Plumbing systems in buildings require careful selection of vertical or horizontal piping distribution. The building type is a key factor in this decision, and relevant codes and standards must be followed.

The author reflects on a recent trip to South America and Antarctica and discusses the topic of identifying back-feed potentials within domestic hot water risers, drawing from an article by Miles Ryan, PE, about typical issues found in high-rise residential buildings.

With the world's focus on sustainability growing, plumbing engineers play a crucial role in adopting eco-friendly solutions. A major trend in commercial pump technology is the drive for efficiency and energy conservation. Find out how manufacturers are addressing environmental concerns and high energy costs.

There was a time when furnaces and boilers shared equal flexibility in Btu/h input/output and air delivery. It's hard to imagine, right? But times are changing. Will you embrace this change for profit, or cling to old ways as sales slip away?

The medical profession confronts dual challenges: ensuring positive outcomes for patients while tackling the prevalence of healthcare-associated infections. Healthcare management is deeply focused on addressing these critical issues.

A reader asked if the process for water heater selection could be used for selecting a faucet. This column provides the process steps for selecting faucets, without discussing the findings in detail, as several resources are available for comparing faucet types.

When a plumbing engineer receives the design of a health care building — our minds gravitate to designing the system to optimize all the different considerations I mentioned above — with the fixture layout the architect has developed. But what if the layout changed? What if the amount of fixtures were reduced? 

Heat pumps are growing in importance due to climate change. Extensive investment in heat pump technology has led to higher heating capacities and smaller equipment sizes.

Have you heard of terms like "circular economy" or "EPR"? They describe regulations aimed at reducing packaging waste and promoting recycling. Let's explore California's draft regulation for implementing the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act.

Sooke School District responded to the influx of young families by swiftly constructing schools for 1,200 students. These LEED v4 Gold-certified buildings seamlessly integrated into the landscape, featuring photovoltaic panels, geothermal HVAC, and district heating for efficiency. Underground piping ensured optimal comfort while minimizing waste.