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On complex healthcare projects, where schedules are tight and teams are balancing multiple design and compliance requirements, drainage will often receive less early attention. However, in patient environments, it’s a critical component that directly affects safety, accessibility, and maintenance.

Staying up to date on consensus standards is essential for system designers, manufacturers, and facilities managers to ensure compliance and minimize liability. Recently, I’ve compiled activities relevant to the plumbing and mechanical industries.

At sea, there’s no backup system for clean water. Every drop must be filtered, pumped and protected — and that’s where plumbers come in. On Mercy Ships’ floating hospitals, skilled volunteers work to maintain these life-sustaining systems, ensuring that the ability to deliver safe, reliable care doesn’t leave when the ship sails away.

The technology itself isn’t new — cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) methods have been around for decades — but the conversation around it is changing fast. With infrastructure spending increasing and municipalities under pressure to minimize disruption, contractors who can confidently sell and explain trenchless rehabilitation are in a position to win more business than ever before.

Many people still hesitate when they hear the phrase “tankless water heater.” The myths run deep: they won’t work in cold climates, they’re too expensive, they can’t keep up with demand. These misconceptions are fueled by early limitations in the technology and years of hearsay passed along between homeowners – and even some tradespeople.

The most efficient grinder pump requires no maintenance, manages solids without clogging, and supports various wastewater systems by preventing settling and handling modern “flushable” products.

Water chemistry significantly affects boilers, with scale buildup as small as one-sixteenth of an inch causing a 20 percent loss in heating efficiency and leading to corrosion, leaks, and potential boiler failure. Analyzing water chemistry beforehand is crucial for identifying necessary solutions and ensuring long-term performance.

In 2016, Natural Resources Canada ("NRCan") released Amendment 18 to the Energy Efficiency Regulations, enhancing energy efficiency and water conservation. It introduces new product categories, updates existing requirements, and allows automatic adoption of future U.S. Department of Energy updates.

Women make up only 2-3% of the plumbing workforce and 8% of plumbing apprentices. In construction trades, they hold 3.9% of roles like plumber or pipefitter, a 32% increase since 2016, totaling over 314,000 tradeswomen, according to the Institute of Women’s Policy Research.

Designing and managing buildings today means thinking beyond individual systems: it’s about creating integrated environments that are equally efficient, adaptable, and sustainable. Connected buildings are reshaping system integration, but what does that mean for engineers, and how can smart design choices today future-proof buildings for tomorrow?