Mechanical Business March/April 2017 by Mechanical Business

MARCH/APRIL 2017 $6.95

PM #41536047

Also in this issue:

Quebec City Hospitals Targeting Energy Reductions

MCEE 2017 SHOW GUIDE

w w w . m e c ha ni c a l bus i nes s . c om

VISIT US @ MCEE- BOOTH #245

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CONTENTS O F

PREDICTING THE

UNPREDICTABLE

44 COOLING FORECAST

Cooling season is just around the corner. And although we may not have a crystal ball to predict the weather, we’ve got everything you’ll need to make sure you’re ready to hit the ground running when the mercury rises. Greg Dalgetty

Quebec City

HOSPITAL NETWORK TARGETS ENERGY REDUCTION

74 COVER FEATURE

When he first came to Toronto, Jerry Howarth figured he’d stay in Canada for a few years before heading back to the States. But more than 35 years later, he’s still the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. Greg Dalgetty

MCEE Returns to Montreal

28 PROJECT PROFILE

Does working on a large-scale energy retrofit at a hospital sound like a challenge? Well, how about retrofitting four hospitals? That’s exactly what Olivier Matte and the team at Ecosystem did in Quebec City. Denise Deveau

58 MCEE SHOW GUIDE

MCEE, the largest mechanical trade show in Canada this year, returns to Montreal this month. Turn to page 58 for a show floor map, complete exhibitor listing and seminar previews. And be sure to visit us at booth 134!

On the cover: Radio play-by-play announcer Jerry Howarth started calling Blue Jays games in 1981, and he’s been in the broadcast booth ever since. We caught up with him to learn about his amazing career—and his surprising connection to the mechanical trades. Photo: Courtesy of Sportsnet 590 The FAN

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of The next level in sensorless pumping. The Wilo Stratos GIGA

The highly efficient ECM motor technology on the the Wilo Wilo Stratos Stratos GIGA GIGAensures ensuresenergy energysavings savingsof ofup uptoto70%*. 70%*.It’s It’seasy easyto toset setup upwith witha a simple push and turn of our Wilo red button. Better yet, its buildingautomation automationsystems systemsisismore moreconvenient convenientthan thanever! ever! it’sintegration integrationinto in building It’s simplytothe Welcome thenext nextlevel levelininsensorless sensorlesspumping. pumping. *compared to an uncontrolled pump.

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F E A T U R E S 26 DEHUMIDIFICATION Drying for Comfort Allen Haybarger

52 ROAD WARRIOR: Howard Cohen Greg Dalgetty

54 SNOWMELT

Melting Montreal Greg Dalgetty

90 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Integrating Materials Handling into Your Systems David Pelletier

102 CUSTOMER SERVICE Four Key Values Tye Leishman

106 REFRIGERATION

Natural Selection Andre Patenaude

114 HYDRONICS

Detecting and Handling Elusive Leaks Eric Riml

120 PLUMBING

Lead in Drinking Water Jason Boyd

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CONTENTS O F

86PLUMBING

There’s been a huge trend toward water conservation in recent years, and low-flow toilets and faucets have led to substantial water savings. But how big a role have low-flow showerheads played? Bill Gauley and John Koeller

SHOWERHEADS How Low Can You Flow?

Efficiency, Comfort & Savings 110COMMERCIAL HVAC

Forty may be the new 30, but not when it comes to HVAC systems. When the heating and cooling equipment at HSBC Tower in Prince George hit the big 4-0, a complete system retrofit presented a world of energy-saving possibilities. Dino Giarrusso

125 SALES

Engaging Technicians to Promote Growth Jim Baston

126 SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

Thermal Imaging: The Sixth Sense Adam Freill

133 HVAC

Targeting Savings through Part-Load Efficiency Eric Walthall and Ben Majerus

EXPLORING THE INTERNET OF THINGS 70TECHNOLOGY

The Internet of Things has permeated homes and businesses and only shows signs of growing. There are currently more than 6.4 billion devices connected to the internet, and there will be more than 20 billion by the year 2020. How will this impact the future of HVAC? Rick Ellul

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CONTENTS O F

M B S P E C I A L I S T S 22 HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC Label Checking: Changes Come to Flexible Duct Gord Cooke Now that there are new minimum requirements for flexible ductwork in Canada, why not take the opportunity to brush up on your ductwork know-how?

34 PLUMBING Tales of the Code: 1976 Fred Bretzke In the first part of an ongoing series, Fred looks back at his early adventures with the NPC in 1976.

40 MARKETING Using Data to Drive Your Marketing Doug MacMillan There’s an unending supply of metrics and analytics available to any marketer today. But what kind of data really matters, and how do you make use of it?

78 ASK ROGER Business Plans Can Be Simple, If You Know What Your Focus Is Roger Grochmal Knowing where you want to go—and why—is the first step to building a successful business plan. Here are some helpful tips to get yours off the ground.

82 REFRIGERATION Vacuum Cooling: An Indirect Approach Phil Boudreau Vacuum cooling is a precooling method that relies on the latent heat capacity of water to rapidly remove heat from the surface and pores of a product.

HYDRONICS Manifolds: Taming the Tangle Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr If you think manifolds are just for hydronic and radiant applications, think again. These handy devices can be used in a variety of mechanical systems.

130 HYDRONIC HISTORY Drills and Thrills: Tools of the Trade Dan Holohan Who doesn’t like to talk about tools? Let’s take a walk down memory lane to check out some of the tools that you won’t find at your local hardware store anymore.

D E P A R T M E N T S 8From the Editor’s Desk 10News 20Profile: Phil Boudreau 84Tool Tip 116Find the Fix 138The Info Page 140Calendar 142By the Numbers 6

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P R O D U C T S 38,94,124Plumbing 50,109,129HVAC/R 100,101,132Hydronics 118Stuff You Need

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M18™ REDLITHIUM™ HIGH DEMAND™ 9.0 BATTERY PACK (48-11-1890)

THE POWER TO

CUT

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CROSS CUTS IN 2x4

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M18 FUEL™ 7-1/4" Circular Saw Kit (2731-20)

M18 FUEL™ SAWZALL® Recip Saw (2720-20)

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537+ 215+

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M18 FUEL™ 1-9/16" SDS Max Rotary Hammer Kit (2717-20)

M18 FUEL™ SUPER HAWG™ Right Angle Drill Kit w/ QUIK-LOK™ (2711-20)

milwaukeetool.ca

UP TO

FROM Content Media Group Inc. 19 – 1525 Cornwall Road Oakville, ON L6J 0B2 Canada Tel: 905.465.2919 Fax: 905.465.2913 www.mechanicalbusiness.com March/April 2017 Issue Published 6 times per year. Editor: Adam Freill, ext. 224 adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com Associate Editor/Web Editor: Greg Dalgetty, ext. 225 greg.dalgetty@mechanicalbusiness.com National Accounts Manager: Jeff Superle, ext. 221 jeff.superle@mechanicalbusiness.com Controller: Liz Mills liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Office Manager: Caroline Bexfield, ext. 227 caroline.bexfield@mechanicalbusiness.com Art Direction: JJM Graphic Ltd. davem@jjmgraphic.com Circulation Manager: Shila Naik (905) 272-4175 shila.naik@mechanicalbusiness.com Publisher: Bruce Meacock, ext. 222 bruce.meacock@mechanicalbusiness.com PM:41536047 ISSN 1916-0674 MB (Print) ISSN 1906-0682 MB (Online) We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada.

THE

EDITOR’S

DESK

Getting More Efficient About Being Efficient I have to admit that I’m a bit of a trade show junkie. I love to learn about new technologies and products, and a good trade show is a bit like hitting the candy aisle at the local bulk food store. The volume and choice of what to dig into can be overwhelming – delicious, but overwhelming. As such, my aim becomes to collect enough morsels to sustain me for a little while, while making me want to come back again, soon.

See You in Montreal There will be lots to see at this year’s MCEE, April 26 and 27 at Place Bonaventure in Montreal. If you spot any of our team checking out the new technologies on display, please point out the ones you feel are game changers. And pop by booth 134 to say hello and renew your subscription. See you there! mcee.ca

As I emerged from the overwhelming amount of information that was presented to me during the recent AHR Expo in Las Vegas, there were a number of products and discussions that continued to roll around in my head. Some of the most interesting discussions I had on the show floor were about equipment and system efficiencies, and how new theories are being used to get better overall performance in the ongoing pursuit of energy conservation. For example, the convention of examining the efficiency of individual pieces of equipment, and sometimes just the efficiency at peak load or top speed, is starting to give way to more holistic assessments to consider how entire systems or buildings perform, and that makes a lot of sense. If a piece of equipment is designed to stay on and run at top speed without ever stopping, then finding efficiencies at full speed is rather practical and will help the overall performance of the building, but this does not describe most of the motors, fans, pumps and other components in our systems.

Submissions: Copyright in material submitted to the magazine and accepted for publication remains with the author, but Mechanical Business and its licensees may freely reproduce it in print, electronic or other forms. Mechanical Business also reserves the right to edit said submitted materials to suit the editorial needs and mandate of the publication. Notice: Mechanical Business is published for owners, managers and decision makers with mechanical contracting firms and the sector’s supply chain partners in Canada. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information, Mechanical Business, Content Media Group Inc., its staff, directors, officers and shareholders (‘The Publisher’) assume no liability, obligation or responsibility for advertised claims, for errors and/or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Manufacturers’ instructions take precedence over published editorial. The publisher reserves the right to publish a printed correction in a subsequent issue for editorial errors, omissions and oversights. Subscriptions are available for $90 plus taxes in Canada and the U.S. Single copies are $15.00. Outside Canada and the U.S., the rates are $150.00 (annual) and $25.00 (single copy).

Aside from the occasional spike, most equipment operates under part load, most of the time. As such, we’ve gone to using variable frequency drives, ECM motors and other modulating equipment. Of course, as each variable-speed component meets another in a full system, the complexity of finding a sweet spot for overall system performance rises. Sometimes operating one component at a lower efficiency point will allow another component to operate at a higher efficiency. If the balance of all the moving parts is less energy use, then the complex puzzle is doing the right thing. It’s a complicated topic, but an interesting one, and one that I’m sure we will be talking about for some time to come.

From time to time, Content Media Group Inc. makes subscribers’ names available to reputable companies whose products or services may be of interest to readers. If you would like your name excluded from these mailings, please notify the publisher.

In the meantime, I invite you to check out this latest issue of ours, and I look forward to seeing you on the show floor.

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Printed with bio-renewable vegetable-based inks with less than 3% V.O.C.

THERMOSETTER™ recirculation balancing valve Legionella growth protection bypass option for system with thermal disinfection

The THERMOSETTER™ adjustable thermal balancing valve is used for automatic balancing of recirculation loops in domestic hot water systems, to speed hot water delivery, reduce water waste and save pumping energy. The internal thermostatic balancing cartridge automatically modulates flow to ensure a constant temperature in the recirculation piping system. The THERMOSETTER™ is adjustable from 95°F to 140°F with a locking adjustment knob. An integral dry well holds a slide-in temperature gauge for local indication, or a sensor for remote temperature sensing. An optional check valve protects against circuit thermo-syphoning.

Controlling and protecting your water

www.caleffi.com - Milwaukee, WI USA

04.17

News

www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Ontario Environment Minister Talks Geo Local and international leaders in the geothermal industry shared their knowledge at the 7th annual Ontario Geothermal Association (OGA) Conference, held from February 21 to 22 in Mississauga, Ont. Pictured here, Glen Murray, Ontario’s minister of the environment and climate change, expressed hope that geothermal technology could soon become more affordable to homeowners. He noted that the creation of a geothermal utility, much like the gas utilities that currently exist in the province, would mean homeowners wouldn’t have to bear the cost of installing geothermal loops. Enbridge Gas expressed an interest in testing the waters for such a concept. Malini Giridhar, Enbridge’s vice-president of market development and public government affairs, said the company was looking to invest in geothermal loops in new construction projects. ontariogeothermal.ca

ACO Wins Innovation Award ACO won a Toronto Construction Association (TCA) Innovation Award for its hygienic drainage systems in February. Designed for use in applications such as food processing, commercial kitchens, healthcare and laboratory settings, the drainage systems are engineered to meet exacting hygienic requirements. TCA’s Innovation Award is handed out annually to a member company that has demonstrated inventive and cost-effective new approaches to addressing challenges in the construction industry. acocan.ca tcaconnect.com

CIPH Launches Women’s Network More than 50 women attended the inaugural CIPH Women’s Network event, held on March 1 in Mississauga, Ont. Guest speaker Claire Carver-Dias (pictured here) shared her expert insight on how women can create opportunities to advance their careers. The award-winning author and Olympic medalist in synchronized swimming launched Clearday, her communications and management consultancy firm, in 2003. The next CIPH Women’s Network event will take place at the MCEE Show in Montreal on April 26 (see page 62 for details). ciph.com

Follow Us on Twitter! It’s MB’s Twitter Roundup Caught the Twitter bug? We’ve got you covered with tweets about everything that matters to the mechanical trades in Canada. Follow us @mechbusiness.

CIPH News

ESA

Enbridge Gas

Riobel Inc

@CIPHnews

@homeandsafety

@enbridgegasnews

@Riobel_Inc

Come to Canada’s largest #tradeshow @ MCEE2017 on April 26 & 27 in #Montreal! Register before April 25 & get in free!

47% from yesterday’s poll selected basements as their next #reno. Visit poweryourreno.ca for our great design planning tips.

We’re excited to announce that we’ll be working on new approaches to deploying geothermal energy with the Ontario Geothermal Association!

Congratulations to our athlete Mikaël Kingsbury for his gold medal at Val SaintCôme last weekend! #proud #fresstyleskiing #mikaelkingsbury.

February 21, 2017

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February 22, 2017

January 24, 2017

Look for this link on our website!

Worst Washrooms

Raven Supply Supports Reading Raven Supply has donated $20,000 to Room to Read, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy and gender equality in the developing world. Based in Surrey, B.C., Raven has partnered with Room to Read since 2013, raising more than $124,000 for the group. The company’s most recent contribution, made possible by its fundraising efforts in 2016, will grant 50 girls in Cambodia a one-year scholarship, ensuring they are able to attend school and have access to the learning materials they need. ravensupply.ca

roomtoread.org

What’s the Worst Washroom You’ve Ever Seen? Have you ever been in a washroom so horrible that it defied description? Well, no need to describe it—just send us a picture!

AHR Expo Breaks Records The 2017 AHR Expo, held in Las Vegas from Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, broke the event’s overall attendance record and also featured more Canadian visitors than ever before, setting another high-water mark. This year’s show was attended by 68,615 people—an all-time high, and an 11.2 per cent increase over the previous record set at the 2015 AHR Expo in Chicago. A record-breaking 4,768 Canadians attended the show, of whom 3,543 were visitors—a 33 per cent increase over the previous record set in Las Vegas in 2011. The show also featured 147 Canadian exhibitors, and 1,225 exhibitor personnel from Canada. The next AHR Expo takes place in Chicago, Ill., from Jan. 22 to 24, 2018. ahrexpo.com

RSES Heads to Ottawa The Canadian Capital Chapter of RSES Canada is hosting this year’s annual general meeting and conference. Scheduled for May 5 and 6, the event will be held at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Speakers will include Dave Digel of Digel Air, Bitzer’s Phil Boudreau, HVAC technical instructor Brynn Cooksey and Jamie Kitchen of Danfoss. For more information, or to register, visit the association’s website.

This photo of a toilet crammed into some tight quarters at a gas station in Lindsay, Ont., was submitted by Bob Pryor of Bardon Supplies, along with the tagline “When you just have to have a corner toilet!” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Bob! Mechanical Business is collecting photos of some of the worst washrooms from around the world. So next time you run into an unsightly bathroom while you’re on vacation, on the jobsite or out on the town, grab your smartphone and take a picture. Your snapshot could end up in the pages of Mechanical Business! (Just be careful not to drop your camera on the washroom floor…) To submit your photo, visit mechanicalbusiness.com and simply follow the WORST WASHROOMS link on the homepage. While you’re there, tell us a bit about the washroom. Think you can top this? Then visit our website and submit your photo today! mechanicalbusiness.com

rsescanada.com M e c h a n i c a l

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News

www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Drain Inspection Cameras Now Come with Wi-Fi Option General Pipe Cleaners’ Gen-Eye POD video inspection systems are now available with optional Wi-Fi transmitters. The Wi-Fi option allows contractors to send inspection videos to customers’ smartphones and tablets, or upload them to YouTube without having to leave the jobsite.

Ranger Assists Palliative Care Program Ranger Design has donated $100,000 to the Montreal Neurological Institute to help launch the facility’s Neuro-Palliative Care Program. Ranger, a Montrealbased manufacturer of specialized van shelving, racking and partitions for commercial vehicles, had asked its employees to recommend worthy causes for a charitable donation. “The top choice was the Montreal Neurological Institute,” said Ron Cowie, Ranger’s managing director. The hospital’s new program is designed to deliver legal consultations, social services and pain management to patients diagnosed with terminal neurological diseases.

drainbrain.com

rangerdesign.com

new

THE JOY OF SHOWERING MADE EASIER GROHE PREssuRE BalanCE ValVEs

M e c h a n i c a l

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GrohSafe PBV With Service Stops ½" Male NPT Threads/Sweat Installation 35015001

GrohSafe PBV With Service Stops ½" PEX Expansion 35064001

GrohSafe PBV Without Service Stops ½" Sweat Connection 35066001

GrohSafe PBV With Service Stops ½" PEX Crimp/Clamp 35065001

Introducing more installation options. GROHE has expanded its range of Pressure Balance Valves to include options for installation with PEX pipes and a second option without service stops for traditional copper pipe sweat installations. Features include a solid brass body, support brackets and diaphragm technology to prevent cross flow. The spacing between the service stops is now wider to make installation easier. End-users will appreciate the GROHE Core Blue cartridge which provides a generous 265º range of motion for more precise temperature control. grohe.ca

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APP ALERT 3D Virtual Modelling

Kilmer Nabs Rep of the Year Kilmer Environmental of Mississauga, Ont., was named Seresco Technologies’ 2016 Canadian Rep of the Year at the AHR Expo. Representing Central and Western Ontario, Kilmer Environmental has specialized in humidity control equipment for 30 years. The company exceeded $1 million in sales of Seresco’s commercial and residential indoor pool dehumidification equipment in 2016. Pictured from left to right: Glenn Kilmer and Ed Carney of Kilmer Environmental with Seresco’s Mark Palitza. kilmerenv.com serescodehumidifiers.com

Riobel’s website has introduced a 3D virtual modelling feature that allows plumbers to preview how faucets will look in their clients’ homes. It offers 360-degree views of faucets, and allows users to superimpose faucets on uploaded photos of kitchens and bathrooms using desktop or mobile devices. riobel.ca

Daikin eQuip Daikin’s eQuip app allows users to search for and download product manuals, technical documents, marketing flyers and brochures. It also includes pricing and parts availability along with a local dealer listing. The app is available for free for Android and iOS devices. daikin.com

Saniflo’s plumbing solutions let you make more money. Become a Preferred Saniflo Installer through our free training program! Saniflo’s plumbing solutions are ideal for all residential and commercial applications and our Certified Training Program will give you the expertise to better serve all of your customers. Once it is completed, you will be showcased on our website as a Preferred Installer, giving you access to more customers! Visit saniflo.ca/certifiedinstaller for information.

A PUMP COMPANY SINCE 1958

M e c h a n i c a l

1.28 GPF

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Movers & Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com

MCAC Gets New Digs Axiom Moves to New Location

MCAC has moved to a new location, but the association hasn’t moved far—just up one floor. You can now find them at 701–280 Albert St, Ottawa, Ont., K1P 5G8. Their phone number, 613-232-0492, remains the same.

Axiom Industries Ltd., a manufacturer of specialty products for hydronic systems, has moved its office and production warehouse to a new location. The new facility, located at 3603 Burron Avenue in Saskatoon, Sask., features 21,000 square feet of production and warehouse space, and an additional 6,000 square feet for offices and a research lab.

mcac.ca

Bacharach Debuts New Look

axiomind.com

Bacharach has unveiled an updated company logo and website. The revamped website features improved navigation and high-quality product images, as well as product manuals, brochures, instructional videos and data sheets. The company has also developed a new style guide for its authorized channel partners, available on the website. mybacharach.com

Smith Energy Repping SPX Smith Energy Inc. (SEI) is now representing SPX Cooling Towers in the province of Ontario. SPX is a global manufacturer of cooling towers, evaporative fluid coolers, evaporative condensers and air cooled heat exchangers. smithenergy.com spxcooling.com

UFFIZI

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Come visit us in booth #927 and introduce yourself to Fortis today. for t isfaucet .com

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OEP Acquires Anvil One Equity Partners (OEP), a New York-based middle market investment firm, has acquired Anvil International, a manufacturer of pipe fittings, pipe hangers and piping supports systems. “We believe One Equity Partners will help take Anvil through the next phase of growth and build upon our comprehensive strengths,” said Patrick Donovan, president and CEO of Anvil International. anvilintl.com

B&B Trade Joins Johnstone Supply Ontario-based wholesaler B&B Trade Distribution Centre has become the first Canadian member of the Johnstone Supply cooperative. The largest cooperative wholesale distributor in the U.S., Johnstone Supply currently has more than 400 locations around the world. The cooperative is based on each store owner owning and operating their individual business, but sharing resources, operational benefits and group buying power.

MiTek Purchases Wrightsoft MiTek Industries has acquired Wrightsoft Corporation, a provider of software for residential and commercial energy code compliance and HVAC system design. The deal will bolster MiTek’s current offering of software aimed at the residential, commercial and industrial construction sectors. mitek-us.com

Fluke Buys eMaint Fluke has acquired eMaint, a provider of computerized maintenance management software (CMMS) used in the food processing, healthcare and manufacturing industries, among others. fluke.com emaint.com

bbtrade.ca

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Sioux Chief Manufacturing has appointed HOWARD HUSS the company’s new director of sales for Canada. Huss will oversee all sales and marketing functions and personnel for Canada. He brings more than 20 years of senior management experience in the plumbing and radiant heating industries to the role.

FRANÇOIS DESCHENES has been appointed president and CEO of Groupe Deschenes. He succeeds his brother Martin as president and CEO. François began working at the company in 2000 as a representative in the Canaplus Limited Partnership buying group, which became AD Canada P&H in 2016. He held a variety of marketing and managerial roles at the company before being appointed vice-president of operations for the Quebec region in 2016. Martin will now serve as vice-chairman of the board and will become chairman of the board of AD Canada P&H buying group, a position previously held by François.

TOM GERVAIS (1) has been promoted to director of specification and product development at Bradford White Canada and will work with engineers and spec writers across the country. Gervais has been with Laars since 1993. Also at Bradford White, DAN MILROY (2) has been promoted to director of sales and marketing, responsible for the sales management of all Bradford White, Laars and Niles products throughout Canada. He started at the company in 2009 as a regional manager before being promoted to Canadian sales manager in 2012. RITA FRANCO (3) has been promoted to customer service manager at Bradford White. She started at the company in 2014 as a customer service representative before becoming the customer service team leader. WENDY MYRIE (4) has been hired as Bradford White’s new human resources manager. She is a seasoned HR professional, with leadership experience in the retail and manufacturing sectors.

Wolseley Canada has appointed KIRK LARSON to the position of vice-president of human resources. In this role, he will provide strategic HR support to the Canadian leadership and HR teams. He will also serve as a member of the company’s executive team. Bringing more than 30 years of management experience, Larson will work out of Wolseley Canada’s head office in Burlington, Ont.

ANDY ARMSTRONG has been named vice-president of sales and marketing for Fujitsu General. In this role he’ll be responsible for leading the sales and marketing efforts of Fujitsu General’s heating and cooling business throughout North America. He has 30 years of experience in the HVAC industry.

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SANDRA BARNAUD is the new marketing manager for Saniflo Canada. Barnaud first started working at SFA Saniflo in Paris, France, as a project manager in 2011. She was promoted to marketing coordinator in 2015. She has now relocated to Guelph, Ont., to work out of the Saniflo Canada office. In her new role she’ll be managing the marketing initiatives for Saniflo Canada nationwide.

PAT HAYES has joined Aqua-Tech Sales and Marketing and Somers Environmental Products as a sales representative. Bringing more than 30 years of experience in HVAC and hydronics to the role, he’ll be working out of the Somers Environmental Products office in London, Ont., and reporting to Daryl Somers.

ALEX LeBLANC has joined Yorkland Controls as a technical sales specialist. With close to 40 years of experience in the HVAC trade, he will be responsible for developing the market and supporting Yorkland’s contractor customers.

Hired someone lately? Let the mechanical world know through the pages of Mechanical Business. To have your company’s personnel announcements included, free of charge, in an upcoming edition of Mechanical Business, simply send a note and a few details, to greg.dalgetty@mechanicalbusiness.com.

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04.17

People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com

STEPHANIE STEINER has joined Dahl Brothers Canada as the company’s new regional sales director. In this role, she will be responsible for the company’s wholesale and national retail accounts. Steiner has more than 17 years of experience at the national level in sales, marketing and purchasing. TED KANTROWITZ has been named president and CEO of the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition. He first joined the coalition in 2006, serving as vice-president. He also serves as the vice-president of strategic development for Montreal-based Globerpro International.

MCAC has announced that NADINE FULLARTON (1) has been named new executive director of the 3 Moncton Northeast Construction Association, with administrative responsibilities for MCA New Brunswick. Also at MCAC, RAMONA COEY (2) has been appointed executive director of MCA Manitoba, and BRANDON PAGEAU (3) is the executive director of MCA Ontario.

Carrier Enterprise Canada has appointed LOUISPHILIPPE BLOUIN as the Regional Leader for Quebec and Atlantic Canada. Blouin will be responsible for the development and execution of sales strategies, policies and programs for commercial, residential and wholesale parts and supplies in the region.

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In an otherwise stagnant field, only one brand of furnace is bringing innovation to the HVAC world. Napoleon’s Ultimate 9700 Series looks different because it is different. The revolutionary Vortex turbulator increases heating efficiency, the ultra violet light purifies air and the SureView burner window shows the flames in operation as the furnace runs whisper quiet. Don’t get boxed in by outdated thinking. ™

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04.17

Profile Phil Boudreau: Life-long Learner Ask Mechanical Business refrigeration columnist Phil Boudreau what he does for enjoyment, and he’ll tell you it’s all about finding out new things, and sharing knowledge with others – oh, and cooking, sometimes even with a cold beer or a nice glass of wine in hand. The magazine’s guru of refrigeration, Phil conducts numerous training courses for his company, Bitzer Canada, as well as for industry organizations like RSES Canada.

“In order to continually present seminars and write articles, I need to keep myself current, and things are always changing in the industry, so there is always something new for me to learn.” Catch Phil at the RSES Canada conference, May 5th and 6th at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ont., or in the pages of Mechanical Business.

“For me, doing presentations and writing educational articles is a way of building my knowledge and connecting with more people,” he says.

Q A Q A

How did you get started in the refrigeration trade?

My uncle worked at an HVAC/R wholesaler and had the company hire me to pick orders, stock shelves, and do deliveries and pickups. What are some of the trends happening in the refrigeration sector? T he allowable GWP of refrigerants is constantly being pushed downward, driving the need for solutions that employ natural refrigerants, hydrocarbons or synthetic refrigerants with lower GWPs, such as hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). There is also a growing demand for higher efficiencies, higher power factors, more flexible capacity control and turndown ratios, reduced refrigerant charges, and compressor self-monitoring. Name: Phil J. Boudreau

BIO

Title: Ontario Sales, Training and Technical Support, Bitzer Canada Inc. Age: 49 Born in: Toronto Currently resides in: Erin, Ont. Joined the industry: 1986 Family: Wife Linda, twin daughters Kelly and Lisa, a bichon frise dog named Sadie and a tortoiseshell cat named Lily.

Q A

What do you enjoy most about the industry?

I enjoy working with technicians at jobsites and assisting them with their start-ups, diagnosing system problems and challenging applications. I also enjoy working with engineers and system designers, who bring interesting challenges to me to help them overcome.

Q A

What is the most important piece of advice you try to pass on to others in the industry?

FAST FACTS

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and take the time to do your research before setting out to design, construct or service a system.

1. An iOS and Windows software programmer, Phil also recently completed the Electronics Technician and PLC-1 Technician programs at George Brown College. 2. He enjoys getting out on his motorcycle for a ride from time to time. “This is something that I need to do more often,” he says. 3. Phil has both a six-string and a 12-string guitar.

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC

B y Go r d C o o ke

Label checking

Gord Cooke is a professional engineer who has spent 20 years helping builders and HVAC contractors implement innovative technologies into highperformance homes. He has particular expertise in IAQ and airflow management in houses, and can be contacted at gcooke@ airsolutions.ca.

CHANGES COME TO FLEXIBLE DUCT

PROPER

INSTALLATION Upon removing flexible duct from its box or bag, it’s advisable to fully extend the duct and let the insulation layer “recover” to its full thickness before measuring or cutting any runs. A good firm pull on the duct from both ends not only ensures more efficient use of materials but much better airflow performance. The ADC installation guide notes that a duct length compressed by just 15 per cent (not fully extended) doubles the friction loss, and a 30 per cent compression could result in four times the friction loss. Imagine a 25’ length of duct that was used where an 18’ piece would have been just enough. That increases friction loss by about four times and costs you more. Don’t allow your technicians to waste flex and compromise performance by not pulling the flexible duct tight and supporting it properly.

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ast fall, ULc—the Underwriters Laboratory Canada— notified all insulated flex duct manufacturers that an “industry file review” would be conducted on all “poly jacket” insulated flexible duct products sold in Canada.

This is not to say there was a change in the applicable standard, CAN/ULC S110 Standard Methods of Test for Air Ducts, but rather that all products would simply need to be re-evaluated within the standards requirement. It was widely recognized by all manufacturers that the probability of any polyethylene black jacket product passing this recertification would be slim to nil. The deadline to meet this certification was September, 2016, and as a result you may well have noticed that even the least expensive flexible duct now has a metallized vapour barrier outer layer. In theory, this same ruling should apply even to insulating sleeve products that are used to slip over sheet metal ducts. However, it has been my experience in the field that insulation sleeves often have no rating labels at all. Contractors should be aware that any plastic material in a plenum space needs to meet the CAN/ULC-S102.2 Standard Method of Test for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials and Assemblies requirements for no more than a 25 flame spread and 50 smoke developed rating, so look for a label on the insulated sleeves you use. And as you transition to insulated duct products, sleeves and insulated flex with metallized outer vapour barrier layers, why not also re-evaluate other important considerations for choosing insulated flexible duct?

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC

GAUGING PERFORMANCE One of the concerns with flexible duct is the added friction loss. The Air Duct Council (ADC) standard tests friction loss using a 12” diameter duct with a velocity of airflow of 1,000 feet per minute (FPM). This would equate to an airflow of approximately 785 cfm. The ADC performance recommendation is a friction loss of less than 0.3 inches of water column (WC) per 100 feet of duct. Compare this to the typical 0.13” WC friction loss attributed to sheet metal duct at the same diameter and velocity. I looked at the performance specifications, rated by an ADC recognized laboratory, of one leading manufacturer’s product. The friction loss of their laminated polyester inner core product (generally considered to be the least expensive product) was 0.27” WC at that same 1,000 FPM. Of interest, this manufacturer sells an insulated duct that has a coated fibreglass woven cloth inner core. This “smoother” product had a friction loss of just 0.20” WC. So flexible duct does inevitably have higher friction loss, but the impact can be mitigated by selecting better quality flexible duct that has a smoother inner core.

value

INSULATION

Flexible duct does have higher friction loss.

One final criteria when selecting insulated flexible duct or insulation sleeves is, of course, the insulation value of the product. Be mindful of the latest code requirements for increased insulation requirements for ducts longer than three metres (10 feet) carrying cold air into a heated space. Codes, such as the Ontario Building Code, now have a minimum R-value that is based on the design day temperature for the geographic region of the installation. The minimum requirement is an RSI value of 0.5. This equates to an R-value of 2.84. In as much as the typical insulated flexible duct sold has an R4.2, this minimum is easily accommodated. However, ducts over 10’ in length, even in southern Ontario where the outdoor design temperature is below -18 C, must have an R-value no less 5.11. As you go further north to Ottawa or Sudbury, the insulation requirement would be R8, or more. Contractors and their suppliers need to check their local code requirements before purchasing and installing insulated duct or sleeves for fresh air intake ducts.

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LOOK FOR THE

LABELS The Air Duct Council (the organization that represents manufacturers of flexible air ducts) has a very useful, easy to read document called Flexible Duct Performance & Installation Standards on its website (airductcouncil.org). The tips they provide match my experiences with optimizing the performance of insulated flexible duct. The first thing to look for is the ULc label on the duct sleeve showing it is an approved product. You will note this label is either in a circled or square border. Circled borders denote that the duct is approved as a connector that can only be used in lengths no more than four metres (13 feet). ULc uses labels in square borders for air ducts. Therefore your first choice should reflect how long the length of flex you are going to use will be; longer than four meters and you need to choose a product qualified as an air duct. Next, look for an Air Duct Council label (ADC). This would indicate whether the product is in compliance with the standard noted above. Within this standard, product is tested under 16 different categories, including friction loss, acoustic performance, thermal loss, air leakage, vapour permeance, and various physical tests to indicate durability and workability.

The ADC has a specific “Seal of Certification” label that is reserved for products that have undertaken thirdparty verification by an ADC-recognized testing laboratory.

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HVAC

Allen Haybarger is the president of Canadian General Filters. He can be reached at ahaybarger@cgfproducts.com.

By Al l e n H a y b a r g e r

drying FOR COMFORT W

ith summer months not far off, and the steamy summer climate most Canadians will experience, it’s not too early to think about dehumidification. The annual pre-season maintenance check of your customer’s air conditioning unit is actually an ideal time to discuss reducing relative humidity (RH) in their homes – and no, the air conditioner is not the ideal humidity-reducing solution. Warmer summer air is able to hold more moisture, indicated by dew point. High summer temperatures combined with a higher dew point reduce the atmosphere’s ability to evaporate perspiration from the skin (necessary for cooling the body). This correlates to a higher level of discomfort for your clients. Clothes and bedding will feel moist and sticky. Allergy and asthma triggers may intensify. Mould and mildew growth will be accelerated. And increased moisture attracts moisture-loving spiders, ants and other pests. Although a home’s air conditioning system removes moisture while reducing the temperature, the system stops when the

DEW POINT Dew point is the atmospheric temperature below which water droplets begin to condense. It varies according to pressure and humidity. The relative humidity is the amount of water vapour present in the air, expressed as a ratio compared to saturation at the same temperature.

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THE COMFORT COMBINATION From a human comfort perspective, the worst combination of humidity and dew point is a dew point above 18°C combined with a high RH of 70 per cent or more. The most comfortable combination is reported to be a dew point of around 15 and an RH of between 50 to 70 per cent.

desired temperature is met. Humidity often remains high in the cooled space, and your client’s discomfort stays relatively unchanged. Only a system dedicated to moisture removal, like a whole-house dehumidifier, can solve humidity problems. In addition to offering increased comfort, the use of a whole-house dehumidifier can also help reduce your client’s monthly energy bills. By reducing the moisture in the air in their home, they will feel cooler at a higher temperature, reducing the amount of run time for their air conditioning system. Any region experiencing a summer dew point average above 12.8°C (55°F) could benefit from a whole-house dehumidification system; essentially all areas of Canada. For example, over the course of a year the dew point in Toronto typically varies from -11°C to 20°C, but will reach as high as 23°C from time to time. Summertime in Montreal can easily see dew points of 18°C, and occasional spikes to 22°C. Even drier parts of the country like Edmonton can see the dew point reach 14°C and higher.

FINDING THE RIGHT RH For ideal health and comfort, ASHRAE recommends an indoor relative humidity range of 40 to 60 per cent. Outside that range (above or below), conditions can be adversely affected. Leading literature on allergens recommends keeping RH to less than 51 per cent to deter dust mites, since they can thrive at temperatures between 59 to 95°F with an RH between 55 and 85 per cent.

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PROJECT PROFILE

Quebec City By Denise Deveau

HOSPITAL NETWORK TARGETS ENERGY REDUCTION

ot every mechanical engineer has the chance to work on a large-scale energy retrofit project, but when the chance does come around it’s a technically interesting – and complex – challenge. “Deep energy retrofits demand much more involvement in terms of analysis and assessment of energy movement within buildings,” says Olivier Matte, coordinator, Training and Awareness, for Ecosystem Energy. Matte’s company is the design-build firm responsible for a major ongoing energy retrofit project for the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec – Université Laval (CHU), the city’s main health institution. The project involves four major hospitals within the healthcare network: Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus (HEJ); Hôpital Saint-Sacrement (HSS); Centre hospitalier universitaire de Laval (CHUL); and Hôpital Saint-François d’Assise (HSFA). Three of the sites were completed in 2014 and the fourth is nearing completion.

This self-financed project enables us to implement whole-building upgrades we couldn’t normally afford with our limited asset renewal budget.

Among the many highlighted features of the energy savings plan are the conversion of the heating systems from steam to hot water, heat recovery and geothermal heating systems, and a solar wall for fresh air pre-heating at the CHUL site.

– PATRICK OUELLET, ENG. MBA, AUXILIARY TECHNICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, REAL ESTATE REALIZATION, CHU DE QUÉBEC - UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL

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We changed them out for slightly bigger radiators specifically made to work with hot water. OLIVIER MATTE, COORDINATOR, TRAINING AND AWARENESS, ECOSYSTEM ENERGY

CONVERTING STEAM TO HOT WATER “Where ventilation was heated directly with steam coils, we had to replace them with hot water coils. In other areas radiators needed to be replaced”

According to Matte, the conversion from steam to hot water was the most important element in the project. “Without that, optimal heat recovery and the geothermal systems would be impossible,” he says. The heating systems on all three completed sites were optimized to completely remove the steam requirements. The team reused existing piping from the original steam network where possible, and installed additional piping to create new hot water heating networks, Matte explains.

Investment for all four sites:

$46,000,000

Financial incentives received (first three sites):

$17,100,000

At CHUL and HSFA, some 1,300 aging steam radiators over multiple floors and various departments were replaced by new hot-water radiators. In many cases units were located in patient rooms, which meant careful planning and coordination with the healthcare staff to minimize patients’ disturbance.

Measured annual savings in 2015 (3 sites):

$2,738,000

Reduction in energy consumption (3 completed sites):

30%

“The older radiators were sized to work with steam,” says Matte. “We changed them out for slightly bigger radiators specifically made to work with hot water.” Not only does the conversion serve as a good energy saving measure, it also allows them to leverage other innovations, such as geothermal and heat recovery. Other services requiring steam are now supplied by a smaller, more efficient network, he adds.

Reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions:

56% 12,914 tons of eqCO2 (for 2015)

Expected annual savings at site 4:

$657,484 & 3,735 tons

of eqCO2

BY THE NUMBERS: CHU ENERGY RETROFIT

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PROJECT PROFILE

HEAT RECOVERY AND GEOTHERMAL While heat pumps were installed at all four sites, space constraints only allowed geothermal fields to be installed at HSS, HEJ and CHUL. In total, the systems required 60 boreholes at the CHUL alone, and 50 kilometres of network piping between all three sites.

SOLAR POWERED PREHEATING One of CHUL’s mechanical penthouses is now home to a 230 m2 solar wall, which is used to preheat fresh air for the ventilation systems. “Some of the ventilation units for that building require a lot of outside fresh air,” Matte says. The south- and westfacing solar wall, located a foot in front of the existing wall, forces the outside air to migrate through tiny holes and gain heat through sun exposure. The gap between the two walls serves as the air supply at the entry point of the ventilation system.

enter the ventilation system without being preheated. “The air circulation and recovery all work together rather than against each other,” Matte says. “It’s all about looking at the building as a whole versus an independent unit.”

Each of the three geothermal sites has two heat pumps, one of which is sized for the geothermal field, and the other for internal heat recovery loads. The new hot water networks were designed to accommodate the lower hot water temperatures generated by the heat pumps. The actual energy savings monitored over the past two years for the three locations have reached $2.7 million per year, exceeding the contractually guaranteed savings. “A lot of engineering was put into maximizing heat recovery before we sized the geothermal system,” says Matte. “It’s much cheaper to recover internal heat versus digging in the ground to reach the heat in the soil. So we took as much advantage as possible of the existing energy in the building, whether that heat was generated by computers, building occupants or being exhausted by chimney stack or ventilation exhausts.”

In optimal weather conditions, the heat gain with the solar wall can be as high as 12°C.

He reports that, in optimal weather conditions, the heat gain can be as high as 12°C. During the summer, dampers allow the fresh air intake to bypass the solar wall and

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PROJECT PROFILE MODERNIZING HEATING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT In addition to the steam conversion, and the addition of a solar wall and heat recovery and geothermal systems, the mechanical highlights of the multi-site project go on and on. For example, Ecosystem Energy also optimized the ventilation system at CHUL’s laboratories, where 43 hoods are used to ensure proper air quality. Motion sensors were installed at each hood which, combined with an innovative system sucking air samples to a centralized suite of sensors, is reducing the amount of exhaust and make-up air. “This approach allows for very efficient monitoring of large areas with a limited amount of probes and sensors, reducing the maintenance costs and recalibration required,” says Matte. Also replaced were boilers, chillers and some cooling towers, all with more energy-efficient options, and new adiabatic dry coolers were added, rather than standard cooling towers at HSFA, to reduce water consumption, chemical use and maintenance needs.

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Chilled water networks were also optimized to allow them to adapt to each building’s cooling load using variable speed drives. “This prevents excessive heat from the pumps dissipating in the chilled water networks, which represent an additional cooling load for the chillers,” adds Matte. And while not part of the mechanicals per se, Matte’s firm conducted an extensive lighting retrofit, where 35,000 fluorescent tubes were replaced, also contributing significantly to the energy savings picture.

Ecosystem Energy also optimized the ventilation system at CHUL’s laboratories, where 43 hoods are used to ensure proper air quality.

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By Fred Bretzke

Fred Bretzke is a full-time pipe trades instructor with SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary and the general manager of A&B Plumbing & Heating. He can be reached at fred.bretzke@sait.ca.

PLUMBING

TA L E S O F T H E C O D E :

1976

In this ongoing series, Fred Bretzke plumbs the depths of the evolution of plumbing codes in Canada over the course of his 40+ years in the industry, as well as some of his trials and tribulations from his formative years to now. Keep your eyes peeled for future installments of Tales of the Code!

y head hurts.

There are too many bumps on this damn country road. I can’t get comfortable. I toss and turn, trying to find the right ABS box to use as a pillow. Every time the driver stops or makes a turn, an ABS fitting falls on me. How’s a guy supposed to get a good sleep?

Oh, how considerate of my colleague—now he’s turning up the radio. At 17 years of age I had proven that I could sleep pretty much anywhere, even in the back of an old plumbing van rumbling down a gravel road in the middle of a 30-below, icy-cold Ontario winter. To make things more fun on this particular trip, we were about to drive past a huge tractor trailer barrelling down the road in the opposite direction. This was not good news. Just weeks before, my journeyman boss had gotten into an accident and rolled the van. The vehicle had been fixed quickly by apprentices. They smashed out the body dents, but they hadn’t replaced the driver’s side window. So there we were, hurtling down a gravel road in sub-zero temperatures with a piece of cardboard in the window—until that big truck drove by. That’s when the cardboard window got sucked out and flew away.

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Now, this would wake up even the best of young sleepers, and that’s exactly what it did to me. I now had a snowy, constant blast of wind chilling my bones in the back of the van. I couldn’t take it anymore, so I got up and dragged my now fully awake self into the front seat by the heater. That was how our day started, in the outskirts of London, Ontario. We drove for about an hour until we reached our country destination, a suburb of newly framed houses ready to be roughed in.

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C O N D E N S I N G

T E C H N O L O G Y

PLUMBING THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…

My First Codebook The year was 1976, and it was a very fine year. The Montreal Canadiens ended Philadelphia’s two-cup run and started a four-cup run of their own. The Pittsburgh Steelers had won another Super Bowl, defeating the Dallas Cowboys 21-17, and I bought my very first plumbing codebook for $4.00, if memory serves. It was the 1976 Ontario codebook—and I’ve still got it, pictured here. Back then I was working with a crew that was roughing in houses by a lake near Strathroy, Ont. It was awesome during the hot, humid summers. We would work till noon, then go jump in the lake before getting back to work. This was not the case during the cold, humid, chill-to-the-bone Ontario winters. Roughing in was no fun then. You would have to heat up the copper water lines and hold on for dear warmth, just to keep from freezing. The only one who didn’t seem to mind was our employer. He really got his money’s worth as we would work quicker in the cold, going without breaks just to keep from freezing. If I worked with the lead hand I would really have to work, as he was the fastest plumber in the East. If I got to work with my boss, well, that was easier, as I got to listen to his stories and drive around all day. Both of them bragged about how well they knew the code. I wonder now, knowing what I know, how much they really knew, and how naive I was as a 17-year-old who could barely glue pipe together correctly…

FRED’S

TOP 5 CODE BOOKS

1. NPC 2010 2. NPC 1995 3. NPC 1990 4. ALBERTA’S 1987 CODE 5. NPC 2015

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As an apprentice doing rough-in work, my job was to dig out the main trench from the main cleanout to the main stack and all the branches while my journeyman marked out the holes that I would later drill. He would rough in the main stack, and he taught me how to rough in the 1-1/2” laundry stack that the kitchen stack wyed into at its base with two separate vents coming from it. Interesting to note that there was no residential multi-storey wet venting back then. Now, here’s the interesting part. If we had a 4” branch coming off the building drain, it stated in the 1976 Ontario code clause 144 a) that a cleanout connected to a pipe, up to 4 inches, trade size, shall be of the same trade size as the pipe. Over the years, this code clause has changed. From 1990 the Canadian codebook up until the 2005 codebook, it said you could use a 3” cleanout for a 4” branch, which I couldn’t quite figure out. Finally in 2005, they went back to a 4” cleanout for a 4” pipe, which made a bit more sense to me. Interestingly, in the 2015 NPC they have changed it back, in table 2.4.7.1., to a 3” cleanout for a 4” pipe. Which means you will only be able to auger a 3” arrowhead down a 4” drain. Most code clauses have remained fairly consistent and unified throughout Canada over the years. But I’ve seen a lot change over the years in various code books and provinces throughout Canada, as illustrated here. One such change came in 1980, around the time I first came to Alberta. I was doing commercial rough ins and residential service work—but that story will have to wait until next time.

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PLUMBING

Products

Drain Cleaner General Pipe Cleaners’ Model DRZ power drain cleaner is engineered to clear clogs from 1-1/4” to 3” sink, tub and laundry lines. Three chuck jaws hold 1/4”, 5/16” and 3/8” cable for a wide range of small-line jobs. A DRZ-PH model is available with a variable speed power cable feed for feeding and retrieving cable at up to 16 feet per minute.

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Two-in-One Showerhead Delta’s HydroRain showerhead combines a raincan and standard shower head in one unit, with the option of using both simultaneously. Designed to fit any shower arm, it offers a maximum flow of 2.0 gpm at 80 psi. Showerheads are available in chrome, stainless, polished nickel and bronze finishes.

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Island Tub Drain OS&B’s island tub drain features a snap-off test cap and an asymmetrical deck plate designed not to interfere with a free-standing faucet rough-in. It can be installed in joist spaces as small as 8”. Three models are available, with ABS, PVC or cast iron bases.

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Pressure Control Systems Victaulic’s series 972/Bermad model BC-720-P pressure reducing valves are engineered to reduce inlet pressures to lower constant outlet pressures, regardless of fluctuating demand or varying inlet pressures. The 972 series is designed to handle pressures up to 250 psi, while the 972-HP series can handle pressures up to 400 psi.

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Booster Systems Wilo’s CO-Helix, Si-Boost Excel and Helix Excel Complete booster systems are available in single- to four-pump configurations. They feature real-time diagnostics and remote monitoring, with variable speed control and balanced run time for each pump. The boosters are made of 304 stainless steel and the pumps are NSF/ANSI 61 certified.

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Kitchen Faucet Moen’s Method kitchen faucet features a two-function pullout wand that allows users to switch the water flow from a steady aerated stream to a spray for rinsing. Built for single-hole installations, it offers a flow rate of 1.5 gpm and is available in chrome and stainless finishes.

www. moen.ca 38

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Marketing with DOUG MACMILLAN

Using Data to Drive Your Marketing It used to be that accessing reliable data to drive marketing and sales amounted to a recipe box of flash cards on the boss’s desk. Conversely, today is the golden age of data, and the tables have turned. One could say the table was violently flipped, and all that data went flying everywhere, scattered around in messy piles, waiting for us to pick it up and figure out where it all goes. And therein is the challenge: we can burn plenty of latenight hours poring over analytics reports and customer information, but what should be reviewed and used, and what can we afford to ignore? Doug MacMillan is president of The Letter M Marketing in Guelph, Ont. To reach him, email doug@thelettermmarketing.com.

Rich Data Sources The data at our fingertips can give us tangible leads, and more clarity and precision for future marketing, but we need the right tools, and we need to know how to best use these tools. Are you using a good customer relationship management (CRM) software tool that allows you to log customers’ vital information, such as equipment installation dates and service calls?

SEM Rates If you’re paying real money to attract traffic per click, then the odds are good you’re already watching data carefully. SEM measurement tends to be more reliable when there is a clear call to action (a sale or special offer) rather than just to promote visibility and brand awareness.

Your own customer information is perhaps the most valuable, and often the most overlooked, data source for driving your sales force. Of course, it demands a little discipline to maximize its potential. By pulling and sorting customer data, you can identify people who may be ready for a new furnace, or who have suddenly stopped scheduling annual cleanings – you can call and ask why to gain more knowledge. With CRM software, technicians can capture anecdotal information gleaned during their visits that might be parlayed into sales. For example, if grandma’s moving in at the end of the year, perhaps an in-law suite bathroom and kitchenette renovation will be needed. Similarly, many contractors have access to a database of warranty registrations that can be better mined for useful sales leads.

Bear in mind that just because people don’t click doesn’t mean that they didn’t see your ad and tuck that awareness away for a rainy day (or a cold one when their furnace craps out on them).

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I once met with a client who had at least a dozen banker boxes in his office. They were loaded with old warranty registrations. One summer student later, that was turned into an organized database filled with rich leads. In the end, he closed many sales by following up with those former customers. Can a member of your admin team poke through all of this valuable customer information on a regular basis and pass that along to the sales team?

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buy it for the bottom line Some buy Moen® to enhance their properties. Others for installation that takes an average of 10 minutes less*. You? You buy it because your time adds up to real money. SEE MORE at MOEN.CA © 2017. See moen.ca for limited warranty details. *When compared to other leading brands based on a thirdparty administrated survey of property managers and maintenance personnel, commissioned by Moen.

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Check the Neighbourhood

with DOUG MACMILLAN

Local demographic data can prove useful to marketing plans, and is usually readily available from city hall, real estate boards or Statistics Canada. Which neighbourhoods show the greatest amount of real estate activity? Home sales often trigger renovations or an HVAC upgrade. Those are neighbourhoods to target with direct mail or online marketing.

Email newsletter reports can be some of your most informative data. If you regularly send customers eNews blasts using programs like Mailchimp, you can review the open and click rates for each individual article. You can learn when most people open your email, if they forwarded it to someone else, etc.

Are there certain areas that are populated with older folks? If those homes become part of an estate and go up for sale, they’ll sell more easily if that 30-year-old boiler is switched out. There’s another sales opportunity.

Understanding customers’ behaviour and what is ‘popular’ with readers will better allow you to create future content that interests them, and send it on a day and time when they want to receive it.

Analyzing the Digital Universe Website traffic reports, such as Google Analytics, can be a bit of a rabbit hole of TMI (too much information). Focus on point of entry: Did your customer get to your site via Google, an online ad you’ve paid for, a referral site like Homestars, or by directly keying in your URL? Also look at the day and time of their visit, their IP address location (the best measure of where they live), which pages they visited, and how long they stayed. This will help you better understand where customers are coming from, and what they came for.

d % te s 0 0 te

o ct fa

Social media activity can easily slide into being a “vanity metric” if we’re not clear on the purpose and what to measure. The number of followers can be more about popularity than return on investment, so look for engagement on your social media feeds. What types of posts are prompting conversations, shares or comments? Which are most relevant to your business goals?

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The game changer in home comfort. Lighter, smaller, easier, BETTER.

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COOLING FORECAST

B y Gr eg Dalgetty

PREDICTING THE

UNPREDICTABLE T

he life of an HVAC contractor is an unending battle against the elements. Be it hail, snow, sleet or heat, Mother Nature has an endless arsenal of weather woes to keep technicians on their toes. And soon—very soon, dear reader—cooling season will be upon us. If we had a crystal ball, we might get an early glimpse of what the 2017 season has in store for us. But crystal balls don’t actually work, so we got the next best thing: expert insight from veterans of the cooling field. It’s impossible to know exactly what the 2017 cooling season will look like, but armed with the right advice, you can ensure you’re prepared for anything that comes your way.

Whether There’s Weather The key ingredient to any successful cooling season for an HVAC contractor is, of course, heat. “If we don’t get at least a taste of warm weather early, it can be a very slow pickup,” says Chris Hann, an Ontario sales manager for Wolseley Canada. “If we can see some warm weather by late April or early May, that really kick-starts the season.” Contractors could face a tough slog without the benefit of an early start to cooling season, but leveraging provincial government rebates on cooling equipment can help drive sales, regardless of how hot it gets outside. “Government rebates have a major impact on our sales,” says Scott Duncan, a dealer support specialist with Air Heat Supplies. “It certainly can drive the seasons—if a customer is expecting a $1,000 rebate, it can really improve sales.” While central air units still account for a large portion of cooling equipment sold, ductless sales are on the rise, driven in large part by government rebates.

where the provincial grants are heftier, we’re looking at 35, 40 and sometimes 50 per cent.” Being proactive about preventative maintenance calls can also help drive sales of new equipment. “What I tell my guys to do is go out there and do preventative maintenance calls,” Duncan explains. “If you’re there, you can say ‘I can fix this unit, but you’re only going to get another six months out of it. A new

“The trend toward taking that lower-SEER unitary AC product out of

one will cost you this much with a warranty.’

the equation and adding in the ductless split component has really

That generally drives a lot of sales.”

changed our focus,” Hann notes. “I would say over the last three years we’ve probably had an average gross of over 25 per cent in Ontario

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for ductless systems. In Eastern Canada,

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*Includes tolerance. Typical units can operate in heating mode down to -27°C depending on conditions.

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COOLING FORECAST

Staying Prepared Savvy contractors know to embrace the unknown when it comes to weather. But they also realize that the best way to be prepared for cooling season is by ensuring they’re up to speed on the latest products, and knowledgeable of how to troubleshoot problems in the field. Wholesalers, manufacturers and suppliers offer a variety of training sessions to meet these needs before the mercury starts to rise.

can all forget things from season to season, so keeping up to date is important.” And it’s always a good idea to get a jump on things before the cooling season is in full swing. “I like to say people should start getting ready in April,” Duncan adds. “We say the official start to the season is May 24, but we want to be ready in April.” Contractors can also analyze past cooling seasons in preparation for this year’s.

“At the tail end of winter coming into spring, it’s always nice to bring in your core contractor group or dealer groups to refresh them and have them trained on products,” Hann says. “Even going as far as offering them some business courses. We’re looking at doing a course this year on how to improve your business based on the operations side of things. If we offer that preseason, they’re ready to go and attack it.”

“We look at trying to help contractors forecast the season by looking at past numbers they’ve done with us,” Hann says. “Our outside reps will have those conversations with the contractors, saying, ‘Hey, this is what we saw you do in the previous year.’” Making sure the gear in your truck is in good working condition is also crucial to a successful season.

Even if you attended a training session last year, it’s never a bad idea to attend another one to ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running. “Refresher courses are very important,” Duncan says. “We

“Test your hoses and get them fixed,” Duncan advises. “It’s funny that there are so many guys testing equipment and it turns out to be the hose that’s leaking. New hoses would be my best advice to any contractor.”

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COOLING FORECAST

Regulatory Changes on the Horizon An amendment to Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations takes effect on June 28 this year. The updated regulations will increase minimum efficiency requirements for a variety of central air conditioners and heat pumps, commercial packaged equipment, and large air conditioners and heat pumps, bringing them in line with requirements that are currently or soon to be in force in the U.S. Less efficient products that are imported into Canada or shipped between

provinces prior to the coming-into-force date can still be sold—although they will be subject to local regulations.

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“In addition to meeting the federal energy efficiency requirements for import and shipping between provinces, the energy products for sale or lease also need to comply with applicable minimum efficiency requirements set out by provincial energy efficiency regulations,” notes Chang Ki Lee, a technical advisor for HRAI. “Provinces like British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have their own provincial energy efficiency standards and regulations.” But the fact that suppliers will be stocked with less efficient models that are still saleable could lead to a brisk cooling season, Duncan notes. “If this comes into force in June this year, we’ll have people buying up old stock over the summer and they’ll take whatever’s left in September,” he said. “If the government does that, it’ll be a very good season for us, to be honest.”

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DID YOU KNOW? Full details of the updated efficiency requirements for cooling equipment can be found in the Canada Gazette Part II. Find it online at gazette.gc.ca.

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HVAC/R Products P Appliance Venting DuraVent’s PolyPro polypropylene venting system is designed for use with ANSI Category II and IV gas-burning appliances. It is ETL listed to the ULC S636 standard in Canada as a Class IIA, IIB and IIC vent system suitable for exhaust temperatures up to 230°F.

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VRF Systems Fujitsu General has expanded its J Series airstage VRF line to include J-IIS units in three- and four-ton sizes. The singlephase units offer efficiencies of up to 19.8 SEER and 11.4 HSPF and can connect up to eight indoor units. Eleven indoor unit styles are available, with sizes ranging from 7,000 BTUH to 46,000 BTUH.

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Refrigerant Leak Detector

Polypropylene Vents

Bacharach’s H-10 Pro portable refrigerant leak detector uses a heated diode sensor to detect leaks of all halogen-based, nonflammable CFC, HFC and HCFC refrigerants. Capable of detecting leaks as small as 0.006 ounces per year, the device has a 4.5’ probe for accessing hard-toreach areas.

Centrotherm’s 10-foot-long polypropylene vents install using push-fit connections. Their female connections contain internal gaskets. The vents have a ULC-S636 rating and are available in 2”, 3” and 4” diameters, with a maximum OD of 3”, 3.8” and 5.1”, respectively.

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Fan Coil Unit

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Williams Comfort Products’ horizontal DX fan coil units have a compact design that can be installated above drop ceilings, in tight spaces in new construction or as a replacement. They run on R410A or R22 refrigerant and are available with hydronic heat or electric heat, in 1 through 9 kW sizes. The basic DX model offers airflow of 600 to 800 CFM.

ClimateMaster’s water side economizers are compatible with all sizes of the company’s Tranquility Compact series heat pumps. The economizers are are engineered to improve energy efficiency by taking advantage of building loop temperatures, offering cold-loop cooling without the use of a compressor and refrigeration components, when conditions permit.

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Introducing EMURAâ&#x201E;˘ Form. Function. Redesigned. Daikin EMURA is designed to perfectly balance technological leadership and the beauty of aerodynamics.

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Road Warrior By Greg Dalgetty

Makin’ It Rain with

Monsieur Drain S

ome people are merely passengers in the service van of life. Others grasp the steering wheel firmly with both hands and take control. Howard Cohen falls into the latter category. Born into the plumbing trade, Cohen’s father ran a successful plumbing business in Montreal for 52 years. Howard started working for him as an apprentice when he was 18. “I got my plumbing licence, and then I got my master plumbing licence,” he recalls. “I worked in the truck for many years, and then I started running the office.” But after 16 years of working for the family business, Cohen was ready to forge his own path forward. “I had all my cards and all my licences, all the experience from working as a tradesman,” he says. “I was well-versed all around in the industry.” So, together with his business partner David Kellner, Cohen started Monsieur Drain, a 24-hour service company specializing in drain clearing and excavation.

Photos: François LeClair

“We started it up, and it really took off,” Cohen says. “We saw it grow and grow and we’ve been hiring more and more guys.”

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What’s your service area? Anywhere we can drive in the Montreal area. We do the South Shore, the North Shore, the West Island—we go all the way out to Hudson, even. What’s the most memorable project you’ve worked on? A couple years ago we worked on a big cargo ship that was docked in the Cohen Old Port of Montreal for the winter. They had to get it ready to move out in the springtime, and all the sewage lines were blocked on the ship. We were told to do whatever it took to get the ship out in two days. We had to drop all the piping and clean it all, but we got the ship out in time. What projects are you working on now? A lot of our focus is on excavation. We’ll change the main drains from houses to the city connections. Montreal’s an old city, so a lot of the time pipes are filled with roots or they’re broken. Our excavation division will come to a jobsite and in one day, we’ll excavate it, change the sewer and water lines, and away you go. Favourite tool in your toolbox: We have two state-of-the-art colour drain cameras that are about $16,000 apiece. We always joke with our clients that we’re doing an expensive colonoscopy. What’s your dream car? I used to have a 2008 Mustang GT convertible. But I was in Hawaii last year and I drove the 2015 model, and decided to get one when I came back. So I went out and bought a new GT convertible with 450 horsepower. It’s fast enough for me. Favourite band: I’m a big music guy. I love a lot of people, from Neil Diamond to Bon Jovi, Guns ’n’ Roses and Aerosmith.

with his business partner David Kellner (centre) and employee Charlie McGinn (left).

Favourite concert: I was in Las Vegas and saw U2 with the Black Eyed Peas opening for them. That was a great show. I also saw Aerosmith with Mötley Crüe opening for them at the Bell Centre in Montreal. When Tommy Lee was playing the drums, you could feel it pulsing in your heart. It was like your bones were shattering—it was so cool.

All About the Image For Howard Cohen, Monsieur Drain is more than just a business—it’s a brand. “I worked very hard to brand the name Monsieur Drain,” Cohen says, noting that the company logo appears on almost everything his business touches. “All my employees wear full uniforms, right down to the hats, specially designed cargo pants, jackets, shirts—everything has Monsieur Drain on it,” he explains. “Everything—the pens that we give out, the USB keys we give out for our camera inspections—has the name on it.” In fact, Cohen has trademarked Monsieur Drain and sees potential for it to spread outside the Montreal area. “We’re looking to franchise it out,” he says. “We’re looking at Monsieur Drain as being a plumbing version of McDonald’s.”

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SNOWMELT

B y Gr eg Dalgetty

Melting Montreal We’ve all been there before. Slipping and sliding on an icy sidewalk, spinning our arms like pinwheels in a futile attempt to stave off the inevitable…until we ultimately come crashing to the ground. It can be painful—and doubly so when there are witnesses to our embarrassment. If you live in Montreal, you’re no stranger to icy sidewalks and roads. Ice storms and snow are part of the harsh reality of living in La Belle Province, and Montreal especially—but what if it didn’t have to be that way? The city is currently considering options to install heated sidewalks and roadways throughout several blocks along Ste-Catherine St. W. While the type of heated sidewalks Montreal plans to install has yet to be determined, Philippe Sabourin, a communications officer with the city, was able to say, “We are still studying the different technologies available.” City officials travelled to Europe on a fact-finding mission in February to get a firsthand look at heated sidewalks in Oslo, Helsinki and Reykjavik. And while we may not yet have an exact idea of how Montreal’s heated sidewalks will work, one option under consideration is running a heated water/glycol solution through tubing below the surface.

So, just what might a system like this look like? We talked to some experts to find out.

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FINDING A HEATING SOURCE As any homeowner with a hydronic snowmelt system will tell you, gas bills can be a doozy if you’re using a boiler to melt snow. But if you can find heat from another source, you can reduce your operating costs substantially. “Some cities will have waste heat from condensate lines, or there may be excess heat coming from a refrigeration system,” explains Jerry Leyte, the sales manager for Central Canada at Uponor. “If there’s waste heat available, instead of dumping it into the air, why not dump it into the ground?”

The upfront costs of installing snowmelt systems can be offset faster when an inexpensive energy source is used. A snowmelt system in Holland, Mich., uses waste heat from a power plant to warm sidewalks. Reykjavik uses geothermal energy to keep roadways and sidewalks clear of snow. “If you’re using a cheap energy source, the payback will be significantly better,” Leyte says.

SNOWMELT

THE BIGGER PICTURE = COST SAVINGS

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS

Although the installation and operation of a snowmelt system can be costly, it can save money in the long run—especially in a city like Montreal.

Anyone expecting a snowmelt system to keep sidewalks clear at all times may be in for a reality check. “There has to be a frank discussion between the designer, engineer and the city about the limitations of a snowmelt system,” advises Michael Breault, senior product manager for Watts Radiant. “In extreme cold, you may not be able to supply enough BTUs to run all the snow down the drain.” Montreal has been learning all about system limitations while visiting snowmelt cities.

Montreal has been learning all about system limitations while visiting snowmelt cities.

“Whoever is making the final decision about putting a snowmelt system in, it’s important to manage their expectations,” Leyte says. “If it’s more than 10 degrees below zero, a snowmelt system is not going to be able to keep up. But the good thing about -10°C is it typically doesn’t snow when it’s that cold.” Snowfall may not be a major concern when the weather dips deep into sub-zero temperatures—but that’s when snowdrifts can become a problem. “Wind is the enemy of a snowmelt system,” Leyte warns. “You get drifting snow coming in and messing up what people expect the system to be able to do.”

Sizing a snowmelt system and selecting the best materials for the job are only part of the battle. Designers will also have to consider where all the snowmelt will go when the system is up and running.

“It’s good for the concrete,” Leyte says. “To have it not freezing and thawing all winter long, but just staying above the freezing mark, extends the life of the concrete. And when you’re ploughing, you can bust up curbs and tear through sod when the plough goes too far.” Concrete that freezes and thaws repeatedly will develop cracks—and that’s when you can start to see the salt poured onto roadways during the winter months cause some real damage.

“If they’re going to rip up the streets to put snowmelt in, I’d go to the businesses and explain we’re putting in a system that will save you on your insurance and liability,” Breault says.

“You sometimes come out of a building and the first 10 or 15 feet are all snowmelted, but then when you step out onto the city sidewalk it’s not,” Leyte says. “There could be black ice because everything that ran out of the walkway froze again.

Watts

“We’ve seen situations like that with parking ramps, where the snowmelt ran down a ramp but then there was a long flat section before it got to the floor drain. You need to run it all the way down to the floor drain, or else you’ll get ice pooling at the bottom and cars slamming into garage doors.”

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That wear and tear from ploughing snow can be especially damaging to concrete—but a snowmelt system can help bypass such issues.

Business owners might be less than thrilled at the prospect of sidewalks being torn up to install a snowmelt system, but one of the upsides of heated sidewalks is the reduced risk of slips and falls outside of storefronts—and the liability that comes with it.

Uponor

Making sure that the system is designed to keep snowmelt in liquid form until it reaches the drain is of the utmost importance.

“From an operations standpoint, it may be more efficient to do a snowmelt system by eliminating the snow plough, the backhoe, the dump truck, multiple trips and the wear and tear that’ll happen.”

“Salt can be damaging, not just to the roadways and walkways, but also to a building’s foundation,” Breault says. “And as that salty water filters down, if you have any metal infrastructure— water pipes or gas pipes, stuff like that—the salt can settle and accumulate in those areas and cause damage as well.”

AVOIDING A REFREEZE

“Your sidewalks will have to be sloped so water can get to the drainage system, and you have to rip up everything to put the tubing down,” Breault says. “The upfront cost could be significant.”

“When you consider Montreal, and Ste-Catherine Street in particular, with it being an island, quite often they can’t just plough the snow,” Breault notes. “Montreal trucks the snow to a dumpsite and then dumps it into the St. Lawrence.

B u s i n e s s

Wear and tear from ploughing snow can be especially damaging to concrete—but a snowmelt system can help bypass such issues.

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VISIT US AT

Visit Us At MCEE 2017 Booth 313 Booth # 1445

What: Mécanex/Climatex/Électricité/Éclairage (MCEE) Where: Place Bonaventure, Montréal, Québec When: Wednesday, April 26, 2017, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Thursday, April 27, 2017: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MCEE Returns to Montreal The wait is finally over. MCEE, this year’s largest Canadian mechanical trade show, returns to Place Bonaventure in beautiful Montreal from April 26 to 27. More than 6,000 visitors are expected to attend the show, which will feature 400 exhibitors from across Canada and the United States displaying thousands of products. Attendees will also have access to numerous free seminars, not to mention endless networking opportunities. As always, Mechanical Business will be in the middle of the action! Be sure to visit us at booth 134, say hello, pitch a story idea and renew your free subscription. Please enjoy this free guide, which includes a seminar schedule and exhibitor list. See you on the showroom floor!

www.mcee.ca

Hauteur maximale des kiosques : 8 pieds

Boîte de tirage

ï»¿

à l’exception des îlots et des kiosques en périphérie et kiosque #851

Booth Height Limit: 8 feet Fire cabinet. 3ft clearance required

Unknown

Exceptions: island & perimeter booths & booth 851

Kiosques: 234, 254, 734, 754

Freeman Service

Cabinet d’incendie : dégagement requis de 3 pieds

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ÉCLAIRAGE

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Entrée / Entrance

1078 151 152 153 155 154 157 167 159 169 206 340 343 427 439 509 554 567 619 651 817 819 823 821 832 845 907

Show Hours

April 26, 2017 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

April 27, 2017 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Booth #134

M e c h a n i c a l

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Built Better for Home and Business From modest residential heating requirements to the largest commercial demands, Bradford White Brute™ boilers and volume water heaters offer the installer, specifier, and building manager everything needed for a satisfied customer. Technological innovation is the foundation of every Brute™ boiler and volume water heater. The combination of dynamic heat exchanger design and leading-edge control systems that match fuel use to the load have boosted efficiencies as high as 98%. Engineered for flawless performance and skillfully crafted here in America, each product in the Bradford White Brute™ lineup is a hardworking, high output solution to home and business heating or hot water needs. The next time your job requires a boiler or volume water heater, demand the products and performance you can only get from Bradford White. Demand a Bradford White Brute™.

www.bradfordwhite.com

See Page 58 for complete floor plan

Seminars

List of Exhibitors

*Sessions will be in French unless otherwise indicated

*As of press time. Companies in red have ads appearing in this edition of Mechanical Business.

3M Canada............................................578 A.M.T.S..................................................613 A.O. Smith.............................................206 Accès Location D’Équipement............975 ACO Systems........................................307 ACPP/Pro-Flex CSST..........................1069 ACQ.......................................................584 Acquaer...............................................1031 Acuity Brands Lighting.........................478 AERCO International..........................1050 Agence BTA..........................................559 Agence J.P. Sylvain..............................439 Aimco International..............................540 Allpriser.................................................140 Alltemp................................................1020 Alpha Controls & Instrumentation......536 Altec Industries.....................................651 American Standard Brands..................627 Amtech..................................................970 AMX Canada.........................................659 Anvil International Canada..................422 Apollo Valves........................................313 Aquatherm............................................205 Arani Systems........................................250 Armstrong Fluid Technology...............344

M e c h a n i c a l

ASHRAE - Montréal.............................. 603 ASPE Montréal...................................... 601 Aspirtech/SoliRoc Métal...................... 902 Association de la Construction du Québec.................................................. 576 Atmosphere.......................................... 866 Automatisation Jacmar........................ 681 Avalanche 21....................................... 1061 Axiom Industries................................... 334 Bacharach of Canada........................... 805 Bain Dépôt............................................ 915 Bains Maax............................................ 906 Baiyiled Lighting America.................... 371 Baril...................................................... 3004 Beghelli Canada................................... 276 Bel Products.......................................... 153 Bélanger-UPT........................................ 707 Belimo Air Controls Canada................ 839 Bemis Manufacturing Company.......... 619 Bibby-Ste-Croix..................................... 907 Biddle Air Systems............................. 1060 Bio-Clean............................................... 938 Blanco Canada...................................... 619 Boîtiers STA........................................... 558 Boshart Industries................................. 319

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Wednesday, April 26, 2017 10:30 a.m. Business Succession Planning Have you decided at what age you’re going to make the big move? What are the criteria for a successful handoff of management, ownership, or both? What will you do once you have left your firm? Speaker: Jacques Deschênes of Deschênes Group

Bradford White Canada..............................703 Brady.............................................................472 BrassCraft.....................................................436 BSDQ............................................................608 Bucan Electric Devices..............................3010 Calefactio.....................................................119 Caleffi North America...............................3044

Calorek.................................................746 Canada Controls..................................735 Canadian Hydronics Council..............138 Can-Aqua International.......................217 Canplas Industries...............................901 Capteurs GR.........................................506 Carlisle HVAC (DynAir)........................978 Carlo Gavazzi (Canada).......................467 Caroma.................................................936 CB Supplies..........................................504 CCTF.....................................................700 CETAF...................................................844 CFCPC..................................................557 Cheminée Lining.................................419 Chemline Plastics...............................3016 Chevrier Instruments...........................757 CIPH..............................................132, 234 Circul-Aire............................................955 CisoLift Distribution.............................751 CMEQ...................................................367 CMMTQ................................................605 Comac Hand Dryers............................485 Conception GSR..................................691 Condor.................................................616 Connectall ...........................................620 Contact Delage............................151-157 Contrac.................................................713 Contrôles Laurentide........................1006 Contrôles R.D.M..................................332 Convectair............................................360 Core Products Canada........................254 CPS Products.......................................654

Cree Canada........................................380 CTRL.....................................................971 Dafco Filtration Group......................1072 Dahl Brothers Canada.........................321 Deflecto................................................312 Delta Faucet.........................................436 Delta Products.....................................816 Deluxair................................................533 Descair..................................................343 Deschênes & Fils.................................343 Desdowd..............................................567 Dettson.................................................827 DeWalt..................................................675 Dimplex North America......................251 Direct Coil............................................113 Distribution DUP..................................904 Distribution Maxi Vent........................813 Dobbin Sales........................................445 Douglas Lighting Controls..................275 Drumco Énergie..................................685 Duro Dyne Canada..............................544 E.S. Gallagher/YogaPipe/Malco.....867, 869 Eastern Foundry & Fittings.................304 Easy Heat..............................................656 Eaton.....................................................667 Éclairage Axis.......................................283 Éclairage Contraste.............................273 Éclairage Philips du Canada ..............356 Eco Propane.........................................774 Ecole de Technologie Gazière...........617 Ecotherm..............................................701 EI Solutions..........................................542

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 11:00 a.m. The Future of Refrigerants New legislation has come into effect in Europe and the United States, but Canada will not be far behind in implementing new refrigerant guidelines. The emergence of new refrigerants and the resurgence of natural refrigerants are raising many questions. Speakers: Alain Mongrain of Emerson Climate Technologies Eiko Canada..................................................278 Elec-Trace......................................................376 Electrical Business........................................658 Electrical Line................................................469 Électricité Plus...............................................588 Electro-Federation Canada.........................574 Empire Canada...........................................3018 Energy Efficient Lighting.............................258 Enersol.........................................................1051 Enertrak.........................................................545 Enolgas Bonomi Canada........................... 1018

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M e c h a n i c a l

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See Page 58 for complete floor plan

Wednesday, April 26, 2017 – 7:00 p.m.

List of Exhibitors (as of press time) Highlighted companies have ads in this issue.

Enviroair Industries............................850 ESAB/TurboTorch..............................733 Expert Estimateur..............................919 Fantech...............................................633 Fernco Connectors............................435 FIPOE..................................................470 Fire Barrier Pro...................................150 First Alert Canada..............................274 Flexco...............................................1070 Flexmaster Canada............................517 FLIR Systems....................................1040 Flo Fab..............................................1000 Flocor..................................................343 Fluke Electronics Canada.................259 Forest Energie et Air Solutions......3050 Formadrain.........................................107 Fortis...................................................927 Franke Kindred Canada....................520 Franklin Electric/Little Giant.............308 Franklin Empire..................................261 G. Mitchell..........................................716 G.F. Thompson..................................532 Garafoudre Paratonnerre..................572 Gastite/Tutco.....................................905 GE Lighting Canada..........................171 General Pipe Cleaners......................245 Giant Factories...................................721 Globe Union Canada (Gerber).........812 Goodman Manufacturing.................500 Granby................................................935 Graphic Products.............................1067 Great Lakes Copper..........................769 Groupe CTEI......................................863 Groupe Odotrack Canada................459 Grundfos.............................................142 Hardy Filtration..................................139 HBX Controls.....................................841

Heat-Line..........................................1016 HeatLink Group.................................415 Hebdraulique...................................3000 Hilti Canada.....................................1002 Holdrite...............................................316 Holophane.........................................279 Honeywell...........................................871 Hubbell Canada.................................475 Hydronic Systems Canada................832 IBC Technologies..............................336 IES Montréal.......................................179 I-GARD...............................................690 Imperial Manufacturing.....................877 InSinkErator Canada..........................437 Intermatic Canada.............................153 Inventex..............................................455 IPEX............................................. 460/807 ITC Technologie................................737 ITM Instruments.................................556 Jalo Robinetterie...............................837 John Guest.......................................1015 Keeprite Refrigeration.......................967 Kidde Canada....................................155 L.G. Énergie.......................................618 L.S. Bilodeau......................................767 La Compagnie Jess ..........................821 Laars....................................................716 Laverdure-Huppe..............................938 Le Centre des Rep. Hydrauliques....966 Le Groupe Roger Faguy...................661 LEDCO................................................488 Legrand Canada................................551 Lenox/Hilmor.....................................239 Leonard Valve....................................207 Les Entreprises Roland Lajoie..........521 Les Fourgons Rive-Sud.....................759 Les Industries Ideal (Canada)...........157

CIPH Women’s Network Dessert Reception Whether you are early in your plumbing and heating career or a senior executive, this is the perfect opportunity for women in the industry to build their network of contacts, share ideas and inspire each other to become high-performing leaders. Committee Members: Siân Smith of Noble Corporation, Barbara O’Reilly of Rheem Canada, Mélanie Schwery of Belanger, Ravi Bansal of Valley Acrylic, Gail Kaufman of Wolseley Canada, Heather Ferris of InSinkErator Canada

Thursday, April 27, 2017 10:30 a.m. The ABCs of Pumps The purpose of this seminar is to encourage engineers and contractors to more effectively identify pumprelated problems in hydronic systems. It will discuss how to choose the best pumps and thus reduce the costs associated with their use. Speaker: Francis Lacharité of Enviroair Industries

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See Page 58 for complete floor plan

List of Exhibitors (as of press time) Highlighted companies have ads in this issue.

Les Produits de Ventilation Lambro....406 Les Produits Water Protec.................... 703 Les Spécialistes AVA............................. 277 Les Ventes Mectra....................... 300, 3020 Liberty Pumps........................................ 405 Location d’outils Brossard.................... 754 Location Park Avenue - Jim Pattison .. 960 Loue - Froid............................................ 851 Lumen..................................................... 350 LumiGroup............................................. 373 Luminiz.................................................... 577 Lumisolution .......................................... 181 Lutron/Contact Delage......................... 167 Lyncar/Waterline Products.................... 121 M.A. Baulne............................................ 734 M.A. Stewart & Sons........................... 1036 M2S Électronique ................................. 538 Maestro Technologies.......................... 744 Malco...................................................... 869 Mansfield................................................ 441 Manuflow ............................................... 740 Marcus Transformer of Canada............ 457 Maria Catherina .................................... 152 Masco Canada....................................... 436 Master Group......................................... 727 Master Plumber..................................... 436 Mechanical Business Magazine..........134

Mercedes Benz Canada........................771 Métal Action...........................................218 Midbec ..................................................951 Mifab.......................................................921 Milwaukee Electric Tool........................541 Minotair..................................................237 Mircom...................................................471 Moen .....................................................130 Monde en Lumiere................................458 Montquip .............................................3008 Morris/Lee..............................................512 Moteurs Électriques Laval ...................461 Multicam Québec..................................641 NAD Klima.............................................959 Nautika...................................................705 Navien.....................................................238 NCI Canada ..........................................306 Neptronic...............................................821 Nesco ....................................................474 Newmac................................................1033 Novanni Stainless................................3014 Nuera-Air................................................555 Oasis.......................................................619 Oatey SCS..............................................619 Ontor......................................................817 Opermax................................................420 Ortech Industries ..................................372

OS&B......................................................... 214 Osram Sylvania......................................... 366 Osram........................................................ 177 Ouellet Canada ....................................... 560 Panasonic Canada ................................... 875 Pentair Canada ........................................ 317 Pentair Thermal Building Solutions........ 554 Pentair........................................................ 243 Pfister Faucets........................................... 927 Pierre Alexandre ...................................... 148 Pipeconx.................................................... 619 Plastiques Cellulaires Polyform .............. 819 Powrmatic du Canada ............................. 945 Pro Ballast Génilux................................... 359 Pro Kontrol................................................ 145 Produits Neptune..................................... 301 Programme RecycFluo............................. 589 ProgressionLIVE...................................... 3046 Propane du Suroît.................................... 861 QAI Laboratories...................................... 683 QAT......................................................... 3052 Quote Soft................................................. 421 RBQ............................................................ 509 Recochem ................................................ 941 RectorSeal................................................. 637 Récupénergie.......................................... 1074 Reed Manufacturing................................. 318 RefPlus ...................................................... 745 Régulvar .................................................... 550 Rehau Industries ...................................... 340 Reliance Worldwide/SharkBite................ 717 RG Technilab............................................ 846

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MCEE2017

Wednesday, April 26 2017 Thursday, April 27 2017 Place Bonaventure, Montréal, Québec

MADE IN

U S A

LIVE Demonstrations Booth 869

Mechanical Business 7x4.875 Apr 2017.indd 1

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3/7/17 8:55 AM

ÂŠ 2017 Masco Canada Limited

THERMOSTATIC CARTRIDGE

ADJUSTABLE LIMIT STOPS

TEMPERATURE ADJUSTMENT

DEMD-611LF

QUICK INSTALL. QUALITY PERFORMANCE. The new Delta hands-free thermostatic lavatory faucet is the smart choice for applications requiring thermostatic temperature regulation. The mixing valve and solenoid are contained within the body of the faucet and the supply lines are factory-installed, making installation quick and simple, thus saving you time and money. Outlet temperature limits can be set easily from above the deck by the installer and a top mixer allows the user to adjust the water temperature to comfort. Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smart. Backed by an exceptional 5-year limited warranty. deltacommercialfaucets.com

See Page 58 for complete floor plan

Thursday, April 27, 2017 12:00 p.m.

List of Exhibitors (as of press time) Highlighted companies have ads in this issue.

Rheem Canada............................................ 527 Ridgid......................................................... 1017 Rinnai America............................................. 873 Riobel .......................................................... 244 Rodwick ....................................................... 327 Rosenberg Fans Canada............................. 383 Roth Industries............................................. 801 Royal Produits de Bâtiment Contact Delage........................................... 154 Royal Produits de Bâtiment Solutions Tuyaux et Raccords.................... 342 RVE................................................................ 257 Salus Controls North America.................. 1065 Sanbec Canada............................................ 101 Saniflo Canada............................................. 337 Security Chimneys International................. 105 Selkirk Canada............................................. 961 Services Energétiques R.L. ........................ 800 Sevlights/Agence W. Pelletier.................... 280 Shortall Electrique....................................... 255 Simpli-cité.................................................... 790 Sioux Chief Manufacturing......................... 213 SJE-Rhombus............................................... 401 Slant/Fin....................................................... 117 Smillie McAdams Summerlin...................... 203 Solaira Heating Technologies.................... 451 Solutions Well Green.................................. 175

Southwire Canada Company..................... 159 Spartan Peripheral Devices..................... 3036 Speed Clean............................................... 714 Standard Products ..................................... 267 Stanpro Lighting Systems ......................... 266 Stelpro......................................................... 351 Stiebel Eltron.............................................. 236 Strato Automation...................................... 755 Sunrise Tradex.......................................... 1012 Synapse Électronique................................ 570 Taco (Canada)............................................. 227 TB Concept .............................................. 1032 TCP Lighting............................................... 270 Techni+Contact Canada............................ 657 Technical Translation Services.................. 417 Tecnico Chauffage..................................... 133 Tecoustics.................................................... 418 The Mee Group.......................................... 916 The StressCrete Group/King Luminaire... 354 The Whalen Company............................... 645 Thermo 2000 .............................................. 820 Thermoplus Air........................................... 955 Thomas & Betts.......................................... 561 TopSupports............................................... 736 Toto............................................................. 201 TracPipe....................................................... 314 Trans Continental Equipment................. 1042

Insulation for Radiant Heating and Snow Melting What are the impacts on project costs and operating costs when concrete slabs are insulated inadequately or not at all? LoopCad software can make it easy to determine the thermal losses from a slab according to its type of covering. Speaker: Francis Delaune of Les Entreprises Roland Lajoie Do you like new products? Then MCEE has the showcase for you! The New Products Showcase features more than 100 products competing for energy efficiency and innovation awards. Be sure to check it out while you’re walking the showroom floor.

A trusted brand. Innovation and comfort at your fingertips.

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Water heaters built by Canadians for Canadians! 66

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17-03-09 11:58

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165 years experience... No one knows the PVF market or products better than Flocor. With a comprehensive line-up of Pipe, Valves, Fittings and Hangers, as well as market specific trained customer service and sales representatives, Flocor delivers quality and service where and when you need it most.

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See Page 58 for complete floor plan

List of Exhibitors (as of press time)

Thursday, April 27, 2017 1:30 p.m.

Highlighted companies have ads in this issue.

Designing Drinking-Water Systems Transformateurs BEMAG..................151 Trilex ..................................................841 Triple+................................................679 TTI Climatisation Chauffage ..........1066 UEi Test Instruments.........................750 Unimanix...........................................1029 Uponor................................................320 Urecon ...............................................534 Usines Giant Factories .....................721

Valley Acrylic......................................200 Valmont/Feralux................................271 Vectair.................................................741 Ventex/Alumavent ............................677 Vertikal Equipements .......................566 Victaulic..............................................612 Viega...................................................333 Viessmann..........................................127 Vigmark .............................................900

This seminar will deal with requirements of and compliance with codes and standards, as well as optimizing the designs of drinking-water distribution systems in commercial buildings in accordance with ASPE recommendations. Speaker: Haemi Pollett of Uponor Language: Seminar in English with comments in French.

Thursday, April 27, 2017 1:30 p.m. Recovering Energy from DOAS As the trend toward sustainable buildings continues, air-to-air energy recovery ventilation (AAERV) systems provide one of the most effective, cost-efficient ways of recycling energy and creating superior indoor environments. Speaker: Paul Pieper of the Master Group

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Viking Fire Protection.................................. 483 Viqua........................................................... 3040 Viscor ........................................................... 375 VistaQua....................................................... 619 Voltech International .................................. 286 Vortex Industries ......................................... 185 Wajax............................................................ 361 Walraven ...................................................... 204 Wasteking..................................................... 619 Watco Manufacturing.................................. 938 Wattco ......................................................... 513 Watts Water Technologies ........................ 427 Webstone Company................................... 416 Weil-McLain Canada................................... 412 Weishaupt.................................................... 979 Werner Access Products Canada............... 580 Westinghouse Portable Power................... 673 Williams Comfort Products....................... 1078 Wilo Canada ............................................... 209 Winters Instruments.................................... 818 Wolseley Canada......................................... 833 Woodford Manufacturing........................... 938 Xylem AWS................................................. 3032 Zanotti Canada............................................ 840 Zip Cable Tray Systems............................... 156 Zoeller Canada ........................................... 516 Zurn Industries............................................. 219

TECHNOLOGY By Ri c k Ell u l

AN ONGOING EVOLUTION The first phase of the internet had people sharing information and talking to each other via networks and computers. In a relatively short period we went from web pages, virtual bulletin boards and email to social media and near-constant connectivity. The current phase has inanimate things talking to each other over these networks. We can use the information that these machines and devices report to each other to help us do our jobs more efficiently. For example, by remotely checking in on a building’s automation system, we can more easily identify trouble spots before a maintenance visit, or even know what parts to have on our service truck before heading to our client’s building. The next phase will have these inanimate objects analyzing the information that they gather from each other, and making decisions based on what they learn. This is being called “machine learning,” and it is a rapidly developing sector of artificial intelligence. Some of this is already here. Ever wonder how your phone predicts what you want to type? Learning the words that you type, and predicting what your next word will be is all part of this exciting next stage in machine development.

EXPLORING THE INTERNET OF THINGS

ne of the biggest buzz terms in the HVAC world lately has to be the Internet of Things, sometimes referred to as the IoT. Just what the heck is the IoT, and why does it matter anyway?

Well, the basic definition is that it is a digital network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items. These connected devices and smart devices use electronics, software, sensors, actuators and network connectivity to collect and exchange data. In simple terms, the Internet of Things is made up of things or devices that talk to each other. If you have a smartphone that communicates with a thermostat, or if you’ve checked on a building’s system operation parameters via a remote computer or tablet, or even if you’ve used the location services function on your phone, you’ve been there. But those applications are just the tip of the iceberg. Information technology research and advisory company Gartner estimates that there were 6.4 billion – that’s billion, with a B – devices connected to the internet in 2016, and that was a 30 per cent increase over 2015. By 2020 it is expected that almost 21 billion devices will be connected. These devices are a mix of consumer products, cross-business connected devices, and devices that are used in specific vertical markets. While the IoT is still mainly found in consumer devices, the trend toward its use in buildings is growing greatly. And that’s attracting a significant amount of interest from some of the leaders in IoT technology; brands like Cisco, Google, IBM and Microsoft.

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WHY DO WE ALWAYS LOOK UP WHEN WE SAY THAT? Another of the buzz words of the past few years is “the cloud.” It is related to the Internet of Things, and no, it is not up in the sky.

What Is the Cloud? The cloud really refers to cloud computing, where data is stored remotely, and can be accessed by anyone, or anything, that has appropriate security credentials or passwords. You are already taking advantage of the cloud if you subscribe to such online services as Netflix. They store files in data centres, and you access it when you want to watch a movie or a show. With the Internet of Things, our devices (phones, sensors, etc.) will be producing large amounts of data. If we want our HVAC equipment and our connected devices to process that data so that they can make decisions for a building or business, then the resources of the cloud come into play.

CONNECTIVITY:

As we add more smart sensors and internet-enabled metering devices to a building or home, we gain the ability to monitor them, make system adjustments and perform predictive maintenance. Think about it: If you could do your preliminary diagnosis of a problem remotely, how much travel time and diagnostic time would you save? Think of how much more business you could do.

Stepping Forward, Securely

Target: Smarter Homes

As more and more devices become web-enabled, it becomes more and more important to understand the need to be vigilant about who is able to gain access to a building’s systems, and to take proper precautions. Security protocols and password protections are, unfortunately, a necessary aspect of today’s world, and that includes securing web-enabled building automation systems. Computer hackers looking to get into a company’s computer system will target the least secure entryway they can find, and that can include smart devices in a BAS or HVAC system. Once they have access, they are not likely going to fool around with the building’s temperature and comfort systems – although that could be problematic enough. If the BAS system is connected to a building’s IT infrastructure, a hacker can use devices on the IoT to gain access to enterprise systems. That’s why some IT departments will suggest that IoT devices have their own network and gateway out of the building to the internet. On the home front, many of the singleuse IoT devices homeowners use are not using high levels of security, which should be a concern for your residential customers. As more and more devices come online, consumers will need to increase their focus on securing their systems.

This is a device’s path to the internet. There are many types of connectivity we use every day: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular, for example. There are also some new ones coming, like Li-Fi (Light Fidelity).

With 50 per cent of IoT devices being consumer based, there is a great deal of potential for working advanced functionality into home systems. Right now there are devices that will allow homeowners to remotely set temperature controls, lighting and even unlock your front door. There are even systems where it is possible for a home to be in communication with the smartphones that each of us carry, adjusting the lighting and HVAC systems based on where each resident is. In the next few years, your home could even be calling you to let you know it closed the windows and turned down the humidity because it checked the weather network and rain is predicted in the next hour. Hop in your car for the half-hour commute home and your home will know, so it will ramp up the heating or cooling system so it’s comfortable when you get there. That’s a considerable leap forward from programmable thermostats with weekend and weekday programming ability.

Rick Ellul is the district sales manager with Belimo Aircontrols (CAN) Inc., and a member of the Belimo Americas IoT committee. He can be reached at rick.ellul@ca.belimo.com.

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CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER By Greg Dalgetty

ew broadcasters in Canada have had the longevity or been as widely embraced as Jerry Howarth, the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The radio play-by-play announcer first started calling Jays games with his long-time partner, the late Tom Cheek, in the broadcast booth in 1981. Since then he’s witnessed every Toronto milestone firsthand—two World Series championships, recent back-to-back playoff runs and the infamous bat flip—and brought listeners across the country along for the ride with his insightful commentary. It all could’ve turned out differently, though. “I didn’t know much about Canada when I first moved here and I knew nothing about Toronto,” Howarth recalls. “I figured I’d be here for about three years and then move back to the States.” But those three years have turned into more than three decades, with Howarth now in his 36th season behind the mic in the broadcast booth. Born in York, Pennsylvania, and raised in San Francisco, Howarth became a dual Canadian citizen in 1994, along with his wife, Mary, and sons Ben and Joe. Photos courtesy of Sportsnet 590 The FAN and the Toronto Blue Jays.

We caught up with Howarth shortly before spring training began to learn more about his amazing career, his favourite memories and his family history in the mechanical trades.

Let’s Go Out to the Ball Game The Blue Jays’ regular season started on April 3, but before they hit the field in Toronto they played a pair of pre-season games at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

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A New Generation of Jays Fans Not only was Howarth a witness to the Blue Jays’ back-to-back World Series titles—he was also around for the 22-year playoff drought that immediately followed. The Jays finally managed to right the ship in 2015 and have enjoyed successful playoff runs to the ALCS for the past two seasons, reinvigorating baseball diehards across the country— and earning the team thousands of new fans who weren’t around for the ’92 and ’93 championships. So, how do today’s crowds compare to those from the Jays’ heyday in the early ’90s? “One nice thing about broadcasting for 35 years is you can answer a question like that with some perspective,” Howarth quips. “When the SkyDome opened—back then it was still the SkyDome—it was a mostly corporate crowd of 50,000 a night. I would even say to myself, ‘Come on, get into it! Where’s the anticipation?’ The fans would only stand and applaud with two strikes in the ninth inning, when the game was pretty much over. “And then in 2015, I’d never seen crowds as emotional and having as much fun as the last three months of that season when (former Jays pitcher) David Price was acquired to make a great team even greater. In August, September and October of that season—I’d never seen crowds like that in my 35 years. And that carried over into last year, when they drew 3.4 million fans.”

Ties to the Trades Baseball season stretches through the dog days of summer, when the days are long, the sun is high in the sky and some relief from the heat is often welcomed—unless you’re Jerry Howarth, that is. “The Blue Jays went to Florida years and years ago,” he recalls. “The visitors’ radio booth at the Marlins stadium had air conditioning that blew over the top of my head the whole game. I ended up with laryngitis for the week. And I said, that’s it for air conditioning—I don’t want any more cold air blowing over my head.”

Howarth estimates that about half of the broadcast booths he works in have air conditioning—and he always turns the AC off, in spite of his interesting connection to the HVAC/R trades. “The irony is my dad was a very good mechanical engineer who worked in air conditioning and refrigeration cooling systems,” he says, adding that his oldest son is an electrical engineer. “I tell my friends, ‘My dad was a mechanical engineer, my son is an electrical engineer, and all I do is go to baseball games!’”

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CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER By Adam Freill

The Bat Flip One of the most memorable moments from recent Jays history centres on Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS series against the Texas Rangers, a three-run homer from Jays slugger Jose Bautista—and the now-infamous bat flip. It was the top of the seventh at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, with the game tied 2-2. The Rangers’ Shin-Soo Choo was at bat when a fluke of epic proportions sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Making History Howarth rose to fame working alongside Tom Cheek, who’d been calling Blue Jays games since the team’s inaugural season in 1977. The pair of sportscasters—lovingly referred to as Tom and Jerry—remained working together until 2004. Sadly, Cheek passed away of brain cancer in 2005, but some of Howarth’s fondest memories include calling the game with his former cohort, and one game in particular stands out. “I think my all-time favourite game would be Game 6 in extra innings of the World Series in Atlanta,” Howarth says. “It was an opportunity for the Blue Jays to win a first-ever World Series for Canada.” He and Cheek would take turns doing the playby-play each inning and, as luck would have it, Howarth was having his turn in the 11th inning, with the game tied at 2-2 and the Jays leading the series 3-2. “Dave Winfield doubled two home for a 4-2 lead,” Howarth recalls. “And there’s Tom sitting with me, who’d been with the Blue Jays since Day 1.

Jays catcher Russell Martin was throwing the ball back to Aaron Sanchez on the mound—but the ball grazed Choo’s bat, careening off course and allowing the Rangers’ Rougned Odor to score. The umpires stopped the game to review the play—the run was allowed—and then the proceedings really screeched to a halt when fans started hurling beer cans onto the field. “You have to put everything in perspective, and that was an ugly inning for the fans, and for everybody else,” Howarth recalls of the game. “It was very emotional—things were being thrown on the field. It was Game 5. Win and move on; the loser’s out. And now, all of a sudden, Texas has the lead.” Once the dust had settled and the game finally progressed to the bottom of the 7th, the Rangers committed a comedy of errors— three, to be exact—that allowed the Jays to tie the game. And then, with runners on first and third, Bautista stepped up to the plate and cranked what can only be described as a dingwhopper deep into left field, bringing the Jays ahead 6-3 in the game—ultimately winning them the series. As an exclamation point to his series-winning bomb, Bautista superciliously flipped his bat aside—a move that instantly became part of Blue Jays lore. The bat flip was viewed as unsportsmanlike by some, but Howarth, like many others, had no problem with it. The Canadian Press/Chris Young

“I came on and, without Tom knowing what I was about to do, I just said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve had the pleasure of calling Dave Winfield’s two-run double for the lead. And now here’s my partner Tom Cheek to take you the rest of the way.’

“It’s a game of emotions—especially in the playoffs, when so much is at stake,” Howarth says. “Did it look good on the surface for everybody else? Probably not. It was very in-your-face for Texas. But for the Blue Jays, Jose and the fans—at that moment, for me, it was an OK thing to do.

“So he took over, and the Blue Jays won it in the bottom of that inning, 4-3. I was just so happy for Tom. It made my day—and season—to see him glowing like that. It was richly deserved and I couldn’t have been happier for him.”

“It was in the moment. And when you’re in the moment, that’s a good thing. Jose’s always been in the moment, and that’s why he’s had nine great years in Toronto, and why we’re looking forward to a tenth.”

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with Roger Grochmal

Business Plans Can Be Simple, If You Know What Your Focus Is

urs is an industry that is both very broad and very deep. We may provide products and services in heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, plumbing, electrical, and more. Our customers may include some or all of the residential, commercial, industrial and institutional sectors. And any given sector is also very deep, with plenty of opportunities.

Roger Grochmal is the CEO of AtlasCare in Oakville, Ont. To submit a question about your company, business practices, or the industry in general, send an e-mail to Mechanical Business Magazine’s editor, Adam Freill, adam.freill@ mechanicalbusiness.com.

Knowing where we want to go, where we do not want to go, and why, is the first step to building an effective business plan. I operate in the residential sector of the market. This could include numerous subsectors of that market. Without a clear focus, we could end up doing a whole bunch of things, quite possibly doing none of them well, and likely not very profitably. Without a plan, we wouldn’t have any focus. I understand that smaller markets may require you to be more diverse than you can be in a large market, but you should still have a focus: something you are better at than your competitors. The world of HVAC has changed significantly over the past 20 years. Technology is advancing at an increasingly rapid pace. Major competitors have emerged from the deregulation of the energy industry and, of course, we are being regulated to death by every level of government out there. How do these factors affect you? Where are your strengths in this new environment? What opportunities haven’t been fully leveraged in the market?

An Adventure in Wonderland

A well thought out and executed business plan will help you keep your head above water, and get you to where you want to go.

To paraphrase Lewis Carroll as he guided Alice through his fantastical world, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” As mechanical professionals, we also have a wonderland of opportunities and challenges before us. Without a sense of focus, we may end up on bumpy roads and down rabbit holes that won’t take us where we want to go, however.

M e c h a n i c a l

AVOID THE DUST The problem with many business plans, including some of my own, is that they suffer from “DD syndrome.” After they are completed, they sit on the shelf, never to be opened again. They become “Dusty Documents.” In last issue’s column, I referenced a book called Traction by Gino Wickman. Gino developed a program that he calls the EOS, or Entrepreneurial Operating System. He not only provides a format for developing a sound plan for your business, but also wraps it in a management process to give you, the owner, traction in your business life as well as in your personal life. It focuses on keeping the plan alive through a series of daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reviews to make your business a success.

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ASK ROGER The annual plan is a single piece of paper covered on both sides. That’s it.

BUILDING UNINTENDED ROLLER COASTERS

Most planning tools get you to look to the future; however, as contractors, we live day-to-day and project-to-project, and Gino’s approach recognizes this. The EOS approach helps us get the most out of every day, while staying focused on where we want to go.

In moments of weakness – slow times, mostly – we may take on work outside of our desired focus to keep busy and pay the bills. When better times return, we often continue to do this work. Over a few cycles we suddenly realize we’re doing a lot of work we didn’t plan to do – likely because it’s not profitable or enjoyable – so we have to recalibrate.

AtlasCare has recently joined an organization called Nexstar, based out of St. Paul, Minn. They use the basics of this system as the foundation for their business model. It has helped my firm become much more focused on where we want to go as a company, and so I encourage all business owners to look for this kind of tool to focus their plans.

Having a clear sense of purpose takes focus, and focus can be hard to maintain over time.

This can feel like a rollercoaster ride.

CREATE, AND SHARE, YOUR PLAN

Similarly, the personnel in our companies will change over time. New technicians bring different skills, so we may take on work to suit the skills that a new hire brings to our company. Of course, if the folks with those specific skills leave we may find ourselves trying to find someone with those skills – for work we never intended to do.

I have always worked with a business plan. Some have been better than others, but there has always been a plan. Some years it has been in my head and not written down – fine for me, but not for the business. I had clarity on what I wanted to do but because I did not share it with my people, they had no idea of my desired path, so they tended to take the company where they wanted to go, sometimes with not-so-good results. Some of my plans over the years have been quite lengthy and detailed. As I get older, I am becoming a big fan of simplicity.

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REFRIGERATION

B y P h il J. B o u d r eau

VACUUM COOLING: AN INDIRECT APPROACH

This is the first of a multi-part look at vacuum cooling. Be sure to pick up the May/June edition of Mechanical Business, where Phil will discuss the major components and equipment used in the vacuum cooling process.

This cooling process relies on the latent heat capacity of water to rapidly remove heat from the surface and pores of a product. Vacuum cooling is commonly referred to as precooling, since it can only be used to reduce the temperature. It will not hold the temperature.

any of us probably think of refrigeration as a means for cooling a product, fluid, air, etc., but there are other processes that incorporate refrigeration as well. Take vacuum cooling, for example. This is a process that incorporates refrigeration, but not for the purpose of cooling a product directly. Vacuum cooling is a precooling method that is often used during the cooling of some types of fruits and vegetables shortly after they are harvested. Rapid, postharvest cooling is essential in order to maintain the best quality and to achieve the longest shelf life possible.

What to Precool

Water is, of course, a refrigerant and is the primary refrigerant in a vacuum cooling process. Since produce contains relatively large quantities of water, we can reduce the temperature of the produce by reducing the pressure of the air surrounding it. As with other refrigerants, the water flashes as its pressure is reduced. Flash gas in this case, is simply water that has vapourized while the remaining water is cooling. This is the same self-cooling process seen in other conventional refrigerants as liquid passes through a metering device.

The best candidates for vacuum cooling have a high surface-to-volume ratio and have a porous structure. Generally speaking, the higher the ratio, the more rapid the cooling process will be. The best examples of this include leafy vegetables such as lettuce. This process provides thorough cooling of leafy produce within 15 to 20 minutes. Since this cooling process relies on the reduction of pressure, the product is cooled uniformly throughout its structure. Alternatively, if we were to use air to cool the produce, it would be cooled from the outside to the inside and after some time elapses, the produce closest to the outside of the crate would be cooler than the produce that is closer to the centre of the crate.

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continued from page 82 REFRIGERATION

TOOL TIP

Water as the Refrigerant Water behaves exactly the same as other refrigerants as its pressure is reduced below the pressure that corresponds to the temperature. This saturation pressure depends on the temperature of the product.

Measuring Up

f you are a contractor, you’ve got a tape measure or two in your truck or toolbox. If you’re a pro, you’ve got a good one. But what makes for a good tape measure for a plumber, gasfitter, HVAC tech, or any of the other trades under the mechanical sun?

At the beginning of the cooling process, the saturation pressure will be relatively high, so the water will begin to flash at a higher temperature. The temperature of the crop is further reduced as the pressure is reduced.

Well, magnets help, for one. Having one on the end that can cling to pipes, ductwork and strut is like having a second set of hands. Magnets should be strong enough to hold the weight of the tape measure, plus a little extra, so that you can apply a tug to stretch the tape out for the application. Also on the wish list should be a blade coating that is durable. The numbers on the blade need to be in the scale you will be using on the jobsite, and large enough to read easily. Extra features like blueprint scales on the tape can be handy as well. Tape measures also need to be able to withstand heavy use. That means standing up to harsh environments, extreme temperatures, dirt and the odd fall, so look for one with a strong case.

For example, in order to cool lettuce from 76°F to 36°F, the pressure surrounding the produce would have to be reduced to at least 5.38 Torr (0.104 psia). At atmospheric pressure, assuming sea level for altitude, the pressure is 760 Torr (14.7 psia). Also, the saturation or boiling temperature at this point is 212°F. Therefore the water contained within the structure and on the surface of the produce will not start to flash until its pressure is reduced to approximately 23 Torr (0.445 psia). It is very important to understand this delay in the flashing process because the operating of the mechanical refrigeration process must also be delayed. If the mechanical refrigeration system is started too early, there will be virtually no load on the refrigeration system and compressor damage will likely result due to wet refrigerant return from the suction line.

WHAT SIZE DO I NEED? A good 25-foot tape measure will provide the most flexibility for jobsite tasks, but match the length to the needs of your typical tasks, and remember that the longer the tape is, the heavier it will be on the belt.

The Cold Trap Sponsored by Milwaukee Electric Tool – a proud partner with Mechanical Business. Look for video tips, tools and reviews at www.milwaukeetool.com. Visit mechanicalbusiness.com for your chance to win valuable Milwaukee products and merchandise!

M e c h a n i c a l

B u s i n e s s

In a vacuum cooling application, the refrigeration system actually forms a cold trap. The term “cold trap” refers to a device that is used to condense water vapour back to a liquid or solid by reducing its temperature to a point that is well below its dew point or its freezing temperature. In this case, the evaporator of the refrigeration system is placed between the produce and the vacuum pump and serves as the cold

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• W a t e r a s th e R efrigerant • T he Cold Tr ap • The M ec hanic als in t he Sy ste m trap. The evaporator may be located inside the space where the produce is located, or in a compartment known as a “coil box.”

Phil Boudreau is the Ontario sales manager for Bitzer Canada Inc. and provides training and technical support for Bitzer’s clientele. He can be contacted at pboudreau@bitzer.ca.

The coil box is connected to the produce container and the vacuum pump package. The cold trap used in vacuum cooling systems will operate below the freezing point of water in order to be able to extract sufficient moisture. Not all moisture will be removed by the cold trap. Therefore, it is important that the vacuum pump oil is changed at regular intervals. There will always be moisture remaining because there is a limit to how low we should reduce the pressure of the chamber. Since water freezes at 32°F, we need to ensure that the vacuum pressure does not reach 4.6 Torr (0.089 psia). If we allow the produce to freeze, it will be damaged and become unsaleable.

The Mechanicals in the System Even though we use mechanical refrigeration during the vacuum cooling process, its purpose is not to cool the harvest directly, but to remove moisture from the air before it enters the vacuum pumps. This is important because vacuum pumps require oil in order to produce a high vacuum level. If we allow moisture to return to the vacuum pump, it will condense and contaminate the oil. This will reduce the ability of the pump to produce a high vacuum. Additionally, the internal components of the vacuum pump will be subject to corrosion and accelerated wear.

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PLUMBING

SHOWERHEADS

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By Bi l l G a u l e y a n d J o h n K o eller

How Low Can You Flow? W

e live in a world that places an ever greater emphasis on conserving water.

what is REUS?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve already noticed this. We see it

everywhere: low-flow toilets, low-flow faucets and even low-flow showerheads. And yes, the water savings realized by the adoption of low-flow fixtures has been

The Residential End Users

real.

of Water Studies (REUS)

Two REUS studies —one conducted in 1999 and another in 2016—have

looked at the water used in a

demonstrated that domestic water use has decreased over a 17-year period.

large number of single-family homes in the United States and Canada in the years 1999 and 2016. The studies were

The 1999 study found that the average indoor water demand of a North American household was 69.3 gallons per capita per day (gcd). By 2016, this had shrunk to 58.6 gcd—a decline of approximately 10.7 gcd, or an average decrease of about one per cent per year.

able to quantify the volume of water used for specific tasks in a home (e.g., water used for flushing toilets, doing laundry, showering, etc.).

Interestingly, 90 per cent of this reduction in water use is accounted for by low-flow toilets and washing machines. The water used in showers only decreased by 0.5 gcd over the same time period, according to the studies. So, why has the savings from low-flow shower fixtures been so…low? Could it be possible that the reduction in water used by showers actually been more substantial than it appears?

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@. GERBER

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PLUMBING CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS Showering accounts for approximately 20 per cent of an average household’s indoor residential water demands. Delta

In 1999, 44 per cent of the houses studied by Aquacraft had low-flow showerheads. In 2016, that number had grown to 56 per cent. It’s clear that low-flow fixtures were making inroads in domestic showers, but why were the water savings they produced only 0.5 gcd?

Shower Volume

One school of thought is that people were compensating for lower flowrates by taking longer showers. The idea has an intuitive appeal; after all, wouldn’t you have to spend a longer time rinsing yourself off if you were using less water to do it? But that doesn’t quite hold up when you look at the numbers. Both the 1999 and 2016 studies found that shower duration increased only minimally when low-flow showerheads were used. For every 0.2 gpm decrease in the flowrate of a showerhead, showering time increased by only eight seconds overall in 1999, and by only two seconds in 2016. But shower volume did decrease more noticeably when a low-flow showerhead was used. For every 0.2 gpm decrease in flowrate, shower volume decreased by 1.24 gallons in 1999 and 1.44 gallons in 2016.

What Is Low-Flow? The REUS studies considered showerheads with a flowrate of 2.0 gpm or less to be lowflow. This is the maximum flowrate for a WaterSense-labelled showerhead.

Encouraging Water Savings Some studies have shown that people prefer high-flow showerheads. Showers aren’t necessarily just about getting clean; people enjoy the experience of showering. Who among us hasn’t enjoyed the feeling of a comforting warm shower before setting out on our morning commute? So it stands to reason that some people would choose to forgo low-flow showerheads, since they could be viewed as providing less comfort. But manufacturers have come a long way in ensuring that low-flow showerheads perform just as well as high-flow models, engineering water delivery systems that improve the feel of every droplet. And the proof is in the pudding, since people spend about the same amount of time in the shower regardless of what kind of showerhead they’re using. Low-flow models that meet customer expectations offer a great potential for water savings. Furthermore, if water utilities are interested in achieving greater water savings, they could consider promoting or offering rebates for low-flow showerheads. This might help encourage some homeowners who don’t want to give up their luxurious showers to make the switch—and realize that low-flow showers can be just as enjoyable.

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Generally speaking, the data seem to show that people tend not to change their shower routines, regardless of whether they’re using a low-flow showerhead. The REUS studies found that in 1999, average daily shower demands amounted to 11.6 gallons of water. That number shrunk to 11.1 gallons in 2016, giving us the 0.5 gcd difference we referenced earlier. That may not seem significant, but things start to look different when you introduce a margin of error—and the REUS studies did not specify the margin of error they used for their calculations. Very often for surveys of this nature, a statistical confidence level of at least 95 per cent is used. When we apply that margin of error, the 1999 value of 11.6 gcd could actually range anywhere from 11.2 gcd to 12.0 gcd. The 2016 numbers could range anywhere from 10.5 gcd to 11.7 gcd. So what looks like only a 0.5 gcd reduction in water use according to the REUS studies could, in fact, be as much as a 1.5 gcd reduction – or an unlikely increase of 0.5 gcd! Regardless, the studies indicate that there are more low-flow showerheads being used today than in 1999, and they do have a measurable impact on water savings.

What’s That Horrible Smell? Have you ever been on public transit and noticed that your bus was filled with all kinds of terrible odours? Well, we may have an explanation for that. Both REUS studies found that the average North American takes only 0.69 showers per day. No wonder your morning commute stinks! Bill Gauley, P.Eng., is the president of Gauley Associates Ltd. He can be reached at bill@gauley.ca. John Koeller, P.E., is the president of Koeller & Company. He can be reached at koeller@earthlink.net.

VISIT US @ MCEE- BOOTH #321

www.dahlvalve.com

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

B y David Pelletier

Integrating MaterialsintoHandling Your Systems O

ver the course of this series of articles (past articles are available in digital editions at mechanicalbusiness.com), we have looked

at some of the challenges of organizing and moving materials around a jobsite. Left unchecked, there can be surprising costs that originate from the ordering and organizing of materials. And these can be staggering at times, especially when you are operating several sites or several crews, all of whom may be experiencing the same inefficiencies.

Not a Cost, But Rather a Savings

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I am a proponent of having a full-time or dedicated stock person, or more than one if your operation warrants it. Not only can this person help keep a project organized, but they can also play a key role in achieving total integration with your detailed pre-construction

Before we dig too far into the benefit of having a full-time dedicated stock person, it might help to define what that entails.

planning (DPCP) system. If you want more information about DPCP, be sure to hit the

By full-time, that means having someone whose only task is to look after materials, and possibly tools. This person can be assigned to one project or to several projects at once. By dedicated, I mean that this person will be working on the actual site(s), and their primary role will be handling materials (and possibly tools). Each project or site will have different needs, so on some sites the person in this role might also help crews with installations, or supporting tasks to round out a complete day and week. There will be labour costs associated with having a dedicated stock person, so the temptation may be to assign the task to an apprentice, but resist that urge.

M e c h a n i c a l

Mechanical Business website for articles in that series as well.

A full-time knowledgeable journeyman with years of experience looking after your materials (and tools) will more than pay for the difference versus using a first-year apprentice. All it takes is one or two mistakes made by an apprentice each week to have the costs start adding up. When a smaller project wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t justify a full-time materials person and you have a materials control and handling process in place companywide, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much easier to have one person who has a good understanding of the process look after several projects at once, rather than have dedicated people on each small project.

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Viega MegaPress®

Skip the mess

Threading and joining black iron pipe on a busy job site can be complicated. Viega MegaPress is flameless and eliminates heavy equipment and messy joining materials. Differentiated by sealing elements, Viega MegaPress and Viega MegaPressG are approved for more applications than any other black iron pipe press system. Reduce the installation time on your next job by up to 60%. • Suitable for ASTM Schedule 5 to Schedule 40 black iron pipe and NFPA 13, 13D and 13R fire sprinkler systems • Secure press connections made in seconds • Equipped with the Smart Connect® feature for easy identification of unpressed fittings • No need for messy and toxic threading or cutting oils Viega. Connected in quality. For more information, call 800-976-9819 or visit www.viega.us

Visit us at MCEE Booth 333

Another option for smaller projects is to use a semi-retired journeyman as a dedicated materials handler, but for only 15 or 20 hours or so per week. Any of these options is better than using an inexperienced person. The person in this role will only contribute to the bottom line if they are experienced, knowledgeable tradespeople who are dependable, and task-focused. Arm the right person with a materials control and handling process, and watch them watch after your jobsites, and your bottom line.

We’re Not Just Building Buildings I started in the mechanical trades as a young apprentice, working my way up to journeyman and going on to run a small and medium-size mechanical contracting business, and then all the way up to working on larger mechanical projects.

Integrate

with Your DPCP

In my many decades of working in this industry, I’ve yet to see or experience a business that has a totally integrated system or process from start to finish for its projects. What I have seen are bits and pieces of very good standalone processes that cover everything from estimating to pre-construction planning, job costing, tool tracking, and more, all the way through to the job close-out process. All fall short of a truly integrated system, and there always seems to be some disconnect in all these processes. Detailed pre-construction planning is the process that is starting to finalize the integration of all these processes. DPCP and 3D CAD are basically the same. While DPCP is generally a more manual process, CAD takes everything into the electronic realm. Today, with 3D CAD and BIM bringing this all together, it’s quickly becoming the norm to have integrated systems and processes. This is being more strongly embraced in the U.S., but it is working its way into Canadian construction projects as well.

I started on the tools doing service work and re-piping galvanized water lines in homes, along the way servicing plumbing and heating systems in 30-storey apartments. I’ve also built many apartment blocks with my own firm and working for others. Working on various types of projects in countless different places, I have seen many areas of the construction industry, but have seen very few firms that actually use DPCP. I’ve only seen a handful, and it’s a shame, since many companies could build a profitable, enjoyable workplace by implementing DPCP and other processes that trim waste from their bottom line. And, just as importantly, a firm that is lean and fit, and making money, is so much easier to sell or pass on to the next generation.

DPCP, the planning and organizing of the details of installation of materials into a project in an organized fashion, is, in many ways, no different than what you see in a manufacturing plant that builds a bus or other complicated product. Today, the vast majority leave this detailed planning step up to the worker. They give them a drawing and say, “Go to it!” Or the foreman will sit down a few hours, a few days, or maybe a week ahead of the project to draw up what he wants, put a list of materials together and order what’s needed on the site. In the end, he gives a quick explanation to a worker or crew, and hopes for the best. Invariably, these workers will have to change something or will find themselves short a part or two, and so delays are encountered, and unexpected costs sneak into the project. DPCP does all these steps mentioned above, but well before anyone hits the site. DPCP isn’t perfect, but before 3D CAD and BIM finally become the norms, it will greatly improve this process. And it will save headaches, liability issues, stress in your workforce and, probably right up there with saving money, it will help bring a positive attitude to your workforce as they work together as a team. David Pelletier is a plumber in Manitoba who offers consulting services in pre-construction planning. He can be reached at david@sw5.ca.

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Photo courtesy of Autodesk

continued from page 32 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

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 All products are independently load tested - reports available  Ask for a sample and make your own conclusions Visit us today at www.acocan.ca to see how ACO can help with all your surface drainage requirements. ACO Drain On-Line Catalogue - fast browsing of ACO drainage solutions http://www.acodrain.us/drain-catalog.html ACO Drain On-Line Visualizer - online tool that allows a true view of any ACO Drain grate with a variety of pavements. http://acousa.com/visualizer/

ACO Oleopator P - Oil/Water Separators 24” diameter cast iron access cover - pedestrian & heavy duty options (requires concrete support ring)

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Alarm system - oil, sludge and high level sensors with control unit in the office

Vent pipe - multiple position fittings at the top of the tank

Inlet pipe - 4” or 6” diameter depending on tank size

Inlet

Outlet Oil

Anti-scouring baffle on inlet

Outlet pipe - 4” or 6” diameter depending on tank size

Water The closing device floats on water. As oil layer increases in thickness closing device will move downwards and eventually close outlet pipe when maximum oil thickness is reached.

Anti-buoyancy ribs - resists uplift forces from water table up to the finished grade Integrated sludge trap provides an area for settled suspended solids storage

Coalescence unit - knitted wire mesh, perforated steel

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ACO Systems, Ltd.

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PLUMBING

Products

Hot Water Booster Eemax’s AutoBooster is designed to increase the deliverable hot water capacity of any electric tankstyle water heater by as much as 45 per cent. The device uses the existing electrical infrastructure of an electric tank-style water heater and has an outlet temperature range of 80 to 140°F. It features a digital user interface and external controls for adjustable settings.

www. eemax.com

Indoor plumbing became a standard feature in homes in the early 1900s.

Auger System Milwaukee Tool’s Trapsnake porcelain auger system is designed to clear clogs in toilets, urinals and trapways. A 6’ toilet auger and 4’ urinal auger extension are available to use with the system. The device features a cable-locking mechanism engineered for easy extension and retraction. Replacement cables are available.

www. milwaukeetool.ca

Commercial Water Softening Canature WaterGroup’s 95-MTS commercial water softening and filtration systems are designed to provide up to 132 gpm of continuous soft water. They are engineered to detect flow rates under 1 gpm and provide total flow during power outages for up to 9 hours.

PEX Tool Ridgid’s PEX-One tool is designed to press 1/2”, 3/4” and 1” connections in PEX plumbing systems. Engineered to be used one-handed in tight spaces, it can operate at full power through more than 150 crimps on a single charge of its 12V battery. It features an LED light to illuminate dark workspaces.

www. watergroup.com

www. ridgid.com

Bathtub Faucet Riobel’s Kubik wall-mount tub faucet includes a thermostatic/pressure balance coaxial cartridge with check valves. Offering a flow rate of 5.4 gpm, it features a scale-free one-jet hand shower.

www. riobel.ca

Macerating Bathroom System Saniflo’s Saniaccess 3 allows contractors to install a complete bathroom up to 15’ below the depth of the sewer line. It features a macerator designed to handle effluent and has two service panels that allow access to internal components. The system is designed to pump effluent to a height of 15’ or 150’ horizontally (with gravity fall).

www. saniflo.ca 94

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Think inside the box!

Quality look on the outside, uncompromising excellence on the inside. For over 150 years, Anvil International has been supplying our customers with a complete line of rugged and durable standard and proprietary mechanical, fire, oil and gas products: malleable and cast iron fittings, pipe nipples, forged steel, high pressure oil & gas fittings and pipe hangers and supports, Gruvlok fittings and accessories. We have the broadest assortment of domestic and import fittings offered in the Canadian market. Make Anvil International Canada your one-stop shop. Our quality products now come in new brightly colour-coded boxes that help reduce overall costs. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a bright idea inside and out.

www.anvilintl.com 1-800-661-8998

HYDRONICS

B y B o b “ Ho t Rod” Rohr

Manifolds: taming THE tangle

hen we think of manifolds, thoughts often go immediately to hydronic and radiant piping applications, but these handy channels designed for the gathering and distribution of fluids in a piping system can be used for all kinds of mechanical systems. And they can be equipped with a whole array of components to make our lives easier on the jobsite. In the hydronic field, the manifold is the gathering point for all the loops to be supplied and returned to the heat distribution system. Off-the-shelf manifolds run the gamut from mild to wild. Models range from copper tube manifolds with branches that are plain stub-outs to stainless and plastic manifolds as well. Some are designed specifically with PEX connections in mind, and options may include the inclusion of valves to help with the isolation of a zoned system’s loops. With engineered, factory-built manifolds, the features really are endless.

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Quick

TIP Hydronic

manifolds will have threaded ports, so you can mix and match various sizes of tube connections.

Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr has been a plumbing, radiant heat and solar contractor and installer for 30 years. A longtime columnist and trainer, he is manager of training and education with Caleffi North America. You can reach Hot Rod at bob.rohr@caleffi.com.

Manifold manufacturers offer the ability to add individual electric actuators, flow indicators, balancing valves, isolation valves and temperature indicators, as a few examples. Air vents or manual purge cocks are sometimes included as well, and pressure bypass valves can be built into the assembly, too. Some manufacturers offer inverted versions for piping runs going upward.

Flow balancing is another feature that can be included at the manifold, and balancing is a necessity if the system includes loops that vary widely in length. A radiant design will indicate the required flow rate for the various loops – information that can be used to dial in the flow at the manifold.

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HYDRONICS

Made on Site s Factory Built

s Geothermal manifold

Combination manifold and pump groups are also available. These can include the manifold, a mixing device and a circulator pump, all in one easy-toinstall plug-and-play assembly. Optional enamelled steel enclosure cabinets offer a nice, clean look and provide easy access to the manifold for future servicing. For the geothermal “loopers” in the mix, a manifold will provide many of the same features and benefits that hydronic installers enjoy. In addition to being the central gathering point for the loops, the manifold allows you to isolate loops and purge them one by one. With flow meters installed, you can dial in and confirm the correct flow rate for each loop as well. This ensures that you are getting the best possible exchange and performance from each loop.

While many manufacturers offer ready-made units, manifolds for hydronics, radiant and geothermal applications can be assembled from an assortment of fittings on site, and customized to the job and space available. Copper tube and fittings or threaded steel pipe and fittings are most commonly used for “build your own” manifolds, but we are seeing polypropylene piping materials being used as well. A connection port, or series of ports, can be fusionwelded onto PP pipe, making for a very customizable system.

Having multiple loops off a manifold also adds a level of insurance. Should a loop develop a leak, you can isolate and abandon that one loop and still have a functioning system. Manifolds are available for potable water piping, as well. These became popular in the late 1980s when polybutylene and PEX tubing were first introduced. By using a manifold, every plumbing fixture in the home or building has a dedicated hot and cold line. A benefit to this approach is the elimination of fittings in the walls and ceilings. It also allows you to run smaller diameters of tube, oftentimes 3/8” to sinks and toilets. Since the small volume in the hot water piping run will flush in a few seconds, there isn’t a need to use a DHW recirculation system to provide near instant hot water delivery. Being able to isolate any fixture in the building for service or faucet rebuilding is a handy benefit, too. As you can see, there are mani, mani uses for manifolds!

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In the geothermal world, loop field installers (aka “loopers”) will often build or buy PVC manifolds. Several manufacturers offer high-flow, geospecific manifold assemblies. Common materials used to fabricate manifolds include, steel, copper, brass, stainless steel, plastics and composites. For large radiant applications, welding and pipe fabrication shops can custom build a welded steel manifold assembly. 0 4 . 1 7

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION In larger installations, manifolds can be scattered around the building to cut down on tubing leader length, and reduce the costs associated with materials and labour. In homes, it is not unusual to find manifolds mounted in closets or behind access panels in ceilings. In commercial applications, you may find manifold boxes in hallways outside of offices, shops and other spaces. Mixing stations at the manifold allow for the delivery of different water temperatures to zones designed for a variety of heat emitters. For example, a home may have in-slab radiant zones in the basement running at one temperature, a tubeand-plate installation for the main floor, and panel radiators for other spaces. A manifold home run system would allow all to operate at different temperatures, and each manifold could even have outdoor reset control logic added. Installers who embrace panel radiators have discovered that having a central manifold location with supply and return to each panel location is a great way to pipe the system. This eliminates connections in the walls and ceilings, and provides isolation for service and troubleshooting. It also allows every room to have a thermostatic radiator valve or an electric actuator at the manifold, for room-by-room zoning.

HOT ROD’S NOTEBOOK High-flow radiant manifolds are available for snowmelt applications. These will have a large trunk size and higher branch Cv.

CHECK YOUR TEMP If you are using fluids other than water, confirm that the manifold is compatible. With some plastic and composite types there might be temperature limitations to consider.

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AquaPLEX is a remarkable new water heater tank material created by alloying 300 and 400 series stainless steels and capturing the benefits of both. Fully pickle-passivated after complete tank fabrication, AquaPLEX is naturally corrosion-proof in potable water regardless of stored water temperature. • Tank walls are solid AquaPLEX. There is no lining, coating, cladding or plating of any kind. Nothing that can erode, crack, delaminate or wear through over time and expose a steel tank to water • No anodes of any type are required. AquaPLEX tanks are unaffected by aqueous or galvanic corrosion so an anode rod has nothing to do. And this means tank life cannot be compromised by insufficient anode rod “reach” or condition • AquaPLEX is immune to chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking; a known failure mode for 304L and 316L stainless steel in hot potable water • AquaPLEX is as much a process as it is a material. Tanks and welds are designed to eliminate crevices and we employ unique fabrication processes to ensure maximum longevity of the tanks www.PVI.com

Hydronic Products Combination Boilers Weil-McLain’s AquaBalance 155,000 BTUH gas combination boiler is designed to provide 4 gallons of domestic hot water per minute at a 70°F rise. Offering efficiencies as high as 94.4 per cent AFUE and a 10:1 turndown ratio, the wall-mountable unit features a titanium-infused stainless steel water tube heat exchanger.

www. weil-mclain.ca

Commercial Boilers Viessmann’s Vitocrossal 300 CA3 commercial condensing boilers are available in inputs ranging from 3,500,000 to 6,000,000 BTUH. They feature fully modulating pre-mix cylinder burners and can provide a burner turndown ratio of up to 15:1. They offer AFUE efficiencies of up to 96 per cent and have a pressure rating of 160 psi.

www. viessmann.ca

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HiTech Dispensing Inc.

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Tubing Connections Legend’s SmartClick radiant tubing couplings are designed to allow contractors to connect PE-RT or PEX tubing without using any tools. Installers insert tubing into the coupling until they hear a click for a complete and permanent connection. Couplings are available in nominal tubing sizes of 1/2”, 3/4” and 1”.

www. legendvalve.com

Hydronic Products Two-pass Counter-flow Boilers Advantus two-pass counter-flow fire tube boilers from Camus offer thermal efficiencies of up to 99 per cent and feature a turndown ratio of 25:1. Thirteen different models are available, with inputs ranging from 450,000 to 4,000,000 BTUH.

www. camus-hydronics.com

Condensing Boilers

ECM Circulator

Laars’ Mascot LX condensing boilers are available in seven sizes ranging from 50,000 to 220,000 BTUH. They feature variable speed blowers and offer AFUE efficiencies as high as 95 per cent. Three combination boiler models are offered in sizes of 125,000, 150,000 and 175,000 BTUH.

Engineered for hydronic systems zoned with circulators or zone valves, Taco’s 0015e3 variable speed, high-efficiency wet rotor circulator is designed to replace three-speed hydronic circulators. It features an ECM motor and three settings: low (5’ of head), medium (10’ of head) and high (18’ of head) at a maximum flow of 16 gpm.

www. laars.com

www. tacocomfortsolutions.com

Multiple Heating & Cooling Modes

The THM-0500 is a Full Colour Touchscreen Programmable Setback Options

Thermostat designed for Hydronic/HVAC heating and cooling systems. The THM-0500 is

Simple 2-Wire Thermostat

designed to work with the Wi-Fi Zoning System. The thermostat features multiple heating/cooling modes, programmable

Geo Mode & Damper Control

Auto Changeover Feature

schedules, and away/home mode. Visit us at MCEE at Booth #841 for a live demo! Compatible with HBX Zone App

www.hbxcontrols.com M e c h a n i c a l

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101

CUSTOMER SERVICE

B y T y e Le i s h m a n

SHOW

UP ON TIME

Four Key

Values

“I am so sorry, Mrs. Jones. I will follow up with our tech and find out where your parts are.” How many of you have used a line like that before? You call your tech and he tells you he ordered the parts but has not had time to get back to finish the repair to Mrs. Jones’s system. The challenge of operating a small- to medium-sized contracting business can be overwhelming at times—but it doesn’t have to be. How do you know if all your staff understands exactly how to take care of a customer? Do you think you are the only one who can effectively operate your business? Does your business operate efficiently if you’re not there every moment? These are all valid worries and concerns for a business owner, but if you want to ease your stress and increase your service rating, it might be time to look inward and start to actively develop your company culture.

The Handbook At my company, Tempco Heating & Cooling Specialists, we introduced a Technician Manual, both in hard copy and digital format. It contains all the specific tasks and processes we need our staff to be armed with. More importantly, the manual contains four key values, which I’d like to share with you: 1. Show up on time; 2. Do what you say you will do; 3. Finish what you started; and 4. Be polite—say please and thank you. I remind our team weekly that if we continue to just focus on these four key values, we will be the best company in town, hands down.

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If your appointment is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., you must show up at 10:00 a.m. This is the minimum the customer expects. We expect our technicians to call their next customer prior to departing from their previous appointment. This accomplishes a few primary tasks.

First, it ensures the client is home. It also begins to establish a rapport with your customer and lets the customer know you are on your way. If necessary, you can amend your arrival time so they can stop looking out the window every two minutes, waiting for you to show up. It’s simple—show up on time.

63%

energy saving potential in today’s buildings and industrial processes

is realizing a more energy efficient city infrastructure Canadian infrastructure investments are on the rise, and with ambitious climate and energy targets in place, Danfoss has been helping make Canadian cities more efficient and sustainable for 65 years. Heating and cooling consume as much as 40 percent of a building’s total energy use. Danfoss solutions like AC drives, variable speed compressors and hydronic control valves help cut energy consumption and improve comfort and control. City-wide, Danfoss’ innovative district heating solutions amplify efficiencies — cost-effectively boosting energy productivity, minimizing environmental impacts and helping cities plan for a sustainable future. With Danfoss, our cities can get more out of less without sacrificing performance or reliability. Discover how we’re Engineering Tomorrow at danfoss.ca

CUSTOMER SERVICE

DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO This is the foundation for building your customer’s trust.

From the expected 10:00 a.m. arrival time to telling the customer you will order the parts and return to install them, if you tell a customer you’ll do something, you must do what you say you will do. When things get busy and the calls are coming in fast and furious, it is very easy to forget to follow up on your previous customer and focus on the next call. Remember, if you told a customer you would call them back tomorrow, they will be waiting all day for you to call them back. For you, it is just another task on an already overloaded list, but for them, it is everything.

FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED

Once again, this seems pretty straightforward and easy, right? But many of us don’t need to look far to find examples in our own businesses where we may not have followed up on this key value. It seems so easy. “Hey, I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know when the parts will arrive so we can finish your repair.”

Following Through You would think everyone involved in any business would naturally follow these steps with every customer interaction, but we all know this not the case. By following these four key values daily, you will not only improve your business relationships, but you will increase your bottom line. When word gets out around town that you showed up on time, did what you said you would do, finished what you started and were polite and said please and thank you, you will spend your time looking for more staff as your phone will be ringing off the hook. And that’s not a terrible way to spend your time.

Three days later, your good customer calls you and asks where his parts are and when you expect to finish her repair. Or the paperwork from that latenight service call you ran still hasn’t been filled out—you’ll do it “when you get a moment,” so the job continues to go unbilled. By finishing what you start, these issues disappear.

BE POLITE—SAY PLEASE AND THANK YOU Are you noticing a trend here?

Again, this one sounds simple. How many times can you look back and realize that you weren’t as polite as you could have been, or you didn’t say thank you for someone’s business? Imagine a customer saying, “I am very sorry to hear that your family has died in a fiery bus crash, but when will you have my system fixed?” It may sound harsh, but the reality is customers don’t care about our problems—they call us so we can solve their problems. They have problems of their own which may seem far more pressing and important. As you drive away from your service call, you want the customer thinking, “Wow, that was the nicest guy. Not only did he arrive on time, he fixed my problem and he was so polite and respectful.” The customer must feel great about their experience with you to ensure that you’re the one he calls when he needs service in the future.

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Tye Leishman is the president of Tempco Heating & Cooling Specialists in Powell River, B.C. He can be reached at tye@tempcohvac.com.

REFRIGERATION

Andre Patenaude is the director of CO2 business development for Emerson. He can be reached at andre.patenaude@emerson.com.

B y Andr e P a t e n a u d e

Natural REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE TOWARD NATURAL REFRIGERANTS.

What’s Natural? The term “natural refrigerant” refers to substances that naturally occur in the environment. Unlike the synthetic refrigerants that have commonly been used in refrigeration applications, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), ammonia (R-717), propane (R-290) and carbon dioxide (R-744) are three naturally occurring refrigerants that pose very little threat to the environment.

he food retail, foodservice and industrial cooling industries are in the midst of a momentous transition in their refrigeration system architectures. In an era driven by historic regulatory activity and the necessity to deploy sustainable systems, the number of refrigeration options available to these operators seems to be growing exponentially — and with that, an equal amount of confusion about what is the best future-proof system alternative. To get to what many call the “end game” of achieving compliance and meeting corporate sustainability objectives, more businesses are looking at systems based on natural refrigerants to help them achieve these goals. The search for the perfect refrigerant is an ongoing quest. It’s important to keep this in mind when evaluating natural refrigerants. Yes, efforts are needed to mitigate their associated risks and ensure their safe use, but natural refrigerants represent true sustainable alternatives without sacrificing performance.

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL Sustainability objectives, first costs, energy efficiency, safety, maintenance requirements and regulatory compliance: there are myriad factors to consider when choosing a modern refrigeration system — often eliciting conflicting opinions among decision makers within an organization. Whether you’re selecting 1,000 tons of refrigeration, or specifying a few walk-in coolers for a restaurant or convenience store, the number of system sizes and options can be daunting to evaluate. To help your organization wade through the confusion and make these difficult decisions, I’ll be authoring an article series over the next several months that will look at the potential of natural refrigerants in modern refrigeration equipment. The next article will focus on R-290, taking a closer look at its applications in small, stand-alone systems and other emerging architectures. Then, we’ll work our way to increasing larger retail and industrial architectures.

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KNOW YOUR NATURALS

AMMONIA

PROPANE

CARBON DIOXIDE

Ammonia was among the first refrigerants used in refrigeration applications. While its superior thermodynamic properties made it a logical first choice for early refrigeration systems, its toxicity requires the careful adherence to safe application procedures to ensure operator and customer wellbeing. With the advent of CFC refrigerants in the mid-twentieth century, the refrigeration industry moved away from R-717 in favour of lower risk synthetic alternatives that offered comparable performance characteristics. Even so, ammonia’s suitability in low-temperature applications has made it a mainstay in industrial, process cooling, cold storage and ice rink applications.

Propane is a hydrocarbon that was also identified in the early days of refrigeration as an effective refrigerant. Its high-capacity, energy-efficient performance and very low GWP are offset by its classification as an A3 (highly flammable) substance. But as synthetic refrigerants became available for many refrigeration applications, R-290 was largely abandoned in lieu of its CFC-based counterparts. Since the 2000s, R-290 has been regaining global popularity as a lowerGWP alternative to HFCs like R-404A and HFC-134a, especially in a wide range of low-charge, reach-in display cabinets.

CO2 is non-toxic and has proved to be a very effective alternative to HFCs in both low- and medium-temperature applications. CO2-based refrigeration systems have been successfully deployed in commercial and industrial applications in Europe for nearly two decades. Because of its low critical point and high operating pressure (around 1,500 psig or 103 bar), CO2 refrigeration systems must be designed to account for its unique characteristics. In light of current environmental regulations, the popularity of these systems has increased significantly in North America in recent years.

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REFRIGERATION NATURALLY GREENER Natural refrigerants pose very little risk to the environment. Each delivers high energy efficiency and excellent thermodynamic properties. But, it is important to understand their unique design and application considerations.

Natural Refrigerant GWP ODP Special Considerations Trends in Refrigeration Ammonia (R-717) 0 0 • Potentially toxic • Very low charge • Slightly flammable requirements • Used in the high stage to absorb heat and/or cool R-744 • Far removed from occupied spaces Carbon dioxide (R-744) 1 0 • High pressure • Very little danger to • Low critical temperature occupants in the • High triple point event of leaks • Used in medium and low stages • Pumped into the fixtures used in occupied spaces, rather than R-717 Propane (R-290) 3 0 • Highly flammable • Very low charge requirements (currently 150 grams is the max)

Necessity is the

of invention

The use of natural refrigerants is on the rise. Companies are taking a fresh look at them to achieve their sustainability objectives. As technology continues to improve, equipment manufacturers are working closely with these forward-thinking companies to develop innovative solutions. This has resulted in several creative natural refrigeration applications that belie their traditional uses — like ammonia being used in supermarket systems and CO2 playing a larger role in industrial process cooling. In the United States, a supermarket company opened a 36,000 sq. ft. store in Columbus, Ga., that has an NH3/CO2 cascade system. The all-natural refrigerant system uses an ultra-low charge of ammonia (53 pounds) located on the facility’s roof. The ammonia condenses the CO2 and is circulated to the store’s low-temperature cases via direct expansion. The mediumtemperature circuit is cooled by a CO2 liquid pump overfeed. Since the total refrigerant charge of the system has a GWP of less than 150, this store is one of 10 supermarkets in the U.S. to receive the highest certification level

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confirmed that there was no identified risk in the event of a catastrophic leak of the small 53 pounds of charge. In cold storage applications, where ammonia has been the preferred refrigerant for decades, companies are also seeking to lower ammonia charges.

(platinum) from the EPA’s GreenChill Partnership. While the system does come in at a higher initial cost than a conventional system, the energy savings combined with lower refrigerant costs for the life cycle will likely result in a lower total cost of ownership. And with the growing number of utility incentives available for green technology, there will also be opportunities to mitigate these first costs. From a safety perspective, it’s important to point out that this ultra-low charge of ammonia never comes into proximity with staff or customers in the store’s occupied space. A safety study on the system

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As older ammonia systems near replacement, many operators are evaluating the best option to expand their facility’s low-temperature capabilities. They’re accomplishing this by adopting NH3/CO2 cascade systems that not only use very low charges of ammonia, but also keep the R-717 circuit out of occupied spaces. Some major retailers have announced intentions to use only propane in their self-contained units, which indicates that perceptions about the mainstream viability of R-290 are shifting. The smaller charge limits can make R-290 a logical fit for smaller, stand-alone refrigerated display cases and coolers. To handle this shift, contractors who might be working on the propane-based equipment will have to seek the necessary training.

HVAC/R Products P Smart Thermostat Honeywell’s Lyric T6 Pro Wi-Fi smart thermostat can be controlled remotely by the Lyric app for Android and iOS devices, as well as Apple HomeKit for control via Siri, Amazon Echo, Stringify and other mobile apps. The thermostat is designed to learn a home’s heating and cooling cycles to provide optimal comfort, and features optional ventilation control and dual fuel capabilities.

Multi-Zone Systems

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Little Giant’s VCC-20-P condensate pump has a performance rating of 80 GPH at 1 foot of head pressure. It has a height of 1-3/4”, and can be used with ceiling installations, equipment with a low outlet drain position, or in any installation where space is limited. It features a 1/30 hp motor, and has an automatic start and stop switch.

Daikin’s Aurora multi-zone heat pump systems offer efficiency levels up to 17.9 SEER and 12.5 HSPF. They are designed to deliver 100 per cent heating capacity at -15°C and 100 per cent cooling capacity at 40°C. The outdoor unit can control up to three separate zones that use wall mount, floor mount, concealed slim-duct or ceiling cassettes. The wall-mount units are designed to detect movement within a room and operate at a predetermined temperature when a room is occupied.

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMMERCIAL HVAC HVAC

B yB yGo Din r d oC o Giar o ke russo Dino Giarrusso is a solutions leader for controls and service with Trane Canada. He can be reached at dgiarrusso@trane.com.

Efficiency, Comfort & Savings

AT HSBC TOWER

ith a focus on energy efficiency, building performance and comfort, Prince George-based property management firm Majestic Management is modernizing buildings in its portfolio to high-performance standards.

As the original HVAC equipment at HSBC Tower, a premier office location in Prince George, B.C., approached the 40-year-old mark, Majestic wanted to find solutions to reduce operational costs and make the building more efficient to maintain. “Occupant comfort has to come first, but energy footprints are also important for many of our tenants,” said Bob Hillhouse, president of Majestic Management.

Majestic Management sought to convert the building’s HVAC system into a reliable, energy-efficient systems while modernizing the building’s zoning and ventilation. M e c h a n i c a l

Improving the energy efficiency of the HSBC Tower was a key concern, and issues of occupant comfort in the building were also critical, since Majestic staff had spent a significant amount of time addressing hot and cold calls. Given the building’s aging equipment, it was a struggle to keep tenants comfortable and it was not possible to provide the simultaneous heating and cooling that was desired in various areas of the building. As such, many of the building systems needed to be upgraded or replaced if they were going to reduce energy costs and provide the necessary level of occupant comfort. The ability to add asset value to the building and eliminate the risk of catastrophic equipment failure was also appealing.

efficiency and low carbon

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Majestic Management sought to convert the building’s HVAC system, which included an induction fan, chiller and boiler, into a reliable, energy-efficient systems while modernizing the building’s zoning and ventilation. Of course, because the 10-storey building was fully occupied, upgrades needed to be completed during the shoulder seasons to take advantage of milder weather and to minimize disruption to business operations.

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With the improvements, every perimeter office is now a separate zone in the building, which helps maintain better temperature control and satisfy comfort needs and preferences.

Majestic Management consulted with longtime partner Trane, with conceptual input from Bob Hillhouse, to consider options for the system. A turnkey design/build solution was developed for the project.

In addition, energy costs have decreased by more than 50 per cent, with savings of more than $100,000 annually in electricity costs and about $50,000 annually in gas costs. The project was also awarded energy incentives of $100,000 and another $100,000 in tax incentives.

“Energy efficiency was of key importance, but so was our payback. Given that the building equipment was 40 years old and in need of replacement, we could either choose to replace the equipment like-for-like as it failed or do something out of the box,” Hillhouse said. “Trane helped us think outside the box, and in the end, it wasn’t that much more of an investment to have a highly efficient system.” The two-phased project included not only the replacement of aging air handling units, chillers, boilers and building controls, but also the implementation of a system redesign and energy-saving strategies. Each phase took about 18 months, from design to completion. To improve comfort, a dedicated heat recovery chiller and water-cooled screw chiller were installed to match the capacity of the existing centrifugal chiller. The two-chiller combination enables simultaneous heating and cooling, to better control temperatures and

And improvement efforts continue in the building, with performance, efficiency and comfort being ongoing priorities. “We’ve been quite happy with the solutions,” Hillhouse said. “We’ve had huge improvements in energy efficiency. In fact, we’ve been advised that this building ranks within the top 10 most energy-efficient buildings in Canada for this climatic region.” create zones within the building to satisfy individual comfort preferences. This provides much tighter zone control over temperatures. In addition, the building ventilation system was modernized with the installation of new air handlers with dynamic air filtration. Collectively, the new equipment and system upgrades provided energy consumption reductions by improving north, east and south zoning that allowed for much better temperature control in the building.

ADDITIONAL ENERGY-SAVING STRATEGIES:

3 The cooling towers were reworked to include a free cooling option. 3 Boiler piping was revised and boilers were replaced with low temperature condensing boilers. 3 Variable frequency drives were included on the new boilers and on other equipment to reduce fan, gas, and electrical energy use and

operational costs.

3 Induction box operation was also modified to allow switching between warm water, cool air and cold water warm air. The improvements

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to the induction boxes allowed boiler temperatures to be lowered to 35°C versus the previous 60° to 70°C, allowing the heat recovery chiller to take care of most of the daily heating requirements.

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FINDING (HEAT LOAD) BALANCE Recovering and reusing return air heat, the HSBC Tower is equipped with a dedicated heat recovery chiller to eliminate the need to use boilers during shoulder seasons and when the building is occupied through the majority of the winter months. When outdoor temperatures rise, the water-cooled screw chiller works with the dedicated heat recovery chiller to satisfy the cooling load. Water from the heat recovery chiller is used for all building perimeter heating. This transfer of energy helps make the building even more efficient – so much so that the building is about 240 kilowatts away from being completely self-balanced, meaning it can reject as much energy as the building requires for operation. As a result, there is little to no need for heating and cooling requirements that use new energy.

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HYDRONICS

Detecting and Handling

B y E r ic Riml

Eric Riml is a certified hydronic designer working in Calgary, Alta. He can be reached at hydronichelp@gmail.com.

Elusive Leaks

sually, finding a leak isn’t the problem – there’s water everywhere and someone’s complaining. But not every leak will have you running for your water wings. With the system feeders now available on the market, a homeowner or maintenance person may notice an unusually rapid drop in the system feed tank, and give you a call to investigate the early signs of a leak. Since “Call me when it gets worse” isn’t a very proactive response, nor will it satisfy a customer, how does one find a small or slow leak in a system? One way is to create a pressure test assembly such as the one shown in Fig 1. To use this approach, you isolate the manifold, attach the pressure assembly to the end of it, close all but one loop, and then wait to see if the pressure drops. Depending on the severity of the leak and how many loops you have to test, this can take some time, but it’s one of the least invasive ways to narrow down where that leak might be. The second common method is to do a hydrostatic pressure test. For this, you shut down the equipment and do a higher-pressure (50 to 60 psi) test on the system. Just remember that you’ll likely pop the pressure relief valve if you don’t temporarily seal it off! What you are looking for here are signs of a pressure drop, and to possibly to make the leak bad enough that, for a short period, it can be visually or audibly detected.

Figure 1

You can also drain the system and perform an air pressure test at high pressure (100 to 150 psi) as this can give better audible clues in some cases. Of course, it also runs the risk of rupturing the pipes further, especially in the case of already weakened PEX.

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The Physical Signs I would be remiss in my coverage of this topic if I didn’t mention the other signs of small leaks, such as the bulging of drywall, and dark spots on walls, ceilings or in batt insulation. Signs of mould could also give clues to the location of a leak. Making use of an infrared laser thermometer – sometimes called a heat detection gun – can also help to isolate the leak before you begin opening up walls. When working with a laser thermometer, look for something that doesn’t match the rest of the area being scanned. You are looking for either a big cold spot or a warm one. If it is cool, it could be because the spot is now losing heat to the exterior. For example, the leak could create a big piece of soggy insulation that’s now conducting heat instead of insulating against heat loss. Likewise, the spot could be warm because of the hot water escaping from the pipe and pooling in the wall, floor or ceiling cavity. Keep in mind that water can travel along the outside of pipes, along wires, or along framing, and the actual source of the leak may not be in the same location as the physical signs. Other common places for such leaks include solder joints at air vents or radiators, where corrosion or mineral build-up could indicate a slow leak. If only a small amount of water is being lost, the heat from the pipe could cause the water to evaporate rather than accumulate, making it an easy one to overlook.

T he Ph y s i c acontinued l S i gfrom n spage 64 • Beh in d t h e W alls • C h em ical C au tions

Measure Twice

Behind the Walls

Cut Once

If you are having a really hard time finding a leak, it might be time to resort to a high-tech alternative, such as ultrasound leak detection or thermal imaging. For the first few times you need this type of detection, I suggest subcontracting a company with the equipment and expertise. Thermal imagers are rapidly coming down in price though, and some good equipment can be had for around $1,000. There’s even an inexpensive unit that will attach to your smartphone, so if you find yourself wishing to do quick scans, do not hesitate to add one to your tool set.

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Chemical Cautions Some experts will recommend various stop-leak chemical products, which are reputed to block small leaks, at least temporarily. But I shy away from these products because modern boilers, especially high-efficiency mod-cons, do not like their heat exchangers coated, and I’ve had frequent reports of kettling following such a chemical treatment.

Furthermore, these chemicals rarely stop the problem for more than a few months to a year, so instead of setting yourself up for a callback, get to the root of the problem and perform a proper repair.

Handling the leak may be as simple as opening up the drywall, cutting out a small piece of PEX, and installing a coupling. Then again, it could also mean demolition in a finished area, and jack-hammering concrete! Get the customer’s full buy-in about the scope and risks of the repair before you proceed. The less accessible the area is, the more you should be spending on detection and analysis before proceeding with a repair. Nothing feels worse than tearing up an area and then not finding the source of the leak.

Repour the Floor I’ve seen articles online asking about how to repair an old copper-tube, steel-tube or non-barrier plastic pipe system that’s embedded in concrete. From all I’ve read and seen, I would tell homeowners to not bother with such a repair. If they really want radiant heating in that location, do a thin-slab overpour, or create a framed subfloor, complete with insulation. Yes, they will lose some room height, but the installation will be more efficient, less trouble, and probably less costly in the long run. M e c h a n i c a l

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Jeff House is an experienced industry professional and hydronics trainer. He handles the sales territory from the Niagara region to the Greater Toronto Area for Jess-Don Dunford, a manufacturers’ rep in Ontario. He can be reached at jhouse@jessdondunford.com.

Find the Fix

THE P/S RENOVATION This is a schematic of my own basement laboratory. I test products and technologies as they come along, and this past winter I decided to add a cast iron radiator “wild loop” in the garage. I heat with oil, so I run the boiler hot all winter and the primary pump is now a variable speed delta T, to maintain the proper return temperature back to the boiler. For this edition’s quiz, let’s crunch some of my numbers. As a bonus, let me know if you can spot what my technician (my son) pointed out as the reason why, after installing and purging, the rad was up and running but not working. (Think like water, think like air.) 1.The 140,000 BTUH output oil boiler has 1-1/4” tappings and is down-fired to 91,000 BTUH. What size should the primary loop be? a) 1” b) 1-1/2” to handle the total load of everything running. c) 1-1/4” because the maximum firing rate is 140,000 BTUH. d) 1-1/4” because you always match the boiler tapping size. 2. The primary loop has a total length of 40’ of 1-1/4” copper pipe with nine 90-degree elbows. What’s your original main circulator speed setting? a) High. You always want maximum flow. b) Low because you are only fired at 91,000 BTUH. c) Start at medium speed. Adjust it on a day when everything is running. d) Do the math; calculate the flow and head. Here, we need a flat curve circulator.

3. Besides using closely spaced Ts for the secondary loads, what else should you use? a) Check valves so you don’t get ghost flows. b) Balancing valves to set the correct flow. c) Shut-off and purge valves to easily get the air out. d) All of the above. 4. The original house had a 110,000 BTUH oil-fired furnace. What is the first thing I should have done before I changed to a hot water boiler? a) Stayed with forced air so the air conditioning would work. b) Matched the boiler size with the furnace size. c) Added up all the secondary loads I wanted to add and sized for that total. d) Sized the boiler based on a proper heat loss calculation.

WIN! Email your answers to adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com. Please include your name and daytime phone number.

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here is a growing concern in Canada today about how much lead is in the water we consume. For

decades, many of us may have assumed that lead in water was a thing of the past. After all, most cities have municipal water systems that test, monitor and remove such things, right? A Google search for “lead in drinking water” produces a long list of news stories from across Canada identifying areas where lead has been found in the drinking water supply. Additionally, news coverage of such public disasters as the one experienced in Flint, Mich., has brought a renewed awareness of the harm that lead can cause. And this awareness has officials who are responsible for schools and other large public facilities where drinking

WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT LEAD? Lead has been used to transport water for centuries. In fact, the word “plumbing” derives from the Latin word “plumbum,” which means lead. In Canada, lead has historically been used in the plumbing and waterworks industry. It was an allowable pipe material in Canada until 1975, was present in solder until the mid-1980s, and can still be found in some metal alloys. Despite its usefulness, lead can create very serious health problems for those who ingest it, and it can be particularly harmful to children and pregnant women. Lead is toxic — even at low levels continuous exposure can cause a variety of health problems. High levels of lead can cause permanent damage to the central nervous system and brain. In some instances, exposure to extreme lead levels has even resulted in death.

fountains, water coolers and bottle filling stations are commonly used wondering about how to ensure that these are delivering water that is safe to drink. Rather than pulling fountains from use, one option for these facilities is the use of point-of-use filtration products that remove the lead that has leached into the drinking water from the plumbing supply system.

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The effects of lead are cumulative and irreversible, will last a lifetime and can exacerbate other health problems. The Canadian Water Quality Association reports that it was almost four decades ago when industry learned that lead could dissolve into the water supply from pipes and fittings. It was decided then to limit the amount of lead used in alloys and materials in the water sector. Today that limit is 0.25 per cent, as defined by the NSF 372 Standard.

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Responsibility for Safe Drinking Water All levels of government share the responsibility to ensure that Canadians have access to safe drinking water supplies. For the most part, water treatment facilities fall under municipal jurisdictions, but provincial and territorial governments have oversight into providing safe drinking water. At the federal level, Health Canada’s Water Quality and Health Bureau has developed a number of reports and set safe limits for exposure to lead and other potential toxins in water. These are summarized in Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, which was developed with the other levels of government, and are used throughout the country. Health Canada’s website, www.hc-sc.gc.ca, offers a wealth of information about acceptable water quality levels, dangers about lead in our water systems, as well as advice about testing protocols and strategies to limit exposure.

HOW MUCH LEAD IS TOO MUCH LEAD?

In Canada, the maximum acceptable concentration of lead in water is 0.010 mg/L. Potable water is usually below this concentration when it leaves the treatment plant, but the concentration level can increase as water flows through pipes to the delivery point. If the water system contains lead, the concentration levels may rise the longer that water is left standing in the pipes. Furthermore, hot water and soft water are more susceptible to leaching lead from plumbing systems. Health Canada recommends that taps are run until the water runs cold if the water has been left standing overnight, or for any extended period of time.

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HIG •

PUSH FOR EFFICIENCY S H A R K B I T E ® S U P P LY S T O P S

QUICK CONNECTIONS FOR SINKS AND TOILETS SharkBite® supply stops are ideal when installing in tight spaces like under sinks or toilets close to a wall, perfect for adding a dual vanity or supply lines to fixtures. The valve controls water flow with quick shutoff. SharkBite supply stops have the versatility to connect with multiple types of pipe.

ELIGIBLE FOR

PLUMBING

Filtration as a Solution

PEX Fittings

The CWQA states that lead in municipal water can be removed using an NSF 53 certified product. NSF/ANSI Standard 53 certified products effectively reduce lead from incoming water levels with 150 ppb of lead to below EPA action levels (15 ppb) for up to 3,000 gallons.

Viega’s PEX fittings are available in sizes ranging from 3/8” to 2” and are compatible with all of the company’s PEX tubing. Suitable for potable water or radiant applications, the factory-assembled fittings feature three view holes designed to help installers insert tubing correctly to ensure proper installation. Colour-coded tool locator rings aid with proper alignment of the press tool.

For schools and other public buildings with existing drinking water outlets, an NSF 53 certified product can be retrofitted. Alternatively, new fountains, coolers or bottle fillers can be installed that come equipped with a filter built right in.

www. viega.us

Regular maintenance is required when using filters as a lead remediation method. If the water flow of the fountain or bottle filler decrease it could be a sign that the filter will need to be replaced sooner than expected as the flow restriction could be caused by a spike in particulate lead.

Pressure Reducing Valve Caleffi’s pre-adjustable 535H pressure reducing valve is designed for residential and commercial applications. Offering a pressure setting range of 15 to 90 psi, it has a maximum operating pressure of 300 psi and features a replaceable pressure-balancing cartridge.

The fountain, cooler or bottle filler manufacturer will provide instructions regarding filter replacement timeframes, and it is not recommended to exceed the number of cycles or lifespan expectations of the filter. Filters should also be replaced any time the output flow level is dramatically reduced, regardless of whether the stated maximum capacity of the filter has been reached. To confirm whether a particular brand of filter has been officially certified by an accredited certification body, you can check with the Water Quality Association or on the NSF International website listing. If you do not find the filter you are considering on one of these sites, it may not perform to the level you need for lead contamination.

REPLACE OR RETROFIT Drinking fountains, water coolers and water bottle filling stations are available with specially designed filters that are certified to meet or exceed NSF/ANSI Standard 53 to remove lead from the water source itself. Despite this, only a small percentage of schools and institutions actually have these types of units installed. For older institutions built before 1986 that may have elevated lead levels in their water, upgrading to a filtered model or retrofitting NSF/ ANSI 53 certified filtration onto an older model may be a viable solution to reduce lead in drinking water.

LEED-accredited, Jason Boyd is the vice-president and general manager of Dobbin Sales Ltd., a Canadian agency representing several brands in the plumbing market. He can be reached at jboyd@dobbinsales.com.

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Products

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www. caleffi.com

Drain Cameras with Wi-Fi General Pipe Cleaners’ GenEye POD video inspection systems are available with optional Wi-Fi transmitters, allowing contractors to send video to mobile devices or upload to YouTube from the jobsite. The full-size model features a self-levelling camera and 200’ of push rod for troubleshooting 3” to 10” drain lines. The Mini-POD comes with 125’ or 175’ of push rod and is designed for 2” to 4” lines.

www. drainbrain.com

SALES

B y Jim Baston

Engaging Technicians to Promote Growth W

ant to increase sales by engaging your field personnel in promoting your services? Want to increase customer satisfaction and retention? How about growing overall market share? One of the best ways to make all of this happen is to engage your technicians in promoting your services. Done properly, this is more than just a revenue generator. It is a means to deliver a higher level of service to your customers by helping them operate their facilities, homes and factories more efficiently and effectively. Your success in implementing this strategy is your customer’s success. Here are four tips to get you on the right track.

1. Serve, Don’t Sell

4. Coach and Support Your Techs

Your field service technicians provide a tremendously valuable service for your customers, and know the products and services that will help these home and business owners, but they may view a sales roles as being pressured to push products. Your technicians need to know that you are asking them to speak to the customer only when they feel it is in the customer’s best interest to act on the advice. They need to realize that this is a service and not a sale.

Engaging the customer and speaking to them about actions they should take will come naturally to some technicians, but for others this will seem foreign and uncomfortable. As managers, we need to provide ongoing support to encourage the technician to take the risks accompanied with trying new skills. Skills adoption and application is greatly improved when training is followed by coaching – as much as four times better than without the ongoing support.

2. Provide Communication Skills Training Good communication skills play a critical role in the technician’s success in exploring and discussing new business opportunities with your customers. And, just like any technical skill, these skills can be learned or developed.

JUST ASK!

WHAT MATTERS

MOST?

Want to ensure that your technician focuses on what matters most for your customers? Ask your customers. Set up a formal meeting and explain your strategy of making proactive suggestions, and ask your clients about the issues that are most important to them. Focus on the things your company can do to have a positive impact on their comfort, budget or business operation. If it is important to them, it should be important to you.

3. Be Ready for the Leads If you want your field service team to generate opportunities, make sure you have a fail-safe way to capture and act on those leads. Nothing will put a tech off from promoting additional services more than a lack of response from the office.

Jim Baston has worked with thousands of technicians and their management teams to help them transform the service experience. The author of Beyond Great Service – The Technician’s Role in Proactive Business Growth, he can be reached at jim@jimbaston.com.

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t one point in time, being a good troubleshooter meant having a finely tuned set of senses, and using them as soon as you entered a jobsite. The ability to hear a bearing grind or to smell an overheated motor could save countless hours trying to pinpoint the reason why heat wasn’t getting to where it was needed. Now thermal imagers are doing more than a technician’s five senses can do, with the added ability to record and report findings to home and building owners. How’s that for convenience?

Thermal Imaging:

By Adam Freill

The Sixth Sense of System Diagnostics

FLIR

Between time savings, the ability to predict pending equipment failures, and the fact that the price of the technology is more reasonable than ever, thermal imaging has been gaining considerable attention as a predictive and preventative maintenance tool.

What to Look For Scanning a piece of equipment or a wall in a building will bring up a thermographic image on the screen, but how does a technician identify potential problems? In the absence of additional information, like a baseline image to compare to, FLIR’s Bork suggests looking for anything that looks inconsistent with its surroundings, or other similar pieces of equipment. “Is there an improper or non-uniform pattern to what should be a uniform pattern?” he queries. “Unlike electrical systems, there are no clear thermal signatures [in mechanical systems] that can be correlated to a specific problem,” adds Fluke’s Sandhu. “However, the temperature rise or other hot- or cold-spot anomalies are good indicators of potential problems.”

“It is a critical way of diagnosing anomalies in any surface temperature zone,” says Keith Potts, the national trainer with Milwaukee Tool Canada. “Infrared thermal imagers are a useful tool to identify changes in heat patterns,” explains Sat Sandhu, thermography services support manager with Fluke. “These heat patterns in turn are usually indications of the onset of failure.” “It is replacing that spot thermometer where you see a temperature measurement point,” says Greg Bork, the country manager at FLIR Instruments. “By showing it visually and making it simple, you can quickly identify where, for example, there might be a bleed out of a radiant floor tube.”

“For example,” says Bork, “if you look at evaporator coils or a frozen coil, you don’t even have to really truly measure it. It’s more of a visual cue that there is a problem.”

FLIR

Photos: Steve Wilkie

“The unit can see and stop motion on a bad bearing in the motor, for example, and the tech can then replace the motor or bearing before catastrophic failure,” adds Potts. “Imagers can also detect leaks in seals, joints and other parts of the unit, and in the ductwork, that lead to an inefficient system.”

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Of course, better than relying on instincts and assumptions of temperature anomalies is to take initial scans of a client’s building and equipment either on startup or at the outset of the service contract, to serve as a baseline for comparisons during future site visits.

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“It’s a visual cue that there is a problem.”

Aside from being useful to have down the road, these baseline scans may also point to existing problems that the building owner may not be aware of. “It is very good practice to carry out a survey as soon as possible,” advises Sandhu. “The data can act both as a baseline reference but also provide indications of clear installation issues from the start.”

Fluke

“Using a thermal imaging camera allows you to set baseline and then measure over time,” says Bork. “When your client comes back to you and says an area or zone is too hot, you might be able to trace back quickly the source of the problem.”

Invest in Training Even with the best thermal imaging equipment in the market in hand, the tool is only one part of being able to offer clients quality service. Training is a must, says Sandhu. “Training is necessary to understand what is happening to the scene from a temperature perspective,” he advises. Camera-specific training is offered by many manufacturers, but these classes will also cover more general topics that are applicable to all thermal imaging. “We offer some basic physics explanations why, for example, maybe a shadow or some solar loading on a roof may make it appear that it is hotter or colder than it might be,” says Bork. “And we guide you through some of the pitfalls that can happen, so that potentially expensive mistakes can be avoided.”

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Costs and Specs Choice in thermal cameras varies greatly nowadays, but that just means more opportunity for contractors to match a camera’s features to the type, and quantity, of work that they anticipate. “When I started 17 years ago, the lowest priced camera was $100,000,” says Bork. Units now start at less than $1,000. “First and foremost, as an HVAC/R professional, you want to buy a tool, not a toy. You need something that provides robustness, durability, usability and a decent battery life,” advises Sandhu. “As with all imaging devices, the higher the resolution the better the image you will get, and the easier and quicker you can inspect.”

QUICK TIP

To check a wall for insulation there should be a temperature difference of at least 10°F between the outside and inside to register accurate findings. FLIR

Milwaukee

“If you are going with a low-resolution camera, you may miss a problem,” adds Bork. “It affects the quality of your report.”

Software and Reports Many clients want proof of a problem before they will sign off on repairs, especially preemptive repairs, so being able to generate a report with recommendations is a must for contractors looking to offer their customers a thermal imaging program. Camera manufacturers have kept this in mind, adding in the ability to save scans and generate reports in most of their professional-grade offerings. Some will even work with apps on a smartphone.

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“Report generation is core to any type of thermography program,” says Bork. “You want to ensure that any camera that you get has the appropriate capabilities to do a good, solid, but simple report.” “The accompanying software is easily used to record findings and to create a thermal report,” says Milwaukee’s Potts. “The images can be adjusted to show what the contractor wants the client to see, or which anomaly he wants to report on, then sent electronically as a PDF file or printed out in hard copy.”

HVAC/R Products

HVAC/R Products P 24.5 SEER Air Conditioners Amana’s AVXC20 air conditioners are available in sizes ranging from 23,600 to 53,000 BTUH. Capable of efficiencies as high as 24.5 SEER, they feature condensing coils made with corrugated aluminum fins and refrigeration-grade copper tubing. The units are designed to operate as quietly as 57 dBA.

Sealant and Applicator RectorSeal’s AC Leak Freeze Pro sealant applicator is 11.5” long and features a flexible, transparent refrigeration hose. It comes with a copper reservoir that contains 1.46 ounces of the company’s refrigerant sealant designed for use with residential and commercial refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

www.

rectorseal.com

www.

amana-hac.com

Combustion Analyzers Testo’s combustion analyzers feature built-in condensation traps and integrated magnets that allow for hands-free operation. Applications include measuring drafts in flue gas ducts, ambient CO measurements in heated environments and measuring the flue gas parameters of a burner (CO, O2, temperature, etc.).

www.

testo.com

Vacuum Pumps Hilmor’s dual-stage vacuum pumps are available in 3, 5 and 9 CFM models. Technicians can connect a hose to the 1/4”, 3/8” or 1/2” port (1/2” only on the 5 and 9 CFM models), open the leak-proof blank-off valve and crack the gas ballast to start evacuating HVAC systems.

Today’s Answer to a Better Tomorrow

www.

hilmor.com

Direct Air Heat Pumps Direct Air CS11M series heat pumps are designed to operate in heating mode in temperatures as low as -35°C. Capable of efficiencies as high as 25 SEER and 12 HSPF, outdoor units are available in capacities ranging from 9,000 to 24,000 BTUH. The indoor 12,000 BTUH units measure 33” wide.

The RS series of refrigerants is the most complete and easy-to-use line of drop-in replacement refrigerants on the market today. From RS-50 (R-442A), the ideal replacement for R404A, to RS-70 (R-453A), the lower GWP drop-in for R-22, we have solutions for today and tomorrow. Visit our website for more information and a wholesaler near you.

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Refrigerant Services Inc.

www.

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HYDRONICS

B y Dan Ho lohan Dan Holohan is an author, speaker, steam heating expert, and founder of heatinghelp.com, a highly regarded industry site that shares information about heating systems old and new. He can be reached at dan@heatinghelp.com.

drills & thrills

TOOLS OF THE

TRADE W

ho doesn’t like to talk about tools? I asked a bunch of my friends about the tools they remember best that aren’t around anymore. Johnny laughed and said, “Honesty, pride, and integrity?” Tools for sure, and worth a good laugh, but what about the ones you can hold in your hands? My buddy Stephen said he misses the old steel tool boxes. “They’re still out there, but are harder to find,” he remarked. He looks for old Craftsman steel boxes at garage sales and flea markets. I’m right there with him. Those old steel boxes sure beat the plastic ones that are everywhere nowadays. And you can meet some, well, interesting people at garage sales. Bob mentioned that when he started in the business, there was this holeshooter that he renamed Wrist-Breaker. “We had a well-used one that I saw take out more than one wrist. I learned a long time ago to use a broomstick with any drill that had a D handle on it,” he said, laughing. “I saw too many folks get spun around when the bit got stuck. Mucho torque on those things.” “A hole-shooter will make you respect it if you aren’t careful,” added Chris. “My dad had one that weighed a ton, and we’d sometimes both have to be on it when we were using a large bit. It’s basically the ’50s version of the Hole Hawg – low RPM and a ton of torque. “I have a chip in my tooth from being lackadaisical with it. The bit bit, and the handle nailed my jaw and knocked me right off the ladder.” To which Stephen added, “I’m laughing because it did the same thing to me. Wasn’t very funny at the time, though.”

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I learned a long time ago to use a broomstick with any drill that had a D handle on it.”

• Th e C a t a l o g u e • W h at E d said • To u gh as Nails All of which makes me happy, yet again, that I chose to write about these activities rather than actually do them. No keyboard has ever knocked me off my chair. You guys are tough. “Yeah,” Bob said, “And I’m still using an all-metal, right-angle drill. That thing will take your arm off if you’re not paying attention.” I’m sensing a “pay attention” theme here. Speaking of which, Chris offered up that he has a 1930s Canedy-Otto 16” (1/2”-chuck) drill press that he says will do some damage. “My boss gave it to me because OSHA wouldn’t allow it due to it not having belt guards.” So when the government says no, the boss says, “Here you go!” As I said, tough guys.

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THE CATALOGUE

tough AS NAILS

K.C. has a bunch of old pipe dies that his grandpa had given him. “I’m not sure what vintage they are, other than old,” he said. “I’ve actually worked with these, and fully understand why he was so strong and in such good shape. “I used the one-inch die to make a customlength nipple for one of my small radiators. Wow! I don’t want to do that too often, at least not on black-steel pipe. I also couldn’t help but notice that this was the biggest size he had.” Grandpa was a smart man. And tough.

Plimpton & Hills started in business in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1902. They began as a supplier of pipes and fittings to the plumbing, gas, water and steam trades. They’re still in business, with multiple branches. I found their 1924 hardcover 483-page catalogue in a used book store. I paid 10 bucks for it. I learned from this catalogue that for another 10 bucks I could have bought a genuine four-foot-long Stilson wrench that year. That was back in the day when beer cost a nickel and 20 dollars was a half-week’s wages, of course. This catalogue is a walk down a mechanical memory lane. It ripples with muscle. On page 452, there’s a Toledo Power Drive offered for sale. The price is $600 – the equivalent of 14 weeks of wages. It weighs 260 pounds and can thread pipe from 2-1/2” to 12”. It snarls. Oh, and they also sold the 12” screwed fittings. How’s your back feeling? Ouch, right?

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What Ed said

THERE’S A PRETTY TOWN in upstate New York called Hudson. Ed Bratton, who is older than I am, still works in that town. Years ago, I wrote a book called The Lost Art of Steam Heating and in it, I told Ed’s story because, at the time, I believed he was the last man in America to still be installing steam heat from scratch.

This is something few consider.

Since then, others have done the same, and they’ve told me about it. Most mentioned Ed, and said that they wanted to rise to his challenge. Guys in this business are like that.

“You know,” I said, “you can get a pipe-threading machine with a motor these days.”

Anyway, I was with Ed in a basement of a small house where he was putting in a one-pipe steam system from scratch. I asked him why he was doing this and he said, “The people aren’t here all the time, and this system won’t freeze and break the pipes.”

Ed had bought used radiators and he was running the pipe up through the building. He was cutting and threading every piece by hand. Ed looks like he’s made of concrete and used auto parts. He grunts as he works and never stops talking. He has opinions about everything.

Ed paused, looked at me, wiped some sweat off his forehead, and said, “Motors are for sissies.” And he went back to work. I will remember that moment all the days of my life.

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Hydronic Products Combination Separators Caleffi’s SEP4 combination air, dirt, hydraulic and magnetic separators are available in 2” to 14” flanged sizes. They feature an internal coalescing element designed to eliminate air micro-bubbles and can remove dirt particles as small as 5 microns. Their magnetic probes are designed to remove up to 100 per cent of ferrous materials, including magnetite.

www. caleffi.com

Condensing Boilers IBC’s third-generation SL series boilers come in five sizes ranging from 14,000 to 399,000 BTUH. Offering a turndown ratio of up to 10:1, the boilers feature an integrated four-zone pump control and the ability to connect an indirect water tank directly without a primary loop. Three models have supply and return connections on both sides of the unit.

Combination Boilers

www. ibcboiler.com

Lochinvar’s Noble fire-tube combination boilers are available in three models ranging from 110,000 to 199,999 BTUH. Offering a turndown ratio of 10:1 and AFUE efficiencies as high as 95 per cent, the boilers feature a backlit LCD display and a setup wizard designed to guide contractors through programming parameters.

www. lochinvar.com

Opposing-port Tees Follow Us on Twitter @MechBusiness

www. uponor.ca

Wall-Hung Condensing Boilers

Air and Dirt Separators

Utica Boilers’ SSC wall-hung modulating condensing boilers are available in six sizes with maximum inputs ranging from 50,000 to 299,000 BTUH. They offer AFUE efficiencies of up to 95 per cent and a turndown ratio of 5:1. They feature stainlesssteel, self-cleaning fin-tube heat exchangers.

Spirotherm’s VDR combination air elimination and dirt separators are available in 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” and 2” sizes in threaded or sweat connections. They feature brass construction, and have a maximum working pressure of 150 psig and a maximum operating temperature of 270°F.

www. uticaboilers.com

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Uponor’s ProPEX engineered polymer (EP) opposing-port tees are designed for PEX hydronic heating and cooling applications with back-to-back installation spacing constraints. Available in 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” and 2” flowthrough sizes with 3/4” outlets, they are engineered to eliminate the need for additional tees and elbows when piping in two directions.

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC B y E r ic W alt h all HVAC B y an Godr dB en C o oMke ajerus Eric Walthall is a regional marketing manager for air conditioning compressors at Danfoss. He can be reached at eric.walthall@danfoss.com. Ben Majerus is a field systems engineering manager at Danfoss, and serves on AHRIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Compressor Engineering Committee. He can be reached at benmajerus@danfoss.com.

Targeting

SAVINGS THROUGH PART-LOAD EFFICIENCY Increased emphasis on part-load efficiency is contributing to whole-building efficiency.

or decades, the HVAC industry was focused on improving full-load efficiency. More recently, there has been a shift to the use of partload efficiency standards for equipment. Today, new part-load rating methods better account for how equipment operates at off-design

conditions when loads vary hour by hour, but the next stage in the evolution of building energy efficiency will focus on whole building efficiency for facilities.

ONE SIZE

WONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FIT ALL

Although significant energy savings can be obtained by applying advanced technologies and system designs based on theoretically calculated equipment efficiency ratings, the amount of savings depends on the specific technologies and the particular application. Consequently, technical committees for some industries are developing their own building-efficiency standards, which encourage the use of equipment optimized for partload operation.

Technologies that can turn down capacity to maximize energy savings at part load are financially attractive when energy costs are high. Regardless of energy prices, improvements in part-load efficiency will make better use of existing energy resources and help reduce CO2 emissions, which addresses concerns about climate change. As the industry evolves from its focus on part-load efficiency to gains in wholebuilding efficiency, new technologies are being developed. These trends include connectivity and electronic devices, more precise system control and monitoring, and peakload management tools. These developments will, in turn, drive further development and adoption of variable speed and other innovative technologies.

M e c h a n i c a l

As the industry evolves from its focus on part-load efficiency to gains in whole-building efficiency, new technologies are being developed.

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SPOTLIGHTS

Marketplace Ads Ads from $995

dahl Press* Mini-Ball™ Valves dahl mini-ball™ valves are available with a CTS connection compatible with press-fit systems. The valves are suitable for plumbing and heating applications, require no soldering and install easily even on wet pipe. Due to dahl’s patented modular design, the end connection is available on supply stops, dual outlets, in-line stops, hose valves and more, and meets IAPMO, CSA and ASME flow requirements. Visit dahl at the MCEE Show at booth # 321 to learn more. *Compatible with most press fit systems

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THE ONLY PRESS FITTINGS IN MULTIPLE MATERIALS

For the broadest assortment of domestic and import fittings offered in the Canadian market, look to Anvil International. Anvil is the leading manufacturer with a complete line of rugged and durable standard and proprietary mechanical, fire, oil and gas products, malleable and cast iron fittings, pipe nipples, forged steel, high pressure oil & gas fittings, pipe hangers and supports, Gruvlok fittings, and accessories. For quality products call us at 800-661-8998.

Viega expands your options with innovative press pipe joining systems in multiple materials. Only Viega offers press fittings in multiple materials such as Viega MegaPress® for black iron pipe, Viega ProPress® for copper and stainless steel and Viega PEX Press in Zero Lead bronze and high-performance polymer. With so many material options and the widest range of approvals in the industry, you can install Viega press systems in different applications from radiant or hydronic heating and cooling to potable water to fuel delivery to fire sprinklers.

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THERMOSETTER™ RECIRCULATION THERMAL BALANCING VALVE

M e c h a n i c a l

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC HVAC

B y Go r d C o o ke

LOOKING BEYOND EXISTING RATINGS In 2003, ASHRAE adopted a part-load efficiency rating method known as the Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV). IPLV was developed by AHRI to rate the performance of systems capable of capacity modulation at part loads. IPLV rates a system’s cooling efficiency over a hypothetical season rather than at a full-load point at the worst time of the year.

ALMOST ALWAYS AT PART LOAD Approximately 40 per cent of the energy in commercial buildings is consumed by HVAC equipment. To improve the efficiency of mechanical equipment, system designers face the perennial thermodynamics problem: how to move heat from one place to another using the least amount of energy. Inside a building, heat is generated by people, processes, equipment and lighting—factors that constitute the internal load. Outside, the climate and thermal performance of the building’s exterior—including the amount of insulation, number of windows and whether the building is north or south facing—comprise the external load. A building designer can reduce the load by improving the building envelope, and cut energy consumption by employing mechanical equipment with the flexibility to modulate capacity at lower loads. In some facilities, however, HVAC systems operate at their full capacities and are simply switched on and off as cooling or heating is needed. Accordingly, over the last few decades, system designers have improved the full-load efficiency of equipment. Looking at chillers as an example, the average full-load efficiency has improved more than 35 per cent since 1980, despite the adoption of less efficient refrigerants. Advances in compressors, heat exchangers, cooling towers, fans and pump motors have all achieved significant improvements when the system is running at 90 to 100 per cent of its designed capacity. The trouble is most buildings experience internal and external loads that vary throughout the day. Consequently, buildings with systems optimized only for full-load operation are wasting energy when the loads fall below 90 per cent. Because off-design conditions can occur as much as 99 per cent of the time, a lot of energy can be wasted by systems optimized for full-load operation. To save that energy, systems must be designed for part-load operation. Methods that can be used to turn down capacity exist today, such as employing manifolded compressors, reducing fixed-speed compressor power consumption at part-load, and using variable-speed compressors, fans and pumps.

EXPONENTIAL SAVINGS

Used to rate chillers, IPLV is calculated using four operating points. Each point is weighted by the amount of time a chiller spends at that load point: 1 per cent of time at 100 per cent load, 42 per cent of time at 75 per cent, 45 per cent of time at 50 per cent load and 12 per cent of time at 25 per cent load. For rooftop units, a different rating method is used: the Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio (IEER). Similar to IPLV, four weighted load points are used. Over the years, these have undergone significant improvement, but shortcomings remain. Consequently, new test methodologies are under consideration.

A NEW APPROACH Compared to equipment efficiency standards, a whole-building-efficiency approach looks at the big picture and is gaining momentum. The focus is on how mechanical equipment impacts a building’s Energy Use Intensity (EUI). The whole-building perspective provides very valuable feedback that drives improvements in equipment efficiency standards. For example, looking at two similar systems from an equipment point of view, one using tandem fixed-speed compressors and the other using variable speed compressors, both can be rated 16 IEER. The latter system with variable speed technology will match the temperature setting and building load with significantly less on-off cycling, however, which will improve building energy performance. When a more holistic calculation of a building’s operational and energy lifecycle costs is employed, it changes views about value. Instead of looking mainly at the first cost of HVAC equipment, the focus shifts to the operational energy savings that the equipment delivers in an actual application.

Reducing motor speed at partial loads produces immense energy savings. Fan motors obey affinity laws for turbomachinery, in that reducing speed exponentially reduces energy use. For example, cutting speed by 20 per cent decreases power consumption by 50 per cent.

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HVAC

SPOTLIGHTS

Playing the Ratings Game

THE Marketplace

By Muhammad Bilal

As part of heat recovery performance data, HRV and ERV manufacturers typically publish ASEF (Apparent Sensible Effectiveness) and SRE (Sensible Recovery Efficiency) ratings.

Apparent Sensible Effectiveness The apparent sensible effectiveness of an HRV/ERV is the ratio of the actual sensible heat transfer taking place in the HRV/ERV compared to the amount of maximum sensible heat that can be recovered from the exhaust air stream. Under balanced airflow conditions, where the supply air stream and the exhaust air stream have the same airflow rates, ASEF is equal to the temperature rise of the incoming outdoor air divided by the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor air.

CYCLONE® MXI COMMERCIAL GAS WATER HEATER An enhanced version of the Cyclone® MXi is coming in May 2017! It features an easy-to-use touchscreen display. With a WiFi connection, the iCOMM™ app allows users to monitor their Cyclone® MXi remotely. The water heater offers up to 98 per cent thermal efficiency and its fully modulating combustion means big energy savings. Its PermaGlas® Ultra Coat™ glass lining offers strong corrosion protection.

hotwater.com fieldpiece.com ZOELLER COMPANY’S EXPANDED SHARK® SERIES Sensible Recovery Efficiency Recovery efficiency is the metric that is used to predict the actual energy savings provided by an HRV or ERV. Sensible Recovery Efficiency quantifies the amount of heat recovered from the exhaust air by the incoming fresh air. It is reported as a percentage of the total heat that is available for recovery. Efficiency is the effectiveness less the heat gain from:

• • • • •

Heat from cross leakage; Fan and heater energy; Casing gains; Defrost energy; and Electrical consumption.

The dependable Shark® grinder series now offers 1.0 and 1.5 HP models 818 and 819. Zoeller’s dual-bladed, angled cutter shreds difficult wastewater materials down to 1/8”. This improved cutter delivers more torque per blade, which lowers amp spikes and extends pump life. These pumps are available in automatic and nonautomatic models. 100% factory tested. ®

As a result, efficiency of an HRV or ERV is always less than the effectiveness. Muhammad Bilal is the technical advisor with HRAI. He can be reached at mbilal@hrai.ca.

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zoellerpumps.com

Getting your supplies just got a whole lot easier! Whether from your PC, tablet or smartphone, you can now browse for product information, prices, availability and purchase directly online from our vast array of products, as well as manage your current shopping lists and purchase history. Simply get connected and simplify your life, from wherever you are, 24/7.

The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ÂŠ2013, RIDGID,

FLOCOR ANNOUNCES NEW WEBSITE

The Marketplace Ads from $995

RIDGID CS65x: WI-FI & BLUETOOTH CAPABILITIES Provide immediate drain line inspection footage with the RIDGIDÂŽ CS65x, an enhanced digital reporting monitor featuring Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities to simplify footage viewing and transfer while improving workflow efficiency. The CS65x features the same great technology of the earlier model, providing onetouch image recording for fast, efficient documentation, along with a new, faster processer and solid state hard drive. The HQx companion app is available for download and is compatible with Android and iOS devices.

flocor.ca PRECISION PRO-MODULAR SYSTEM Precision Hydronic Products Pro-Modular System combines the ease of factory-built hydronic modular near-boiler piping modules with the flexibility of add-on secondary loop modules and pre-wired modular controls. The ingeniously designed system lets you easily install the frequently repeated mechanical room components in a primary loop module and then flexibly customize the secondary loop with a variety of zoning pumping and mixing modules.

RIDGID.com INTRODUCING THE SANINEUTRAL CONDENSATE PUMP Sanineutral is the newest addition to the Saniflo Condensate Pumps lineup. The powerful system neutralizes acidic condensate. It connects to a boiler, tankless water heater or any HVAC component. Easy to install and maintain, it is designed to work alongside pump systems like the Sanicondens Best.

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saniflo.ca M e c h a n i c a l

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L

Manufacturer of Specialty Chemicals

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Bardon Supplies Spring Plumbing & Heating Expo April 26, 2017 Grimsby, Ont. www.bardonsupplies.com MCEE April 26-27, 2017 Montreal, Que. www.mcee.ca CABA Forum April 26-28, 2017 Santa Clara, Calif. www.caba.org ORAC AGM April 29-May 6, 2017 Lahaina, Hawaii www.oraca.ca Skills Ontario Competition May 1-3, 2017 Toronto, Ont. www.skillsontario.com Desco Parade of Products May 4, 2017 Kitchener, Ont. www.desco.ca

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PLEASE BE SURE TO VISIT US AT THE MCEE

Booth#134

mechanicalbusiness.com

EVENTS

RSES Canada AGM May 5-6, 2017 Ottawa, Ont. www.rsescanada.com

HRAI Conference August 16-18, 2017 Quebec City, Que. www.hrai.ca

Fluid Forward 2017 May 31, 2017 Guelph, Ont. www.jessdondunford.ca

CHES National Conference September 17-19, 2017 Niagara Falls, Ont. www.ches.org

Bardon Supplies Summer Plumbing & Heating Expo June 8, 2017 Barrie, Ont. www.bardonsupplies.com

CIPHEX Roadshow September 21, 2017 St. John’s, N.L. www.ciphexroadshow.ca

OPIA AMES 2017 June 11-13, 2017 Kitchener, Ont. www.opia.info

Bardon Supplies Fall Plumbing & Heating Expo September 28, 2017 Belleville, Ont. www.bardonsupplies.com

ASHRAE Annual Conference June 24-28, 2017 Long Beach, Calif. ashrae.org

Interior Design Show West September 28-October 1, 2017 Vancouver, B.C. www.idswest.com

CIPH ABC June 25-27, 2017 Ottawa, Ont. www.ciph.com

CIPHEX Roadshow October 17, 2017 Edmonton, Alta. www.ciphexroadshow.ca

CEC 2017 Golf Tournament July 12, 2017 Milton, Ont. www.mcac.ca/cec

CIPHEX Roadshow October 19, 2017 Regina, Sask. www.ciphexroadshow.ca

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April 26 & 27, 2017

Place Bonaventure, Montréal

Canada’s largest plumbing, HVACR, hydronics, electrical and lighting expo • Attend free seminars, many of which will offer continuing education credits

• See more than 400 exhibitors and thousands of products • Visit the

New Product Showcase to see innovative energy and water efficient products

FREE REGISTRATION UP TO APRIL 25, 2017 www.mcee.ca Produced by :

In cooperation with :

bythenumbers

Compiled by Mechanical Business

A CENTRAL AIR AFFAIR About half of Canadian households have air conditioning systems, which could be getting a workout real soon. But how many of those households have central air?

BATHROOM BLUNDERS Some public washrooms leave a lot to be desired. Here are some common complaints from a recent survey about lacklustre loos.

per cent of people have encountered

empty or jammed toilet paper dispensers.

per cent have found toilets that were

clogged or not flushed.

per cent have reported stall doors

that won’t close.

per cent have reported unpleasant

odours.

81 74 70 25

per cent in Ontario. per cent in Alberta. per cent 1n Saskatchewan. per cent in Atlantic Canada.

MONTREAL: A CITY UNDERGROUND If you are attending the MCEE show in Montreal in April, be sure to check out the Underground City, a series of tunnels that connect shopping malls, universities, museums, restaurants and more.

32 km - Length of the tunnel system. 12 km2 - Area covered by the Underground City.

2,000+ - Number of stores in the Underground City.

60 - Number of residential and commercial complexes.

GETTING TO WORK Work: we’ve all gotta get there. But just how do most Canadians do it?

74 per cent drive a vehicle. 12 per cent take public transit. 6 per cent are passengers in a vehicle. 6 per cent walk. 1.3 per cent cycle.

6,000°C

A PIZZA THE ACTION With spring finally here, pizza lovers everywhere are emerging from their homes and flocking to their favourite pizzerias in droves. But how do male pizza aficionados compare to the women?

53 51 56 57

per cent of women say cheese is their favourite topping. per cent of men prefer pepperoni. per cent of women prefer thin crust. per cent of men prefer ordering pizza by phone.

The temperature at the centre of the earth. So if you make it down there, be sure to stay cool— and watch out for Morlocks! PM# 41536047

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Island Tub Drain (Testable Rough-in) ™

Now featuring a snap off Test Cap and an asymmetrical Deck Plate designed not to interfere with a freestanding faucet rough-in! Install a Freestanding Bath Tub in minutes... No muss. No fuss. No kidding. Your job just got easier.™ Island Tub Drain is Patented in Canada and the United States of America.

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OS&B Asymmetrical Testable Island Tub Drain MB Ad re-sized 2-16-17.indd 1

2017-02-17 9:00 AM

Get customers Connected with our WiFi solution • Access

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