contractor to streamline operations and monitor its bottom line. J.F. Ahern Co. is one...
Tuning Up an Appliance for Optimum Efficiency, Part II
At the end of last month's column (p. 46), I promised to reveal the facts about my efforts to become healthier. But first, here is a bit of background....
Color of Green Found in New Resource, Part 1
As the most recent Earth Day came and went this year, I found myself mesmerized by the number of companies, large and small, that suddenly have turned...
Work Management Software for the Field
The new Trimble MEP layout solution (www.trimble.com) for mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors takes advantage of several technologies to deliver...
Qualifying for Set-Aside Work is No Easy Task
Some time ago I stopped counting the number of telephone calls I had gotten from contractors who wanted to find a way to qualify as a Minority Business...
COSA Unveils New Website
Eastlake, Colo. The Carbon Monoxide Safety Association has released a new Website, www.cosafety.org, featuring calibration specifications, carbon monoxide...
The New Daily Reality of Project Management
One day this spring, we woke up to a new reality. We joined the rest of the world in paying a very high-price for gasoline, food and other personal commodities....
Smart Summer Marketing vs. Overreactions
Okay, let's get the bad stuff out of the way first. The government is out to get you and me, except I'm hiding under my desk while I write this. It is...
5 Errors in Drafting Equity Compensation Plans
I have had dozens of conversations with closely held business owners who want to share equity with some or all employees over the past several years....
Mr. Waterheater Begins to Franchise
Pittsburgh - Mr. Waterheater National Inc. has announced that it will begin the franchise process. The company is looking to strategically grow the business...
Green Heat Comes to Chicago
Loveland, Colo. The radiant heating and cooling industry has taken to the green theme like a duck takes to water, said Radiant Panel Association Executive...
WEBSITE DIRECTORY SHOWCASE
Below is the Website information for leading industry manufacturers and suppliers. Please visit the www.contractormag.com homepage and click on the Website...
GREEN PRODUCTS
editor's choice THE ODW SERIES OF TANKLESS WATER HEATERS has four models ranging from 99,000 to 199,000 Btuh. Utilizing dual S-line heat exchangers, the...
PRODUCTS
editor's choice THE SPECTRUM MOBILE SOFTWARE MODULE enables field supervisors to submit daily field reports to the main office quickly and accurately....
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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This Month's Products
THE ODW SERIES OF TANKLESS WATER HEATERS
has four models ranging from 99,000 to 199,000 Btuh. Utilizing dual S-line heat exchangers, the series offers energy factors above 0.9...
THIS NEW CONTROLLER/MONITOR
is integrated with the company's EnerWorks residential solar water heating appliance. It directs and monitors the appliance, ensuring optimized performance...
THE 4" VICTORIAN 45-JET SHOWERHEAD
features a traditional style, and is available with chrome, brushed nickel, antique copper, distressed nickel and oil rub bronze finishes...
THE AQUAPEX TUBING EXPANSION JOINT KIT
eliminates the added labor and expense of building an expansion joint from scratch to accommodate expansion and contraction in long tubing runs. The kit includes a 2", pre-formed expansion loop...
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