Piping | Plumbing | PVF

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Data centers are moving faster than ever, and prefabrication is helping them keep up.

This new standard will mark a turning point for water supply and sanitary drainage pipe sizing, which together haven’t received a meaningful update since the 1940s.

How material selection, flow dynamics, temperature control and commissioning practices influence microbial and Legionella risk.

While the risk of Legionella exists across many types of buildings, healthcare and long-term care facilities are particularly vulnerable. These buildings often have large, complex plumbing systems with extensive pipe networks, variable water usage, and numerous fixtures, all of which can create conditions conducive to bacterial growth if not properly managed. As a result, even well-designed and well-maintained systems require ongoing attention to minimize risk.

Did you know that plumbing apprenticeships can be dated all the way back to the European medieval period? Back in the 1300s-1500s, Masters of trades would take on young, unskilled workers and teach them their craft in exchange for their indentured servitude, wherein they would work for years without pay while they honed their craft.

Across markets, contractors report that moving labor from unpredictable jobsite conditions into controlled fabrication environments is yielding measurable gains: fewer errors, improved safety metrics, and installation timelines compressed from weeks to days.

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.