In Brief

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft Specification for Showerheads on Sept. 24, 2009. The draft calls for a flow of no more than 2.0 GPM. On Oct. 21, 2009, EPA will host a teleconference and webinar with stakeholders to discuss the draft Specification for Showerheads. Interested parties are invited to provide comments until Nov. 9, 2009. Please send any comments or suggestions to [email protected]. Additional information is available at: www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/showerheads.htm.

A new residential energy-efficient building code was signed into law by Governor Pat Quinn, Aug. 28, 2009. House Bill 3987 will make energy-efficient green building practices standard for every new home built and substantial rehab in Illinois. The energy-efficient building code will require all new buildings to conform to the current Intl. Energy Conservation Code.

Baker Brothers Plumbing is pleased to announce the launch of its “Cash for Crappers” program. When customers replace their old toilets with new high-efficiency models, not only will Baker Brothers Plumbing give them a $100 discount, the old toilet will be donated to Habitat for Humanity. To schedule a free estimate inspection and take advantage of the $100 discount, homeowners should call 520/792-0080 or visit: www.baker-brothers.com.

U.S. Green Building Council President Rick Fedrizzi has declared that the neighborhood being built by Make It Right New Orleans, the post-Katrina housing initiative launched by actor Brad Pitt, is the “largest and greenest community of single-family homes in the world,” at the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. Make It Right, which was announced as a “commitment” at the 2007 CGI meeting, has already LEED Platinum certified 13 homes and is building at least 150 sustainable, storm-resistant LEED Platinum homes in the Lower 9th Ward.

KSW Inc. announced that a Joint Venture between the company and Five Star Electrical Corp. has received the formal Notice of Award of the contract for the new World Trade Center chiller plant from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The total amount of the contract is $46.19 million. KSW will be responsible for the mechanical portion of the contract, while Five Star will be responsible for the electrical work. The companies will share in the balance of the contract.

Longwood, Fla.-based, Comprehensive Energy Services Inc., CES's newly formed Engineered Systems Group has been awarded the fire alarm replacement contract for the Harry T. and Harriett V. Moore Justice Center replacement project. The project consists of the demolition of existing fire alarm systems and installation of a new Farenhyt integrated voice fire alarm system, including elevator controls, field device replacement, new risers and HVAC shutdown controls.

Haws Corp. announced that it has selected CADdetails to help execute its online product library program. CADdetails is an online library that integrates CAD drawings, CSI-formatted specifications, 3-D models, and product photographs and provides this information to specifiers free of charge on its Web site.