Mechanical Business September/October 2020 by Mechanical Business

SEPT/OCT 2020 $6.95

PM #41536047

Also in this issue:

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CONTENTS O F

COVID effect likely to impact heating season

22HEATING REPORT Nobody has a crystal ball, so being able to predict the exact needs, wants and wishes of consumers has always been a challenge, but with the additional strain of coping with the COVID19 pandemic, there are extra complications this year. Adam Freill

One cool broadcasting facility 82PROJECT PROFILE Montreal’s new Maison de Radio-Canada is a state-of-the-art headquarters for the Canadian Broadcasting Center (CBC) and Radio-Canada that is equipped with modern mechanical systems that offer studio ﬂexibility. Andrew Snook

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif A CHAMPION OF SERVICE BEFORE SELF

52COVER STORY A leader on and off the field, not only is Laurent Duvernay-Tardif the first medical doctor to win the Super Bowl, and the first Quebec-born player to hoist the champion’s Vince Lombardi Trophy, but he was also the first NFL player to express his desire to put the health and well-being of his fellow Canadians ahead of this year’s football season. Adam Freill

Kitchen & bathroom trends gaining a new perspective 38PLUMBING Whether it’s a faucet or sink upgrade, new intelligent features, or an addition that pushes sustainability efforts, there are plenty of options for contractors to offer customers. Denise Deveau

On the cover: When the call went out asking for medically trained people to help support the healthcare system in Quebec during the pandemic, NFL champion Laurent Duvernay-Tardif stepped up. Cover photo: Martin Girard.

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54QUATTRO’S CORNER

Don’t doubt the value of the lowly snowmelt sensor Kolyn Marshall

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S P E C I A L I S T S

HYDRONICS What’s flowing in your tubes & pipes? Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr The “stuff” that flows through the piping in a hydronic system has a massive influence on all the components in the systems.

PLUMBING The van life Fred Bretzke Life as a service plumber is about your tools and your van, and your van is actually one of your main tools.

HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC HVAC in the time of COVID Gord Cooke HVAC contractors have an important part to play in providing ever safer, healthier, more comfortable environments both for the current compelling pandemic conditions and for the long term.

ASK ROGER Leading after a crisis Roger Grochmal Although we are not back to business as usual, we are slowly emerging from COVID-19.

REFRIGERATION Feeding the DX evaporator Phil J. Boudreau In a DX evaporator, the refrigerant expands directly upstream and inline with the evaporator. The aim is to ensure that the vapour leaving the evaporator is sufﬁciently superheated.

MARKETING “Lean” market research that you can tackle yourself Doug MacMillan The more nimbly we can gain information to inform our strategies, the more efﬁciently we can spend our sparse marketing dollars.

66ROAD WARRIOR: Taylor Oliver-McCallum Denise Deveau

74HVAC Using ERVs for outdoor air dilution Nick Agopian

88PLUMBING Public bathrooms in a post-lockdown world Marlon Thompson

94HVAC Filtration: The good, the bad, and the ugly Mark & Alexandra Parliament

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D E P A R T M E N T S 6From the Editor’s Desk 8News 18Proﬁle: James Memije 84Find the Fix 100The Info Page 101Calendar 102By the Numbers

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Firestopping combustible pipes Andrew Quattrociocchi

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P R O D U C T S 22-26,32,86 Hydronics 22,44,46,72-73 HVAC/R 60,90,92 Plumbing 98Stuff You Need

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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 September/October 2020 Issue Published 6 times per year. Editor: Adam Freill adam.freill@mechanicalbusiness.com National Sales Manager: Jeff Superle, ext. 221 jeff.superle@mechanicalbusiness.com Controller: Liz Mills liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Operations Manager: Caroline Bexﬁeld caroline.bexﬁeld@mechanicalbusiness.com Art Direction: Fourteen Orange Graphic Design Inc. davem@fourteenorange.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.

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).

As the pandemic continues to be the leading news story of 2020, it’s not surprising that we’ve been getting conflicting advice. A recent posting of, and subsequent pulling down of, an advisory by the U.S. CDC is a perfect case in point. If you missed it, the CDC posted guidance about possible COVID-19 transmission through airborne particles, suggesting the use of air purifiers and filters to reduce the risk of transmission from virus particles hanging in the air inside our buildings.

DESK

Keep in the know With the ever-changing happenings in the world, it’s good to know that you can access pertinent and timely industry information at mechanicalbusiness.com from the comfort of your computer or smartphone. But wait, there’s more… be sure to sign up for our newsletters and follow us via social media and we’ll even let you know when news happens.

A couple of days later, that guidance had been removed and the CDC reverted to its previous stance that primary transmission is from respiratory droplets landing on people who are in close contact with each other. Each of these positions generated a lot of discussion, and some people have very strong opinions, but I’ve been left wondering why it’s so necessary to defend one stance or the other. A long time ago, someone wiser than myself told me that if you want to justify a position, you’ll always be able to find a research paper or evidence, but most paths are more complicated, so a good sense of logic and common sense are valuable tools. In speaking with our cover person, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif – the medical doctor and football player who has put his football career on hold to assist the healthcare system in Quebec during the pandemic – it struck me that his logic about the use of masks was something that could be extended to some of the systems that many of you sell, install and maintain. Like a mask, if a more robust filter or IAQ system has a chance of reducing the risk it’ss within the ability (financial, or otherwise) of of illness, and it your customers to add it into their buildings, what is it going to hurt? As the logic go A goes, when the upside benefits outweigh the risks, why not err on the side of caution? downside risks So, as w we continue to navigate through our everevolving situations, keep watching for the best evolv guidance that science has to offer, but don’t be guid afraid afr to apply a bit of logic and reason into doing what’s right for you, your company and your w customers.

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EDITOR’S

Follow the science, but use some common sense, too

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.

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News www.mechanicalbusiness.com

MCAC postpones conference The MCAC Annual National Conference originally scheduled to take place in Napa, Calif., in October 2020 has ofﬁcially been bumped back a year, to October 20 to 23, 2021. “While it may seem too early to mark your calendars, our hope is that we can all join together again in October, 2021 in Napa,” said CEO Tania Johnston. She reports that MCAC is working on developing online training and conferences, as well as expanding its online webinar series. mcac.ca

Thousands attend virtual ASHRAE conference The 2020 ASHRAE Virtual Conference drew 2,505 registered participants to its 92 technical sessions, live forums, leadership updates, and networking events. The four-day live virtual event ran from June 29 through to July 2. The conference also included an on-demand program that provides registered participants with 18-month access to more than 80 pre-recorded technical sessions and over 200 presentations. ashrae.org

MEET Show moves to 2021 The producers and sponsoring associations of the Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology (MEET) Show have revised the dates for the next edition of the event. Originally set for this past May, the MEET Show will now be held on May 5 and 6, 2021 at the Moncton Coliseum. The rescheduled event will incorporate all the traditional features, including a networking reception, educational seminar program, and the MEET Innovation Awards.

New show management team for CMPX HRAI and CIPH have announced that the Canadian Mechanical & Plumbing Exposition (CMPX), which will next be held from March 23 to 25, 2022 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, is now being managed by Newcom Media. Dennis Kozina, chair of HRAI and the CMPX Show Committee said, “Newcom Media’s expertise and proven track record makes it a perfect match to manage this prestigious event.” “As we prepare to create the 2022 edition, Newcom will build on the foundation established by previous committees to enhance and meet the marketing needs of exhibitors and the learning needs of visitors in Canada,” added Gail Kaufman, chair of CIPH. Attracting more than 500 exhibitors, the CMPX Show is one of North America’s largest tradeshows for the HVAC/R and plumbing industry. cmpxshow.ca

HRAI and FortisBC deliver training HRAI has entered a strategic partnership with FortisBC to bring technician training to the HVAC/R industry in British Columbia. Upcoming training offerings include residential radiant hydronics design, introduction to residential HVAC equipment, residential commissioning, IAQ for residential and small commercial, small commercial heat loss and heat gain calculations, and small commercial air system design. Costs for the training are receiving support from FortisBC and being delivered through FortisBC’s BUILTbetter and Trade Ally Network programs. hrai.ca fortisbc.com

meetshow.ca

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General Pipe Cleaners turns 90

SAIT construction training going digital This academic year, instructors at Calgary’s SAIT college are expanding their focus in the key areas of building information modeling (BIM) and virtual design construction (VDC) as the construction industry is beginning to embrace virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and cloud-based coordination and communication. Pipetrades instructor, plumbing specialist, and Mechanical Business plumbing columnist, Fred Bretzke is among the SAIT instructors leading the charge of incorporating 3D modeling and AR software into the traditional learning experience. “This kind of technology builds more comprehensive understanding for the student,” said Bretzke. “Using AR, students can create a building and then virtually step inside and walk through it.” sait.ca

General Pipe Cleaners recently celebrated its 90th anniversary of business in North America. Founded in 1930, the company has spearheaded a number of developments in drain cleaning equipment over the years, including the engineering of ﬂexible draincleaning cables, power-driven and handheld cable machines, water jets, and sewer camera systems. drainbrain.com

Canadians join ASHRAE’s executive board Two Canadians have been appointed to vicepresidential roles on ASHRAE’s 2020-21 executive committee. ASHRAE Life Member K. William (Bill) Dean (top), who was the manager of regional site operations in Saskatoon with National Research Council of Canada prior to his retirement; and Tim McGinn (bottom), principal of McGinn Technical Services in Calgary, will both serve one-year terms. ashrae.org

Ontario launches free safety training The Ontario government is providing free online health and safety training courses. Up to 100,000 job seekers can take free online workplace health and safety training through Employment Ontario. There are 10 courses on offer, which include topics such as infection control, conducting health and safety incident investigations, ladder safety, slips, trips and falls prevention, and preventing workplace violence and harassment. Job seekers should contact an Employment Ontario service provider in their area to enroll.

IAPMO enters new partnership agreement with WorldSkills The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Ofﬁcials (IAPMO) Group has renewed a four-year global industry partnership agreement with WorldSkills. The new agreement precedes further collaboration for the next two biennial international WorldSkills Competitions. Last year’s WorldSkills event, held in Russia, included representation by Alberta’s Taylor Oliver-McCallum in the plumbing competition, Nova Scotia’s Zachary Walsh in the refrigeration and air conditioning competition, and Quebec’s Raoul Surprenant in mechanical engineering CAD.

ontario.ca

iapmo.org worldskills.org

ASHRAE recognizes Canadians

CIPHEX Virtual starts Nov. 2

Five Canadians were among a group of international honorees recognized by ASHRAE for their outstanding achievements and contributions. Beatriz Salazar of Toronto received the Dan Mills Chapter Programs Award. Nicolas Lemire of Montreal received a Distinguished Service Award and was also given an Exceptional Service Award, along with Tim McGinn of Calgary. John Bisset of London, Ont., and Frantisek Vaculik of Nepean, Ont., both received a Distinguished 50-year Member Award.

Organizers of CIPHEX Virtual have announced the webinar schedule and list of speakers for the event, which runs from November 2 to 27. More than 20 topics will be offered to attendees, ranging from hygiene solutions in commercial applications and plumbing installations, to hydronic and radiant heating systems, to troubleshooting and proﬁtability. Access will be available 24/7 during the event dates, and the show will also include three special “live” days on the 5th, 12th and 19th. ciph.com

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HRAI addresses Ontario Standing Committee Martin Luymes, HRAI’s vice-president of government and stakeholder relations (pictured), and Dorothy McCabe, the organization’s government relations specialist for Ontario, recently delivered a presentation to the Ontario government’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs regarding the impact of COVID-19, including issues facing the HVAC/R sector. The two stressed that the government should consult with the HVAC/R sector regarding air circulation and ventilation in buildings, as well as on any guidelines relating to the indoor environment of homes and buildings. hrai.ca

B.C. offering financing for heat pumps CleanBC is extending its heat pump incentive program by offering British Columbians who switch off fossil fuels, access to low-interest financing. The provincial government has allocated $4.1 million to support the Low-Interest Financing Program through 2021-22. Depending on the type and efficiency of the heat pump chosen, the loans will have interest rates as low as zero per cent over a five-year repayment period. These loans are being offered as an alternative to CleanBC home-heating retrofit rebates. cleanbc.gov.bc.ca

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Taco celebrates 100 years This year is marking the 100th anniversary in business for Taco Comfort Solutions. To honour this momentous milestone, Ralph Suppa, president and general manager of the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (shown right in photo), visited the company’s Canadian ofﬁces in Milton, Ont., to present a commemorative plaque on behalf of CIPH’s board of directors to Jim Garrett, Canadian general manager for Taco Comfort Solutions. tacocomfort.com

Alberta increases apprentice awards

Starts and permits on bumpy road to recovery Following a swift drop earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, building permit numbers and housing starts ďŹ gures have been showing some signs of life and recovery over the summer months. Statistics Canada reports that June 2020 building permit values came within a couple of percentage points of matching the June 2019 ďŹ gures, but July lagged by almost 10 per cent compared to one year earlier, coming in at $7.8 billion for July 2020. Non-residential permits rose 3.3 per cent from June to July of this year to reach $2.7 billion, but that was off more than 20 per cent from July of 2019. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation had some good news in its September Preliminary Housing Starts report, however, showing a signiďŹ cant increase in the housing starts trend, a moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR), in Canada. The housing starts trend measurement increased from 204,597 units in July 2020 to 213,144 units in August, a third consecutive month of increases. The standalone monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada was 262,396 units in August, an increase of 6.9 per cent from the 245,425 units reported in July, and signiďŹ cantly higher than the SAAR of 225,837 reported in August of last year.

The Alberta government has increased its Apprentice Training Award from $1,000 to $1,500. The award was established in 2016 for apprentices who are unemployed and attending technical training at an Alberta-approved technical training provider. Eligible candidates must be registered in the Alberta apprenticeship program for at least 30 consecutive days prior to the start of training, and not be a previous recipient for the same training period. tradesecrets.alberta.ca

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LG Electronics picks up AHRI Award The Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has given LG Electronics a Performance Award for the third straight year. All 73 of the LG HVAC models tested by AHRI passed performance evaluations, including its heat pumps, air conditioning equipment and water chilling packages.

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NexTech Academy wins excellence award NexTech Academy, with partner Allen Interactions, has received the Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence in Learning Silver Award for Best Advance in Competencies and Skill Development. NexTech Academy is Nexstar Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self-paced, interactive, online training program for new technicians entering the HVAC, plumbing and electrical trades. Michael Allen, founder and CEO of Allen Interactions, cited the need for industry to cover critical topics such as mental health, healthcare training and technician training in plumbing, electrical and heating.

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R-32 refrigerant is widely available from multiple manufacturers.

CCOHS providing return-to-work guidance The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) is offering a free e-course to help organizations across Canada safely return to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic Planning: Reopening for Business is intended to guide employers, supervisors, managers and workers on how to prepare for a safe return to work, and what controls are needed to be put in place to protect everyone and minimize the impact of the pandemic. The course is available on the CCOHS website in English or French. ccohs.ca

PMAC and CACP hold virtual annual meeting THIS IS JUST ONE OF 3 2 G R E AT R E A S O N S T O C H O O S E R - 3 2 R E F R I G E R A N T. S E E T H E M A L L AT R 3 2 R E A S O N S . C O M .

WITH MORE THAN 100 MILLION UNITS INSTALLED WORLDWIDE, R-32 IS ENDORSED BY:

The Plumbing and Mechanical Advisory Council (PMAC) and the Canadian Advisory Council on Plumbing (CACP) recently held their annual meeting to discuss a wide range of industry related topics. Recommendations from the meeting included: forming a project team to conduct a review and research on climate change; establishing a task group to study potential issues related to DHW recirculation velocities and pipe sizing; and exploring the impact of modular construction on supply chain activities and standards. ciph.com

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DIGITAL ALERT Automating product conﬁguration

ISH 2021 now a digital-only event ISH 2021, which had been scheduled to be held in Frankfurt, Germany from March 21 to 26, will now be a purely digital event. The revised structure will include such features as exhibitor presentations, chat functions, intelligent matchmaking for business partners, live streams, and on-demand broadcasts. All events will be available around the clock throughout the event in every time zone. ish.messefrankfurt.com

Selexit is an online configurator from Watts designed to help size, configure and select products to help streamline and accelerate workflows. The online platform can be used on systems incorporating such products as thermostatic mixing valves, snow melting controls and automatic control valves. watts.com/selexit

HVAC estimating software FastDUCT from FastEst is a commercial HVAC estimating software designed to assist in bidding sheet metal and industrial ductwork jobs. The platform can handle complex jobs based on company instruction standards or purchased duct. Reports and spreadsheets can be integrated with FastPIPE plumbing estimating software. www.fastEST-Inc.com

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Movers & Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Goodman moves Pickering location Goodman Canada has relocated its Pickering branch to 895 Sandy Beach Rd., Unit 14. Contact numbers for the location are: Tel. 905-420-4001 and Fax. 905-420-7325.

Canarm continues expansion

goodmanmfg.com

Hydronic Systems Canada gains Axiom line Hydronic Systems Canada will now be representing the Axiom product line of system feeders and other hydronic components in Ontario, excluding Thunder Bay and Ottawa. The rep agency will be responsible for promoting, training and servicing Axiom’s existing and new customers. hydronicsystems.ca axiomind.com

Wolseley merges Cornwall branches

HVAC V manufacturing ﬁrm Canarm is moving into the ﬁnal stages of expanding its Brockville, Ont., manufacturing facilities. The plans are adding up to 90,000 sq. ft. to the existing structure in two steps. Phase 1 adds around 57,000 sq. ft., while Phase 2 allows for the addition of 32,000 sq. ft., when required. canarm.com

Centrotherm adds Quebec rep Polypropylene vent system and air management product manufacturer Centrotherm Eco Systems has announced the addition of Lambert & Bégin to its network of manufacturer representatives. Lambert & Bégin will provide market support for the company’s brands in the region of Quebec. lambertbegin.com centrotherm.us.com

Wolseley Canada recently opened its new Cornwall branch at 2900 Marleau Avenue. The store brings together two previous Cornwall locations to offer both plumbing and HVAC/R inventory in one space. wolseleyinc.ca

IPEX opens distribution centre Thermoplastic pipe systems manufacturer IPEX has opened its new distribution centre in Joliet, Ill., as it continues its North American expansion. The 50,000 sq. ft. facility has the capacity to expand beyond 200,000 sq. ft., allowing it to grow as the company makes further inroads into the U.S. market.

New agency g launched in Ontario Jeremy Torra has launched Centric Sales and Marketing in the Ontario market. Headquartered in Toronto, the independent manufacturers representative agency serves the HVAC/R, plumbing and mechanical verticals into wholesale distribution and the trades. The company is accepting applications from manufacturers and can be contacted at info@centricsales.ca. centricsales.ca

Roth appoints pp new representatives Roth Manufacturing has appointed new manufacturer sales representatives for Eastern and Western Canada. Amherst, N.S.based Brandinclair HVAC-R Sales Agency is representing the brand in the Atlantic provinces. The contact there is Bernie Burke, who can be reached at (902) 397-1637. J.M. Hasick & Associates of Kelowna, B.C. is representing the company’s lines in Western Canada. Murray Hasick can be reached at (250) 470-9570.

ipexna.com

roth-canada.com

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Smarter Measurement. Faster Results. Testo measurement instruments for air conditioning systems, heating systems, and heat pumps. For more info visit www.testo.com/en-US/heating-2020

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People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com

CIPH has announced that Dave Hughes (top) has joined the organization as technical consultant for codes and standards. He will assume an advisory role for staff and members. With over 40 years of industry experience, he has also served as chair of the Canadian Hydronics Council. Also joining CIPH is Charline Breau (bottom), who is the new region coordinator for its Maritime Region. She will be assisting the region president and board in creating and executing its action program of goals, as well as providing administrative oversight and support.

CLIMATECARE CO-OPERATIVE has announced that Victor Hyman has assumed the role of executive director. He brings 15 years of HVAC industry experience in contracting, wholesaling and ﬁnance, including a decade in managerial roles with an industry distribution company, to his new position.

ONTOR LIMITED recently announced that Keith Farrell has joined the management team as vice-president of sales and marketing. He brings extensive experience in Canadian and U.S. HVAC markets to his new role.

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NAVIEN has named Adam Wills as its national sales manager for Canada. He will be responsible for growing the company’s agency network, and supporting wholesalers, contractors, builders and utility companies across the country. He brings over 16 years of experience in the Canadian water heating and HVAC sector to his new role. WATTS has named new leaders for several of its key business units. Jim Koepsell (1) has been appointed general manager 1 of the company’s drains and industrial businesses where he is responsible for Watts’ cast iron, BLÜCHER stainless steel, and Orion chemical waste 2 drainage solutions. Atul Sharma (2) has taken on the role of director of commercial operations and general manager for the Syncta business. 3 Carlos Haddad (3) is now general manager for the Dormont gas business unit, in addition to his existing role as vice-president of marketing and business development for the Americas and Europe. Marc Sorel has joined the technical sales team at AQUA-TECH SALES AND MARKETING. He will serve as the representative for the Eastern Ontario region and brings with him 30-plus years of experience in distribution. HRAI has added a pair of instructors to its training team. Nissun Feiner has been in the HVAC industry since 2006. Jeanine Jollineau (pictured) has operated her own independent HVAC design ﬁrm since 2007.

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UPONOR CANADA has appointed Chris Hartwick as general manager. His strategic focus is on Canadian sales, marketing, customer service and customer engagement. Hartwick has held senior leadership roles in the mechanical sector, handling Canadian and U.S. markets. Julian Scadden (pictured) will assume the role of president and CEO of NEXSTAR NETWORK on November 1, 2020. He will be replacing Jack Tester who will stay on with the organization as a leadership coach. Scadden has 23 years of experience in the home services industry. Markus Brettschneider has been appointed CEO and president of VIEGA, which includes responsibility for the company’s Canadian operations. He has extensive industry experience in international and American markets. FIELDPIECE INSTRUMENTS has announced that Jeb Ball has joined the company as vice-president of sales. He previously worked in an advisory role in strategic planning. He has held a number of executive roles with technology and visual marketing companies. Jim Stafford has been appointed CENTROTHERM’s new OEM sales/strategic account manager. A 22-year industry veteran, he is responsible for managing the company’s OEM accounts and national customers.

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Reader Proﬁle James Memije: Advocating for ever-better

Like many in the trade, James Memije was introduced to the HVAC industry by his father, but credits the combined inﬂuence of both his parents for providing him with the full palette of skills necessary to work well with others as he grows his company, Accuserv Heating and Air Conditioning. “I've been exposed to trades all my life and running an HVAC business was a natural transition,” he says. Seeing a localized need for top-notch HVAC and plumbing services, he and his team of 12 have taken a targeted approach, mainly focusing on residential work within Toronto’s former borough of East York, Ont., where his company is headquartered. Whether it’s having the best technicians, following industry and environmental best practices, or even cheering on his beloved Toronto Raptors, Memije wants to be number 1, which is good for his company, his team, and the industry.

Q A Q A Q A

How has the pandemic impacted your company? As an essential service, there was no slowdown of work for us. We had to respond quickly to continue delivering our services to our clients. We've taken all recommended precautions and have been fortunate that we have not experienced any episodes of COVID with our staff or clients.

Photo: Oleh Bozhyk

Q A

Beyond the pandemic, what are some business challenges that your company faces? Good help is always hard to ﬁnd. We have an excellent reputation in our community, and ﬁnding people to join our team who won't compromise our name isn't always easy. What advice do you share with other entrepreneurs?

BIO Name: James Memije Title: Owner Company: Accuserv Heating and Air Conditioning Location: East York, Ont. Age: 31 Joined the industry: 2010

Build yourself and the people around you. Once you have a solid team and a network of people you can tap into, everything else will come quickly. What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given? Do your paperwork. Many business owners get caught up working in the ﬁeld and then get in trouble with job notes, replying to emails, equipment registration, taxes, and such. Ensure you have a good system in place and people to run it, so you don't let these oversights close your company’s doors.

FAST FACTS ABOUT JAMES MEMIJE 1. James is an avid traveller. “I've been to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico in the past two years,” he says. “The list would have been bigger if it wasn't for COVID!” 2. He’s into everything ﬁtness: biking, playing basketball and hitting the gym. “I recently took up boxing, and I love it.” 3. And his go-to party trick? “I can beatbox.”

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2020

Heating Report

Combination boilers Prestige Series combination boilers from Rheem feature efﬁciencies up to 95% AFUE. The boilers offer a heating range of 18,000 to 120,000 BTUH and DHW range of 18,000 to 199,000 BTUH. rheem.ca

COVID

effect likely to impact heating season By Adam Fr eill

A Single-stage l gas furnace f The York LX Series TL9E Ultra-Low NOx gas furnace features induced combustion, hot surface ignition and stainless steel tubular heat exchangers. Available in three models, input ratings range from 60,000 to 100,000 BTUH, with efﬁciencies of 95% AFUE. york.com

s summer comes to a close, and sunshine gives way to the transitional weather of the fall, HVAC contractors should have Canadian home and building owners on their minds, or more speciﬁcally, how these potential clients plan to keep themselves comfortable this winter. Nobody has a crystal ball, so being able to predict the exact needs, wants and wishes of consumers has always been a challenge, but with the additional strain of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are extra complications this year.

What consumers want “I think as people spend more time at home, they will be considering upgrades to their systems, provided that their household income has not been impacted,” says Scott Semple of Navien.

Air handler Fujitsu General’s multi-position, singlezone air handler unit combines inverter heat pump technology and side discharge outdoor air units with a modular design indoor unit. It is available in four sizes, from 24,000 to 48,000 BTUH. fujitsugeneral.com

Heating Products 22

So, what’s going to be on the wish list of consumers this fall/winter, and what’s going to motivate them go forward with a purchase? “I see owners adding items that increase their system efficiency and longevity,” he says. “Items like Wi-Fi thermostats, home automation integration, magnetic filters and ECM pumps.” “Homeowners and property owners have a renewed interest in looking at their mechanical systems as a whole,” says Christian Romeroll, managing director of HVAC with Napoleon. “Air filtration, UV lights and air exchange are areas that

2020

Heating Report

consumers are looking to add.” “Efﬁciency and value still take top spots,” advises Paul Gharghoury, senior development manager at Rheem Canada. “Technology, comfort and safety are fast climbers, especially with the millennials.” “Comfort and value are huge drivers right now,” shares Russell Pipke, Alberta sales manager for Goodman Manufacturing. “And IAQ has been very popular this year.” e “With the COVID-19 discussions, this is a great time for contractors to present indoor air quality and ﬁltration updates or additions to homeowners,” advises Bryan Rocky, director of residential product management for ducted systems at Johnson Controls. Although upgrades and new appliances do come with a price tag, price is only one of several considerations.

Gas furnace The GMVM97 variable-speed ECM gas furnace from Goodman provides up to 98% AFUE efﬁciency. Through the company’s ComfortBridge communicating technology, units can connect to any single-stage or smart thermostat, as well as smart home devices. goodmanmfg.com

“Price will always play a major role in boiler sales. However, high efﬁciency and reliability of product are also key factors,” says Jerry Leyte, director of sales and marketing with Viessmann Manufacturing Company. “A product that is a fair price, easy to install and operate, as well as being reliable and low maintenance will be the winning product in the end.” All that said, access to product may inﬂuence what is ultimately purchased. “Consumers are looking for an immediate response and do not want to wait for any delay in installation dates,” says John Vella, Canadian director of channel optimization for ducted systems at Johnson Controls.

Sometimes you have to go with what you’ve got

Air-to-water Air to ater heat heat pumps p mps Mitsubishi Electric Sales Canada’s Climaveneta NX-N Reversible hydronic heat pumps are available in 14 sizes offering a heating range of 45 to 250 kW. The outdoor air-to-water heat pumps produce chilled water down to -8°C and hot water up to 55°C. climaveneta.ca

Everyone has wants and wishes, but comfort is the top priority, so getting heat into a home or commercial building will usually take priority over a wait for a backordered product. “COVID-19 has impacted pretty much every HVAC manufacturer this year,” says Johnson Controls’ Rocky. “Every manufacturer has been monitoring and responding to critical component suppliers who have also been impacted. All of this has resulted in some product shortages and longer lead times this year, and some level of this may still occur this fall.” “Risk of product shortages are always present and have occurred during this unusual 2020,” explains Napoleon’s Romeroll. “The best way to face this circumstance is always to plan ahead.” Rheem’s Gharghoury suggests that proactive purchasing planning by contractors and distributors may help smooth things out. While his company has not had any signiﬁcant product shortages with its boilers co n tin ues on page 24

Condensing boiler The Crest condensing boiler from Lochinvar is available in 12 input sizes from 750,000 to 6,000,000 BTUH. The unit offers up to a 25:1 turndown ratio and thermal efﬁciencies up to 96.2%. lochinvar.com

Heating Products 23

2020

REASON

Heating Report

c ont inued fr om page 23

and accessories due to COVID, Viessmann’s Leyte advises that, “Contractors and wholesalers who have the right selection of spare parts on hand have an advantage, and can help minimize issues with delays in getting projects up and running.” In the residential segment, any remaining new old-stock furnaces may help with appliance demand as well. “Furnaces less than 95% AFUE are scarce,” reports Justin Tan, Goodman’s provincial sales manager in B.C., but pockets of availability do exist.

Residential retroﬁts Although there has been considerable interest in heat pump technology, product availability could be a factor impacting sales this year, explains Rocky.

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“The market is seeing more discussion on electriﬁcation and changes from gas furnaces towards heat pumps for replacements,” he says. “Given the industry inventory position, customers may make a change but it comes down to ‘What can I get quicker?’ conversations.”

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2020

Heating Report

Residential or light commercial boiler Weil-McLain’s Evergreen high-efﬁciency condensing boiler is available in six sizes ranging from 70,000 to 399,000 BTUH. It has a stainless steel ﬁre tube heat exchanger and delivers up to 96.5% AFUE with a 10:1 turndown ratio. weil-mclain.ca

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2020

Heating Report

Commercial projects still moving The uncertain marketplace caused by the pandemic has had an impact on commercial projects, although many, but not all, are expected to carry forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Engineers have had a healthy backlog of projects and many owners have found an opportunity to replace old and outdated systems with new hydronic equipment,â&#x20AC;? reports Nery Hernandez, senior product manager for hydronic solutions with Aerco. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For example, school orders were submitted earlier since the buildings were empty in the spring.â&#x20AC;?

Condensing boiler Aercoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3,000,000 BTUH Benchmark Platinum 3000 condensing boiler is built with a stainless steel, ďŹ re tube heat exchanger. The boilerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s features include a 15:1 turndown ratio, thermal efďŹ ciencies up to 94.6%, dual return water connections and the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Edge Controller. Its mobile app enables full unit setup and control with diagnostic and conďŹ guration capabilities. aerco.com

Heating Products

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the lockdown ďŹ rst started in March, it caused many people to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pump the brakesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and re-evaluate,â&#x20AC;? says projects got p put on hold for y Leyte. y â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many yp j g a short period and then ramped ed up again later in the summer.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Currently we are feeling a little softness in the commercial market. Owners are delaying both replacementt and repair on rooftop products,â&#x20AC;? says Vella. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We feel that there will be a pent-up demand in the fall around the replacement rooftop business.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;?

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HYDRONICS

B y B o b “ Ho t R o d ” R o h r Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr has been a plumbing, radiant heat and solar contractor and installer for 30 years. A long-time columnist and trainer, he is manager of training and education with Calefﬁ North America. You can reach Hot Rod at bob.rohr@calefﬁ.com.

What’s ﬂowing in your

TUBES & PIPES? T

he “stuff” that flows through the piping in a hydronic system has a massive influence on all the components in the systems, as well as on the health and well being of that system. But lurking within the pipes, fittings and components may be byproducts of manufacturing, cutting fluid residue, errant bits of slag, sand residue, and even storage debris. This could be as benign as a mud wasp nest, which would wash out, to a more problematic bird or rodent nest. More than once I have heard of a brown cotton glove being discovered inside piping or fittings. It’s possible that a diligent fitter will check every piece of pipe or tube and fitting that they install for dirt and debris, but I would guess that is not commonplace. In addition to this kind of debris, consider what the installer might add to the mix while piping the system. Cutting oils certainly make their way inside of threaded pipe. And some solder flux, even when sparingly used, ends up inside tubes and fittings. If you cut copper with a tubing cutter and ream every cut, certainly it is possible to also leave behind some reaming debris. Abrasives and band saws are commonly used to cut tube and pipe. These too leave behind chips and shavings. And solder balls are a common finding, with these often finding their way to circulator impellers, and occasionally zone and balancing valves. Pipe dope and Teflon tape never sleep, and those are commonly found materials, inside as well as outside the piping.

AIR REMOVAL, A HOT AND COLD TALE High efficiency equipment deserves, and actually requires, high efficiency air removal. At this point in the hydronics industry, we have air removal devices that, when properly installed, should eliminate all air from a system. The microbubble resorber-type of air separators do an excellent job. They quickly remove the big air bubbles, and within a short period of time, they grab and remove microbubbles and eventually even the dissolved air. Running a boiler up to a high temperature helps to ensure that air is

As such, it is wise to complete a thorough ﬂush with any piping or re-piping, or when a boiler or component is replaced.

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driven out of solution. With the air separator placed at the hottest point, typically near the boiler supply output, you have the best opportunity to get a good clean air removal.

The same concerns apply to chilled water systems as well. In these installations, the air separator should be placed at the chiller return, in the warmer fluid.

Large piping systems with multiple zones will take a bit longer, as you need to ensure every circuit has returned and passed through the separator.

Proper expansion tank connection ensures that all parts of the piping stay under positive pressure, so air is not allowed to be pulled into the system through vents.

It’s time to turn the iron body air scoops into boat anchors, in my opinion, and evolve to high performance, high efficiency air separation. Getting rid of the air is not just for boilers.

Ultimately, it’s about learning and understanding the Point of No Pressure Change (PONPC). If you have not read it, Pumping Away, by Dan Holohan, is a great place to start your PONPC education.

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HYDRONICS WASHING “BEHIND D THE EARS”

PART OF A CODE?

All systems should be ﬂushed and purged aggressively, but I would take itt a step further and suggest a hydronic cleanerr “soap” be injected, circulated and ﬂushed. d. Warming the system by runningg ut, the boiler helps clean the oil out, and most soaps or detergents work better when warmed.

Cast iron sectional boilers were able to harbour some buildup in the lower part of the sections and still keep chugging along, albeit with a hit to efficiency. Those older systems were more tolerant of debris-laden water. In the heyday of cast iron radiators and steel piping, rust and scaling were part of the package. I feel the cleaning process is more critical with today’s high efficiency boiler styles. Water content is much lower and heat exchanger metals are much thinner. Not that we need more rules, but in some countries, like Germany, fluid procedures are detailed in applicable codes. Perhaps Canada and the U.S. could develop and enforce a fluid quality code as well. A written procedure would be one way to ensure that all installers are aware of the need for proper fluid fill procedures and maintenance, and its impact on system longevity.

TEST THE QUALITY The quality of the water or fluid you use has a big impact on the life expectancy and health of the boiler. This is true for any components that will be in contact with the fluid, including heat exchangers, radiators, tubes and fittings. Aggressive water or glycol solutions can cause pinholes in a short period of time. With thinnerwalled heat exchangers, a failure can occur within months.

All the hydronic chemicals companies offer water testing. Test and adjust the water quality as required. Also, do a water test on any yearly service. If you use hydronic conditioners they may need to be boosted occasionally.

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Protect the warranty, and the equipment Most high-efficiency mod-cons require a yearly clean and check, and a water or fluid test should be part of that. Performing a good cleaning and flush, at flows adequate to rinse out all of the debris that may be in the piping and old heat emitters, is a step that adds some time and possibly some cleaner and conditioner cost, but this should be added into your quote. Also add an explanation of the benefits, and the need, of a clean system in your sales discussion and paperwork. Many factory warranties stipulate such requirements. Waterside failures are perhaps the most common cause of boiler failures, and are also the most expensive repair. As such, companies that build boilers and heat exchangers look closely at fluid failure.

Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for water quality. The pH, hardness, TDS and chloride ﬁgures are the most critical numbers to know.

Some manufacturers offer aerosol cans with both a cleaner and conditioner as a two-step application. w Whichever type you use, follow the directions and use proper common sense and caution.

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R.I.P. Joanna Cole With all of this talk about water, it brought to mind a recently passed author who opened a world of science, including water treatment, to generations of children. Thank you, Joanna Cole, for your curiosity, and sharing it via The Magic School Bus.

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Hydronic Products Piping system Aquatherm’s polypropylene piping is designed for pressurized commercial heating and cooling applications. It is available in diameters ranging from 1/2" to 24", with some products in the line designed to handle ﬂuids at up to 180°F and 100 psi. The pipe is manufactured with multi-layer, faser-composite technology.

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Reducing tees Uponor’s ProPEX engineered polymer (EP) reducing tees are designed for use in hydronic radiant heating and cooling systems, hot and cold domestic potable water systems, and residential ﬁre sprinkler systems. Units come in 1/2” to 2” sizes, have a maximum working temperature of 320°F and a maximum working pressure of 150 psi.

Condensing firetube boiler The ClearFire-CE condensing firetube boiler from Cleaver-Brooks features dual-temperature returns. It is available in 11 sizes, ranging from 500,000 to 6,000,000 BTUH. It offers thermal efficiencies up to 96.1% and is built with a large-water-volume pressure vessel with low pressure drop for primary variableflow pumping systems.

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Built to be the Best ®

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

The

VAN

Life

I can still picture it in my mind’s eye: It’s a hot summer day. The tunes are blasting. And, as I’m rolling down the highway, the wind is blowing in my hair, my left arm out the window gliding in the wind. No AC is needed now. The fresh mountain air is all I need. This is going to be an adventure. I’m going to be working in Banff, the place I wanna live, and vacation, and work, all at the same time.

MARKETING ON WHEELS Whenever I’m working or visiting the airport or Banff, I feel like I’m on holidays. As a serviceman, the beauty of the job is often the travelling time. You find yourself in a different place and on a different job almost every day. Shortly after starting A&B Plumbing, I had traded in my 1981 Monte Carlo for a 1980 Red Chevy Vandura, which I nicknamed My Little Red Engine. At the time, all three of us in the company had Chevy Vanduras, one grey, one black and one red – not black, grey and red, like the A-Team, but not far off. You know the saying “Fake it until you make it?” Well, we understood that. We numbered each van, and spaced the numbers out to make it look like we had many vans in our fleet. Attempting to appear as professional as we could, we figured good-looking, well-kept vans were an important part of advertising, although that didn’t really happen until we went to new white vans with our red wrench logo.

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ife as a service plumber is about your tools and your van, and your van is actually one of your main tools. It needs to be dependable if you want to do as many service calls as you can. I loved the van I had when we started A&B Plumbing, with its shag rug ﬂoor, its 3/4” wooden shelves (which weighed it down considerably), its great bass booming stereo (very important) and its AC. In a van, the small details count. Having enough shelves to stock your van to the brim is also important. Having enough hooks to hold all your extension cords and tools deﬁnitely comes in handy. Easy access to your heavy tools like your acetylene B tank and large wrenches is important as well. In our vans, this was usually located in the back corner. Now what to do with your ladders? Hit the roof, of course! It’s vital to get a sturdy pipe roof rack, where you can 1 0 . 2 0

store your lengths of pipe and your ladders. I loved my shag rug, it was great on my bad knees, however it didn’t last long after I started cleaning grease traps with my wet/dry vacuum. With no place to store the huge amount of grease pulled from eight to 10 restaurants a day, I would often temporarily store it in ﬁve-gallon white plastic pails lined with green garbage bags. As I bombed around the back-alley potholes, this method proved to be very messy and stinky. All that grease permeated into my beautiful shag rug. Basically, I was running around in a rolling grease van. The things we do for money. There’s nothing in the building or plumbing codes about your service van, but trust me, a dependable good-looking van is vital to a plumber. That’s in Fred’s Code.

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PLUMBING radioed everyone to meet me back at the jobsite at 7:30 a.m. for a quick job and safety status meeting. This job site was downtown, and we had all worked quite late into the evening the night before.

FREDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TOP VAN LIFE STORIES (from his days in the Wild, Wild West)

My vans have taken me, and my crews, through thick and thin. Here are a few tales from road that stand out to me.

As I approached the parking in the back alley, I noticed one of our young plumbers crawling out of his van. He looked like he just woke up. And it was freezing out.

A smashing party?

I talked to him and he embarrassingly claimed that he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be late, so he slept in his van. There was more to this story, however. I felt some compassion towards him, so I helped him ďŹ nd a place to stay and told him never to risk sleeping in his van again. Extreme weather is only one of the risks present when a vehicle becomes home, even temporarily.

As a manager of A&B, my role was to respond to all personnel problems. One New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s morning, I awoke to a call from the RCMP. One of our vans was in an accident in LA (Leduc Alberta). It was smashed up and left on the side of the highway on the way to Edmonton. This turned out to be one of my drain cleaners who decided to (without permission) take a joy ride to a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve party in Edmonton. Really, who takes a plumbing van to a party?

A hot dog? One of our plumbers loved his dog so much, I found out that his dog was his service van companion every day.

Helping to ďŹ nd better places One crisp winter morning, one of those -25Â°C days, I two-way

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Now, I know there re are here, dog lovers out there, rd to and it can be hard leave our furry friends/family members at home at times, but a work van iss for work, and it iss not a pet-friendly y atmosphere.

He was quite well off, and it was a pleasure to get to know him as he was friendly and had a good way about himself. He was in his late 70s then, and had a daily routine to swim a few laps in his gorgeous swimming pool and then put on his Scottish bonnet to swing by ﬁve or six restaurants for a mellow coffee. Of course, many employees knew who he was, so they’d do their best to be on the ball if he walked in the door. As I worked at his mansion just outside the city limits, I got to know him, so one day I ﬁnally asked him why he used our company.

Even with your windows cracked open, you never want to leave your dog in your van on a hot summer day.

He explained that he was very proud of his restaurants, and he only wanted to have professional-looking employees and service companies working in them. He later added that he loved the look of our professional, clean looking vans. That’s the kind of thing he expected.

A CLEAN STORY Around 1990 or so, I had picked up the McDonald’s restaurant contract for the entire city of Calgary, and I recall an interesting conversation with the owner of the Alberta McDonald’s franchises – this was when franchises were sold by province or state.

Now those of you from our crew know why I insisted that everybody wash their vans the next day.

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PLUMBING B y D e ni se D ev e a u

Kitchen & bathroom trends gaining a new perspective Grohe

Any real estate guru will tell homeowners that a kitchen or bathroom upgrade is always a smart investment choice. Whether it’s a faucet or sink upgrade, new intelligent features, or an addition that pushes sustainability efforts, there are plenty of options for contractors to offer customers. The best part is, your clients don’t have to choose between style and functionality, because manufacturers are delivering both. Even the latest garbage disposal and ﬁltration units are more streamlined and easier to install than ever before.

THE IN-HOME GENERATION GAP Distributors are seeing an uptick in equipment for outﬁtting multigenerational homes with everything from attractive safety bars to zero threshold showers and walk-in tubs. “Homes are being built to house up to three generations,” explains Diana Di Carlo of Desco Plumbing and Heating Supply. To address this, some equipment manufacturers are designing their lines to ﬁt a homeowner’s desired aesthetic and needs without looking like a medical device.

Here’s a look at some of the trending highlights this year.

Bronte Collection Grabcessories

THE FINISHING FACTOR When it comes to finishes, colours are taking centre stage for those interested in looking beyond the conventional white on white or stainless steel look. The latest sink offerings are geared towards solid surfaces and colours, says Jason Boyd of Dobbin Sales. “Manufacturers are expanding lines of colours every year. This year Elkay Quartz Luxe started with red, then jubilee blue and are now adding mint green to their sinks. Some have interchangeable apron fronts to match.” Even stainless steel manufacturers are showcasing colours. Zomodo, for example, now offers stainless steels sinks in black, gold and bronze finishes. Commercial designs are also making their way into homes, from pulldown kitchen faucets with the look and feel of commercial pre-rinse units, to concrete and white enamel sinks. “The most noticeable commercial trend is the popularity of the commercial spring faucet with power boost and clean features,” says Garry Scott of Moen Canada. Matte black and gold fixtures continue to dominate, although manufacturers are now finding ways to change things up by blending finishes such as matte black and gold in their newest lines. Elkay

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“We’re seeing big trends in living-in-place and multi-generational homes, where there is more integration and sophistication in plumbing, accessories and access that are suitable for mainstream, particularly for higher end products,” Isabel Carvalhana of LIXIL Canada (Grohe and DXV) adds. Di Carlo predicts demand will grow over the next three to ﬁve years. “It will be a necessity, more than a desire.”

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PLUMBING

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THE BATHROOM SCENE

American Standard

This year could also see the rise of the bidet. The pandemic is driving renewed interest in bidet retroﬁts and one-piece units, according to Marlon Thompson of LIXIL Canada (American Standard). “They can pay anywhere from $99 to $2,000, depending in the feature sets. Right now, we’re seeing a run on the lower price point items.”

In the bathroom, porcelain finishes are taking a spin on the colour wheel. “It won’t be long before powder pink bathrooms are happening again,” Di Carlo says. “Colours are coming back in a big way. We’re seeing a lot of it in chinaware. Some manufacturers offer more than 190 colours for their porcelain fixtures.” While matte black and gold fixtures still reign supreme, rumours are that flat white may make some headway this year, she says, pointing to new shower fixtures from Rubinet and Baril. “That could be the next big thing.” Dominic Giordano from Taps, a Wolseley Showroom, says matte tub exteriors are gaining momentum. “We’re also seeing concrete-looking tubs.”

CONVENIENCE AND LUXURY Among the many recent innovations in the residential plumbing space are spa showerheads from Moen that use atomization technology to reduce water consumption while enveloping the user in comfort, and the commercially inspired Glass Rinser from Delta. It releases high-pressure water jets to instantly clean glassware – from baby bottles and wine glasses to water bottles and travel cups.

SUSTAINABLE THINKING

SMARTER FIXTURES For the past couple of years, touch-free faucets have been growing in popularity for health-conscious homeowners. Now manufacturers are going one step further with voice-activated and pre-programming features that can dispense specific amounts at specific temperatures and lengths of time on command. These include the U by Moen Smart Faucet, which offers the option of voice, wave or manual operation, Delta’s VoiceIQ! system, which can bring voice activation to a number of existing faucets in the company’s lineup, and American Standard’s Avery, which can be operated with a wave of a hand. American Standard’s SelectFlo Measure faucets can also be programmed to pour specific amounts on request. Boyd says connectivity is leading to a lot of new apps on the commercial side that are moving to residential, particularly for troubleshooting. “There are apps that can let you scan faucets with a smartphone, monitor water usage and running time, and leak detection systems.”

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Moen

Environmental sustainability is becoming a key selling point for homeowners. Take the garbage Moen disposal, for example. Once besmirched with fictional tales of danger in horror movies, consumers are beginning to understand how safe, and beneficial, they are, says Di Carlo. “The myths around the dangers need to be dispelled,” she explains. “They are environmental heroes because they save food waste from going to landfill, and are becoming essential kitchen appliances as much as a stove and fridge.” Residential offerings include products from InSinkErator and Moen. Homeowners are also increasingly looking to filtration innovations to reduce water usage, reports Carvalhana. “Water optimization and sustainability look to be among the strongest trends. Transforming water through filtration will grow more and American Standard more in the future.” This includes the integration of multiple water types into a single point of delivery. For example, the Grohe Blue single-lever faucet sparkling water system dispenses still and sparkling filtered water, as well as regular unfiltered water from the same faucet, reducing water waste and plastic. American Standard also has a faucet line that delivers filtered water at the touch of a button. “The great thing is that you don’t need filtered water for washing dishes or cleaning the fish tank, so you’re not wasting the filter cartridge,” says Thompson. 1 0 . 2 0

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC

HVAC HVAC IN THE TIME OF COVID O

ver the past 30-plus years, my family and close friends have sometimes struggled to understand what exactly my company does. More recently, with the COVID-19 pandemic on everyone’s mind, they have looked at me a little quizzically and perhaps even hopefully and said, “You can help with this, right?” Many are wondering whether the realm of high performance mechanical systems and energy efficient, airtight, properly ventilated homes could somehow be helpful in the fight against COVID-19. The short, and responsible answers are “No,” “Not really,” or at least “Not directly.” The definitive and unequivocal advice from health professionals to physical distance, handwash properly, self-isolate and to avoid touching one’s face follows the science of the spread of viruses, which is an intimate and localized process.

Perhaps, not surprisingly, IAQ professionals have been applying a number of strategies to the much wider range of all potential pollutants in both residential and commercial spaces for years. There are four clear strategies for improving and controlling indoor air quality, which can also be effective when considering the impact of viruses, and they should always be applied in proper order.

These are all signiﬁcantly more important than imagining that when you sneeze, contaminated droplets would be immediately whisked away by the return air of an HVAC system and scrubbed by a HEPA ﬁlter or sterilized by a UV light rather than entering the breathing zone of your loved ones.

REMOVE potential pollutant sources. Requiring people to physically distance or to ensure potentially affected people stay home would be an example of this strategy in commercial and institutional situations.

There are indoor air quality strategies and environmental factors that researchers have found reduce the risk of exposure and can affect both the viability or “infectivity” of airborne viruses and the strength of our own defense systems, however.

ISOLATE pollutants from susceptible occupants. In a residential setting, this could mean creating a safe room or space for an elderly family member.

3 4

Properly VENTILATE occupied spaces.

Professional HVAC contractors have an important part to play in providing ever safer, healthier, more comfortable environments both for the current compelling pandemic conditions and for the long term; after we wash our hands, clean surfaces and practice physical distancing when out in public, of course.

Gord Cooke

REMOVE, ISOLATE, VENTILATE AND FILTER

M e c h a n i c a l

Provide appropriate FILTRATION.

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

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THE BENEFITS OF PROPER HUMIDIFICATION Appropriate relative humidity levels can both strengthen the human body’s own defenses and lower the viability of viruses, such as inﬂuenza. We have long known that humidity is an important element of healthy, comfortable environments. Much of that knowledge can be visualized in the following chart.

OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ASHRAE has stated that HVAC systems can reduce the concentration of airborne contaminants, such as COVID-19 virus droplets. As such, contractors should both broaden and deepen their product and service offerings to meet the needs of clients. The isolation strategy presents, in my opinion, the most resilient of solutions. In a residential setting start by asking about “at risk” or susceptible occupants. Perhaps you could create an isolated zone with a separate ductless system and a fresh air duct from an energy recovery ventilator using a HEPA filter while maintaining a positive pressure in that room. I was asked by the owner of a physiotherapy, massage and fitness facility about isolating and flushing out the air from small treatment rooms between appointments. My recommendation was an exhaust fan with a large enough capacity to maintain a negative pressure in each treatment room, complimented by their surface cleaning protocol between appointments. Both of these isolation strategies emphasized the need for ventilation. This is in keeping with the leading experts’ advice. Thus, check the rooftop economizer dampers and measure ventilation rates being delivered to the office buildings you service. I have spoken to a number of property managers who want a certificate confirming their building is ventilated to rates in accordance with the latest ASHRAE 62.1 standard. For residential clients, service their HRV, upgrade it to a more efficient ERV with ECM fan motors and remind them of the need for continuous mechanical ventilation, especially in the time of the pandemic. With respect to filtration, you will find that ASHRAE supports the use of residential air handling system filters with a MERV rating of at least 13. Be sure to measure the pressure drop across the filter and adjust the fan speed accordingly, to ensure you have proper airflow. Perhaps the best opportunity when thinking about the whole building, however, is to properly manage the relative humidity of indoor spaces.

Referred to as the Sterling Chart, it was first published in 1985 and formed the basis for recommendations of proper humidity control in the popular About Your House series from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. This chart still appears as the basis for environmental control in the 2016 ASHRAE - HVAC Systems and Equipment Handbook. It may seem counter-intuitive but pathogens like viruses and bacteria have higher virulence at relative humidity ranges outside of 40 to 60 per cent. In our Canadian climate, we have struggled to maintain a relative humidity above 30 per cent in houses in winter, and we often see basements above 60 per cent throughout the spring and summer. The current environment highlights the need and opportunity for better humidity control, including properly maintained, reliable humidifiers for winter and then specific dehumidification strategies for the spring and summer. The key word is control. As much as we might like to suggest more than 40 per cent all winter long, we know on very cold days that would create excessive window condensation or even moisture issues in attics and wall cavities.

DEACTIVATING THE VIRUS It’s not unusual for an HVAC contractor to get questions about technologies that kill or deactivate viruses, such as UV-C light. This technology requires specialized application engineering to be effective and safe, and can be a risk to people, pets and plants, so use caution with these products, and follow all manufacturer recommendations, especially safety protocols.

A STATEMENT FROM ASHRAE According to ASHRAE, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air is sufﬁciently likely that airborne exposure to the virus should be controlled. Changes to building operations, including the operation of HVAC systems, can reduce airborne exposures. Ventilation and ﬁltration provided by HVAC systems can reduce the airborne concentration of SARSCoV-2, and thus the risk of transmission through the air. In general, disabling of HVAC systems is not a recommended measure to reduce the transmission of the virus.

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Condensing unit The Danfoss Optyma Slim condensing unit for low- and medium-temperature applications features microchannel heat exchangers and scroll compressors. The units come preequipped with a defrost timer, ﬁlter drier and sight glass. Offered in sizes ranging from 1.5 hp to 10 hp, they are available for use with R-134a, R-404a or R-448/9A.

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Condensate pumps The Little Giant HT-VCL Series of hightemperature condensate pumps are designed to handle plenum and commercial applications. The e pumps are available in 1/8 and 1/3 hp models, with ﬂows up to 575 gph at 5 feet of head pressure. The pumps include 14-foot lead wires, with separate leads for overﬂow detection switch..

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HVAC/R Products P Humidiﬁer The Aprilaire Model 400M drainless humidiﬁer has an evaporation capacity of up to 17 gallons per day and is designed to humidify homes up to 4,000 square feet in size. The model comes with a digital control that shows humidity level, when to change the water panel, and when service is needed.

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The SGS IEC blow-through evaporative condenser from SPX Cooling Technologies is designed to meet the requirements of industrial refrigeration airside applications. Design elements include an optional hot-dip galvanized casing, built-in spreader bars, and self-aligning top and bottom modules. Models are available in 10-foot and 12-foot widths, and in four lengths ranging from 12 to 36 feet.

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with Roger Grochmal

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 email to Mechanical Business Magazine’s editor, Adam Freill, adam.freill@ mechanicalbusiness.com.

Finding opportunities The hard reality of this year is that some businesses will recover better than others. The market will have customers who are not happy and want a change, and this is the time to dial up your marketing to get in front of those prospective customers and show them that you are strong, and ready for their business.

Leading after a crisis L

ast issue, I shared some of the things I have learned over the years about leading a company and its people while going through a crisis.

As our residential HVAC and plumbing business continued to navigate the extraordinary year we are having, I can confidently say that those principles I wrote about – including managing cash flow, aggressively cutting costs and communicating openly with staff and customers – made a difference in our company’s ability to not only survive but thrive. What’s unusual about this crisis, compared to most, is that we can’t quite see the ending. Other incidents such as a debilitating storm, an on-the-job accident or stock market crash will typically have a clear beginning and end, which allows us to take stock, address any needs, and move forward. The uncertainties of our current situation demand a vigilant risk management mindset: monitor carefully, anticipate effectively and act quickly. Although we are not back to business as usual, we are slowly emerging from COVID-19 and things are starting to settle down and feel a little bit more like they used to. Of course, this is when you need to be most vigilant.

2. Sliding back into old ways. They worked before, feel most comfortable, and – let’s face it – the old ways are easier than going into yet more change.

Be tuned into how your marketplace is responding, stay connected, and keep an ear to the ground for ideal opportunities to grow your business. M e c h a n i c a l

In my experience, there are three unproductive mindsets that leaders risk falling into when navigating a crisis: 1. Living in a continued state of worry, which can influence our decision-making, emanate into our team, and blind us to opportunities.

What’s more, some competitors may have struggled and are now selling their businesses, which is an ideal time to scoop them up. Others may be downsizing and putting good people on the market you can hire.

WHAT’S YOUR MINDSET?

3. Retreating away from the front line. While this may be understandable for an exhausted leader, there is a need to learn from the crisis and to continue to be visible and show strength. B u s i n e s s

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Attention ZoomLock Users: RLS issued the following press release on August 13, 2020.

ŬĞƌ͟Ϳ ŶŐƐ ƚŽ WĂƌŬĞƌ , ĂŶŶŝĮ Ŷ ŽƌƉŽƌĂƟ ŽŶ ;͞WĂƌ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ ƉƌĞƐƐ Į ƫ ĐĞ ĂƐ Z>^Π >> ;͞Z>^͟Ϳ ǁŝůů ŶŽ ůŽŶŐĞƌ ƐƵƉƉůǇ ŝƚƐ ĞƚƉůĂ ŵĂƌŬ ƚŚĞ ŝŶ ƐŝŽŶ ĐŽŶĨƵ ĂǀŽŝĚ ŚĞůƉ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ŽŽŵ>ŽĐŬΠ ďƌĂŶĚ͘ Z>^ ŝƐ ŵĂŬŝŶŐ ƚŚŝƐ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ͘ ŶŐƐ ƐŽůĚ ƵŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŽŽŵ>ŽĐŬ ďƌĂŶĚ ŐŽŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ ĂŶĚ ƋƵĂůŝƚǇ ŽĨ Į ƫ ŶƐ͕ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉƐ͕ ĂŶĚ Ă ĞƌŬƐŚŝƌĞ , ĂƚŚĂǁĂǇ ĐŽŵƉĂŶǇ͘ Z>^ ĚĞƐŝŐ Z>^ ŝƐ Ă ƐƵďƐŝĚŝĂƌǇ ŽĨ DĂƌŵŽŶ , ŽůĚŝŶŐƐ͕ /ŶĐ͕͘ ĞĐƟ ŽŶƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ Ăŝƌ ĐŽŶŶ ƵƌĞ ƉƌĞƐƐ ŶŐƐ ĞŶŐŝŶĞĞƌĞĚ ĨŽƌ ŚŝŐŚͲ ŶƚĞĚ Į ƫ ƉƌŽƵĚůǇ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌĞƐ ŝŶ ŵĞƌŝĐĂ ŝƚƐ ƉĂƚĞ Ő ĐŽŶǀĞŶƟ ŽŶĂů ĂŶĚŝŶ ĚĞŵ ĂŶĚ ŵŝŶŐ ŽŶƐƵ Ǉ ƌĞƉůĂĐŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ Ɵ ŵĞͲĐ ĐŽŶĚŝƟ ŽŶŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ƌĞĨƌŝŐĞƌĂƟ ŽŶ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĞƐ͘ ĞĐƟ ŽŶƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĐŽŶŶ ƚ ŶŐƐ ĂůůŽǁ ĨŽƌ ĨĂƐƚĞƌ͕ ŵŽƌĞ ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚĞŶ Ɛ͕ Z>^͛Ɛ Į ƫ ƉƌĂĐƟ ĐĞ ŽĨ ŵĂŶƵĂůůǇ ďƌĂǌŝŶŐ ĐŽƉƉĞƌ ũŽŝŶƚ ƐĂĨĞƚǇ͘ ƌĞĚƵĐĞ ƚŽƚĂů ŝŶƐƚĂůůĞĚ ĐŽƐƚ ǁŚŝůĞ ĞŶŚĂŶĐŝŶŐ WĂƌŬĞƌ Ăƚ ƚŚĂƚ Ɵ ŵĞ͘ Z>^ ŚĂƐ ŶŐƐ ŝŶ ϮϬϭϱ ĂŶĚ ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌĞĚ ĞǆĐůƵƐŝǀĞůǇ ǁŝƚŚ Z>^ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞĚ ŝƚƐ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ Į ƫ ŝŽŶ ƚŽ ƐĞůů ƵŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŝǀŝƐ ůĂŶ ^ƉŽƌ ƌ͛Ɛ ŶŐƐ ĨŽƌ WĂƌŬĞ ŽĨ Į ƫ ƐŝŶĐĞ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌĞĚ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƉƉůŝĞĚ ŵŝůůŝŽŶƐ ŽŽŵ>ŽĐŬ ďƌĂŶĚ͘ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶ ǁĂƐ ŵĂĚĞ͕ ǁ ŝƚƐ ĞǆĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌƐŚŝƉ ǁŝƚŚ WĂƌŬĞƌ͘ dŚŝƐ , ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ Z>^ ƌĞĐĞŶƚůǇ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ƌĞŶĞ ƚŽ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ ĂƐ ĂůŽŶŐ Ě ƉĂƐƐĞ ŶŽƚ ǁĂƐ ƌ ƉƌŝĐŝŶŐ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ WĂƌŬĞ ŝŶ ƉĂƌƚ͕ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ Z>^ ďĞůŝĞǀĞƐ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚĞĚ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚƐ Ăƚ ŝƐƐƵĞ ĂŶĚ >> ͕ ƐĂŝĚ WĂƌŬĞƌ ŚĂƐ ƉĂŝĚ ďĂĐŬ ŵŽƐƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶƚĞŶĚĞĚ͘ WĂƵů ^ĐŚƵďĞƌƚ͕ WƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚ ŽĨ Z>^ ĨƵŶĚƐ͘ Z>^ ĞǆƉĞĐƚƐ ƚŽ ĨƵůůǇ ƌĞĐŽǀĞƌ ƚŚĞ ƌĞŵĂŝŶŝŶŐ hŶŝǀĞƌƐĂů >ŝŵŝƚĞĚ ŶŐƐ ĨŽƌ ŝƚƐ ŽŽŵ>ŽĐŬ ďƌĂŶĚ ĨƌŽŵ ŽŶĞǆ Ğ Į ƫ Z>^ ŚĂƐ ĂůƐŽ ůĞĂƌŶĞĚ WĂƌŬĞƌ ƉůĂŶƐ ƚŽ ƐŽƵƌĐ ;͞ ŽŶĞǆ͟Ϳ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ <ŝŶŐĚŽŵ͘ Ě <ŝŶŐĚŽŵ ĂůůĞŐŝŶŐ Ɛƚ ŽŶĞǆ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ ^ƚĂƚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞ Z>^ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐůǇ Į ůĞĚ ƉĂƚĞŶƚ ůĂǁƐƵŝƚƐ ĂŐĂŝŶ :ƵŶĞ ŽĨ ϮϬϭϵ͘ Ɛ ƉĂƌƚ ŝŶ ŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŽŶĞǆ ĂŐƌĞĞĚ ƚŽ ƐĞƩ ůĞ ƚŚĞ ůĂǁƐƵ ŽŶĞǆ ŝŶĨƌŝŶŐĞĚ ĐůĂŝŵƐ ŽĨ Z>^͛Ɛ ƉĂƚĞŶƚƐ͘ Z>^ Ě ƐƚŽƉ ƐĞůůŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƵů ŝƚ ƚŚĂƚ Ŷƚ͕ ŶŐ ůŝĂďŝůŝƚǇ Žƌ ŝŶĨƌŝŶŐĞŵĞ ĂĚŵŝƫ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƐĞƩ ůĞŵĞŶƚ͕ ŽŶĞǆ ĂŐƌĞĞĚ͕ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ŝƚƐ͘ ůĂǁƐƵ ŶŐ ƚŚĂƚ Z>^ ĂĐĐƵƐĞĚ ŽĨ ŝŶĨƌŝŶŐĞŵĞŶƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ Į ƫ ŶŐƐ ĂŶĚ ĂƌĞ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞĚ ƌĞĨƌŝŐĞƌĂŶƚ ƉƌĞƐƐ Į ƫ ŶŐƐ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽŶůǇ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ dŽĚĂǇ͕ Z>^͛Ɛ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ Į ƫ ƉƌŽǀĞŶ ďǇ ŵŝůůŝŽŶƐ ŽĨ ĂŶĚ ďĂĐŬĞĚ ďǇ Ă ϭϬͲǇĞĂƌ ůŝŵŝƚĞĚ ǁĂƌƌĂŶƚǇ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƉĞƌ dƵďĞ , ĂŶĚďŽŽŬ͘ dŚĞǇ ĂƌĞ ĂůƐŽ ŶŐƐ ŝŶƐƚĂůůĞĚ͘ Į ƫ ƵĐƚ ůŝŶĞ ƚŽ WĂƌŬĞƌ ƚŽ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ͕ ƉƌŽǀĞŶ͕ ĂŶĚ ŵĂĚĞ ŝŶ ŵĞƌŝĐĂ ƉƌŽĚ ͞dŽ ďĞ ĐůĞĂƌ͕ Z>^ ǁŝůů ŶŽ ůŽŶŐĞƌ ƐƵƉƉůǇ ŝƚƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŚŝŐŚͲƋƵĂůŝƚǇ ƐĂŝĚ͘ ͞dŽ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ĞŶĚ ƵƐĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ĞƋƵŝƉƉĞĚ ƐĞůů ƵŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŽŽŵ>ŽĐŬ ďƌĂŶĚ͕͟ ^ĐŚƵďĞƌƚ ĚŝŶŐ ŐŽŝŶŐ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ͘ ďƌĂŶ ŶŐƐ ƵŶĚĞƌ ŝƚƐ ŽǁŶ Đƚ͕ ůŽŽŬ ĨŽƌ Z>^͛Ɛ Į ƫ ƉƌŽĚƵĐƚ ƚŚĞǇ ŶĞĞĚ ĂŶĚ ŚĂǀĞ ĐŽŵĞ ƚŽ ĞǆƉĞ ƋƵĂůŝƚǇ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟ ŽŶ͘͟ dŚĞ Z>^ ďƌĂŶĚ ŝƐ ǇŽƵƌ ĂƐƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ŶŐƐ͘ ŵĂƟ ŽŶ ŽŶ Z>^͛Ɛ ƉĂƚĞŶƚĞĚ Į ƫ sŝƐŝƚ ƌĂƉŝĚůŽĐŬŝŶŐƐǇƐƚĞŵ͘ĐŽŵ ĨŽƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌ

rapidlockingsystem.com • 833-RLS-FAST

Ask Roger with Roger Grochmal Cont. home this year, as a business owner a lot of that time was spent managing the company through the crisis, but I’m now to a point where I can focus on learning something completely new to reset my brain out of the crisis.

LEADING AFTER A CRISIS

It is essential to take personal time

These activities don’t need to be related to leadership. Perhaps you want to better understand digital marketing and search engine optimization, or to learn more about some “green” technologies that are emerging, or anything else that keeps you curious. Go for it. Learning should be a life-long journey.

Applied learning Leaders must stay present, confident and transparent. Continue to be visible to your customers, update staff honestly and frequently, and send every signal that you are leading the business into a stronger, better phase, but don’t neglect the time you need to recharge as well. One thing I’ve missed over the past few months is having the time to sharpen my skills and learn new things. I’m a student at heart, and as much as we had a lot of time at

The Future of Cool.

The RS family of refrigerants: • zero ozone depleting • drop-in replacements for existing refrigeration & air conditioning • compatible with most existing oils and system components . Contact us, or our approved wholesale partners, to bring tomorrow’s solutions to your customers, today. www.rscool.com Refrigerant Services Inc.

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The pandemic situation has presented some key opportunities to do things differently. First and foremost, we have shown that we can engage with our customers in more meaningful ways. A phone call rather than an online survey request can lead to great information. That’s an opportunity to find out how your customers are feeling, how you performed or could have helped more, what you can do differently and how you can be of service to them right now. Draw on their input and everything else we’ve learned this year to actively innovate, modernize, and reinvent the business.

I am talking to other business owners who say they will never go back to their former “office” environment in favour of a more flexible working policy. Others plan to continue to build their business online, as they’ve done during the pandemic.

REASON

At our company, we are grateful to have only recently implemented a more sophisticated system that allows customers to have better communication from us before, during and after our visit, and we are continuing to explore using that as an important feature of our business in the future. While we are in the customer’s house, we are focusing more on the family’s health needs, looking at system enhancements such as ventilation and air purification, and reassuring them about the peace of mind signing up for a protection plan can provide. But we can do more.

Up to 12% more efﬁcient.

Looking forward “New normal” means new, and we’re driving bold thinking. Be the first to turn a challenge into a creative solution. Create task forces with staff, even invite customers to participate. Have fun “ideathon” brainstorm games and reward terrific ideas instantly. This shifts the culture away from “fear and survival” and towards “new and improved.”

R-32 systems are up to 12% more efﬁcient than similar R-410A systems.

As always, your people make all the difference. This is a great time to reward rising stars with new positions that fuel their ambitions and drive good changes. (I will also say that it in evaluating performance this year, it is very important for us to consider our employees’ other demands such as family or economic uncertainty that may have come into play and made their lives challenging.) This is also a good time to review and update your brand. This is not necessarily the logo, although a change there sends a good signal of strength and resiliency. Explore your brand identity: your value statements, brand promise and your true point of difference amongst your competitors. Lean more into the people and culture aspects of who you are. These resonate well with customers. Review and update your community commitments and involve your staff in volunteering. By taking clear and confident steps into the future, we invite those around us to be strong and excited about what your business can achieve.

THIS IS JUST ONE OF 3 2 G R E AT R E A S O N S T O C H O O S E R - 3 2 R E F R I G E R A N T. S E E T H E M A L L AT R 3 2 R E A S O N S . C O M .

WITH MORE THAN 100 MILLION UNITS INSTALLED WORLDWIDE, R-32 IS ENDORSED BY:

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COVER STORY

By Adam Freill

Name: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, MD Age: 29 Born in: Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec Position: Guard Team: Kansas City Chiefs Jersey: #76 University: McGill University

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif A CHAMPION OF SERVICE BEFORE SELF

Photos: Martin Girard; Alamy Stock Images

leader on and off the field, not only is Laurent Duvernay-Tardif the first medical doctor to win the Super Bowl, and the first Quebec-born player to hoist the champion’s Vince Lombardi Trophy, but to no surprise to friends, family and teammates, he was also the first NFL player to express his desire to put the health and well-being of his fellow Canadians ahead of the upcoming season. The six-foot-five lineman could have easily kept to his offseason workouts and left the crisis in the hands of others, but he could not sit idle when the call went out asking for medically trained people to help support the healthcare system in Quebec. Not long after celebrating a championship victory with his Kansas City Chiefs teammates, he swapped jersey for scrubs and joined the staff at a long-term care facility in his home province.

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“I couldn’t just stay home and do nothing,” he explained during an exclusive interview for Mechanical Business. “In my contract, I’m not supposed to do any at-risk activities, whether that’s jet skiing, snowboarding, or stuff like that, so why would I be able to help?” he said. “I called Coach Reid and the front ofﬁce in Kansas City… Coach Reid understood. He was like, ‘Do what you have to do, but just stay safe.’ And that’s what I did.” As teams began planning for the 2020 season, he announced his intention to sit out the 2020 season via social media. “This is one of the most difﬁcult decisions I have had to make in my life but I must follow my convictions and do what I believe is right for me personally,” Duvernay-Tardif wrote in the statement. “I cannot allow myself to potentially transmit the virus in our communities simply to play the sport that I love. If I am to take risks, I will do it caring for patients.”

Following his passions “I see football as an amazing adventure, but there are going to be others after it,” stated Duvernay-Tardif. “I owe a lot of that way of thinking to my parents.” Currently the owners of three bakeries in and around Montreal, his parents instilled within him a zest for pursuing passions and ﬁnishing projects to the best of one’s ability. “I’m sure that there’s a lot of parents who would say, ‘Wait a second, you have one more year in medical school. Finish that; be a doctor, and then do your sport or something else.’ But my parents were like, ‘Shoot for the moon. Let’s do it!’” he explained. “We only have one life to live, and it’s not a matter of living it to excess; it’s about freedom and following your passion and drive.”

Staying safe on the front lines There are many people on the front lines of the pandemic, from those working directly with patients and putting their lives on the line to help those in medical need, to those in industries like the mechanical trade. HVAC/R technicians and plumbers have been providing essential services to ensure that safe water is flowing, that the indoor air is clean and comfortable, and that refrigeration systems are keeping food and medicine safe. So, what should everyone be doing to stay safe during these times? “Of course, you have to wash your hands, cough in your elbow, and not shake hands with everybody. I feel that those are the new basics,” says Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, MD. “What I think I realized after working in the long-term care facilities, is that there are people who are getting sick trying to help people; people dedicating their lives and doing overtime, isolating themselves from their families just to help prevent the spread of the disease. They are not getting paid millions to do that, and it’s a tough job.” Seeing gatherings in public parks and people ignoring public health advisories troubles him. “I feel that we are privileged enough to have a healthcare system that is there to help the ones in need, so the least we can do is be responsible and make little individual sacrifices. At the end of the day, it’s a pretty small ask to wear a mask,” he says. “Don’t always try to cheat the system and bend the rules. Be responsible. There are people who are giving more, way more, than all those little sacrifices you are making.”

“Football is about algorithms; how you are going to react and anticipating. When you are working the emergency room, it’s kind of the same thing. You have to approach it rationally and be logical.” LDT

Balancing his love of the game Finding football in his early teens, Duvernay-Tardif discovered an appreciation for the combination of strategy and physicality in the sport, and a fire continued to grow within him as he progressed from CEGEP to university, and ultimately to the NFL. For the aspiring doctor, the path forward was going to be a busy one. Juggling school as a medical student while playing football at the university level meant sacrificing to find time for classes, homework, training, practices and games. But the combination of sport and work seemed to allow him to improve in all aspects of his life. “At McGill, I played football because I enjoyed it,” he explained, “and because I needed it to channel my excess energy so that I could study better.” His workouts, he found, helped with his ability to study and absorb the materials for his courses. During his pre-draft visits with teams, several teams asked whether he could be 100 per cent committed to football as an NFL player, because he had medical school in his back pocket. “Honestly, I didn’t really have an answer to that,” he said. “If you are there, in the interview room, it’s because you love football, and that should show since you have such a good Plan B. When I first met Coach Reid at Kansas City, he felt the same way. He said, ‘I need 53 players on the team that really love football.’” Still a medical student after being drafted to the Chiefs, Laurent’s structure was suddenly flipped. No longer a student who played football, he was now a full-time football player completing his med school program during the offseason. It was a switch in schedule, mindset and perspective that he managed to navigate, even when the occasional Chiefs fan would recognize him during rounds in a hospital. “You go from being a little star in front of 80,000 people and having a whole team of physiotherapists, nutritionists, coaches, trainers, all there to optimize your performance, and then boom: five days later you’re back in Montreal starting a rotation, and you are a medical student at the bottom of the medical hierarchy.”

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QUATTRO’S CORNER By A ndre w Qu a t t r o c i o c c h i

Firestopping combustible pipes T

he ﬁrestopping of combustible pipes has always been a soft spot for plumbers and inspectors. The National Building Code of Canada and the code in my part of Canada (Ontario) are very similar in requirements, but do share a few differences.

Since plastic piping systems are used so widely in construction today, I’ve teamed up with Kevin Yong-Ping, one of IPEX’s engineers, to raise the awareness of ﬁrestopping best practices as they relate to combustible pipe penetrations. So, let’s take a look.

Getting with the code Both the 2015 National Building Code and 2012 Ontario Building Code explain that, aside from a few exceptions, any time a fire separation or a membrane that’s part of a fire separation assembly is penetrated by such things as pipes, vents or conduit, a firestop needs to be used or the penetration needs to be cast in place. Note that there is an F rating requirement with firestops. These are based on tests outlined in CAN/ULC-S115, and details of the requirements can be found in Table 3.1.8.4. in your code book. Where these penetrations are horizontal, there is an FT rating requirement, also based on CAN/ULC-S115, and this generally requires the firestop to have a resistance rating equal or greater than the rating of the firewall or fire separation. An exception to these requirements is extended to sprinkler systems, provided that the annular space created by the penetration is covered by a metal escutcheon plate. Some fire dampers are also permitted to penetrate a fire separation, provided that they are installed in compliance with NFPA 80. When it comes to combustible pipe penetrations, you’ll find these in section 3.1.9.5 of the National Building Code, and 3.1.9.4 in the Ontario Building Code. When talking about this with your local inspector, don’t get the reference mixed up. In Ontario, 3.1.9.5 is “openings through a membrane ceiling.”

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System 15 piping with a cast-in place ﬁrestop device providing a 2HR FT rating in a 3.2.1.2 parking garage slab.

The Ontario code outlines the specific cases where combustible piping can penetrate a fire separation required to have a fire-resistance rating, or a membrane that forms part of an assembly required to have a fire-resistance rating. Again, with a few exceptions outlined in the code book, combustible piping is permitted to penetrate a fire separation required to have a fire-resistance rating or is permitted to penetrate a membrane that forms part of an assembly required to have a fire-resistance rating, provided the piping is sealed at the penetration by a firestop that has an F rating not less than the fire-resistance rating required for the fire separation, as per the fire test method in CAN/ULC-S115. A pressure differential of 50 Pa is required between the exposed and unexposed sides, with the higher pressure on the exposed side. Combustible drain piping is permitted to penetrate a horizontal fire separation, provided it leads directly from a non-combustible water closet through a concrete floor slab and the piping is sealed at the penetration by a firestop. Combustible piping can also penetrate a vertical or horizontal fire separation if both sides of the separation are sprinklered, and an appropriate firestop seals the penetration. For public pools and spas, there’s also an allowance for combustible piping containing chlorine gas, provided that the piping is not more than 25 mm in diameter, and that an appropriate firestop is used. With all of these uses, check your local code for the appropriate FT rating to ensure that the firestop used conforms to requirements. And, where necessary, watch to ensure that the firestop test is tested with a pressure differential of 50 Pa between the exposed and unexposed sides, with the higher pressure on the exposed side. Also review whether the fire compartments on each side of the firewall or horizontal fire separation need to be sprinklered.

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QUATTRO’S CORNER con’t from page 54

Upholding the integrity In essence, if you’re penetrating a fire separation with either noncombustible or combustible piping, you’ll need to uphold the integrity of that fire separation, and thus provide a valid firestop listing that matches your site conditions. For plastic piping, you’ll find that there are a variety firestop product options available. Through-penetration firestop products work by filling the voids around penetrating items in fire rated walls and floors. When combustible products are used, these firestop products “intumesce” or expand in the presence of heat, thereby sealing and stopping the spread of flames and smoke outside of the fire compartment. Most applications will require an F-Rating, which is typically the fire resistance rating of the assembly. However, under 3.1.9.1(2), when penetrating a firewall or under 3.2.1.2, a slab, an FT-Rating is required, which will limit the transmission of high temperatures through the assembly as well as the fire resistance rating.

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QUATTRO’S CORNER con’t from page 56

The ﬁrestop checklist When working with ﬁrestop listings for combustible piping, here are a few things to o look for:

Make sure the required annular space is being followed per the listing.

Check to make sure the penetrant being used is called out in the listing. It is important to note that if a specific piping is being used on a jobsite, then that piping should be identified on the listing. Sometimes a listing simply indicates PVC, but it is always best to check with the firestop manufacturer when clarification is needed.

Gather your listings upfront and be sure to review them with the building ofﬁcial prior to installation.

When in doubt, call the pipe or ﬁrestop manufacturer for help.

Check to see if the listing has been tested d with a 50 Pa pressure differential. This is required ed in all provinces, with Ontario having a few exceptions ceptions to this rule.

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Andrew Quattrociocchi, C.B.C.O., is the deputy chief building ofﬁcial for the Township of Oro-Medonte, and a director with the Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association. If you have any questions or a funny photo you would like to possibly see in an upcoming edition of Quattro’s Corner, feel free to send an email to Andrew at quattroscorner@hotmail.com.

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Service valves Webstone’s PEX E-X-P E2 tankless water heater service valves are available with a choice of a standard brass or lead-free pressure relief valve. Sizes range from 3/4” up to 1” hot and cold valve kits for applications where a higher ﬂow rate is needed.

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Vertical turbine pump

Air-based drain cleaner

The VT series of vertical turbine pumps from Taco Comfort Solutions are designed for cooling tower, chilled water, water transfer, pressure boosting and water supply applications. They are available in 6” to 18” bowl diameters. Features include stainless steel impellers, and ductile iron bowls and discharge heads. Maxium head pressure is 270 ft. and maximum ﬂow rate is 9,000 gpm.

The Kinetic Water Ram from General Pipe Cleaners uses compressed air to clean clogged lines. It generates a shock wave that pulverizes stoppages in 1-1/4” to 4” lines. The built-in pump and pressure gauge allow operators to select the amount of force for each job. A toilet attachment is available.

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Flood protection system

Floor drain ACO’s high capacity ﬂoor drain is designed for hygienic applications, such as food and beverage manufacturing facilities. It features a 600 x 600 mm square top, and a 200 mm vertical outlet diameter. It is designed to discharge over 317 gpm.

The Watts SentryPlus Alert ﬂood protection system includes a control unit with a digital timer, as well as a cellular gateway and a separate 120 vac relay box for interfacing with ﬂood protection shutdown automatic control valves.

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HYDRONICS B y Kol y n M a r s h a l l

Don’t doubt the value of the

lowly sensor W

e’ve all heard the old real estate maxim: Location, location, location. Sounds simple, right? A home on the waterfront will generally have a higher value than one stuck next to a busy train track. The same can be said about sensors in an automated snowmelt system: placement matters. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that. How about remote activation? Or is a smarter control needed; one that can respond to changing conditions? Regardless of which control strategy is desired, one thing remains a requirement: the sensor.

In or up?

G E TTI NG THE I NS TAL L ATI O N R I G H T

There are generally two main types of snowmelt sensors available on the market today: an in-slab sensor or a pole-mount aerial sensor. For the most part, each operates in the same way. In the centre of the sensor is a heated oil melts coil powered by the control. This heated coil any frozen precipitation, such as freezing rain or snow to create water, which connects coil sections to complete a circuit. This signals the controller that a melting condition is occurring, at which point the controller then decides how the system should run, based on the desired programming. Both aerial and slab sensors rely on an external air sensor to monitor air temperatures. This prevents the system from running when it’s 45 degrees outside and simply raining. An added feature of in-slab sensors is the ability to measure the slab temperature, which allows the controller to operate the system in an idle condition, if desired.

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Selecting the type of sensor to use is only half the battle. The other half is ensuring that the sensor is properly installed. But before we look at that, ﬁrst a message from your sponsor:

DISCLAIMER: Failure to install the sensor in a manner compliant with the manufacturer’s recommendations may compromise performance, warranty, or both. Always refer to the manufacturer’s guidelines when installing sensors. Now that the lawyers are satisﬁed, let’s dive into some typical guidelines for installing snowmelt sensors.

HYDRONICS GETTING THE I N S TA L L AT I O N RI G H T

OPERATION STRATEGIES AND SENSORS continued from page 62

AERIAL

Roof Mounted

Ground Mounted

Roof Mounted

The sensor should be installed outside on a nominal 1/2” (16 mm) PVC or rigid metal conduit pole, either on a roof or to the side of the snow-melting surface. The sensor must be located so that it remains exposed to snowfall. This means away from trees, bushes, building overhangs or other locations that may interfere with exposure to precipitation. Avoid installing it in locations where the sensor may be vandalized or damaged by vehicle trafﬁc, or anything else, such as an external door. It is also recommended to keep the sensor away from artiﬁcial heat sources, such as dryer and boiler vents. If mounting an aerial sensor on the ground, it’s a good idea to place it high enough off the ground to prevent animals from interfering with its operation. The aerial sensor is designed with a sloped face. Do not attempt to “square up” the sensor. This intentional angle allows moisture to drain away from the sensor over time. It also helps to prevent cupping, or damming, on top of the sensor. Cupping is when the heating element on top of the sensor melts the snow in such a way that a small cavity is formed between the sensor and any new snowfall. This condition may cause the sensor to think snowfall has stopped when it hasn’t.

M e c h a n i c a l

IN-SLAB

In-slab sensors are designed to be, well, installed within the snowmelt slab and should follow much of the same guidelines as outlined with the aerial sensor. Sensors should be placed in an open area and not under overhangs, carports, where cars park, or any other feature that may prevent the sensor from being exposed to precipitation.

There are a few ways a system can be set up to operate, depending on the desired outcome. It is possible to have one large zone, or a number of zones, each with its own sensor. A zone is generally defined as an area that melts as a unit. A better way to think of this is when there is a call to melt snow, what area(s) need to melt together? The size of a melted zone can range from a few hundred square feet to several hundred thousand. There’s really no limit to how large an area can be. While tubing lengths may limit the amount of area covered by a single distribution manifold, multiple manifolds can be piped together to cover larger areas. One limit to super large areas is the overall boiler load required. For example, consider a commercial project with 50,000 sq.ft. of snowmelt. If we assume a snowmelt load of 125 BTU/sq.ft., this system would require a 6.25 million BTU boiler. If it’s not critical for this area to melt in unison, it may be possible to break the area into multiple zones of 10,000 sq.ft. each. Each zone would then only require 1.25 million BTUs, which is a much smaller power plant. The control logic could be set up to cycle from zone to zone as given areas have been cleared. This type of system allows for a much smaller boiler room configuration but requires a longer run time. This configuration also allows the option of omitting select areas from the melt cycle, if desired.

Photo: REHAU

In-slab sensors should also be placed so the top of the sensor is ﬂush with the slab. If the sensor is placed below the slab surface, melted water may not be able to drain away from the sensor fast enough. Although most in-slab sensor and socket conﬁgurations offer some sort of drainage feature, it may not be enough to offset water build up, causing the sensing array to think it’s in an extended demand condition.

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When the snowmelt area contains an inclined area, such as a parking ramp or driveway, it’s best to install the sensor as near to the bottom of the incline as possible. This will allow the melting water from the upper elevations to wash over the sensor, allowing it to call for heat longer to help prevent the system from turning off too soon, causing the melting water to refreeze. Kolyn Marshall is the systems engineering manager at Watts and author of the technical manual Understanding Radiant Systems. He can be reached at kolyn.marshall@wattswater.com.

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A Russian connection

Road Warrior Taylor Oliver-McCallum The current (work) ride: Ford F-150 Kilometres per day: 60 Service area: Edmonton/Red Deer/Leduc area, and some parts of B.C. Most useful tool in the toolbox: Hammer Favourite tool: Ridgid Propress machine Favourite TV show: The Ofﬁce (U.S. version). I really ally al lyy like lik ke the th he Dwight character. Favourite cartoon: Scooby-Doo Favourite sport: Golf Favourite sit-down restaurant: Rural Roots Brewery eryy er in Leduc. Favourite drive-thru restaurant: Dairy Queen for the FlameThrower chicken wrap. Pets: A Staffordshire terrier named Ellie. Place you would like to visit. Peru to see Machu Picchu.

If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who h would ld iit b be? Sidney Crosby If I had a million dollars: I wouldn’t quit working. But I would go on a nice little trip.

Photo: Aaron Kurmey Photography

What you miss most with the pandemic: Hanging out with family and friends. I don’t get to see them very often. Future plans: Owning his own plumbing company. Where would you like to live eventually? In B.C., in the mountains. If you weren’t a plumber what would you be? I really enjoy real estate. If I could do anything else it would be that. Favourite pastime: I have always been drawn to nature and the mountains. Camping and hiking are some of my favourite things. M e c h a n i c a l

B u s i n e s s

Be e Before he knew it, he was competing t 2018 Skills Canada National in the Competition in Edmonton. Then it was C Co m on o n to competing for Canada in the WorldSkills 2019 competition in Wo W Kazan, Russia. There, his team had Kaz K to design a bathroom and kitchen rough-in including water lines and rou he heating, with time challenges in between. be “The “T measurements had to be so pr precise,” he recalls.

Personal trademark: “You seldom catch me without a baseball hat. I have a bunch of different ones.”

Taylor’s natural talent for the skilled trades g ga ve him a chance to shine on a world gave stage. An instructor at Red Deer s College encouraged him compete in a provincial skills competition, “I was he e hesitant at ﬁrst, but I knew it would be a once o in a lifetime opportunity, so I d decided to sign up.”

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To release the stress of competing, he made sure to ﬁnd some time d during the trip to check out the local sights. sig “The buildings are so old and pristine,” he says. “Some of their architecture was just unbelievable.”

By Denise Deveau

Name: Taylor Oliver-McCallum Employer: Justin Schamber Job Title: Plumber, Gas Fitter Lives in: Leduc, AB Age: 23 Partner: Fiancée Cassidy Mayer Joined the mechanical industry: 2015

Taylor Oliver-McCallum: World class champion for the trades T aylor Oliver-McCallum discovered the joy of plumbing working part-time for a local contractor when he was in high school.

“I started because I didn’t want to take the typical path and go to university,” says the Red Seal journeyman who now spends his time on residential, commercial and agricultural plumbing and heating projects. He lists boiler-related work as some of the more interesting systems he gets to work on, although he has seen his fair share of unique challenges on jobsites. “There are lots of snake stories when you’re working with agricultural customers,” he says. “The weirdest thing I saw was a skin that a snake had shed inside a water heater. Thank God it was just the skin.” M e c h a n i c a l

That’s not something that was covered during his training at Red Deer College. But he’s always willing to learn a few new tricks, and enjoys the learning process. That can include slowing down on occasion to think about what he’s doing, and the logic of how a system works. “I’m always thinking a few steps ahead,” he says. He also appreciates the special skills of the people he works with. “The coolest thing I have seen is when we were running underground water lines for a rural job,” he recalls. “The guy doing the horizontal drilling managed to jackhammer holes in the basement for three water lines without hitting one of them. It was pretty crazy to see.”

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REFRIGERATION

FEEDING THE DX EVAPORATOR I

n a DX evaporator, the refrigerant expands directly upstream and inline with the evaporator. If there is insufficient heat to vaporize all of the refrigerant upstream of the compressor, then liquid will return to the compressor. The aim is to ensure that the vapour leaving the evaporator is sufficiently superheated to ensure that only vapour exists. This also contributes to stable operation of the expansion valve. The superheated refrigerant is characterized as dry. This contrasts with a flooded design, where the liquid level of the evaporator is kept at a specific level using some form of float or liquidlevel probe in combination with a metering device. This prevents liquid from entering the suction line and results in a lower suction superheat.

Avoiding a freeze-up Air-cooler evaporators cool and dehumidify the air by maintaining a low-side refrigerant pressure that is lower than the air temperature entering the coil. If the air temperature is brought below 32°F, the water will freeze on the evaporator coil. If this happens, the coil must be defrosted periodically using either an off-cycledefrost, electric defrost or hot gas. The air defrost method can only be used when the air enters the coil at approximately 36°F, or higher.

Design aspects of the coil

Since we recently looked at shell and tube evaporators, let’s focus on DX evaporators of the air-cooler type this time round.

Present in two states It is important that DX evaporators are configured for a counterflow arrangement. This means that the air entering the coil becomes the main heat source for superheating the refrigerant to final temperature. It is important that this is high enough to ensure stable expansion valve operation and to avoid any possibility of liquid entering the compressor. By installing a DX coil slab for parallel flow, the coil capacity will be reduced, making less heat available for superheating, which could result in instable operation. In a direct expansion evaporator, there is always both liquid and vapour present at the expansion valve outlet. In fact, the only way that it would be possible to have 100 per cent liquid at this point is to subcool the liquid down to the evaporating temperature.

The face area of a DX coil is the product of the Finned Length (FL) and the Fin Width (FW). The fins used are typically continuous uous plate and corrugated. A corrugated fin allows for wider fins to fit into a specified dimension. Other types of fins include spiral fins and splinetype fins. The tubes in a coil can be made from copper, aluminum, stainless steel or even carbon steel. Perhaps most common are copper tube designs, typically with surface enhancements or some form of rifling to promote increased turbulence and coil efficiency.

As the metering device reduces the pressure from the high-pressure

Phil Boudreau

M e c h a n i c a l

Phil 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.

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Canadian reﬁllable cylinders available

Make the Switch to Solstice® N40

Solstice N40 (R-448A) offers 5-10% lower energy consumption, a 68% reduction in global-warming-potential and lower environmental impact on the planet. Solstice N40 is approved for use by all major compressor and component manufacturers, and is a near-drop-in replacement for R-404A, allowing for easier installations and conversions. Talk to us today to ﬁnd out more. For more information visit: https:www.honeywell-refrigerants.com or Call 800-631-8138

REFRIGERATION

DISTRIBUTORS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

liquid down to the evaporating pressure, the refrigerant cools itself by evaporating a portion of the liquid to cool the remaining body of liquid. The vapour formed during this process is known as ﬂash gas. Since evaporator coils are usually made up of several parallel circuits which reduce pressure drop, it is extremely important that the liquid and ﬂash gas are thoroughly mixed prior to entering the various distributor tubes. It is the primary function of the distributor to provide this mixing.

FINDING BALANCE THROUGH DESIGN Evaporator manufacturers account for the amount of subcooling during the design of system. This is because vapour quality has an impact on turbulence within the evaporator tubes. For a given evaporator design, reducing the vapour quality reduces the turbulence. When the Did you know? manufacturer is made aware In the context of of the subcooling, they can an evaporator, adjust the coil circuiting, tube diameter, tubing length, the acronym etc., to ensure that enough DX comes from turbulence will exist.

the term Direct Expansion or Dry Expansion.

In situations where the vapour and liquid are not adequately mixed, it is likely that the coil will not be fed properly. The result of this condition is an unbalanced refrigerant ﬂow.

Assuming that the evaporator has balanced air flow through the coil, it is possible to confirm that the feeds are not receiving the same amount of flash gas and vapour simply by measuring the temperature of the feeds entering the suction header.

M e c h a n i c a l

B u s i n e s s

There are three main types of distributors: pressure-drop, venturi flow and centrifugal. These distributor types vary only by their mixing methods. If we look at an R407C application where the conditions are 45°F SST (dew), 110°F, and 10°F subcooling, the liquid enters the evaporator at a temperature of 36.3°F and has a vapour quality of 0.214. This means that 21.4 per cent has been evaporated in order to cool the remaining 78.6 per cent of the liquid from 91.1°F down to 36.3°F. In a pressure-drop type of distributor, the liquid and flash gas are forced through a small orifice known as a nozzle. After the mixture passes through the nozzle, it is immediately fed into the distributor tubes where it will experience another pressure drop as it makes its way to the main evaporator tubes. In our example, 21.4 per cent of the refrigerant enters the evaporator as flash gas. In this case, we had 10°R of subcooling. It is very important that subcooling is taken into consideration when selecting the expansion valve, distributor and nozzle. If we were to increase the subcooling to 30°R using some form of subcooler that could achieve this temperature, the liquid/vapour temperature would be 35.5°F and the quality of the refrigerant would be 13.5 per cent.

While it is unlikely that all feeds will be the same, a temperature variance of 3°F or more should be investigated. Beware though, this temperature difference can also take place if the air ﬂow is imbalanced. The most common reasons for air-side imbalances are improper placement of the evaporator in the space and loading too much product around the evaporator. By thoroughly understanding the design and correct application of the DX evaporator, it is much easier to troubleshoot issues that are related to the coil itself. Without this knowledge, systems may be incorrectly charged, expansion valves incorrectly set, and the evaporator may operate inefﬁciently, which may result in compressor problems.

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Nibco PressACR ďŹ ttings are designed for use with copper pipe systems for air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The system uses a patent-pending groove design and crimp pattern. Fittings are available in sizes ranging from 1/4â&#x20AC;? to 1-1/8â&#x20AC;?.

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HVAC/R Products P Digital manifold The Refmate digital manifold from Refco features a 4.3” colour display that shows measured values in either analogue or digital format. The device includes a superheat and subcool indicator and can be powered by batteries or a USB port. It is also lockable for long-term logging and can be connected to multiple peripheral devices.

Air management system

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Air Excellent from Centrotherm is a dedicated air management system designed for HRVs and ERVs. The system allows users to independently control air quality for individual rooms using a proprietary pressure conﬁgurator that calculates pressure drops over duct runs.

Fan coil Part of Energy Saving Products’ Hi-Velocity Systems air handling equipment line, the Cube Series Fan Coil uses variable speed backward curved fan technology. Available in two sizes, the units are designed for spaces requiring additional heating, cooling or fresh air. Models have maximum CFM ratings of 450 and 550 and are multi-positional to suit any mechanical location.

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Dedicated outdoor air system Daikin’s SmartSource Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) draws outside air into the HVAC system to improve indoor air quality. The unit uses the company’s SmartBoost Heat Technology to allow the use of 0°F air without any pre-heating. Additional features include programmable airﬂow control options and a BACnet-enabled controller.

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RE-VERBER-RAY

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HVAC By N i c k Ag op i a n

Using

ERVs

for outdoor air dilution M

ost ASHRAE experts agree that while it is highly unlikely that viruses like COVID-19 can be propagated by HVAC systems, the use of properly functioning mechanical systems can be instrumental in mitigating the risk of a virus’s spread. That’s why engineers and contractors have used equipment like ERVs to remove viruses, allergens, mould, CO2 and other airborne contaminants of concern (CoC) from occupied spaces for more than a decade. World Health Organization (WHO) statistics claim a cough or sneeze can potentially produce up to 70,000 droplets or aerosolized particles. Being heavier, the droplets fall to the ground relatively quickly, but smaller particles can remain suspended in the occupied breathing zone for up to two days. Therefore, ventilating a space with upgraded amounts of outdoor air is a good solution. And while we hope that COVID-19 will soon disappear, the beneﬁts of the air exchange equipment installed to help mitigate risk during the pandemic will continue to offer better comfort and IAQ, while reducing other CoCs, and energy costs, long after the need for social distancing and the wearing of masks passes into memory.

M e c h a n i c a l

THE 3 PRINCIPLES Successful COVID-19 ventilation strategies boil down to three principles: dilution, exhaust and air cleaning. Within these three strategies lie subcategories, such as increased outdoor air, higher MERV ﬁltration, ultraviolet light disinfection, humidity control, airﬂow directionality, room pressurization adjustments, and a host of other factors recommended by the HVAC/R industry’s leading scholars. Air dilution via increased outdoor air is one of the most promising strategies. And it’s recommended by ASHRAE, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) because airborne aerosolized disease particles are drawn away from occupants, exhausted outdoors and replaced by outdoor air.

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This is a decades-old economizer-type of strategy requiring manual or automatic air damper adjustment for increased outdoor air. Unfortunately, most air conditioning systems today are designed for bringing in only a maximum capacity of 10 to 20 per cent outdoor air, as prescribed by ASHRAE Standard 62.1. Air conditioners suddenly subjected to the huge summer latent outdoor air load, or insurmountable winter sensible loads, can’t maintain indoor temperature and humidity set points. Some systems can theoretically be pushed only another ﬁve to 10 per cent of additional outdoor air with a slight comfort tradeoff. Facility managers can increase to as much as 100 per cent outdoor air with the addition of an air-to-air energy recovery ventilator (ERV) that uses energy wheels or static plate heat exchangers, however.

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Avoiding leakage between the streams Static plate enthalpy core heat recovery devices are designed to minimize cross contamination by separating air streams. Units with these cores offer a low-to-zero Exhaust Air Transfer Rate (EATR) at typical static pressure differentials when operating with a properly balanced airﬂow, which can help minimize risk of virus transmission. According to a position paper from the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA), “Virus particle transmission via heat recovery devices is thought not to be an issue when a HVAC system is equipped with a twin coil unit or another heat recovery device for separating return and supply side air stream.” The federation advises that air exchange technologies which are susceptible to leakage should be bypassed during pandemic periods. This includes some rotary heat recovery wheels. However, modern rotary heat recovery wheels with purge options, proper installation and routine maintenance may exhibit a near-zero level of leakage.

MITIGATING MORE THAN VIRUSES

PROVIDING PRE-CONDITIONED FRESH AIR

Besides SARS COV-2 and other viruses, ERVs can also help mitigate CO2, which isn’t life threatening in the short term, but has unique ramiﬁcations on the human condition. Recent studies reveal that higher than normal levels of CO2 decrease cognitive functions leading to reduced ofﬁce worker productivity, as well as lower student test scores in education settings.

In general, ERVs extract heat from the exhaust air and transfer it to the supply air. The units handle both latent and sensible loads, and allow more outdoor air without overdriving the air conditioning system’s cooling capabilities. ERVs can be applied as supplemental outdoor air units to existing AHUs, both separately or connected to the AHU itself. Depending on the size and number of the ERVs, any building with a conventional RTU can be converted to 100 per cent outdoor air. While ERVs can boost air dilution and help mitigate a building’s COVID-19 potential, they can be ineffective if they leak contaminated return air into the supply air. This potential of unwanted contaminated return air is reﬂected in the unit’s Exhaust Air Transfer Rate (EATR).

WORKING WITH THE EQUIPMENT Over the past three decades, indoor CO2 levels have steadily increased as construction codes mandated tighter, more efﬁcient building envelopes. These levels can run anywhere from 600 to 3,000 ppm, the latter being commonly found in high occupant-density areas, such as crowded classrooms. In 2015, a study into the effects of CO2 compared performance in a conventional building environment against a “green” environment with few variables other than controlled CO2 concentrations. On average, cognitive scores were 61 to 101 per cent higher the days when Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and CO2 were controlled at reduced levels.

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The 99-room long-term care centre’s original rooftop packaged HVAC system was due for replacement, so consulting engineer Patrick Barriault of Martin Roy & Associates combined a new rooftop with a 6,300-CFM ERV. This increased the fourstorey facility’s outdoor air while reducing the annual heating and humidifying energy costs, and carbon emissions, by $25,000 and 12 tons, respectively. As installed, the ERV receives return air via new ductwork, connected by mechanical contractor M.G.S. Metal, to positions where five former ventilator exhaust fans were located. The ERV pre-heats, pre-cools, dehumidifies or humidifies the outdoor air before sending it to the new rooftop that features a low profile that is not visible from ground level.

Nick Agopian is the vice-president of sales and marketing at RenewAire, a manufacturer of energy recovery ventilation equipment and dedicated outdoor air systems. He can be reached at nagopian@renewaire.com.

Le Centre d’hebergement des Pensees in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in Quebec is a good example of how CO2 and energy costs can be reduced while improving overall IAQ.

Temperature and pressure sensors modulate the outdoor airflow to maintain operating conditions without wintertime frost formation. Total project costs were $393,000, with a surcharge attributable to energy efficiency measures coming in around $130,000. Payback on the ERV equipment was 4.7 years, which included an Energy Efficiency Studies and Incentives Program – Implementation Incentives Component grant from Energir, a natural gas distribution firm that also supplies electricity through wind power.

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Marketing

with DOUG MACMILLAN

Doug MacMillan is president of The Letter M Marketing in Guelph, Ont. To reach him, email doug@letterm.ca.

“Lean” market research that you can tackle yourselff A Work with who you know

client recently contacted us to revive a former campaign that had converted 30 per cent of their target market. It was considered a resounding success and they now wanted to hit 50 per cent. They reasoned asoned that the campaign that worked oncee would work again. Plus, the creative was done, so they could save agency costs. (Those who read shampoo b bottles l might h kknow this as “rinse and repeat.”)

Customers are a great avenue to non-customers, if we’re upfront and polite about it. Don’t be afraid to

The second campaign didn’t show the same results. We wanted to ﬁnd out why, so we spoke with some of their new customers, and with sales representatives about the conversations they’d had with prospects who hadn’t signed up during the ﬁrst campaign. We also did a little reading online to get into the heads of our potential customers.

ask them, “Do you know someone who might spend 15 minutes on the phone

We found out that we had exhausted the potential of the initial messaging, which resonated with prospects who already understood the product. Others were not against signing up. Rather, they were confused about certain aspects of the offer. We needed to shift our focus from selling to educating.

with me?” And offer a token of appreciation for their willingness to share, perhaps a gift card for a local coffee shop for both

The renewed campaign is seeing traction and continues to pull in new customers as I write this. These days, we can’t afford to be talking to the wrong people via our marketing; or, telling the right people the wrong messages. The more nimbly we can gain information to inform our strategies, the more efﬁciently we can spend our sparse marketing dollars.

your customer and their friend. It is amazing how

Taming the beast

many new

Market research tends to be a big, scary (and potentially expensive) beast. Should we focus on qualitative q research – in-depth, subjective exploration – or numerical numeric and data-informed quantitative research? How little is ineffective, ineffect and when is it more than we need? What can I do myself, and when should I bring in an agency or specialty mys market mark research ﬁrm?

customers will share great feedback about why they thought their neighbours

There are no simple answers, but logic should prevail T to some extent. If you’re investing heavily in a new business area with seven-ﬁgure potential, it makes sense to pull in some experts to reﬁne your plans. If you’re looking to make an informed decision or test a promotion or concept, then perhaps you can tackle it on your own.

may have been more reluctant to sign on.

M e c h a n i c a l

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Industry leading capacity at -26C with heating down to -35C

Marketing with DOUG MACMILLAN

Research, the e 5-step way At our agency, we’ve developed a ﬁve-step “lean” approach to market research that we can efﬁciently execute for clients.

A/B A/ /B testing tesstin With h modern o outreach utrea tools, A/B testing can be conducted cond ducted rather rath her efﬁ efﬁciently. The concept involves

Deﬁne

We need to clearly articulate te e our measurable goals: in our ur business overall; of a new venture or idea we would like to test; and the outcomes we hope to realize from the research. For example, ample, moving from 30 to 50 per cent market share is a measurable goal that requires a clear l understanding d di off the h noncustomer. We also need to deﬁne our audience by creating well-rounded customer personas based on psychographic (attitudes and values) and demographic (market size, customer location) information. This encourages us to humanize our customers to understand them better, and should include the advertising and marketing channels that they are most likely to use and respond to.

Listen

How much time do we spend actually engaging with customers, beyond a transactional conversation? In my experience, people are only too happy to talk and to contribute to your success.

micro-research micr ro-research to ev evaluate two distinctive concepts, perhaps perh haps web p promotional romo pages. Each can be tested u using sing email mark marketing to a core test group. After sending send ding the two o diff different offers, responses can be evaluated, along alon ng wit with questions or feedback. And the more effective effecttive of o the options can be turned into a full campaign that targets a much larger audience.

If you’re reading this column, you are likely already an active learner and that’s important. Trade publications and associations are often connected to the market at a deeper level than one business can be, and they provide great input. Follow as many relevant industry blogs and media relevan sources as you can.

One of the greatest advantages of most of today’s marketing tactics is their agility. We are rarely un unable to change our message, of offer or content quickly. After aall, when is the last time you printed thousands of ﬂyers or p b brochures?

Plan to phone at least 10 customers from m each persona group, if possible. (It is usually a good idea to email ﬁrst, to set up the call.) Ask the e same questions of each person so you end up with some me comparative data, but also allow room for open-ended discussion scussion – often, that’s where the gold is. Listening also means engaging with frontline ntline employees: your customer service folks, technicianss and sales reps all hold valuable information. Devise a system tem to capture the themes of their conversations. Explore what they’re hearing. Seek their advice.

Read

There’s also a thing called “social listening,” which is really just reading. It is the act of following key topics or brands on social media channels and websites. This starts with your own channels, reviewing the comments and questions that are received. When you take a higher look at the information, it can provide valuable insights. Spend time analyzing your online reviews as well as those of your competitors. By following broader trends in consumer feedback or inquiry, you can gain useful insight into brand, messaging and marketing strategies.

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we can easily test our ideas That means w throwing our life savings at them. before throw We’ve effecti effectively done A/B testing, and have also had success with clients inviting customers and their friends to join a small marketing occasional emails or phone calls. evaluation group that receives occ It’s also pretty easy to use Facebook and other social media channels for super-quick polls that will help guide your ﬁnal decision on a campaign. They should be one question, which people can answer quickly to allow for as large a response as possible.

Act

Sometimes we can be so overwhelmed with the information we receive that we aren’t always sure where to go next. My advice is simply to act. Take one step to change or reset your plan, and get it moving. You can always keep resetting as the project unfolds.

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PROJECT PROFILE |

By Andrew Snook

One cool broadcasting facility T

he need for fact-based journalism is more important than ever so, as a citizen, it is a relief to learn about a news organization investing in its structures instead of hearing about more cuts. One of those investments was recently completed in the form of a state-ofthe-art headquarters for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Radio-Canada in Montreal, the new “Maison de Radio-Canada.”

Photos courtesy of Broccolini Construction and Jeangagnon-CC BY-SA

A new home for French-language media In November of 2016, CBC/RadioCanada’s Board of Directors approved a redevelopment project for its home in Montreal, known to most in the city as the Maison de Radio-Canada (MRC). The two-part project was to include the construction of a new Maison de Radio-Canada building at the corner of René-Lévesque Blvd. and Papineau Ave., as well as a revitalization of the MRC site, performed by Groupe Mach. Ofﬁcially approved in April of 2017, construction took place over the next three years.

M e c h a n i c a l

The new facility, which opened earlier this year, is designed to provide a creative hub for Canadian French-language media for some time to come: CBC/Radio-Canada has a 30-year lease agreement to be the tenant of the building. The production facility features 11 television studios, including one large, modern, versatile TV studio, as well as six T.V. control rooms, 19 radio studios, and 33 video editing suites. A focus on digital equipment reﬂects the changing nature of how Canadians consume their news and factual programming. In addition to the media production suites, the project also includes

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a multipurpose room and an open multipurpose space in the atrium on ground level, along with a daycare centre with an outdoor play area, a 200-seat cafe and patio, kitchenettes on all floors, 550 lockers for technicians, an activity and fitness room, showers and change rooms for employees, indoor and outdoor bicycle parking spaces, and 234 parking spaces for cars and corporate fleet vehicles. Coming in at 418,822-sq.-ft., the headquarters was built by La Société en Commandite La Nouvelle Maison, a subsidiary of

GOING WIRELESS FOR CONTROLS To provide a comfortable work environment for employees, the project was outfitted with a Metasys building control system from JCI. “The facility control system is an open protocol, non-proprietary system that will provide a form of external monitoring and building related alarms – temperature, humidity, failure, sump high water, etc. – at a central location,” explains Paul Tawfik, director of Jonson Controls (Canada). “The system is expandable for internal renovations as well as any future planned expansions.” In addition to the building’s thermal comfort control systems, JCI was contracted to provide some of the security and data centre infrastructure. “We were responsible for the installation of network server data racks within the data centre,” Tawfik says. “The project management team worked to deliver the data centre to CBC early, in order to ensure a smooth transition to the new facility.” As with many controls, the security system in the facility embraced wireless technology for its card readers, which helped to minimize the use of wiring and conduits, he adds.

CHILLING PROJECT CHALLENGES The choice to use an open concept layout provides the ability for mobile studios to be transported and be operational throughout the building, but this mobility created an interesting challenge on the mechanical side. Changes to the layout of a studio can bring a need for adjustments to the heating and cooling system, to suit the revised broadcasting space. To help with ﬂexibility, Trox Technik active chilled beams were installed throughout the building. The facility also uses York chillers and air handling units

A SILVER LINING

Broccolini Construction and Broccolini Investments, with the help of Johnson Controls (JCI) for the facility’s building systems. The MRC was built at a cost of $112 million. CBC/Radio-Canada has also earmarked an additional $175 million over the next several years to allow the broadcaster to make upgrades in the technologies in the facility, which will bring the total project cost to approximately $287 million.

The facility was constructed to meet the equivalent of LEED Silver certification. Among the building’s environmental features that help reduce its environmental footprint are a heat recovery system that improves the building’s energy efficiency, green roofs with reflective materials, and low-flow plumbing fixtures. “The plumbing fixtures are commercial, institutional quality suitable for use in a public environment,” Tawfik says. “Fixtures were selected with consideration for optimum accessibility requirements and low water consumption rates.”

to maintain optimal temperatures throughout the building. And watching over everything is the building automation system, which allows facility management personnel to control the entire broadcast facility through a single interface, making changes to the environment as needed. With constant monitoring in place, if any mechanical equipment operates outside its programmed range, the BAS will send an alert to the facility manager’s smartphone to notify of potential equipment malfunctions. This allows a technician to be dispatched as quickly as possible.

appropriate heights to complement the facility’s design of a highly accessible user experience for those with accessibility issues,” says Tawfik. The BAS also assists in ensuring energy efficient operations by providing insights into any potential inefficiencies and malfunctions in the building’s mechanical systems, which is helpful information considering that the facility management contract guarantees a certain level of energy and operational savings, as well as cost predictability.

This improves the building’s water conservation and energy savings, he explains. The faucets specified are hard-wired, hands-free, electronic units, and are equipped with by emergency power systems. “They are mounted at

M e c h a n i c a l

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Jeff House is an experienced industry professional and hydronics trainer with Boiler House Training, and handles a sales territory from the Niagara region through Southwest Ontario for Hydronic Systems Canada Inc., a manufacturers’ rep. He can be reached at jefcomsales@live.ca.

FIND THE FIX

PRESSING OUR LUCK Sometimes, it’s plain luck that gets heat to the heat emitters, other times it’s sheer force and oversizing. Getting heat out of a boiler and g from having a into the zones in a project is a far different thing system work properly and efﬁciently. The seven n three-speed pumps in this system are all identical, and are running unning on high speed. For our discussion, assume all loads are equal. This would never happen in reality, but this is based d on a real system where the pumps were all set to high ass was the boiler pump, and all seven pumps had to overcome come exactly the same pressure loss. 1. If the boiler needs a ﬂow rate of 17.5 gpm with a 20°F уT, is the boiler piping of 1-1/4” the right size? A) Yes. B) No. C) Yes, but the уT needs to be 25°F. D) It doesn’t matter as all zones are being heated.

A) Yes. B) No, it won’t work at all then.

2. If one of the zones is a pool heat exchanger for a 12,000-gallon pool and you want to raise the temperature of the pool water 20°F, is the boiler large enough to heat the pool? A) Yes, if you have at least 24 hours to heat it. B) No, pool heaters should be at least 250,000 BTUH. C) Yes, if you use a good pool heat exchanger. D) Not sure. We would need more details for our calculations. 3. Will the system run better hydraulically if you remove the boiler pump and the piece of pipe under the question mark between the two tees?

Email your answers to caroline.bexﬁeld@mechanicalbusiness.com. Please include your name and daytime phone number.

Looking for the July/August answers? If you need the answers to last edition’s quiz, you’ll ﬁnd them on our home on the web, www.mechanicalbusiness.com. Just click “Find the Fix Answers” under the More tab on our homepage.

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4. What would happen to the system if you moved the return manifold down so that it is directly connected to the main supply piping, and then moved the return line with a new T, closely beside the supply T so the boiler is now injecting into the moose antler P/S piping arrangement? A) A definite improvement, and the pumps would not have conflicting pressure differentials. B) This would not work as well. C) That’s a great fix with minimal piping changes. D) This should have been done in the first place. It would make it closer to a working system.

WIN! Stand back and scan! Send us your answers and you could win yourself the FLIR C3 compact thermal image camera with Wi-Fi. The professionalgrade tool is perfect for inspections, maintenance and repairs while you practice social distancing. Send your answers to us by November 30 for your chance to win.

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Hydronic Products Fire tube boiler The NFB-C boiler from Navien is available with maximum heating inputs of 301,000 or 399,000 BTUH. It offers a 15:1 turndown ratio and a thermal efﬁciency of up to 97.5%. The units are built with form-pressed and robotic laser welded heat exchangers and feature top and bottom piping connections, as well as a 7” colour touchscreen display. www.

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Static balancing valves The Watts iDroset CSD series of static balancing valves for hydronic heating and cooling systems use patented flow measuring technology that enables readings without any additional tools. The gauge continuously indicates flow without having to actuate a bypass circuit. The hand wheel for setting flow can be locked when the desired flow rate is set.

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Air eliminator/dirt separator

Vertical in-line pump

Spirotherm’s Spirocombi Magnet, available through Ontor, is a coalescingtype combination air eliminator and dirt separator for use in hydronic systems. The design incorporates magnets that surround the ﬂow path, which increases the separation efﬁciency of ferrous particles. The universal connection supports installation in horizontal or vertical piping. Product sizes range from 3/4” to 2”. www.

The Grundfos TPE3 vertical in-line pump has a choice of control modes, from autoadapt to proportional pressure, constant êP, or constant êT. It offers wireless control of up to four pumps in parallel, and has a built-in heat energy meter. It has a maximum ﬂow capacity of 352 gpm, maximum head of 82 feet, and a liquid temperature range of -13°F to 284°F.

ontor.com

www. ca.grundfos.com

Commercial DHW station Three-piece ball valves Viega’s three-piece ball valves are available for its MegaPress carbon and stainless steel pipe pressing systems and are approved for all MegaPress applications, excluding natural gas. Available in 1/2”, 3/4”, 1”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2” and 2” sizes, the valves are offered in multiple materials. Repair kits and replacement handles are available. www.

viega.us

M e c h a n i c a l

B u s i n e s s

The Vitotrans 300 from om Viessmann is a preassembled and d selfcontained domestic hot ot water (DHW) heating station n that is designed to provide on-demand hot water to commercial and industrial applications. The indirect-fired irect-fired unit may be used with anyy new or existing hydronic heat source and provides flow rates es of up to 180 gpm. www.

viessmann.ca

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PLUMBING

Marlon Thompson is the senior marketing manager with American Standard, LIXIL Canada Inc. He can be reached at info@lixil.com

By Marlon Thompson

PUBLIC BATHROOMS IN A POST-LOCKDOWN WORLD T

o say our world has been altered as a result of COVID-19 is an understatement. In years to come, we will look back at this time and marvel at how society navigated its way through this life-changing historical event.

What we do today has impact for tomorrow Although this year has been extremely challenging given the trials and tribulations that COVID-19 has inﬂicted upon us, it is a year that we will see a new and improved evolution of the commercial bathroom, and in the long run, we will all beneﬁt from the progressive products that enable superior public hygiene.

While Canada continues its transition into what is becoming the new normal, businesses and organizations have had to build and implement a series of comprehensive protocols for their public spaces, including plans for how these areas will evolve in light of new restrictions or regulations. Case in point – public bathrooms. The truth is, this pandemic is likely to change the future design of these high-trafﬁc public spaces.

An evolution of design As companies emerge from COVID-19, the design of public bathrooms will need to be reassessed to not only improve overall hygiene, but to also accommodate physical distancing guidelines. Be it shopping malls, restaurants, stadiums, large corporate buildings, and even schools, it is inevitable that physical distancing will become a priority in this public space. Providing the necessary products and structure for thorough personal hygiene will also be essential. For example, toilet plume (the dispersal of microscopic particles after flushing a toilet), urinal backsplash, open-topped and openbottom stalls, manual flushing and faucets, and gang-style men’s urinals are all key examples of how yesterday’s public bathrooms can be a vector for disease. To help mitigate the risk of disease, it is expected that the future of commercial bathroom design will include more products designed to feature automatic technology. This may include toilets with seats that automatically open and close, automatic flush technology, sensor-activated handwashing faucets, and the extension of self-cleaning toilet technology to commercial toilets, urinals, and lavatories.

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The overall layout and shape of commercial bathrooms may need some adjustment to accommodate social distancing. For example, sinks and stalls will need to be situated at least six feet apart, but the plumbing industry already has a number of product solutions available to limit touch points and prevent the spread of germs in public spaces. From sensor-activated faucets and ﬂush valves, to antimicrobial surfaces designed to help reduce the spread of bacteria, mould and mildew, to deeper sinks that limit splashing, products are available to build tomorrow’s washroom today. Change doesn’t happen overnight but when looking at commercial bathrooms long-term, changes in design, materials, layout and overall functionality of bathroom products will become more prominent in public spaces.

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Products

Flush valves EZ Gear Sensor Flush Valves alves from Zurn feature motor gear-driven operations, eliminating the need for a solenoid. The series includes udes water closet flush valves in 1.6 gpf, 1.28 gpf and 1.1 gpf pf flow rates. The urinal flush valves lves are available in 1.0 gpf and 0.125 gpf flow rates. A battery-powered option n is also available.

Riser clamp The CT-122T Titan Riser clamp from Anvil International features a thermoplastic insert designed to support a vertical riser pipe line. They are designed to handle vertical design loads up to 320 lb. without requiring special or additional insulation around the clamp. They are available to support 3/4” to 4” O.D. copper tube.

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Kitchen K h faucet f system The LadyLux L2 kitchen faucet collection from Grohe features magnetic docking, touch technology to start or stop water flow, and toggle controls to switch from regular to spray functions. The collection includes pull-down or pull-out spray faucets, a prep faucet and a pot filler. All are available in a chrome or steel finish.

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App-based moisture alerts

Ball valve

The Flo by Moen Smart Water Sensor is designed to alert users of signs of water ﬂow, pressure and temperature changes, via a smartphone app. The standalone sensor can be placed anywhere in a house, and can work independently or in conjunction with the company’s Smart Water Shutoff system.

Apollo Valves’ 94ALF-A leadfree forged brass ball valve is designed for general plumbing, gas, fuels, ﬁre protection and HVAC applications. It features a factory-tested blowout-proof stem. The 1/4” to 2” valves are performance rated at 600 CWP. The 2-1/2” to 4” valves are rated to 400 CWP.

www. moen.ca

www. apollovalves.com

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Mechanical cleanout plugs Cherne’s line of mechanical cleanout plugs are designed to test high-pressure DWV at test pressures up to 150 ft. head/65 psi/15 floors. They are available in 2”, 3” and 4” configurations, and feature a two-stage locking mechanism for both test and drain positions. The plugs fit PVC, ABS and cast-iron cleanout tees.

www. anvilintl.com

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Thank you...

our readers for being there for Canada during COVID

PLUMBING

Products

Submersible sewer pump Goulds Water Technology’s submersible sewage pump is designed for use in residential sewage systems, water transfer, heavy duty sump and dewatering applications. Maximum ﬂow rate is 115 gpm (5 ft. head). It features a cast iron recessed vortex impeller, a built-in siphon hole, and stainless steel motor shaft and hardware. The series is available in automatic or manual versions.

Kitchen and bath faucets

www. xyleminc.com

Brass push ﬁttings Brass push ﬁttings from SharkBite are designed to enable transitions between different types of pipe materials. Fittings feature an o-ring seal, and a tube locking stainless steel grab ring. They are compatible with PEX, copper, CPVC, PE-RT and HDPE pipe materials, in sizes ranging from 1/4” to 2”.

The Ladera bathroom faucet collection from Pﬁster is available in four ﬁnishes, polished chrome, matte black, Tuscan bronze and a spot-defense brushed nickel. The line features all-metal construction and ceramic valve technology, as well as the company’s quick connect hose technology. The faucets can be used with or without a deckplate.

www. pﬁsterfaucets.ca

www. sharkbite.ca

Leak monitoring valves The StreamLabs Control valve uses patented ultrasonic technology to provide real-time water monitoring, smart leak detection and automatic water shut-off capabilities. For optimal ﬂow accuracy, the company advises a water temperature range of 40°F to 105°F. The units have a maximum operating pressure of 200 psi.

www. streamlabswater.ca

Hand shower rail system

Universal rough-in valves

The ﬁltered four-spray hand shower rail system from American Standard is designed to reduce chlorine levels in the water. The system features an integrated ﬁlter built into the rail, an adjustable holder to customize shower height and angle, and four spray options: drench, sensitive, powerwash, and massage.

Riobel’s universal roughs are designed to fit on all shower trims. The shower valves are available in three types of connections: NPT, PEX and PEX expansion. They are also available for three-piece deckmount tub fillers and floor-mount tub fillers.

www. americanstandard.ca

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THE WOODFORD MODEL 17 FREEZELESS FAUCET: PREFERRED BY PLUMBERS.

WOODFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY Excellence. Always. 800.621.6032 â&#x20AC;¢ www.woodfordmfg.com

HVAC By M a r k a nd A l e x a n d r a P a r l i a m en t

FILTRATION: The good, the bad, and the ugly

s more and more people stayed home in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, many homeowners started to realize the importance of good indoor air quality. This increased interest in IAQ presents a perfect opportunity for our industry to discuss the various products on the market, especially since a home’s HVAC system and air quality can be compromised by well-intentioned do-it-yourself solutions. It is our job as professionals to explain what ﬁltration options will work for a given system, so it is worthwhile to take the time to understand the various products available on the market so that you don’t accidentally over promise and under deliver on any given application.

But it’s a new filter Some homeowners may have turned to standard 1” filters from their local DIY store to slide into the existing filter rack on their furnace, thinking it would fix IAQ issues, but filter selection can be the beginning of a slippery slope that can cause issues down the road. When the ductwork in a structure was first designed, the pressure drop for each piece of equipment in the airstream was carefully calculated, and yes, the filter is a piece of equipment. Older equipment may have used a horsehair filter that had a pressure drop that was fairly low. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of these filters was low since the filters were designed to pick up larger particles in the airstream, such as dust and lint. Later on, when the higher efficiency equipment came into the market, these filters were replaced by pleated filters with higher MERV values. Of course, different pleated filters work in different ways, and the difference in pressure drop between a clean and a dirty filter can be considerable. If a duct system was designed around the pressure drop of a clean filter, issues may start to emerge as the filter gets dirty.

M e c h a n i c a l

EASY, BUT NOT OT NECE NECESSARILY DIY Some equipmentt manufacturers talk lkk about the need to change a filter err on a regular basis, siss, with the expectation ctattion that it can be don done ne by the homeowner. Sou Sounds nds eas easy, but if we look at how many people fail f il to replace the oil in their cars on a regular basis, is it fair to expect them to replace the filter in a piece of equipment that is hidden away in a dark corner of the basement? It, therefore, becomes important for contractors to include filter checks during maintenance calls. How many times has a compressor been changed due to flood back, but the airflow was never repaired?

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HVAC

WHAT’S IN A RATING? When it comes to filters, it’s not as simple as just picking a wider one, or one with low pressure drop, we also need to consider the filter’s efficiency. One of the most commonly used metrics for filter comparisons is MERV. This is the industry standard set by ASHRAE for evaluating all filters (ASHRAE 5.22-1999). There is a common misconception that this is a rating when, in truth, it is simply an evaluation of the filter’s efficiency. In fact, there is no set standard for filter ratings, but some manufacturers have set up their own rating systems. Two that I have seen are the Filter Performance Rating (FPR) and the Microparticle Performance Rating (MPR). The problem with this is that there is no surefire way to compare one filter’s rating with another, nor to verify results. Therefore, the only way to truly ensure that the airflow does not get restricted to a dangerous level is to use the pressure drop information for the filter used.

WORKING WITH THE EQUIPMENT When it comes to filtration and IAQ, there are several different technologies to choose from. It is the responsibility of the contractor to educate cate the customer on the pros and cons of the different technologies available, and no matter which technology is chosen, it is imperative to verify that the equipment is getting the proper airflow. Improper airflow equals improper operation of the equipment, which could cause premature failure, thus, airflow is king. Beyond the more standard pleated filter options, here are a few other ng filter technologies to choose from, along tional with some of their features and operational considerations:

Electronic air cleaners (EAC) These operate much like an electrostatic air cleaner with a couple of exceptions. The EAC is a much larger unit with large open areas around the collectors. This allows for very little restriction in the airstream, so the pressure drop is very low. The EAC has a prefilter which filters out larger dirt particles. This needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure that the air flow is not compromised. As with the electrostatic air cleaner, it needs regular maintenance to keep the collector clean and it also creates ozone.

Electrostatic filters Available in 1” thicknesses, these air filters tend to work well initially, but w will need regular maintenance because once the collector gets dirty, the oppositely charged layers are no longer able to attract charge airborne particles. As the filter plugs up, the airb pressure drop can become as ineffective pr as a a 1” high capacity filter. Electrostatic air a filters can also give off ozone, which could be detrimental for a customer with asthma or allergies. For the filter to work, it should be cleaned monthly, and most can c be simply washed by the homeowner and a reused.

Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO) Photo This is a very powerful puriﬁcation technology. PCO d t uses b broad-spectrum UV light, which reacts with a thin ﬁlm of titanium dioxide that, in the presence ce of water, creates hydroxyl radicals and superoxide ions that “burn” VOCs and microorganisms absorbed on the e catalyst’s surface. Several studies have shown that PCO units can also renderr gases such as carbon monoxide harmless. While one should not promote the use of PCO technology to combat CO, it is something to keep in mind when researching this technology.

Mark Parliament is a senior training consultant with Lennox Learning Solutions. Alexandra Wennberg Parliament is the founder of Maven Marketing & Communications, an agency with specialized focus on the construction, real estate, HVAC/R and non-proﬁt sectors. To reach the authors, email awennberg@mavencommunications.ca.

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Your business is your life’s work. Let’s protect it.

Run Your Business. Don’t Let It Run You. I thought I had a big business. We had three divisions that did a total of $7M. Truthfully, though, I had no idea which division, if any, was making money. We were busy and exhausted, but we weren’t really proﬁtable. Today, we’re doing over $ M and are extremely profitable. My managers are carefully chosen, highly trained, and effective leaders. I enjoy coming to work again. Nexstar is the reason. Their coaches and trainers have taught us to run every part of our business.

“Make a decision to improve your life, the lives of your employees, and the community you serve.”

Take control and run your business. Make a decision to improve your life, the lives of your employees, and the community you serve. Join Nexstar and don’t look back. -Brian Williams Ashton Service Group Vancouver, BC Nexstar Member since 2012

888-240-STAR (7827) www.NexstarNetwork.com membership@nexstarnetwork.com

STUFF YOU NEED Storage system The TouchSystem 2.0 Storage System from Dewalt is designed to handle jobsite, workshop and van racking applications. The line includes a regular, large and extralarge toolbox, and a rolling toolbox, all sold separately. It includes autoconnect side latches with one-touch release for stacked bins. Front latches have a visible IP 65 seal for dust and water resistance.

www. dewalt.ca

Compact thermal camera The FLIR C5 Compact Thermal Camera is a 3-in-1 tool that includes a thermal camera, visual inspection camera, and LED ﬂoodlight. It features a 160 x 120 IR sensor and MSX technology, which embosses scene details from the built-in visual camera onto the full thermal image. Cloud connectivity allows for automatic transfer, storage, backup, and sharing of images.

www. ﬂir.ca

Paintable silicone Masters paintable silicone from Oatey is designed to create a water-tight, mildew and crack resistant seal. Once cured, it is paintable. The tube can be squeezed by hand, allowing for it to be used in tight spaces.

www. oatey.ca

Gas sediment trap Webstone’s forged brass gas sediment trap is designed to replace field-fabricated assemblies for gas appliances. The threepiece gas sediment trap kit includes the required CSA certified gas ball valve and flex hose that is needed to complete the installation.

www. webstonevalves.com

Oscillating multi-tool The M12 FUEL oscillating multi-tool from Milwaukee Tool uses the company’s Powersafe brushless motor. The tool has an oscillation angle of 3.9 degrees and operates at 10,000 to 20,000 OPM. The company’s Redlink Plus Intelligence hardware and software enables full-circle communication between the tool and battery. Additional features include tool-free blade change capabilities, a 12-setting dial to adjust speed, and an integrated LED light.

www. milwaukeetool.ca 98

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Pipe inspection camera The Plumber’s Helper Jr (PH-Jr) mini pipe inspection system from Ratech comes with a 100 ft. mini Gel Rod cable, a removable compact command module with 7.1” LCD, and a built-in SD recorder for digital images and video. The system is available with a full spectrum 1.375” self-leveling colour or standard camera, or any one of three micro camera heads.

www. ratech-electronics.com

Stronger together. Manufacturing is the backbone of the Canadian economy. Here at Bibby-Ste-Croix, our team members are working hard providing essential services by manufacturing plumbing and municipal products. The crisis we are facing has brought to the forefront the need to examine the need for Canada to bring back manufacturing jobs. We are all in this together. Buy Canadian made products. Thomas Leonard, President

418-926-3262 Bibby-Ste-Croix.com

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OXFORD ENERGY SOLUTIONS INC.

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www.pppinc.net

EVENTS CIPHEX Virtual November 2-27, 2020 Virtual ciph.com GreenBuild November 10-12, 2020 Virtual greenbuildexpo.com The Buildings Show November 30 - December 4, 2020 Virtual thebuildingsshow.com BUILDEX Alberta November 30-December 4, 2020 Virtual buildexalberta.com

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www.primewarranty.ca

HARDI Annual Conference December 5-8, 2020 Atlanta, Ga. hardinet.org

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www.watcomfg.com

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www.roth-usa.com

www.selkirkcorp.com

CALENDAR

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www.woodfordmfg.com

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2021 NAHB IBS February 9-11, 2021 Orlando, Fla. buildersshow.com KBIS 2021 February 9-11, 2021 Orlando, Fla. kbis.com ISH Frankfurt March 22-26, 2021 Virtual ish.messefrankfurt.com MCEE April 7-8, 2021 Montreal, Que. mcee.ca MEET May 5-6, 2021 Moncton, N.B. meetshow.ca B u s i n e s s

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BTN

Compiled by Mechanical Business

BY THE NUMBERS

A PPE SNAPSHOT 277,761,952 The number of disinfectant wipes used by businesses in July 2020.

3,968,972 Litres of hand sanitizer used by businesses in July 2020.

POST-PANDEMIC COMFORT ZONES With the economy opening up, Canadian consumers are venturing out, but comfort levels vary when it comes to their outings of choice.

HALLOWE’EN PUMPKIN FACTS

58% feel comfortable shopping in a

350 lb.

grocery store.

33% going to a restaurant. 16% travelling by Uber. 14% traveling by plane. 14% going to a sporting event.

The weight of the largest pumpkin pie ever made.

1,140 lb. The largest pumpkin ever grown.

90% The amount of water in a pumpkin.

WORKING REMOTELY The number of people working from home has grown, but some can make the transition easier than others.

GETTING SCHOOLED ON CLEANLINESS Safe school re-openings have put the spotlight on sanitation practices, but what are the germ collection areas of most concern, according to educators?

89% Bathrooms 81% Cafeterias 77% Buses 71% Locker rooms 70% Computer labs 67% Regular classrooms 66% Gyms and playgrounds

M e c h a n i c a l

Canadians able to work remotely.

13% Canadians working from home before the pandemic.

85% The number of ﬁnance, insurance and educational service workers able to work from home.

ALMOST 0 The number of people working in service areas, such as mechanical maintenance and repair, foodservice, agriculture, forestry, ﬁshing and hunting sectors, who are able to work from home.

186 DECIBELS 102 114

39%

Think the fan motor you’re working on is loud? That’s nothing. The sound made by the Blue Whale is louder than a jet plane.

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Easily Installed,

Simply Protected

7900

GALLON C A PA C I T Y

High Capacity Single-stage Lead Filtration Under-counter Drinking Water System Easily install the PWDWHCL1 to existing kitchen and bathroom faucets to provide safer, better tasting water for your customers. Convenient Eliminate drilling holes for a second faucet with easy quarter-turn filter installation and maintenance

Designed and certified to reduce 99.2% of lead in drinking water Certified to reduce cysts, chlorine, taste, odor, and sediment for potable water

Scan to Learn more

www.Watts.ca

Cost Effective

Certified

Reduce filter replacements with high capacity 0.5 micron carbon fiber filter (7900 gallons)

PWDWHCL1 tested and certified by IAPMO R&T Lab and IAPMO R&T to meet NSF/ANSI 42 standards for the reduction of Chlorine, Taste and Odor, and Class I Particulates; NSF/ANSI 53 for the reduction of Lead and Cyst; and NSF/ANSI 372 for low lead compliance as verified and substantiated by test data.

Mechanical Business September/October 2020

Articles inside

News

ROAD WARRIOR

HIGH PERFORMANCE HVAC HVAC in the time of COVID

PLUMBING The van life