February 1, 2010
Feature Article
East Coast Solar
Over the next two months I’m going to recount my experiences with solar energy on both coasts of the U.S., beginning with the biennial Solar Decathlon in Washington. Next month we’ll travel to California for the Solar Power International Show....
Articles
Grainger show highlights building green, economic recovery
ORLANDO, FLA. — Contractors learned about building sustainable, green products and technologies, and economic and business challenges during seminars and networking sessions at Grainger’s 2010 Total MRO Solutions National Customer Show here in January. Contractors also had the opportunity to visit Grainger suppliers during the trade show to learn about programs, services and products available through Grainger. ...
Most popular tools? The survey says …
CHICAGO — Contractors are making more tool purchases at home centers, a CONTRACTOR survey has found. Additionally, contractors are increasingly working in the service, repair and retrofit markets, with the aftermarket accounting for 72% of their work....
Aquarium’s solar demonstration project exceeds expectations
SEATTLE — Approximately two months after its unveiling, a new solar demonstration project, heating water for the Seattle Aquarium café, is exceeding expectations — performance data has shown that the five flat-plate solar collectors, on the south facing wall of Pier 59, have off-set almost double their expected consumption of natural gas....
Data center goes off-grid, is research test bed
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University’s Green Data Center (SUGDC), a 12,000-sq.ft. facility, created by the university and IBM, opened December 2009 and is registered to receive U.S. Green Building Council LEED Silver certification. ...
Columns
The difference between management and project management
Common sense will tell you that there are many degrees of responsibility between micromanaging a two-man crew as a working foreman and macromanaging a 2,000 employee company as a corporate president....
Major advances in heat pump technology — Part 2
In last month’s column, we discussed some rough basic sizing and cost information. It should be noted that drilling costs fluctuate all over the board, and in some cases where the going gets tough, it may cost upwards of three to four times the cost that I projected last month....
Three productivity solutions
Singletouch, www.singletouch.com, is a real-time data capture solution for mechanical and other contractors working on a job that requires materials and workload tracking. ...
BIM: What to watch out for
Last month I discussed in general what Building Information Modeling is and isn't. The term properly applies to the accumulation of all data relevant to the design, construction and operation of a physical plant or facility, so that parties can work out discrepancies and conflicts in a virtual environment (rather than in the field, when work is stopped), and then later use it as a "living history" for maintenance, renovation and other purposes. ...
The customer is always right even when he’s wrong
Scenario No. 1: ABC Plumbing & Heating gets a service call about a commode that keeps on running. The dispatcher assigns the call to “Ramblin’ Rick,” one of his best service plumbers. Rick rolls on the call and arrives at the appointed time to the “Mr. & Mrs. Customer” residence. So far, so good....
Papal permit trumps plumbing code
Hey Gene, I need half a plumbing permit for a double-bowl sink! Gene was Eugene Witmer, the York City plumbing inspector at the time, and we were installing a special plumbing fixture. I wanted to give my friend Gene a bit of a hard time — in a friendly manner — about this fixture. Two drains for two bowls in a single fixture...
News
Contractors must be lead certified
WASHINGTON — Contractors who perform work in housing built before 1978 must be trained and certified to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulation. The rule applies to any contractor who might disturb lead paint to, for example, service behind-the-wall plumbing. Contractors who don’t get trained and certified by the April deadline will be subject to hefty fines....
Contractors fret over credit, people, government
CLEVELAND — Contractors are cautiously optimistic about 2010, although worries about tight credit markets, lack of qualified people and the effects of government are what keep them up at night....
Hansen Mechanical performs boiler upgrade at zoo
BROOKFIELD, ILL. — The Chicago Zoological Park — better known as Brookfield Zoo — has been in business since 1934. The 216-acre campus sponsors numerous research and conservation efforts around the globe, and is home to more than 2,300 animals of more than 450 species. ...
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