Mechanical Business November/December 2021

NOV/DEC 2021 $6.95

Rahul Singh:

Innovating to make a difference

Luxury kitchen trends A first for mass timber building What to do about that stinky house Optimize connected construction technology Integrated systems present control issues A new era in water heating

PM #41536047

Also in this issue:

Edgewater Hotel in Whitehorse, YT poses unique plumbing challenges

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INTRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION FLEXIBLE SHAFT MACHINE

Flexi-Rooter

®

General has rethought high-speed, flexible shaft machines. The stronger, stiffer rod lets you clean a wider range of drain lines, up to 75 feet long. It’s flexible enough to negotiate 2" lines yet tough enough to clear roots in 4" lines.

General’s unique ClogChopper® cutter in combination with the carbide tipped chain cutter makes a formidable combination, capable of clearing the toughest stoppage.

Chain Cutter with Clog Chopper

The built-in variable speed motor with foot pedal control makes the machine easier to operate. And the rod is field repairable. It’s everything a flexible shaft machine should be.

To learn more, visit www.drainbrain.com/FlexiRooter, or call the Drain Brains® at 800-245-6200

MADE IN U.S.A.

© 2021 General Wire Spring

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CONTENTS O F

FORM

function

Rahul Singh: I N N O VAT I N G T O M A K E A DIFFERENCE

40

COVER STORY Rahul Singh is all about getting maximum benefit to the people who need it, when they need it, through GlobalMedic.

Kerry Turner

48 KITCHEN TRENDS: FORM AND FUNCTION

Customers want kitchen fixtures combining style, the latest technology and customizable extras.

Carolyn Cooper

WIN!

JOBSITE JARGON

THE ARBOUR AT GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE

66JOBSITE

JARGON Match the terminology you hear in the field to the correct definition or function and enter for your chance to win a REED PPRK4 Clean Ream Extreme kit.

JOBSITE JARGON

74 BUILDING

TRENDS George Brown breaks ground on Ontario’s first mass timber institutional building.

Carolyn Cooper

On the cover: Humanitarian and founder of GlobalMedic Rahul Singh talks about innovative solutions to supply chain issues and other challenges faced by the charity. Cover photo: Rosanna U Photography

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CONTENTS

T A B L E ­F E A T U R E S

M B S P E C I A L I S T S

28 PROFILE: HARALD PRELL

The ride of his life Harald Prell retires as president of Viessmann Canada at the end of this year.

Kerry Turner

30 REFRIGERATION

34CAREERS

Who is in control around here?

Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr Beyond piping, integrated systems present some challenges.

42 PLUMBING

A new era in water heating technology

Fred Bretzke

Many things have changed in regards to the design and materials

used in hot water tanks.

60ROAD WARRIOR: Ryan Kingsley

Hooked on Sunset Country Kingsley credits the diversity of the work and the region’s famous hunting and fishing scene with keeping him in Red Lake, ON. Carolyn Cooper

62ESTIMATING

54 HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC Unsophisticated test yields great results Gord Cooke Resolving odour issues starts with asking a series of questions.

The results on-demand pricing data can have on profitability Explore how the latest connected construction technology can help your business weather the storm.

Brooke Stewart

68 MARKETING Post-pandemic corporate messaging and communications Doug MacMillan Companies are working hard to connect directly with customers.

72MEETING REPORT

HRAI AGM focuses on transition away from fossil fuels Industry needs to embrace opportunities created by the shift.

Carolyn Cooper

78PLUMBING

Rerouting drainage from 29 plumbing fixtures allows hotel to remain operational The historic Edgewater Hotel in the Yukon posed unique challenges for the plumbing contractor.

Controlling discharge and liquid pressure at low heat sink temperatures – Part I Phil J. Boudreau Common approaches to head pressure control.

H 36 YDRONICS

Feds finish first phase of energy

advisor initiative

The federal government’s plan to

recruit, train and mentor young

people as energy advisors is well underway.

Carolyn Cooper

O F

D E P A R T M E N T S

P R O D U C T S

6Worth a look

48-52Plumbing

8-18News with Events Update

58,59HVAC/R

20-24Movers & Shakers

70Hydronic

26People

81Stuff You Need

76,77The Info Page 77Events 82By the Numbers 4

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Power. Performance.

Endurance.

PVI’s Dynamic Water Heating® A revolutionary water heating system design and application approach that features greater BTU input for quick reaction, an optimized storage buffer for extra power when needed, the benefit of high water turnover, and exclusive duplex stainless steel AquaPLEX® construction for unmatched performance and longevity. Learn more about PVI’s Dynamic Water Heaters at pvi.com.

OptiSize® will help you select an optimally-sized water heater for your next project

800.784.8326 | pvi.com ©2021 PVI

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Content Media Group Inc. 19 – 1525 Cornwall Road Oakville, ON L6J 0B2 Canada Tel: 905.465.2919 www.mechanicalbusiness.com November/December 2021 Issue Published 6 times per year.

For All Subscription Inquiries Shila Naik Circulation Director 905-272-4175 shila.naik@mechanicalbusiness.com Editor: Kerry Turner, C 416-435-1193 kerry.turner@mechanicalbusiness.com National Sales Manager: Kyle Badder, C 416-735-1375 kyle.badder@mechanicalbusiness.com Operations Manager: Caroline Bexfield, C 647-217-2076 caroline.bexfield@mechanicalbusiness.com Art Direction: Fourteen Orange Graphic Design Inc. davem@fourteenorange.com Controller: Liz Mills liz.mills@mechanicalbusiness.com Publisher: Bruce Meacock, C 416-457-9563 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).

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Proud members of:

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WORTH

A

LOOK

By Carolyn Cooper

Tiny Home project delivers big returns Habitat for Humanity HaltonMississauga-Dufferin has launched a Tiny Home pilot project that provides affordable housing while helping high school students learn skilled trades.

With the help of skilled trades students, corporate partners and the community, Habitat is building five tiny homes, two for use as emergency shelters, and three as affordable housing solutions for an individual or small family. The Tiny Home Village will be operated by the Chippewas community.

The five initial tiny homes will be part of the Tiny Home Village, fully site serviced and operated by the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.

More than 100 students from the Halton District School Board are working on the homes, which were designed by True North Tiny Homes Inc., under the instruction of industry professionals.

Students learn real-life trade skills while

According to Habitat for Humanity, working on the Tiny Home pilot project.

“When it comes to electrical, plumbing, and HVAC installation students are completing all of the preparation work for rough-ins and students will be completing the full installation of the radiant floor heating, the installation of supply plumbing lines, and wire runs and junction boxes for the electrical. Habitat is contracting professional trades for each home to complete the final installation and approve any work completed by students. The professional trades will install the main components of each system (including the water heater, boiler, well pump, electrical panel and energy recovery ventilator) and the teacher will educate the students on what they have done.” habitathm.ca/tinyhomes

Season’s greetings!

The holiday season is fast approaching and the team at Mechanical Business wishes our readers, advertisers and supporters the very best of holidays, and best wishes for a healthy, prosperous and happy New Year. We hope you will enjoy the time spent with family and friends.

See you in 2022!

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The highest selling brand of condensing combi-boilers takes home heating and DHW to new heights

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The leader in condensing technology...does it again.

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HVAC businesses among Canada’s top-growth companies HVAC companies are among Canada’s fastest-growing companies, according to the Globe & Mail’s recent list of Canada's Top Growing Companies in 2021. The program ranks participating Canadian businesses on their three-year revenue growth. To participate, companies must have at least $2 million in annual sales in the most recent fiscal year, must be for-profit, independent and headquartered in Canada, and must release financial documentation for 2017 and 2020. This year’s list featured 448 Canadian companies, that have managed to grow during unprecedented times. Companies in the HVAC and plumbing industries include: Greenbrain Inc. in Richmond Hill, ON, LPI Mechanical Inc. in Brampton, ON, AV Mechanical Inc. in Vaughan, ON, and All-Pro Services Ltd. in Port Coquitlam, BC. theglobeandmail.com

Road hockey raises funds for cancer research

Quebec removes ductless equipment from EPR regulation

Next Plumbing and Hydronics Supply Some participants from NEXT Supply at the 2021 Road Hockey to Conquer participated in the 10th Cancer tournament. annual Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer last month in Vaughan, ON, helping to raise more than $2 million in support of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. The annual fundraiser is a dawn-to-dusk, non-competitive road hockey tournament, which is open to the public. Each team plays a minimum of four games, and in-between can enjoy food, beverages and entertainment. NEXT Supply raised more than $420,000 for the tournament, and was awarded the Corporate Challenge Cup for contributing the most funds. The top fundraising teams in the tournament had the opportunity to draft a celebrity to play and hang out with the team all day, and NEXT had four teams that were able to draft Ken Reid, Jeremy Roenick, Carlo Coliacavo and Laura Fortino.

The tournament included 112 teams and about 1,400 players.

More than $25 million has been raised through the tournament in the past decade. nextsupply.ca

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Gord Cooke, president of Cambridge, ON-based Building Knowledge Canada and a Mechanical Business columnist, has been recognized with a 2022 Clean50 Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award. He Gord Cooke was one of five “Hall of Fame” Clean50 Lifetime Achievement Award recipients drawn from over 1,000 nominations. A professional engineer, Cooke has spent 35 years helping builders and HVAC contractors implement innovative technologies into high-performance homes, particularly in indoor air quality and airflow management. The Clean50 Awards celebrate individuals and organizations that have had a lifelong focus on the environment and sustainability, as well as emerging leaders in the category. Past winners include David Suzuki and Elizabeth May. Learn more about Cooke in the May/June 2021 issue of Mechanical Business at mechanicalbusiness.com. clean50.com

Photo: Sylvia Pond Photography

Gord Cooke recognized

by Clean50 Awards

B u s i n e s s

Quebec’s Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change has announced that ductless equipment will be excluded from new extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulation mandating recovery and reclamation of end-of-life products by manufacturers. According to the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) the new ruling agrees that like other HVAC systems, installed ductless heat pumps are an intrinsic part of a building and should be recognized as “an integral part of an immovable to ensure its usefulness or facilitate its use within the meaning of article 901 of the Civil Code of Québec.” The ministry also concluded the characteristics and the end-of-life management issues of ductless appliances are similar to those of central systems, which are excluded from the regulation. The regulation requires producers of major appliances, including window and portable air conditioning units, to recover and reclaim their end-of-life products. The province is investing $90 million between 2020 and 2031 to support producers in this process. legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca

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Photo: Sylvia Pond Photography

IWBI announces new WELL Performance Rating

Toolkit tackles opioid use in trades and construction

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is introducing a designation, the WELL Performance Rating, that focuses on the experience of people inside buildings.

The designation will reward building owners and operators who use measurable and validated building and human performance metrics to determine the well-being of building occupants, and who then alter conditions according to that analysis.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) and Health Canada have released a downloadable toolkit of resources to help employers and employees address substance use in the workplace.

The toolkit, Substance Use and the Workplace: Supporting Employers and Employees in the Trades, is a collection of readyto-use resources from more than 30 organizations that show how to support workplace health and safety while reducing risks related to substance use. ccsa.ca

wellcertified.com

BC team takes first place at ASHRAE student competition A team of students from British Columbia took first place in the HVAC Design Calculations of ASHRAE’s 2021 Student Design Competition and Applied Engineering Challenge.

First place in the HVAC Design Calculations category went to the team from the University of British Columbia, which included Brandon Jung, Arin Lee, Lukengo Miguel, Kyle Vanderhorst and Jeff Yoon, with Dr. Nima Atabaki as the team’s faculty advisor, and Esteban Kello and Sun Jun Yoo, both of the Integral Group, as its industry advisors. This year the competition focused on a new 50,000-sq.-ft. building on a higher education campus in Prince George, BC, which features a two-storey cafeteria, office, commercial kitchen and storage space. Teams had the task of designing space for safe and healthy food storage on the lower level, while providing kitchen, server and seating space for a peak occupancy of 720 students, and a total of 3,000 students per day. The winning projects will be showcased at the 2022 ASHRAE Winter Conference, taking place virtually and in-person, January 29 to February 2 in Las Vegas, NV. ashrae.org

Guide to efficient HVAC operation during a pandemic Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has developed a guide to best practices for efficient HVAC operation during a pandemic, which includes a voluntary, self-assessment tool.

The assessment tool will provide guidance on where HVAC operation can be improved to meet energy efficiency best practices. nrcan.gc.ca

WSIB launches Safety Check, reduces premiums Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) has launched an initiative designed to help workers check the health and safety of a business before agreeing to work there. The board launched the online tool after completing a poll that found 82 per cent of Ontarians say they would want health and safety information of a workplace before starting a new job. The tool includes 2020 statistics in summary or group form, without showing personal information.

WSIB has also announced that it will reduce the average premium rate for Ontario businesses by 5.1 per cent for 2022, from $1.37 to $1.30. safetycheck.onlineservices.wsib.on.ca

Health infrastructure projects underway in Alberta The Alberta government is investing $35 million over three years to plan and build a new health facility in the La Crete community.

Funding will go towards building a new birthing centre, an emergency medical services response facility, and additional space to provide primary and mental health care. The larger facility will include four ambulance bays and four single residential apartments for visiting clinical staff. The facility is already in the planning stage, with design expected to begin in 2022, and completion scheduled within four or five years. Other health infrastructure projects include an expanded intensive care unit, coronary care unit and gastrointestinal clinic in Calgary’s Rockyview General Hospital; expansion of the neonatal intensive care unit at Calgary’s Foothills hospital; a new cyclotron and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Calgary; and demolition of the old High Prairie Health Complex. alberta.ca

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HVAC companies team up with Lennox for Feel the Love installations

David Hammond receives Joseph K. Seidner Award

Lennox Industries and its HVAC partner dealers have installed 130 HVAC units in Canada and the U.S. through its 2021 Feel the Love program.

Home owners were Canadian installations were done across selected to receive five provinces, including an installation free heating and

by Kles-Air Mechanical Ltd. in Alberta. cooling equipment, installed for free by a local Lennox dealer partner. Canadian installations were done across five provinces, including by Gandy Installations in British Columbia, Summers and Smith Cooling & Heating Ltd. in Ontario, and Kles-Air Mechanical Ltd. in Alberta. Home owners were nominated as an “unsung hero” who may be going through hardship, facing adversity or is in need of community support. lennox.com/Residential

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH) has recognized David Hammond with the 2021 Joseph K. Seidner Award. Hammond is vice president and general manager of David Hammond Canada and export markets for Fergus, ON-based A.O. Smith Enterprises Ltd. In 2020 Hammond was co-chair for the NRCan Water Heater Experts Market Transformation team, and currently serves on the TSSA Advisory Council and the CIPH board of directors. In other CIPH news, Gilbert Cyr of Descair Inc. has received a Lifetime Service Award. Outstanding Service Awards went to Bill Hooper of Uponor, and the current chair of CIPH, and Steve Board of Bardon Supplies.

Winnipeg to develop geothermal energy system The Forks Renewal Corporation is building a district geothermal system to heat and cool buildings in its Railside at The Forks A rendering of Railside development project. The at the Forks DE system will replace natural gas heating and cooling for 248,000 sq. ft. of mixed-use buildings, and is designed to allow expansion to future planned buildings. Over its lifetime the system is expected to reduce up to 26,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of saving about 11 million L of gasoline. railsideattheforks.com

Ontario launches new online business registry Ontario’s new business registry launched in mid-October 2021, allowing companies across the province to interact with the government online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The province will allow businesses and not-for-profits to complete more than 90 transactions through the registry, including registering a new business or dissolving an old one. ontario.ca

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BC contractors urged to signup with AEP The Alliance of Energy Professionals (AEP) is encouraging contractors in British Columbia to join the organization in order to participate in BC Hydro programs and incentives, including Vancouver’s Green Home Retrofit Plan. Contractors working on commercial and industrial projects can seek one-time project approval or become full members. The benefits of joining the Alliance include exposure, incentives and customer referrals through BC Hydro, industry updates, and educational and networking events. bchydro.com/work-with-us/alliance.html

Alberta issues PVC pipe variance Alberta Municipal Affairs – Technical and Corporate Services has issued a safety variance to the National Plumbing Code of Canada allowing installers to use cellular core polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe in residential buildings containing one or two dwelling units, and row houses no more than three storeys high. The variance recognizes the significant supply shortage of ABS drainage pipes in the province, which the government says is due to the limited availability of base materials. The variance applies to division B, Clause 2.2.5 Non-Metallic Pipe Fittings, to include cellular core PVC pipe and fittings that conform to ASTM F 3128-19, “Poly (Vinyl Chloride) (PVC) Schedule 40 Drain, Waste, and Vent (DWV) Pipe with a Cellular Core” for use with PVC and CPVC drain, waste, vent pipe and pipe fittings requirements. The variance expires on February 1, 2023. alberta.ca/publications

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Circulator pump energy rating label now available

ClimateCare Canada partners with Support Ontario Youth

The Hydraulic Institute (HI) has announced that circulator energy rating labels are now available for participating energy efficient circulator pumps, identifying products which are able to save up to 80 per cent in electrical energy compared to traditional circulators. According to HI, energy-rated circulators save energy, maximize overall system efficiency, cut operational costs and reduce carbon emissions.

ClimateCare Canada has announced a partnership with Support Ontario Youth (SOY), an organization that assists apprentices and employers in the skilled trades. ClimateCare's member companies now have access to SOY's recruiting and apprentice support program to help them hire apprentices.

SOY helps employers through the process of hiring an apprentice, and can assist employers and apprentices access financial programs, mentors and training opportunities, while Brandi Ferenc reducing the burden of managing the apprenticeship education program. As part of the partnership SOY has named Brandi Ferenc, who was featured in the September/October 2021 issue of Mechanical Business, as an HVAC mentor. Ferenc is a journeyman and gasfitter 1 with Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, ON and an instructor at Georgian College in Barrie, ON. climatecare.com supportontarioyouth.ca

pumps.org

CIPH Fall Insights Forum looks at the year ahead The Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) recently held its annual Fall Forum virtually to update members on what they can expect for the coming year.

The meeting began with an overview

by CIPH president and general manager Ralph Suppa, who spoke about the supply chain issues many CIPH members have experienced due to the pandemic. Noting that sales remain high across the industry, Suppa said research shows supply chain challenges will continue until mid- to late 2022. Speakers for the event included Dirk Beveridge, founder of UnleashWD, who discussed how disruptions in the supply chain have changed the way distributors work and relate to customers. Alex Carrick, chief economist for Construct Connect, wrapped up the forum with the economic and construction outlook for the coming year, highlighting the fact that trends such as decarbonization, electrification and inflation will continue to challenge the industry over the next 12 months. While Carrick says inflation may be temporary due to supply shortages, he notes these challenges can also be opportunities for companies able to take advantage of them, especially with increases in infrastructure spending, a boost in low-rise construction, refurbishments to green energy, changing demographics, and technical advances.

However, “it’s going to be a higher cost, more expensive environment to operate in for some time,” he says, adding “I would expect somewhere around the middle of next year to see non-residential looking more lively.”

British Columbia’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, Energy Efficiency Branch, has issued updated performance standards for new and replacement residential gas boilers. The updates to the Energy Efficiency Standards Regulation (EESR) will require residential gas boilers to have an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) equal to or greater than 90 per cent. The new performance standard applies to boilers using propane or natural gas with an input rating of less than 87.92 kW (300,000 BTUH), as well as space heating boilers and combo boilers that also service a domestic hot water system. Residential gas boilers were not previously regulated by BC. In addition, the province has harmonized product certification and labelling requirements with the federal energy efficiency regulation, meaning all gas boilers must have an energy efficiency verification label and the trademark of a certification body accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. The product must also be tested using the CSA P.2-13 testing method for measuring the annual fuel utilization efficiency of residential gas-fired or oil-fired furnaces and boilers. The new standard will apply to products manufactured and sold after January 1, 2022. gov.bc.ca

ciph.com

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The Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, NS is receiving a $1.8-million renovation to increase its energy efficiency while improving operations. The initiative will include upgrades to lighting and heating systems, ice plant operations and pool facilities, and the installation of solar energy equipment. The result will be lower greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs, allowing the centre to operate year-round and redirect funds back into community services and programs.

Agreement ensures energy management tool remains relevant

Photo: David Stonham

Nova Scotia invests in community building upgrades

Canada has announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Natural Resources Canada to continue to upgrade the free online ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager with Canadian data and metrics such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and water and waste consumption. Enhancements include updated ENERGY STAR scores for common building types in Canada, a new GHG emission comparison feature, new Canadian metrics, and French content. These enhancements will also benefit U.S. companies that own or manage buildings in Canada, as well as consultants who support owners in both countries. EPA first started collaborating on commercial building efficiency with NRCan in 2011. nrcan.gc.ca

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Toronto Hospital retrofit receives funding boost Toronto’s Western Hospital has received a $19.3-million investment from Canada Infrastructure Bank and a $15.3-million investment from Vancity Community Investment Bank towards its current retrofit that will create the world’s largest raw wastewater energy transfer project.

The 272-bed Toronto hospital is part of the University Health Network (UHN), which has been working with Noventa Partners and Enbridge Gas to develop the $42.9-million initiative. The project will feature the Huber ThermWin System and Noventa IP to transfer thermal energy to and from wastewater flowing in the mid-Toronto interceptor sewer, providing up to 90 per cent of the hospital’s heating and cooling requirements. It is expected to lower operating costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 250,000 tonnes over the next 30 years.

Construction on the retrofit began in October 2021. The mechanical contractor for the project is Richmond, BC-based Canem Systems, a subcontractor to Bird Construction.

(L-R) Officially launching the Toronto Western Hospital project are Vince Gasparo, Vancity Community Bank; Dennis Fotinos, Noventa Energy; Ed Rubinstein, UHN; Ron Swail, UHN; Abbas Chagani, Enbridge Gas; Cynthia Hansen, Enbridge Gas; Stephen Condie, Noventa Energy; and Ehren Cory, Canada Infrastructure Bank.

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Indoor air quality has never been so important.

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It's also about the quality of the air itself. Repeated exposure to dry air has been proven to worsen respiratory issues and skin problems like nosebleeds, sore throats, asthma and the flu.

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News

www.mechanicalbusiness.com

CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 focuses on renewable energy British Columbia’s CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 details how the province will achieve its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 40 per cent below 2007 levels by 2030 through a diversified approach, which includes the transition towards electricity and renewable energy such as carbon-neutral renewable natural gas and hydrogen.

Other commitments include increasing the price on carbon pollution, regulations to nearly eliminate industrial methane emissions, requirements to make all new buildings zero carbon, and support for innovation in negative emissions technology and clean hydrogen. FortisBC will play a role in the transition, and expects to triple its supply of renewable natural gas this year and in 2022 to meet rising demand.

The gas company says it will also help achieve CleanBC objectives by focusing on energy efficient technologies such as gas and electric heat pumps and hybrid heating systems. cleanbc.gov.bc.ca

BPA's Yvan Côté was awarded Mentor of the Year.

AFC announces 2021 Grands Prix award winners Association des firmes de génie-conseil − Québec (AFC) has recognized Bouthillette Parizeau with two awards in its 2021 Grands Prix competition. The Montreal-based company won the Léonard trophy in the mechanical-electrical building category for the migration and redevelopment of the Biodôme, which it completed with Space for Life. In addition, BPA’s Yvan Côté was awarded Mentor of the Year. Côté has been with the firm for more than 25 years, and has mentored dozens of engineers. This is the 19th edition of the Grands Prix du Génie-Conseil Québécois. afg.quebec

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The Rinnai I Series boiler was introduced in North America in 2019 with great success, and has all the quality, durability, features and benefits you have come to expect from Rinnai products.

With multiple sizes to pick from in both heat only and combi models, it has quickly become a go-to choice for contractors across Canada.

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Movers & Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com

Giant Factories bought by A.O. Smith Montreal, QC-based Giant Factories Inc. has been acquired by A.O. Smith Corporation. Giant Factories was a family-owned business established in 1945, which manufactures residential and commercial water heaters under the Giant brand. The sale expands Milwaukee, WI-based A.O. Smith’s water heater operations in Canada, and increases its portfolio of water heating products supplied by a renewable energy grid that is primarily hydro-sourced and non-carbon intensive. aosmith.com

ecobee sold to Generac Generac Holdings Inc. has announced that it will acquire Toronto, ON-based ecobee Inc. ecobee is a pioneer in the smart thermostat and home solutions market, with more than 500 employees worldwide. Waukesha, WI-based Generac Holdings manufactures energy technology solutions and other power products. The sale is expected to close by year end. ecobee.com generac.com

Carrier to sell Chubb to APi Group, acquires Nlyte Software Carrier Global Corporation is selling its Chubb Fire & Security Business to APi Group Corporation. Carrier’s fire and security products business is not part of the sale. Based in New Brighton, MN, APi Group is a provider of safety, specialty and industrial services. The sale is subject to regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in late 2021 or early 2022. In addition, Carrier has purchased Nlyte Software, a provider of data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) software. Nlyte will become part of Carrier’s building automation and controls business segment, Automated Logic Corporation, allowing Carrier’s HVAC business access to the growing DCIM market. carrier.ca chubbfiresecurity.com

DuraVent acquires Hart & Cooley DuraVent, owner of Montreal’s Security Chimneys, has purchased Hart & Cooley, a Grand Rapids, MI-based manufacturer and distributor of HVAC brands such as Selkirk, AMPCO, AmeriVent, Heatfab and MILCOR. DuraVent manufactures and distributes venting technology worldwide. duravent.com

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Celebrating the opening of RefPlus’s St-Bruno-deMontarville, QC manufacturing facility are (L-R) André Paré, Mathieu Cardinal, and Michel Lecompte.

RefPlus opens larger manufacturing plant RefPlus is celebrating the official opening of its new commercial and industrial refrigeration equipment manufacturing plant in St-Bruno-de-Montarville, QC. The 60,000-sq.-ft. facility expands RefPlus’s production area by almost 40 per cent. Production was scheduled to start at the new facility in mid-November 2021. Headquartered in Saint-Hubert, QC, RefPlus manufactures custom commercial and industrial refrigeration equipment. refplus.com

Bartle & Gibson to distribute electrical solutions Edmonton, AB-based Bartle & Gibson Co. Ltd. has announced a regional partnership with Appleton, a provider of electrical solutions for industrial and hazardous environments. Under the partnership, Bartle & Gibson will distribute Appleton products at all 31 of its branches in Western Canada. The Appleton product categories offered include: distribution equipment, lighting, plug and receptacles, controls, enclosures and junction boxes, fittings, reels and switches, commercial electrical fittings, and ordinary location junction boxes. bartlegibson.com

HVAC Systems partners with Verano brand Port Coquitlam, BC-based HVAC Systems & Solutions has announced a partnership with MDL Solutions’ Verano brand in Alberta. HVAC Systems & Solutions specializes in product-based solutions for institutional, industrial, multifamily and commercial applications. The Verano brand includes a line of compact lower voltage fan coils, heat emitters, and heating and cooling accessories. hvacsystems.ca mdlsoln.com

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Movers & Shakers www.mechanicalbusiness.com

National Energy Equipment opens new Ontario facility National Energy Equipment (NEE) has moved to a larger location in Brampton, ON. The new location houses the company’s Ontario HVAC division, and includes increased warehouse space, and a larger sales counter and showroom. NEE is currently headquartered in Mississauga, ON and has 15 locations and more than 400 employees across Canada. nee.ca

BPA office in Montreal, QC.

Bouthillette Parizeau merges with Clark Engineering Montreal-based Bouthillette Parizeau (BPA) has merged with Edmonton-based Clark Engineering, marking the engineering firm’s expansion to the Alberta market. Clark Engineering works with clients in Alberta and Saskatchewan offering mechanical design for high-performance buildings, with expertise in combined heat and power solutions. Company founder Russell Clark will become director of the Prairies market and will manage the Edmonton office under the BPA name. bpa.ca

Battscan acquires Power Marketing Celebrating Equipco’s award from Fantech for largest sales growth are (L-R) Serge Cormier, national sales director, System Air; Lisa May, sales representative, GTA, Equipco; Adam Hedden, business development manager, Equipco; Dan Milroy, managing partner, Equipco; Nick Berube, sales representative, Eastern and Northern Ontario, Equipco; Matthew Reid, technical sales specialist, Equipco; and Bruno Poitras, product manager, System Air.

Equipco recognized with Fantech sales award Equipco Ltd. has received a sales award from Fantech for the largest sales growth in Canada for 2020. The company was presented with the award during the Fantech Canadian sales meeting in Toronto. Equipco is a manufacturer’s representative of plumbing and HVAC equipment, with locations across Canada. equipcoltd.com

Right Time expands into Saskatchewan St Catharines, ON-based Right Time Group of Companies has purchased Saskatoon, SK’s furnaceguys Home Heating & Cooling. Founded in 2008, furnaceguys offers residential heating, cooling, air quality, and hot water services in and around the Saskatoon area. This is Right Time’s tenth acquisition and its first in Saskatchewan. Right Time has 16 locations across Ontario and Western Canada. right-time.ca

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Battscan Sales & Marketing has purchased London, ON-based Power Marketing Inc. The companies will run independently, but will combine sales forces to offer customers a team of eight field sales representatives and one inside customer support specialist. battscan.ca powermarketing.ca

RWC buys EZ-FLO International Atlanta, GA-based Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) has acquired EZ-FLO International, a manufacturer of plumbing supplies and specialty plumbing products under the EX-FLO and Eastman brands. rwc.com

XOi and ServiceTitan offer technology solution XOi Technologies and ServiceTitan have formed a strategic partnership expanding on their existing relationship.

ServiceTitan offers business software for residential and commercial service providers to help make issues such as dispatching, customer relationship management, and marketing more efficient. Through the partnership, XOi’s data collection and communications technology for contractors will be available to ServiceTitan’s customers, offering them an end-to-end technology solution. xoi.io servicetitan.com

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Let’s face it, life’s moments are better with a sidekick

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hotwatercanada.ca MB AOSmithjjm.indd 1

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Thermal Energy purchases Sofame Technologies Ottawa-based Thermal Energy International Inc. has acquired Montreal-based Sofame Technologies, a manufacturer of thermal energy efficiency and sustainability products. The acquisition allows Thermal Energy to expand its portfolio with Sofame’s line of products, including its Percotherm and PercoMax brands. thermalenergy.com

AME Consulting merges with HRC Engineering in Edmonton AME Consulting Group Ltd. (AME Group) has expanded into the Edmonton area by merging mechanical consulting teams with Spruce Grove, AB-based HRC Engineering. Victoria, BC-based AME is a full-service mechanical consulting engineering firm specializing in sustainable design, with approximately 150 employees and locations in Vancouver, Revelstoke, BC and Calgary, AB. Founded in 1983, HRC Engineering specializes in projects such as post-secondary schools and data centres. amegroup.ca

Johnson Controls and Phylagen sign development agreement Johnson Controls has signed a joint agreement with Phylagen to develop technology that leverages the science of building microbiomes to create healthier buildings. The agreement includes a strategic investment in Phylagen, a biotechnology company in the field of microbiome optimization of indoor environments.

According to Johnson Controls, indoor air quality improvements require an understanding of the unique indoor microbiomes of individual buildings. That includes microbial life such as viruses, bacteria and fungi that impact overall health and wellness while sharing data on the safety of indoor environments. In other company news, Edmonton-based Hatch Company is now a regional distributor for Johnson Controls-Hitachi variable refrigerant flow systems and SmartFlex mini-split systems throughout Alberta. johnsoncontrols.com phylagen.com hatchcompany.ca

Virtual, in-person or hybrid?

A rendering of the new RLS facility in St. Louis, MO.

RLS to move operations to single site RLS LLC is moving to a new 80,000-sq.-ft. multipurpose facility in St. Louis, MO that will serve as its corporate headquarters, manufacturing plant, training centre and showroom. RLS, which manufactures the Rapid Locking System line of flamefree press-to-connect fittings for HVAC and refrigeration systems, is part of the plumbing and refrigeration sector of Marmon Holdings, a Berkshire Hathaway company. All RLS operations are scheduled to be in the new building by the end of 2021. rapidlockingsystem.co

Ontor now represents Rectorseal across Canada Toronto, ON-based Ontor Ltd. has been appointed manufacturer's representative for Rectorseal HVAC/R and plumbing products in Canada. Founded in 1937, Houston, TX-based Rectorseal manufactures products for plumbing and HVAC maintenance, installation and repair, as well as HVAC chemical products and Firestop Metacaulk products. ontor.com rectorseal.com

Check out mechanicalbusiness.com for the latest information on industry events.

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People in the news www.mechanicalbusiness.com Scott Voisinet has been promoted to senior vice president, supply chain, for Oatey Co., responsible for planning, purchasing, distribution and global logistics.

Ahmed Tanashi joins the technical design team at Eden Energy Equipment Ltd.

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Continental Automated Buildings Association (CABA) has announced that president and CEO Ron Zimmer (1) is retiring after more than 20 years with the association. Greg Walker (2) will take over as president and CEO.

1 Marco Morelli is now marketing campaign manager for Watts Water Technologies.

Morelli is based in Vernon, BC.

Todd Wiggins joins The Master Group in Calgary where he is responsible for hydronic design and sales.

Chateauguay, QC-based Bathica names Gerry Wagner vice president, business development, for the TOSOT brand of HVAC equipment in Canada.

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Rheem Canada Ltd. has named Thomas Heckbert national hydronics sales manager, responsible for the company’s IBC and Raypak boiler business across Canada.

Kim Butts is now an outside sales representative at Stringer Sales Inc. in Calgary.

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Modine Manufacturing Company has announced two new general managers: Jonathan Schlemmer (1) is now general manager, heating, and Jake Feldman (2) is now general manager, indoor air quality.

Cirissa Sellars has joined NEXT Supply as senior director of purchasing.

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Goodman Company Canada has promoted Chris Charland (1) to branch manager of the company's Brantford, ON location, and Terry Forth (2) to division operations manager.

Hired someone lately?

HVAC Systems has hired Rodney Cornel as its engineering account representative in Edmonton, AB to handle the MDL Solutions Verano account.

B u s i n e s s

To have your company’s personnel announcements included, free of charge, in an upcoming edition of Mechanical Business, simply send a note and a few details, to kerry.turner@mechanicalbusiness.com.

Stay up to Date

Visit mechanicalbusiness.com.

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REGISTER TODAY: www.watergroup.com 2021-09-23 4:00 PM

12.21

Profile

By Kerry Turner

Harald Prell: The ride of his life

A

conversation over a cup of coffee changed the trajectory of Harald Prell’s career. The plan in 1980 was for Harald and his fiancé, Uta, to move from Germany to California. But fate – and a coffee – intervened and instead of enjoying beaches and balmy temperatures, the Prells found themselves arriving in Canada just in time for a brutal winter. Here they stayed, with Harald becoming Viessmann Canada’s first assistant general manager, while his father Rudolph assumed the helm as general manager and president.

“We had the immigration papers all ready for a move to the U.S. in 1980. We were joining friends of ours in California. Then the two dads met up. My dad had a consulting engineering firm in Germany at that time and would visit with Hans Viessmann every few weeks for a cup of coffee. Dad specified a lot of Viessmann equipment over the years. My dad mentioned to him that I was going to California and would not be taking over the business,” recounts Harald.

One of Harald’s favourite pastimes is riding motorcycles alongside his wife Uta. With four Harleys, they are never short on wheels, but his preferred ride is his customized Fat Boy, the motorcycle Uta purchased for him in 2012.

“Hans Viessmann questioned the wisdom of that move.

‘They don’t need any heat in California! I have a different proposal for you. How about you start our operations in Canada?’ With two dads hacking it out, all of sudden I came home one day and my dad says, ‘We’re going to Canada.’ I didn’t tell my wife-to-be right away that we were switching because she was set on moving to California. One day I had to tell her we were immigrating into Canada instead – it starts with a ‘C’ as well – just a little different direction.”

The first 10 years were hard, with high interest rates and difficulty getting approvals for product because of the communication constraints at the time. Things started to turn when his responsibilities extended to establishing the U.S. operation in 1989. “A big highlight for me in the U.S. was Richard Trethewey, the plumber on This Old House. He sat in the front row at one of our seminars.

After the seminar I asked who is this guy MAN OF INFLUENCE in the front row, he kept interrupting me and asking me questions. I got to know Harald has supported just about every hydronic initiative undertaken him and we flew the show’s crew over to by the industry and he has extended this commitment beyond the Viessmann in Germany and it was the first workplace. He has organized and supported charity motorcycle series to show how the product was made. rides for his customers, which raised well over $200K in recent It aired early in 1990 and that got us on years. His efforts and achievements have not gone unnoticed. The the map in the U.S.” Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating has awarded Harald an Outstanding Service Award, an Award of Merit and a Lifetime Over the years the demands of the job Service Award. Harald’s long-held position on the board of the meant Harald spent a great deal of time Viessmann Centre for Engagement and Research in Sustainability at away from home. He is looking forward to Wilfred Laurier will transfer to Jerry Leyte. Leyte assumes the role of spending quality time with “the love of his president and general manager of Canadian Viessmann operations life,” travelling for pleasure, fishing, and giving his Harleys a work out. when Harald retires at the end of December.

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REFRIGERATION

CONTROLLING DISCHARGE AND LIQUID PRESSURE AT LOW HEAT SINK TEMPERATURES – PART I

T

his two-part series discusses common approaches to highside pressure control during periods where the temperature of the cooling medium is relatively low.

Why high-side pressure control is necessary While there are a few reasons why high-side pressure control is necessary, we will focus on the most common. The first involves a consideration for the minimum allowable saturated discharge temperature (SDT) that was established for the compressor. SDT tends to vary depending on the compressor model and refrigerant type used.

CONDENSATE REGULATION METHOD Fan cycling

When the SDT of a compressor is allowed to drop too low, insufficient sealing of reed valves may take place. Also, the discharge superheat should be kept at a level high enough to support the best possible conditions for the compressor to operate at. For example, a low discharge superheat tends to increase the amount of refrigerant content of the oil travelling to the various lubrication-dependent components within the compressor. Operating at an excessively low SDT level can also result in condensation within the compressor cylinder heads.

Condenser fan cycling has experienced widespread use over the years. By reducing the number of condenser fans in operation, the capacity of the condenser will also be limited. Fan cycling can be accomplished by using a temperature control strategy, which cycles the fans on and off according to the ambient temperature. This is perhaps the simplest approach. However, these types of fan-cycling switches only sense the ambient temperature. This method is generally limited to applications where there is more than one circuit connected to the condenser.

Another approach is to use pressure fan-cycling. With this method, a pressure control strategy is used to cycle fans on and off as needed. Although this method involves accessing the refrigerant pressure in the high-side of the system, it is more responsive to load changes and cycling of heat reclaim. Also, when a central control system such as a rack controller is used, another fan can be cycled on to compensate for a fan motor and/or blade failure.

Fan cycling is not able to provide enough reduction of the condenser capacity. In this case, other approaches may need to be applied in addition to conventional fan cycling.

Phil Boudreau

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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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REFRIGERATION

Cont’d from pg. 30

Condenser flooding Let’s look at another common approach to highside pressure control. The condenser flooding technique has also been applied extensively for many years on condensing units, supermarket racks and process cooling systems.

pressure, the spring will overcome the condenser pressure and force the regulator’s port to move towards a more closed position. As this happens, a limited quantity of the liquid can leave the condenser. Essentially what is happening in this case is that the condenser is being partially flooded with liquid refrigerant. This liquid occupies some of the condensing surface and, as a result, reduces the condenser capacity.

There are two flooding methods that are used. One approach is referred to as the condensate or drop-leg regulation method.

The other is the discharge regulation method.

With the condensate or drop-leg method, a regulator is installed between the condenser outlet and the receiver inlet. This regulator can be of the direct-acting or pilot-operated type and modulates according to its inlet or condenser pressure. The regulator contains an adjustment spring. This spring opposes the pressure at the condenser’s outlet.

At this point, the use of this single regulator has enabled the discharge and condenser pressure to be kept above some minimum pressure level but this approach alone is not sufficient. As the condenser is Pilot-operated regulator flooding and liquid flow from the condenser is restricted, the receiver pressure will decrease. As the expansion valve regulates flow from the receiver to the evaporator, the receiver pressure will drop. This is because as As the outdoor ambient temperature and/or condenser liquid is being drawn from the receiver, the vapour volume above load decreases, the condenser pressure will also decrease. the liquid tends to increase as the liquid volume decreases.

As the condenser pressure drops below the spring

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REFRIGERATION If the receiver pressure drops off too much, then another issue will quickly become apparent. Expansion valves, whether they are of the thermostatic or electronic type, provide a certain flow rate or capacity that is largely dependant on the pressure drop. So, as the pressure difference across the expansion valve decreases, the flow rate will be less.

However, the role of the expansion valve is to fill the evaporator up as much as possible, while leaving room for essential superheating to protect the compressor and allow for stable control of refrigerant flow through the refrigerant circuit. The load on the evaporator along with the superheat setting of the expansion valve determines the per cent opening of the valve.

As the receiver pressure decreases, there will be less “push” from the receiver to the expansion valve and therefore less flow across the valve. Having a pressure regulator in the condensate line is not enough. With the discharge and condenser pressure held at the required level, an additional and smaller receiver pressure regulator is needed. This regulator is installed between the discharge line and the receiver inlet.

It essentially bypasses the condenser. This is a downstream or outlet regulator, which is constantly sensing the receiver pressure.

the outlet or receiver pressure. As the receiver pressure drops off, at some point the spring pressure will overcome this pressure and force the port towards a more open position. As this happens, hot gas from the discharge line is permitted to bypass the condenser and enter the receiver. Since the hot gas is at a higher pressure than the receiver, it pushes down on the liquid, forcing the liquid pressure up and increasing the capacity of the expansion valve. The result is that the differential pressure across the expansion valve will be kept at a level that is high enough to fill the evaporator to a sufficient level.

Direct-acting regulator

Next Time: In Part II in Mechanical

Business January/February 2022, Phil will discuss the discharge regulation method and cover the topic of condenser splitting for low ambient operation.

The regulator contains an adjustment spring, which opposes

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CAREERS

B y C ar o lyn C ooper

FEDS FINISH FIRST PHASE OF ENERGY ADVISOR INITIATIVE The federal government’s initiative to recruit, train and mentor young people as energy advisors is well underway, now that its call for industry partners has been finalized.

The Energy Advisor Recruitment, Training and Mentorship initiative is part of the Canada Greener Homes Grant, and anticipates the increased demand for energy advisors to meet consumer requests for EnerGuide evaluations.

The energy advisor designation allows an individual to deliver EnerGuide rating services for eligible homes in Canada, and may allow them to deliver services such as EnerGuide for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs) and ENERGY STAR for New Homes.

This past summer Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) called on partners to provide creative ideas that boost demand for EnerGuide evaluations across Canada, while increasing the diversity of the energy advisor workforce and helping to grow jobs in the green economy. The government has committed to spending $10 million over the next five years to support these projects.

The initiative focuses on underserved areas, including in the Far North, the Prairies, and in Newfoundland and Labrador, and on underrepresented groups. In addition, at least 10 per cent of funding will go to

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Indigenous governments or organizations.

Eligible partner applicants included governments, Indigenous organizations, and electrical and gas utilities in Canada.

Project proposals were selected in August, and NRCan media spokesperson Alycia Sevigny says agreements are now in place (Indigenous applicants may apply on an ongoing basis).

“Natural Resources Canada received 126 submissions from applicants across the country.

We received at least one proposal from every province and territory, with the exception of Nunavut as there is an existing agreement in place that covers related activities,” she explains.

“Proposals were received from organizations ranging from for-profits, not-for-profits,

governments, and Indigenous organizations,” says Sevigny. “We are pleased with the significant interest generated from organizations looking to support energy use in Canadian homes to assist Canada in meeting its 2030 climate goals.” Sevigny says further information will be available in coming months.

Selected companies will be able to recruit and train individuals as energy advisor candidates.

Candidates who pass the Foundation Level Exam and the Energy Advisor (House) Exam and who are affiliated with an NRCan-licensed service organization will then be eligible to register with NRCan as a designated energy advisor. Candidates must also pass the Energy Advisor Exam (MURB) and ENERGY STAR for New Houses Energy Advisor Exam to deliver these services.

For more on the energy advisor program visit NRCan. nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/homes/canada-greener-homes-grant/explore-careersenergy-efficiency/23446 B u s i n e s s

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2021-11-24 2:21 PM

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10/6/21 1:16 PM 2021-11-12 10:34 AM

HYDRONICS

B y B o b “ Ho t R o d ” R o h r

Who is in control around here?

Beyond piping, integrated systems present some challenges ou take a few steps backwards, snap a few “glamour” shots and send your piping pics around the globe. It is a common practice these days to share mechanical room piping on the various chat rooms and social media sites. Some incredible piping can be found if you have time to search around. Perfectly piped, gorgeous back wall treatment, even custom lighting and unique artwork is sometimes included.

There is no doubt the industry has been elevated with all the articles and training on best practices for boiler or mechanical room piping.

I am particularly enamored with the clever blending of piping and connections. Back in the day threaded steel pipe and copper sweated together was the method used by most all fitters and installers. While those piping materials still are the go-to materials, an array of connection types are now being used.

Press and grip fittings are working their way into piping systems of all types of pipe and tube. PEX and PP piping materials are also becoming more common for boiler room piping.

The industry seems to have a good handle on the mechanical and piping component of hydronics. Equally important is how to control the piping “Picasso.” We will continue to see more blended mechanical systems. By this I mean a combination of heating and cooling components piped together.

It is not uncommon in parts of Canada and the U.S. to see multiple boilers piped to take advantage of the best energy rates. Electric boilers, for example, can be piped with a fossil-fuelled counterpart.

The electric boiler takes advantage of off-peak or desirable lowcost KWs. The oil- or gas-fired components will take over when the cost of operating the electric source increases. This toggling between the two or more heat sources could be done with a

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Photo: HBX Control Systems Inc.

Y

“I am particularly enamored by the clever blending of piping and connections.” simple time of day clock, manually, or by a smart control attuned to the changing energy rates.

The movement away from strictly fossil-fuelled systems is underway. Fossil fuel is no longer available in several jurisdictions for new construction installations. The obvious option is a heat generator and DHW source that is powered by electricity.

Uncertainty of the reliability and cost of an electricityonly powered home has some designers and installers providing a hybrid option.

Perhaps leaving the fossil-fuelled devices in place and connecting an electric powered partner makes better sense. The electric side could be a straight resistance style, or one of the updated heat pump options.

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5/21/21 2:28 PM 2021-11-16 9:35 AM

Cont’d from pg. 36

Things get complicated The challenging part of these systems will be the controls. For the most part, the typical hydronic installer understands and can correctly pipe a hybrid system together. Many, perhaps most, hydronic technicians and/or plumbers are not wired to design elaborate hybrid control systems. A basic zone control or pump control relay box is within the comfort level of most hydronic technicians and plumbers. When microprocessor-based controls, digital signals and programmable logic controls (PLC) come into play, things can get complicated and sometimes frustrating.

Outdoor Sensor

House Control

Thermostats

Integrat

Current he or outdoor During hea return wate lowest wate temperatur outdoor re temperatur

Heat/Cool Coil

= Sensor

Modulating Boiler w/ Pump

Air Handler Unit

Radiant Zones

Which of the multiple electrical components Heat/Cool Storage will take charge of a hybrid, multi-fuelled, Tank multi-component system? Will a sophisticated relay box be adequate? Which manufacturer’s Water to Water Expansion controls are provided to onboard a modern Heat Pump Tank boiler? Would a microprocessor-controlled heat pump have enough understandable logic to Multi-component systems can present challenges that are best solved tekmar ControlbySystems Offers a Better Control run the show? Does a smart thermostat have hydronic controls specialists. enough intelligence and outputs to take charge?

The House Control 406 is a heat pump control that operates up Should a stand-alone control system be considered? to two stages of air-to-water or water-to-water heat pump, in either What about a PLC custom designed with a software Mild to wild controls heating or cooling mode in a single storage tank, 2-pipe system. program by the installer?

Integrat Graphic courtesy tekmar

HYDRONICS

Heat pump additional c heat source boiler or o maximize o If condition satisfy the

interaction between the zones, heat pump, domestic hot water and the back up heat source must be integrated in an organized and intelligent way. With the use of a single control, the entire system can be coordinated to seamlessly work together, improving system efficiency, reliability, and energy savings.

A single ta or cooling to determi thermostat occurs. In off, likewis forced off. performan

manufacturers more and more The 406 Boiler operates a boilerareforoffering Domestic Hot Water, set point load,

I’m not sure there is one answer to these questions. It options for advanced controls and multi-component zones, and backup for the heat pump. depends. In any or all cases, you would be well servedboiler to integrations. Here again, I would recommend take a manufacturer’s class to understand what the device, manufacturer or rep presented training as a first step. be it the heat source or controls package, is capable of. In Many rep firms offer hands-on training at their locations. my experience the mechanical tradesperson struggles with Time spent in front of a simulator can make control understanding and www.tekmarcontrols.com/alternativeenergy.html complex control design, installation, commissioning and installation much less frustrating. Some savvy contracting shops build troubleshooting. simulators or training walls and provide in-house training.

Very often complex control systems are scrapped by the next technician to work on the system. This could be due to a lack of documentation; or the number of hours required to reverse engineer the existing wiring and controls; or because of obsolete control components; or because of incompatibility with the new hybrid components being upgraded.

There will be a movement towards hydronic cooling in residential applications with various heat pump offerings, both geothermal and air to water. Cooling control does offer some unique challenges. It is not just temperature control ... dewpoint comes into play with chilled surfaces or emitters. Fluid temperatures need to be tightly controlled to prevent condensation. In many cases, some air movement will be required and that needs to interface with the control system as well.

There are a handful, although a small handful, of excellent control manufacturers in Canada and the U.S. with hydronics experience which have evolved with hydronics and continue to raise the bar in control options and product offerings. I would recommend enrolling in their training classes to see if there is a fit in your system offerings. For less complex systems, a relay box control may be able to successfully integrate multiple heat sources along with some zoning control and outdoor reset functionality.

If you are creative and capable, there are plenty of components available to build from-mild-to-wild controls. I have seen it done with basic relay mash ups or more complex PLCs. A wood boiler chat room that I visit has some clever owner-built microprocessor-based control discussions. The same challenges are present when integrating a wood-or pellet-fired boiler with a fossil-fuelled partner. Or try throwing solar thermal and buffer tank control into the mix.

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.

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I have seen unique German-built PV controls that dump excess generation into a thermal tank to store the excess PV production. That may be a better approach than giving it back to the utility for a thank you, or maybe even a utility fee added when you push back your generated surplus.

Decide early on in the job if you are in control of the system, or if the system will be controlling you.

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2021-11-24 2:36 PM

?

From the Desk of Harald Prell

An Open Letter … on this, the occasion of my retirement: As I look back with pride at my years with Viessmann Canada, I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those I’ve come to know and rely on during my tenure here. I had the honour of being the second manager – and third employee overall – hired by Viessmann Canada, over 40 years ago now. The first manager was my father, Rudolph Prell, who emigrated from Germany with my family to take on the challenge of North America. What a privilege it has been to represent this prestigious company through the intervening years!

Thank you to all the fine friends I’ve made in this industry, and to our outstanding customers for their unwavering support – especially in the early years.

Thank you to the hardworking mechanical contractors, the wholesalers and engineering firms, our wonderful suppliers, the industry associations, and the media. I must also highlight our absolutely tireless sales team and sales agents across the country. What would we do without you?

Thank you to the dedicated staff, customers and volunteers who helped Viessmann raise money for charities across Canada, including STARS Air Ambulance, The Lookout Foundation and local food banks.

It has been my pleasure to support all your good works over the years.

My heartfelt thank you to our long-term Viessmann employees in North America, and our colleagues at the head office in Germany. It’s been an honour and a privilege to work alongside you. What a team!

And last, but certainly not least, my career would not have been possible without the love and steadfast support of my wife, Uta. My travels regularly took me across Canada and around the world, but ‘home’ was wherever and whenever we were together.

I have every confidence that our new president of Viessmann Canada, Jerry Leyte, will brilliantly lead you into the future. With an array of new products and services to forge our path into the future, these will be truly exciting times for all!

It has been an exhilarating and rewarding 41 years for me. Please know I will be cheering on your achievements from the sidelines. Wishing you success and health in the good times ahead.

With my thanks,

Harald Prell

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2021-11-29 5:29 PM

COVER STORY

By Kerry Turner

Rahul Singh:

I N N O VAT I N G T O M A K E A D I F F E R E N C E Rahul Singh is all about getting maximum benefit to the people who need it when they need it. While on a restorative trip in 1997, the Toronto paramedic saw first-hand the shortcomings of rescue and aid programs in developing countries. It led Rahul on a journey that ultimately resulted in his founding the David McAntony Gibson Foundation in honour of his best friend, and its operational arm GlobalMedic.

To date GlobalMedic has conducted more than 238 opps in over 78 countries.

Photo: Rosanna U Photography

It is GlobalMedic’s internationally deployable Rapid Response Team (RRT) that is responsible for executing its responses. “The RRT is composed of professional emergency workers, as well as other skilled and trained professionals, who volunteer their time and skill set in order to deliver aid,” explains Rahul.

The group has learned to be nimble and apply solutions to what’s needed most. “When we rolled into the Bahamas in 2019, they didn’t need our hospital, but they had a whole bunch of rescued pets that needed shelters. So, we put up the tents

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intended for the hospital, and air conditioned them to house all the rescued dogs and cats, and other pets,” says Rahul.

“A few weeks after Category 5 Hurricane Dorian made landfall over the northwest Bahamas, we were still making food and we were still giving people clean water and still running our medical programs. But we realized the biggest need on the island was to do mould remediation and apply fungicide in the flooded homes.

We hired 45 local folks, trained them, and then we provided a free service to those homeowners. We ended up remediating 240 homes.

“It’s just applying these same models and getting people what they need right then and there. While we were running that program, we also went out to McLean’s Town and we saw that all the fishermen and fisherwomen had lost their boats. We put up one of our big military tents − the same tent that was used to house those pets, who had since been reunited with their families. We filled it with fibreglass and materials and hired four local guys to repair boats. 119 boats later, we restored livelihoods,” recounts Rahul.

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“It’s funny because people think of us as an organization that will kick down the door, be the first team in, and we’ll get you clean water, get your medical care, and we’ll save lives. But our true strength is our innovation and how we’re just developing these programs that are really built for the need at the moment. We make sure our core skill set gets utilized properly and you see this massive impact.”

FRESH FOOD, FRESH IDEAS

“We’re at a point where this food program is so effective, and it’s working, that we’re looking at what other gaps exist in the system. One in seven families are accessing food banks. This is not a small number. I’m not talking in a war in Syria right now, I’m talking in our backyard. This could be your neighbours. This is not a nice statistic − it is not something we should be proud of.

“We thought about what else do those folks need? They’re not getting fresh produce. We said look, let’s get on the supply side of this. If I went to buy a head of lettuce in the store it’s $4 or $5. Food banks can’t afford that. Even if I ran the leafy lettuce hedge fund for the poor, and could buy truckloads of greens, I still have distribution and logistics problems, and half my lettuce is coming on a two week call up from California and Mexico,” says Rahul.

With his new vertical garden initiative Rahul solves those issues and has an affordable product. “Every Wednesday or every Thursday I have my harvest, and I’m telling the same food banks I’m going to come to you at 11 a.m. on that day with freshly picked lettuce or microgreens or baby greens. And you can now put this out to your clients,” explains Rahul.

“This is true supply chain management. I’m at a lower cost point, I’m on the supply side, and I’m delivering locally. We have thousands of volunteers. So now a volunteer day could be in helping harvest the lettuce, or helping harvest the greens, packaging them and then taking them to the food bank. What a great way to spend your day. That’s what we’re working on right now. We’ve got a little place in Oakville where we’re building the grow room and the germination room. It’s all volunteers that are doing the work.

Eyes-in-the-sky GlobalMedic’s RescUAV Program deploys Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to provide situational awareness, emergency mapping and search and rescue. “Following a disaster, Situational Awareness is critical,” notes Rahul. “Our teams can relay information in real-time to responders on the ground to identify hazards, damaged infrastructure, and assess issues to reaching communities in need. This allows responders to deliver aid as quickly as possible to those who are in the greatest need.”

“I think in my mind I’ve got the next thing lined up where I want to grow peppers. I’m going to try and grow different products because we don’t want to grow something people aren’t going to eat. Lots of people understand what peppers are but if you go to a store and buy a pepper, you’re paying $2. If you’re a family that can’t afford food, how do you afford $2 for a pepper?” asks Rahul.

“We can get on the supply side and grow peppers, and then those same food banks are serving these families a steady supply of peppers if I can get them down to one-eighth of the cost of retail. This is the same mentality we apply to getting into war zones, getting hospitals up and running, getting people clean water and just delivering aid. How do we lower costs? And how do we reach more people?”

In an industry sometimes mired in bureaucracy, Rahul is particularly proud of the fact that under three per cent of the foundation’s funding goes to administration. “I want to see our money going to aid. We are sometimes criticized for our low admin costs but I see it as a badge of honour,” says Rahul.

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Photos: GlobalMedic

Closer to home, Rahul is particularly concerned with the growing use of food banks and the lack of fresh food on offer.

He has found it to be far more economical to buy staples such as rice, peas and beans in bulk and GlobalMedic is also being pressed by supply chain have volunteers issues. By breaking down the components of water repack them in purification buckets for assembly on-site Rahul was 500-gram bags. The able to cut costs from US$50 each to US$12.50. initiative is part of Space in and around the buckets is then filled with McAntony’s Menu, solar lights and hygiene products for shipping. a component of a program called the Grassroots Revolution which GlobalMedic started in 2020. “The whole idea is to get people the right products such as good, healthy food, drive cost down and engage volunteers,” says Rahul.

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2021-11-30 10:28 AM

Fred Bretzke is a full-time pipe trades instructor with SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary. He can be reached at fred.bretzke@sait.ca.

PLUMBING

By Fred Bretzke

A NEW ERA IN

WATER HEATING TECHNOLOGY

I

Photo: A.O. Smith

still remember my first hot water (HW) tank install back in 1977. It was a finish in a new residence.

My journeyman demonstrated how to efficiently and neatly install a gas 33.3 imperial gallon John Wood HW tank. The box removal was quick: rip off the top and with your forearm split each corner of the box. In less than a minute the box was removed. Then in approximately 15 to 20 minutes you could install the single wall vent connector with three screws per joint, the two hot and cold copper feeds, and the gas finish piping complete with a half-inch drip.

Old tanks would last on average 20 years unlike the newer tanks with a lifespan average of eight to 12 years. These tanks would require the use of a dolly or two guys for removal even after the water was drained from them. I discovered that the older, taller and slimmer tanks would last much longer due to their strong build. It seemed it took longer for a crack to develop in their shell due to corrosion, calcium, or the bottom giving in due to heat and metal failure.

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Photo: Bradford White

It seemed easy, and the HW tank was light, I could lift it myself (of course at 17 years old most things were light). Four years later I moved to Alberta and the new tank installations were the same, but some replacements were difficult. A HW tank built in the 1950s and or ‘60s tended to have much thicker steel casing than the new ones, and of course they filled with hard calcium deposits of course over the years.

Many things have changed in regards to the innovation of HW tanks in design and materials. Today, contractors must stay up-to-date with the latest technologies through manufacturers’ training.

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2021-11-25 1:00 PM

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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2021-09-27 9:39 AM

PLUMBING

Cont’d from pg. 42

INNOVATION INCREASES PRICE POINT

WHY DO HOT WATER TANKS LEAK? The reason a residential or commercial tank eventually leaks is usually a crack in its shell. This happens due the hardness in most water, when calcium builds up on the bottom of the tanks it eventually turns from a sand-like material to solid rock. The burners then get turned up by the customer through the main temp control to get more hot water. The control is set at 140ºF; when it is cranked up higher to heat through the calcium it actually produces more temporary hardness and creates metal fatigue, thereby splitting the bottom of the tank.

In order to prevent this from happening, you can do two things. One is to hook a garden hose to the drain, shut off the hot and cold feeds, open the temp pressure relief valve to cause an air break, and drain the soft sand-like calcium out. This has to be done every year from day one. If forgotten the calcium will turn to rock and draining the tank will not work. This process is rarely done even by homeowners who are plumbers.

Another remedy is to hook up a water softener to the hot water tank. The brine tank contents periodically flows through the filter tank thereby encasing the resin with sodium and will remove the calcium and magnesium through ion exchange.

Once the hard water has been softened, that will prevent the hard rock (calcium) from forming on the bottom of the tank. The flipside is salt is low on the PH scale and does tend to be acidic or corrosive. The normal HW tank is prepared for this, as they install a glass lining on the inside shell to prevent the salty water from corroding the tank.

Unfortunately, that glass lining eventually cracks and then the sodium rusts out the tank causing it to leak.

As you would expect, commercial tanks (approximately $5,000 to $10,000) are more expensive than residential tanks (approximately $1,000 to $2,000) and come with some added perks. This includes a removable access panel on the bottom side, so that when drained you can physically remove large quantities of rock calcium by hand or water jetting.

They have also built commercial tanks with power water jets admitting the cold water in the bottom of the tank in a circular motion to prevent the calcium deposits from settling on the bottom of the tank. They have been fabricating these tanks for years and they do seem to last longer.

The cost of tanks has increased with the cost of innovation.

To give you an example, in the 1980s and ‘90s we used to replace a residential gas hot water tank for $365. Now they cost much more, usually well over $1,000 to $2,000.

The main reason for this is the venting innovation. Most tanks used to be gravity vented with single wall galvanized venting. Now we have upgraded to draft assisted styles with plastic low temperature venting. This requires holes to be cored in the outside wall and more vent pipe to be run horizontally. It is basically more labour intensive to install more efficient gas HW tanks that are cheaper on the gas bill.

One thing is certain, the industry is always trying to improve HW tanks without building them like the old “tanks.”

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2021-11-29 4:21 PM

A New Era of the Infiniti Tankless® Series Has Been Born

Introducing the Infiniti® L With an integrated recirculating pump, the new Infiniti® L provides INSTANT endless hot water to every faucet in the home – even the farthest faucet!

The Infiniti® L includes: • Easy Installation. Built For The Pro® for easier installation and maintenance. Includes built-in flush ports and more room to work under the cover.

• Flexible Venting. Can vent with 2” or 3” PVC or polypropylene up to a max length of 280ft.

• SRTTM Scale Reduction Technology for improved performance, longer life and easier maintenance.

• Steadiset® Technology to keep the water temperature accurate and consistent for an endless supply of perfectly-hot water.

• Outstanding Efficiency. ENERGY STAR® certified up to .96 UEF. Can’t Wait? Visit bradfordwhite.com/infinitiseries

©2021, Bradford White Corporation. All rights reserved. BWMBUS1121

MB BRADFORDjjm.indd 1

2021-11-20 9:28 AM

PLUMBING

Graphic: BetterBuiltNW, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

Cont’d from pg. 44

SHOWERS FOR HOURS When I lived in France 40 years ago, I hated taking a bath because the tubs were very small and high, hence you had to crouch and bend a lot. However, the showers there rocked.

They were side wall instantaneous water heaters, due to a lack of space in most places. You could shower for hours.

The water in France must have been softer than in Alberta, as it took a long time for the copper tubes inside the heat exchanger to plug up with calcium.

Today these water heaters cost more but they are quite popular due to the water heating savings they offer.

Anatomy of a heat pump water heater.

Ruud

Instantaneous water heaters have seen a steady increase in use in North America.

Each one of these electric tanks have an ENERGUIDE stamped on them describing their efficiency. The standard 50 US gallon tank has an annual approximate energy cost of $550 with a first-hour use of 63 US gallons.

PERFORMANCE UNDER

PRESSURE

The more expensive 50 US gallon tank has an annual approximate energy cost of $556 with a first-hour use of 57 US gallons. This unit’s shell is made of plastic for that lifetime warranty.

HYDROSTATIC TEST PUMPS • Pressure test water systems, both residential and commercial

The 50 US gallon hybrid electric heat pump tank water heater annual approximate energy cost is $143 with a first-hour use of 53 US gallons. As a bonus, the model I checked runs with only a 15amp breaker.

EHTP500 ELECTRIC

2 gpm and 500 psi max

DPHTP500 DRILL-POWERED

1.3 gpm and 500 psi max

Reed Manufacturing • Erie, PA USA 800-666-3691 • reedsales@reedmfgco.com www.reedmfgco.com

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Now, let’s talk about the electric heat pump water heater. Typically electric tanks cost at least a third more in energy bills in comparison to a gas HW tank.* A standard (50 US gallon or 41 Imp gallon) electric hot water tank with a six-year warranty costs around $750. Or you could buy a more expensive 50 US gallon model with a lifetime warranty for around $1,450. The most expensive electric 50 US gallon tank is a hybrid electric heat pump tank water heater with a 10-year warranty at $1,950.

As you can see the cheapest one to run annually is the hybrid, yet it is the most expensive to purchase. What’s cool about the hybrid is its low use of electricity due to the upper part of the tank working like a refrigerator, which pulls heat out of the ambient air and uses it for the tank. However, it does dissipate cold air out, which might not be great in the winter as it works like a mini AC unit.

Maintenance is required with filter changing. After several years of use, there is a much greater savings with this heat pump unit. In other words, it seems that as is the case with hydronic heating, this technology is more expensive to supply and install, but it’s ultimately cheaper on the annual bills. *Author’s note: U.S. electric and heat pump tanks (all pricing is pre 2021 and converted to Canadian approximate value, info derived from online research).

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2021-11-29 4:23 PM

“

one of the greatest money makers…one of the greatest time savers that we’ve had introduced to us.

— Tim of Universal Plumbing

Save on time and labor with SharkBite Brass Push, which is compatible with PEX, copper, CPVC, PE-RT and HDPE pipe.

”

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SB_Resized_Mechanical Business_final.indd 1 MB Sharkbitejjm.indd 1

11/19/21 1:39 PM 2021-11-22 3:57 PM

KITCHEN TRENDS

FORM

function

Consumers want kitchen fixtures combining style, new technology and customizable extras

K

itchens have always been the centre of family life, especially over the past two years as people found themselves spending more time at home due to pandemic restrictions. Many consumers upped the comfort level, and diverted savings normally spent on outside entertainment to fund dream kitchen renovations.

The House of Rohl’s Key Interior Design Trends For 2021 And Beyond, reveals that 47 per cent of consumers are “willing to spend more money on home renovation than they would have in the past to achieve a lavish home environment.”

Eveline Simard, the company’s principal industrial designer, adds “as consumers spent time indoors, they have experienced firsthand the importance of the home and are now willing to transform their space to reflect a need for a more stylized residence. The motivation to renovate in this manner, and with a higher budget, likely means we will be seeing consumers choose higher-quality materials, enlist the help of an interior designer or opt for luxury brands.”

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THE LUXURY CUSTOMER The National Kitchen and Bathroom Association’s (NKBA) 2021 Luxury Kitchens report found that consumers looking for luxury fixtures are discerning, collaborative and outcome-driven, and they value and trust professional expertise. “Luxury clients want both form and function, beauty and performance, materials and efficiency.” NKBA defines the luxury investment as between $150,000 and $600,000, but notes that creating a luxury kitchen isn’t necessarily about cost, it’s about creating a personalized experience with simplicity and harmony, that includes unique and artisan-style touches.

And while they are mindful of trends, luxury customers are motivated by the idea that they are about tailoring the look, feel and function of their kitchen to their exact lifestyle and life stage.

Delta

“A majority of Canadian homeowners state that kitchen renovations are the top home improvement project they want to invest in,” says Kenana Al Yakobi, brand manager for Pfister Canada. “People want their spaces to be beautiful and functional at the same time.” In fact, a recent RE/MAX Canada survey found that 29 per cent of Canadians who renovated their homes in 2020 and 2021 did so simply to enhance their lifestyle for nonessential reasons such as aesthetics. Sales of luxury kitchen fixtures are high for the same reason, as consumers increasingly look for unique products that reflect their personal values and creativity.

HYGIENE AND HIGH TECH The NKBA’s Design Trends 2022 Report shows that kitchen trends will be increasingly influenced by millennial consumers and their interests in sustainability and energy efficiency. Over the next year, “nature-inspired themes continue to grow stronger, bolder colours gain more traction, and easy-to-clean spaces are key.” The report also notes that consumers will increasingly want spaces that are multipurpose, and which include technology. While technology integration is still limited, with only 30 per cent of kitchen projects currently incorporating integrated technology, the pandemic gave a boost to no-touch and voice-activated kitchen technology such as faucets, with the report noting that “the pandemic-generated trend towards cleanliness and safety is not expected to fade away anytime soon.”

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By Ca rol y n C o o p e r

n , Riobel’s Cayo Collection offers minimalist style with high impact, and features smart advances such as a two-jet pull-out spray with integrated swivel. houseofrohl.ca

The Stellen kitchen faucet with three-function pull-down spray head features touch-free response activated technology. ca.pfisterfaucets.com

At the same time, The House of Rohl found that 76 per cent of consumers surveyed with a household income of at least $150,0000 would consider purchasing motion-activated or hands-free faucet options to help reduce the spread of germs. “The lasting effects the past year had on interiors will stay with us for the foreseeable future,” says Simard. “Notably, consumers are interested in touchless faucets within their homes as we continue to combat germs.”

“Smart homes continue to be popular and will likely be on trend for the foreseeable future,” adds Al Yakobi. “People want to incorporate appliances and gadgets that will make their lives easier and their space functional. Touchless kitchen faucets are not only beautiful, but also create a cleaner cooking environment and reduce exposure to germs and bacteria.”

Grohe’s Zedra kitchen faucet collection uses up to 50 per cent less water, with features such as magnetic docking; touch pull-down faucet, which can be tapped to turn off and on; pause button; and triple and dual-spray options. grohe.ca Consumers increasingly want to know their purchasing choices are healthy for their family, as well as the planet, and smart-phone controlled faucets that heat water to exact temperatures and pressure, or which limit water wastage, are also in demand.

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KITCHEN TRENDS

Cont’d from pg. 49

MINIMALISM AND MORE Hand-in-hand with the demand for hygiene is the trend towards minimalist design, clean lines and simple fixtures. Dramatic matte black and sleek chrome fixtures become the centre of attention in minimalist kitchens, especially when customized to consumers’ personal tastes.

Moen’s Paterson interchangeable one-handle high arc pulldown kitchen faucet comes in matte black, chrome and stainless steel, with industrial components such as metal wands and bolts, as well as an optional spoke-and-wheel handle. moen.ca

Pfister sees “dark and minimalistic kitchens that are bold and dramatic,” making a return, with “black or grey cabinetry and dark natural stone countertops that will feel elegant and timeless. Mixing various materials in one space is another trend to look out for in 2022. Designers love to mix natural wood tones and stone with metallic accents.”

American Standard suggests combining the best of both worlds. Transitional style blends the comfort and warmth of traditional, classic designs, with the clean profiles and neutral colours of contemporary style.

Design elements can include subtle colours, marble or quartz countertops, natural wood accents, clean-lined accessories and furniture.

American Standard’s new Studio S collection is available in modern finishes such matte black, chrome and stainless steel. The line includes a semi-professional kitchen faucet, wall-mount pot filler, and accessories such as a soap dispenser and an eightinch deck plate. americanstandard.com

Natural elements such as wood are even being incorporated into faucet handles, and the NKBA says the organic/natural look is now the second most popular kitchen style behind transitional, which combines traditional and modern looks. White, off-white and other layered neutrals are still the top colour choices for luxury kitchens, although the influence of nature is beginning to show in greens and blues for backsplashes, kitchen cabinets and walls.

had a huge impact on kitchen design in the past 18 months as consumers seek to create a serene space with natural elements and materials such as wood, glass and stone. “Biophilia is the human desire to commune with nature. This means adding more architectural elements like larger windows and doorways, or adding an outdoor kitchen. This trend pushes us to blend the boundaries of indoor and outdoor spaces,” says DeBoe Harper.

Danielle DeBoe Harper, senior creative style manager for Moen, agrees that the natural environment has

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GO HANDS-FREE

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Hygienic, hands-free solutions are more important than ever— especially in public spaces such as hospitality, education, healthcare and retail. Delta Faucet offers a range of innovative commercial products featuring some of the most responsive technologies in the industry.

They are designed for tough conditions and busy facilities that require hands-free operation, vandal resistance, reliable operation and ease of maintenance.

© 2021 Masco Canada Limited

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KITCHEN TRENDS

Cont’d from pg. 50

CUSTOMIZED CHOICES While minimalism is growing, so is “maximalism” and personal expression, says DeBoe Harper.

“Maximalism isn’t for those who like to play it safe. It’s about showcasing your self-confidence and creativity. Often, this trend is associated with a luxe aesthetic, laying in elements that have a perceived higher value or unique quality to them.”

A sense of playfulness and pops of bold colour are appealing to pandemic-weary consumers looking for elements that add to holistic home health.

“Homeowners are gravitating towards making these more functional spaces into ones which are also incredibly beautiful, with decor elements that add visual appeal and reflect their own personal aesthetic,” says DeBoe Harper.

At the same time, luxury customers are adding customized extras that make their lives easier. That includes professional elements such as pot fillers, food waste disposers, as well as matching kitchen fixtures such as glass washers and soap dispensers. “When it comes to fixtures, consumers want products that offer elegant detailing, strikingly innovative form and finishes also are a huge factor that impact purchasing decisions,” says Andrea Goertz, senior product manager of fashion plumbing at Masco Canada.

“Gold and black are two of the latest colour trends we’ve seen.

Finishes such as champagne bronze and luxe gold provide

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Delta’s low-profile metal glass rinser features high-pressure water jets to thoroughly rinse any type of glassware.

The rinser is available in a range of metallic finishes. deltafaucet.com

The Litze Kitchen Collection by Brizo mixes contemporary and crafted style with luxe details such as textured knurled handles. The wall-mount pot filler features a cold water only function and a 23 ¼-in. spout reach. brizofaucet.ca

warmth, sophistication, and elegance, while matte black creates contrast and a minimalist feel. Together, they are a perfect marriage of classic and modern design,” she says. “Many of our Brizo and Delta Collections offer a variety of black, gold and copper finishes to help customers achieve this desired look, making sure there’s something for every room and every aesthetic.”

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The Purist two-hole deck-mount bridge kitchen sink faucet with matching finish sidespray from Kohler Canada offers functional features such as extended lever handles, 360° spout rotation and 10-in. clearance for large pots and pans. kohler.ca

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC

UNSOPHISTICATED TEST YIELDS GREAT RESULTS A number of years ago, a colleague of mine and I were teaching building science in Russia to a number of contractors. The indoor air quality (IAQ) section of the training was provided by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) research division. The division had done great work on identifying and resolving IAQ problems in houses.

One image in the training was that of a skunk to highlight the opportunity of using odours to identify air quality issues. The training participants were confused by the picture. Our interpreter told us no one knew what the animal in the picture was; apparently, there are no skunks in Europe.

Our intent to conjure up the memory of a commonly-known smell to focus attention on air quality failed. There was no shared experience with an odour that is so familiar to most North Americans.

Even my threeyear-old grandson surprised me one fall evening when he crinkled up his nose and said “EWWH, skunk.”

Indeed, this training experience underscored one of the major problems in trying to resolve odour problems in houses. Everyone has a different sense or experience with smells and we often struggle to find a common language to describe the odours we smell. I have written

before about the challenge of resolving odour problems for clients and the first step is always to determine if we can agree on what it is each person is smelling.

Undoubtedly mechanical contractors get calls about odours in houses, especially in the fall when heating systems start up, or in the spring at the start of air conditioning season. Be aware that the way you describe odours may be different than how your client perceives it. Moreover, because the sense of smell varies greatly among humans, you may not even be able to detect any discernible odour, even when your client is adamant about how strong an odour might be. We all need to respect the differences in the sense of smell and be open to trying to resolve odour concerns that don’t affect your olfactory system in the same way they may be affecting your client.

Gord Cooke Gord is a professional engineer who has spent 35 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 gordc@buildingknowledge.ca.

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Bring on the winter with Daikin AURORA single and multi-zone heat pump systems.

Year-round comfort with Daikin AURORA even when temperatures drop well below freezing. Up to 100% heating capacity at -15°C (5°F) and continues to operate efficiently as low as -25°C (-13°F) with high heating efficiencies up to 12.5 HSPF. Ultra-quiet indoor and outdoor units with several indoor unit style options for application creativity and preference.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Before purchasing this appliance, read important information about its estimated annual energy consumption, yearly operating cost, or energy efficiency rating that is available from your retailer.

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HIGH-PERFORMANCE HVAC

Sniffing around There are useful strategies for ferreting out odour complaints in houses. I always start by asking a series of questions to determine where the smell is most prevalent, what time of day is it most noticeable, and what other events, activities or conditions coincide with the odour? For example, the owners of a one-year-old home recently reported an annoying smell in their master bathroom and in the kitchen. They had experienced it enough times to be able to link it to times they were showering in that bathroom, and cooking on the stove top in the kitchen. My mind went to possible moisture issues. It was easy to duplicate the conditions in the bathroom. We turned on the shower and waited, but there was no smell.

After about 10 minutes the client realized the window was steaming up and instinctively turned on the bathroom fan. Within seconds he asked “Do you smell it now?” It took some sniffing around but eventually all four of us, the homeowners, the builder and me agreed we could smell something, although we each had different words to describe it.

Most importantly, we all agreed it was coming from the electrical box located on an exterior wall. We took a quick trip to the kitchen, turned on the range hood and found the same odour, again from the electrical plug on an outside wall. The negative pressure created by the exhaust fans was drawing in an odour from the outside wall.

Cont’d from pg. 54

Start by asking a series of questions to determine where the smell is most prevalent, what time of day is it most noticeable, and what other events, activities or conditions coincide with the odour?

Typically at this point my clients presume there is some magic black box that can be used to sniff and analyze air samples and determine what is in the air. There are such devices, called gas chromatograph–mass spectrometers, but they are very expensive and are used in critical laboratory investigations. In this case, it was more practical just to open up the wall around the plug and confirm there were no moisture or mould issues.

Using a technique described to me by Virginia Salares, our mentor at CMHC, we took samples of each building material in the area – insulation, drywall, poly vapour barrier, acoustical caulking, and even the foam gasket from the electrical box that is designed to seal the wire penetrations. We put each one in a separate zip lock bag and exposed them to sunlight, to heat them up just a bit. Everyone then smelled the bags. We all agreed that the foam gasket was the main culprit, although we never did come up with a common term to describe the smell.

It seemed the gasket material itself or the adhesive meant to adhere the gasket to the electrical box had deteriorated. We checked the gaskets from the outlets that smelled and compared them to outlets that didn’t smell, and the homeowners agreed there was a noticeable difference. The two electrical boxes were changed, the wall thoroughly sealed up and the odour problem was resolved.

This simple case highlights useful strategies for resolving odour problems. Start by trusting your nose and, more importantly, your client’s nose. Noses are more sensitive and far less expensive to use than trying to find a specific air quality monitoring device.

Characterize odours Interestingly the N95 masks, that are now so commonly used, are helpful in odour investigations. Wear the mask while in a home or office and lower it briefly as you move through the space to characterize different odours in different places. The masks help to delay your nose from becoming too used to specific odours.

The most effective resolution is to find and remove the source of the odour.

If it is impractical to remove the offending material, the next best solution is to seal or isolate the material. In the scenario described earlier, if the insulation had been the culprit, it would have been impractical to remove all the insulation, so a thorough air sealing of the wall cavities would have been the right approach. Ventilation is the next most effective strategy, and it can be configured so as to create pressure differences that discourage odour transmission between spaces.

Being keenly aware of the smells you encounter and respecting the noses of your clients will help you help your customer improve the air in their homes.

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Comfort your customers with Clean Comfort

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Goodman Company Canada – Markham Hub 1200 Rodick Rd, Markham, ON L3R 8C3 Toll free number: 1-866-605-1894

2021-11-12 4:27 PM

Asset management program

HVAC/R Products P Air purifier The AtmosAir 800 series provides air purification and odour remediation in spaces without an existing HVAC or air distribution system. The series features a locking, wall-mountable enclosure equipped with an ionization system, blower fan, distribution ducting, and an air flow rating of up to 1,000 CF. The units can be custom-designed and sized for various commercial and industrial applications.

www.

atmosair.com

Veriable frequency drive Franklin Electric introduces SubDrive Connect Plus, its newest variable frequency drives (VFDs) for residential, agricultural and commercial applications. The unit provides a full-featured constant pressure solution for water pumping systems in submersible and aboveground applications using three-phase motors up to 30 hp. The VFD includes soft-start pump protection, builtin lead/lag and alternation capacity up to eight drives, dual set point, pipe fill mode to reduce water hammer, and phase conversion for applications with 230V singlephase input power. franklin-electric.com

The Tag-It asset management program is part of the Regal internet of things (IoT) offering. It enables faster maintenance and simplifies the MRO procurement process through its Perceptiv intelligence platform for monitoring and diagnosing critical equipment 24/7. The Tag-It program allows users to scan a QR code for product information and identify units to ensure they obtain the right parts.

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RS-70 is readily available, stably sourced and has the lowest GWP of all R-22 drop-ins. It is suitable for low, medium and high temperature applications in refrigeration and AC systems, and requires no oil change or system modifications.

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HVAC/R Products P Heat recovery ventilator InspirAIR commercial HRV from Aldes has a nominal capacity of 500 to 1,500 cfm, with a MERV 8 filter, two-horsepower motor, and 24V transformer for controls. The unit, with the company’s high-latent transfer enthalapy core, features a double-wall cabinet with one-inch insulation, with 22-gauge galvanized steel interior and exterior, and is available with additional heating coils and internal bypass.

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Thermal camera

aldes-na.com

The Flir T865 is the latest T-Series high-performance thermal camera from Flir Systems for electrical condition and mechanical equipment inspections. The camera offers a ±1°C (±1.6°F) or one per cent temperature measurement accuracy, and a temperature range of -40°C to 120°C (-40°F to 248°F). The camera is available with multiple lens options, and portable and handheld fixed mount options for work in harsh conditions.

Air & sediment separator Bell & Gossett has expanded its CRS coalescing-style air and sediment separator line. The line, which can be used in any HVAC system, helps improve heat transfer and energy efficiency by breaking entrained air and suspended solid impurities out of system fluid. The line now includes more sizes, connections and configurations, as well as benefits such as lifting lugs to make moving and installing easier, threaded connection, optional skim valve and stainless steel coalescing media. bellgossett.com

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flir.ca

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Road Warrior Name: Ryan Kingsley Company: Northern Gas Installers Job title: Journeyman plumber and gasfitter Born in: Sudbury, ON Lives in: Red Lake, ON Age: 35 Spouse: Taylor Campeau Pets: Three dogs who are rescues from Northern communities - Jiggs, a husky shepherd mix; Finnley, a mastiff lab mix; and Mya, a shepherd mix – and Mr. Slithers, a five-ft. long albino king/corn mix snake.

In the mechanical industry since: 2006 Schools and programs: Graduated with honours from Algonquin College’s plumbing program in 2011, completed apprenticeship program with UAE Local 100 and became a journeyman plumber in early 2012.

By Carolyn Cooper

Ryan Kingsley:

Hooked on Sunset Country

R

yan Kingsley admits that when he was first offered a job at Northern Gas Installers (NGI) in Red Lake, ON, a town of 5,000 people just 100 km from the Manitoba border and an 18-hour drive from his hometown of Sudbury, he wasn’t sure if he would enjoy living in the remote community.

Photo: Amy Newport - South Paw Photography

“I’d never heard of Red Lake before, so I Googled it.

And I said not a chance!” he recalls. “But they have a shortage of plumbers, and they continued to call me and finally I said I’d go try it out for two months. That was seven years ago.”

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Kingsley credits the diversity of the work and the region’s famous hunting and fishing scene with keeping him in Red Lake. The municipality is located in the heart of the lake-studded Sunset Country.

“I love being in the bush. I hunt and I fish all the time.

People pay thousands of dollars to come visit the town and spend a week and I get to get paid thousands of dollars to live here, so I absolutely love it,” he says.

NGI provides propane, natural gas, plumbing and solar products and services to the surrounding region, and

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Kingsley works on a huge variety of projects, including with the region’s mining and logging companies, and fly-in First Nations communities. “One day I’ll be putting a furnace in, the next day I’m doing a water heater, and the next I’m flying in a helicopter going to a remote location, putting in a drill camp for an exploration company, or going in a float plane to a reserve to build a water filtration system.”

Although the remote work is always interesting, it does present certain challenges. “I have to make sure whenever I’m going to build anything for the Northern communities that I have my trailer loaded, I need to know every single part that I need, because there’s no stores to go to,” he explains. “A lot of times when I’m building camps for the drillers, or for any exploration, I go up and there’s nothing at all. So, we’re setting up the camps, putting in septic tanks, drilling wells and actually installing the heat trace and insulating everything because it has to be able to withstand -50°C.” In First Nations communities, Kingsley does everything from installing heaters and stoves, to plumbing houses that have come as a kit and brought up on the ice roads

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;

r

during winter. “We’ll put the kits together, we’ll do full HVAC systems and full plumbing systems. And we do a lot of work for the nurses and medical teams at the band office.”

Another challenge is the shortage of plumbers in the area, and Kingsley encourages young people interested in the trades to consider smaller communities where there are more opportunities to learn a wider variety of skills. “If you want endless employment and the opportunity to work anywhere in the country, the mechanical trade is the way to go,” he says. “Right now, I have two really good apprentices, and I wouldn’t be able to do my job without them.” Kingsley also makes a point of only training local residents to keep

Favourite teacher: Don McMillan at Algonquin College Favourite class: Plumbing theory Best advice you’ve ever received: To enter the trades Advice for young people considering entering the trades: If you’re looking for a career you can enjoy and take pride in, becoming a Red Seal tradesman is a great option. You have the ability to work anywhere in the country and earn a good wage The current work ride: A Ford F350 Super Duty Service area: All of Northwestern Ontario Any area you like to get dispatched to, and why? Setting up remote drill and exploration camps. It requires a unique skill set to prepare and manage materials to complete jobs efficiently and service clients where access is limited

skills in the community. “I had enough people come from out of town to take my training, get their tickets and leave right after.”

Although he’s not giving up his day job, Kingsley and his girlfriend Taylor Campeau recently purchased the Water Buffalo, a local coffee shop and water filtration business, which they are taking over in January 2022.

“The Water Buffalo has been here for over 20 years, and it’s all locally roasted coffee and baked goods by my local baker,” he adds. “Everything about the business has to do with Red Lake.”

Best concert you ever attended? Thomas Rhett Favourite magazine: Mechanical Business Favourite local restaurant? The Thirsty Moose Favourite TV show: Forged in Fire Favourite movie: The Longest Yard Favourite season: Summer Favourite place to be: Home Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, hiking and just being outside

One place in the world you would like to visit: Italy Last book you read: The Ontario Plumbing Code

Favourite part of the job? I really enjoy teaching my trade to young people and apprentices to raise the next generation of tradespeople to do a good job and to show pride in their skills

Last movie you saw: Black and Blue Pet peeve: Poor workmanship One word that describes you: Outdoorsman

Tool that you wish you had?

A mini excavator The most useful tool in your toolbox: A pair of Knipex and a Klein multi-bit screwdriver

If I had a super power it would be...

I already have one, I’m a plumber!

My rule of thumb is... If you’re not going to do it right don’t do it at all.

Favourite music: Country and rock M e c h a n i c a l

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ESTIMATING

By Br ook e S t e w a r t

THE RESULTS ON-DEMAND PRICING DATA CAN HAVE ON PROFITABILITY T he erratic commodity pricing market has significantly impacted how often and by how much the prices of components used every day in mechanical bids are changing.

Your estimates are reliant on having accurate, up-to-date pricing from suppliers; when that pricing is constantly moving, bids, and profitability and win rate, are at risk.

To illustrate that point, monitoring the effects of the erratic market on managed content items in April 2021 showed: • Copper building wire changed price 1,754 times.

ON-DEMAND PRICING DATA

• One manufacturer item in the database reported 1,111 price differences.

• The average price deviation across all manufacturer items in the database was 131 per cent.

With every price change comes the possibility a bid will be wrong, causing you to under or over bid, and putting profitability targets at risk.

Ensure item pricing is up-to-date and that you can easily shop for better pricing on comparable items fast, to present the best bid price to win the job, but to also make it worthwhile.

There is an upside. You may already have access to on-demand pricing data in your estimating or project management software and can take action now to implement the necessary steps to ensure the accuracy of estimates. No matter how volatile the market decides to be today, tomorrow or the next day you can have confidence in your bid at bid time and through procurement.

Let’s run through the pre-construction timeline and look at each stage of the workflow where pricing data can create new opportunities to save time, money and headaches when used with estimating software.

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A risky climate can be a good reminder we really don’t need to create more work for ourselves in the day-to-day, there are plenty of forces out of our control willing to do that for us.

PUTTING TOGETHER THE ESTIMATE: CAREFUL SELECTION OF MANUFACTURER-SPECIFIC ITEMS The most reliable pricing data is sourced directly from the manufacturer and includes much more than item costs. You can often get access to product images, size, average market pricing, pressure rating, installation instructions and warranty documents, and so on.

These additional details about the product included in the “component data” means you can make more informed decisions about the items that you ultimately choose for the project. Obviously, price isn’t the only determining factor to whether you’ll ultimately procure the part from your preferred supplier, or a new player who might be offering a really good deal.

You’ll be able to shop around for the best fit for your customer’s needs and proactively identify replacement components, if needed, with a quick search in the content database connected to your estimating software.

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ESTIMATING Cont’d from pg. 62

The key is to make sure you’re using a fully-managed manufacturerspecific component library; not a spreadsheet put together four weeks ago. Those figures may be outdated and are not a reliable source for deciding the competitiveness of your next bid. Value engineering capabilities in estimating software also make it easy to quickly change and compare material price and labour impact.

Pricing volatility provides an extreme environment in which to do business, but it doesn’t become any less important to have complete confidence in facts and figures, including the latest updates to pricing, on any given day.

YOU WON THE BID: BEGIN PROCUREMENT FROM SUPPLIERS Once the bid has been submitted and the job has been won, it’s time to find additional profit margins wherever possible. You may be able to use the pricing data from the estimate to find extra cost savings during procurement. Bid pricing can be connected to suppliers in real-time when integrated with an estimating system. Once you’ve identified a supplier for a manufacturer component, you can update your estimates with supplier pricing, on-demand. Stale pricing is not just a problem before you bid. Just like pricing volatility impacts manufacturer component prices in the bid, it will also impact supplier pricing during procurement.

This is where pricing data can truly make or break profitability in connection with item purchasing.

When you use pricing data with the most up-to-date estimating solutions, you can confirm you have the lowest price for an item by obtaining and comparing pricing from multiple suppliers to lock in the best overall price on items. Sync with estimating software to create value engineering opportunities, and to test how using alternate materials could reduce overall cost of goods. Company-specific discounts may even be applied directly to your estimates.

PLAY A ROUND OF GOLF − INSTEAD OF WASTING PRECIOUS HOURS CHECKING AND DOUBLE CHECKING YOUR ESTIMATES Don’t rely on error-prone, manual data entry. When you’re working with poor data, the costs can be high. Poor data quality can ripple through a project and significantly impact profitability downstream–– requiring change orders, unnecessary time and energy to fix mistakes, workflow disruptions, and can even damage your reputation.

Consider this simple and very real example of what happens to topnotch contractors when they rely on manual updates to estimates instead of using fully-managed, third-party pricing content. The numbers speak for themselves: If a $1,000 estimated item is manually updated, and the last zero is left off by accident, the cost is recorded as $100. If your project requires 10 of these items, you’re charging the client $1,000 and the cost to you is $10,000 − leaving you $9,000 in the hole for a simple data entry error.

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There are many new and innovative ways technology can add value for contractors. Look for solutions offering flexibility with design applications, analytics, collaboration and connecting stakeholders further down the supply chain. There’s never been a better time to explore how the latest connected construction technology can help your business weather the storm.

Brooke Stewart is a senior product manager with Trimble MEP, North America. Based in Toronto, ON, Stewart has been with Trimble for 16 years. Her current role focuses on the MEP Estimating Solutions Portfolio. mep.trimble.com

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From our Flocor family to yours...

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MB FLOCORjjm.indd 1

2021-11-26 12:51 PM

JOBSITE JARGON

Match the terminology you hear in the field to the correct definition or function

by January 6, 2022 and enter for your chance to win a REED PPRK4 Clean Ream Extreme kit. Send your answers to kerry.turner@mechanicalbusiness.com or enter online at mechanicalbusiness.com.

In the event of a tie, the first entry in will be given the win, so don’t delay!

WIN!

EXAMPLE: 1) Water Closet: Another term for toilet  Answer 1, H

A) A complex mixture of toxic and nontoxic gases which may include

hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,

and nitrogen oxides

B) Male and female threads are straight without taper

C) Water free from impurities present in amounts sufficient to cause

JOBSITE JARGON

disease or harmful physiological effects, and conforming to the

1) Water Closet bacteriological and chemical quality requirements or regulations in the jurisdiction 2) NPT (National Pipe Thread) D) A common thermoplastic polymer used in non-pressure DWV systems E) Male thread is tapered and the further you thread the pipe into the

3) AAV (Air Admittance Valve) 4) ABS Pipe/Fittings 5) Flood Level Rim

fitting, it becomes tighter and creates the seal. The same taper

is mirrored inside the fitting with the smallest diameter at the base of

the female thread

F) A building drain that conveys both sewage and storm water or other

6) Air Break (Drainage System)

drainage

7) Backwater Valve

G) A piping arrangement in which a drain from a fixture, appliance or

8) Sewer Gases 9) Combined or Combination

device discharges indirectly into another fixture, receptacle or

interceptor at a point below the flood level rim and above the trap seal

H) Another term for toilet

10) DFU (Drainage Fixture Unit) 11) PSM (National Pipe Straight Mechanical

I) A measure of the probable discharge into the drainage system by

various types of plumbing fixtures

thread)

J) Provides a method of allowing air to enter the plumbing drainage

12) Potable Water

system without the use of a vent extended to open air, and preventing

sewer gases from escaping into a building

where a sewer is subject to backflow, and which prevents drainage or

waste from backing up into a lower level or fixtures and causing a

flooding condition

K) A device or valve installed in the building drain or building sewer pipe

L) The edge of the receptacle (fixture) from which water overflows

Congratulations!

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The winner of the September/October 2021 edition of Jobsite Jargon is Behzad Rokn. Rokn is home building and renovation manager with Teddington Homes.

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2021-11-30 10:52 AM

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2021-11-19 3:28 PM

Marketing

with DOUG MACMILLAN

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

Post-pandemic corporate messaging and communications P

hrases such as “Buy now!”, “Act fast!” and “While supplies last!” have been driving sales in corporate marketing for decades. The promotion of a sense of urgency has been businesses’ go-to strategy. Fast forward to late 2021 and the narrative has changed.

Business messaging has shifted from marketing to communications. Brands have adjusted their tone. Being genuine and compassionate is the driving force while appealing to the audiences’ sense of humanity, rather than just simply urging customers to hurry up and buy.

Now more than ever, instead of adopting a hard pitch or robotic corporate tone, communications are coming in the first-person voice of the company’s owner or senior executive. Companies are working hard to connect directly with customers, building a relationship and an understanding that we are all in the same boat, as opposed to connecting directly with customers’ chequebooks.

As a business, the most important tool that can be utilized is genuine connection. Wherever you stand on communication tools, whether your preference is simply picking up the phone, or you’ve embraced recent trends and are employing a more 2021-esque approach, one thing can be agreed upon: The power of humanity prevails − all hail sincerity.

Forget the swag

Buying into the brand

With email marketing and online style mailings, messaging to clients and potential customers should speak of reasons why the brand or service is trustworthy and worth the customer’s time and energy by providing real examples and testimonials that underscore claims.

The promotional technique should be soft and subtle: in-your-face sales language should be replaced with a stronger focus on “how are you?” and “how can we help?” Acknowledge an understanding of their circumstances or situation that might more subtly indicate a need for a product or service. For example, “You may be concerned about indoor air quality in your home right now. We get that, and I think we can help you.” These undertones of gratitude and genuine caring have proven to stretch much further than a simple deal, discount or yet another junky piece of promotional swag.

Resources: marketinginsidergroup.com wistia.com/learn/marketing/covid-19-video-trends

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A huge factor that plays into your company’s messaging is your own employees’ belief in the brand. Michael Brenner of the Marketing Insider Group said it best, “No business can rely on its employees to get behind its marketing messages and be brand culture ambassadors when those employees don’t really believe in what the business stands for.“ Being honest and ethical with business decisions will lead to a higher credibility among employees, directly translating into trust amongst current and potential customers.

That means brands need to ensure employees are the first to know what’s happening, with rationale and an opportunity for quality dialogue between managers and employees.

In the case of contractors and trade companies, employees are the frontline to customers and what they say in the home directly correlates to their impression of the business. Let’s face it, we have all heard a company’s representative say less than flattering things about their company or throw their boss under the bus.

This behaviour significantly undermines trust and credibility in the brand.

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Align content with image

Lead by doing Another important aspect of the change in corporate messaging is the significance of giving back to your community, and how your brand is leading by doing. Corporate social responsibility is not only mutually beneficial to everyone involved, but it also goes hand in hand with leading, creating a strong company culture, and fostering positive brand recognition. Encourage customers or clients to get involved with a cause or organization that your company is passionate about, and making a contribution to. Research shows people will give when they’re asked by someone they trust; brands can play that role.

The tools by which companies are communicating with their customers are changing, too. As previously mentioned in this column, video consumption in Canada was up 120 per cent throughout COVID, according to WISTIA. Businesses have embraced global challenges by producing video content themselves, conveying a level of authenticity that’s been welcomed by viewers.

Viewers in the YouTube and TikTok age are forgiving of poor lighting or composition. Companies have been stepping up their game with at-home content, and to some degree, that familiar and “homey” feeling has become habituated and normal to most. Embracing this trend with quick “how to” and “did you know” style content aligns with being honest and approachable and is a 2021 homemade recipe for success.

Our narrative also needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to listening as much as just talking by engaging more with customers through social media and review platforms. It’s easy today to test a new idea or product with a virtual “focus group” of actual customers just by tossing the idea out onto Facebook or Twitter. And, instead of the sound of crickets when someone voices a relevant concern or opinion online, responding to them using the same platform, or encouraging them to connect with the company’s preferred means for communication is only the half of it. Businesses should have an active, current, and engaging presence online to reach their customers in a more direct capacity. Connecting with users via comments and direct messages on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, gives the experience of a more human interaction as opposed to talking to a robot or a computer. This leaves customers feeling as though they’ve been thought about, and more importantly, that their business is appreciated.

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Hydronic Products Control valve NovoCon digital control valves from Danfoss are smart devices designed to offer precise control and communication with building management systems to maintain hydronic balancing and design specifications. Operators can remotely receive real-time information on system performance.

The valves are available in medium, large and extra large.

www. danfoss.com

Push fittings Wrot Racer premium copper push fittings from Nibco are engineered to join copper, CPVC-CTS, PEX and PE-RT (with stiffeners) for easy transition between piping systems and quick installation. The fittings feature antimicrobial properties and zero dezincification for residential and commercial applications up to 200 psi and 200 degrees, and are available in 1/2-in. to one-in. sizes.

www. nibco.com

Gas boiler Weil-McLain’s ECO Tec high-efficiency residential condensing gas boiler offers space heating and up to 5.4 GPM of domestic hot water at a 70°F rise, with 95 per cent AFUE. The unit comes in four heating sizes and three combi sizes, with a 10:1 turndown rate. It features a stainless-steel fire tube heat exchanger, four thermostat inputs, three separate temperature outputs, built-in ECM circulator, and can power and control up to five circulators. www.

Isolation valve Caleffi has introduced the 290030 valve, a one-inch male and one-inch female union thread isolation ball valve.

The valve is low-lead compliant and is designed to fit between any Caleffi oneinch union valve body and tailpiece. An optional stem extension is available for projects requiring pipe insulation. www.

weil-mclain.ca

caleffi.com

Parts kit Armstrong Fluid Technology has introduced a parts kit for a range of pumps and circulators, including all design envelope pumps. The kit features engineered combinations of Armstrong parts, including all replacement parts and hardware needed to complete service and maintenance tasks, making servicing easier and more cost effective. Other benefits are easy selection, and more efficient inventory and storage. www.

Radiant floor The VersaTherm Floor System from Legend Hydronics is a low-profile, high-output, snapfit dry radiant panel system. The 3/4-in. thick panels, which snap together in minutes, are pre-insulated and naturally water resistant. The system uses 1/2-in. tubing for greater circuit lengths, and the entire surface transfers heat. www.

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Thank you...

to our readers for being there for Canada during COVID

THank you ads Final #3v3.indd 3

2021-09-24 3:04 PM

MEETING REPORT

B y C ar o lyn Cooper

HRAI AGM FOCUSES ON TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS

T

he Heating, Refrigeration and Air conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) held its 53rd annual general meeting virtually to update members on association activities, introduce its new chairs, and discuss changes in the HVAC/R industry.

Keynote speaker Phillippe Dunsky of Dunsky Energy and Climate Advisors kicked off the meeting with a discussion of changing energy use in Canada and the current transition away from fossil fuels. Dunsky pointed out that Canada’s plan to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 means additional opportunities for HVAC/R contractors, who can help home and building owners switch to air-source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps and other innovations that help decarbonize buildings.

discussion of decarbonization by emphasizing the need for the industry to embrace opportunities presented by the transition.

“Our industry has the technology and know-how to deliver the solutions, but we need to do a better job of letting the public and governments in on this secret,” he said. “To demonstrate leadership HRAI is in the process of developing a bold statement that declares the industry’s desire and attempt to take constructive action in relation to climate change. This statement will position the industry more forcefully as a willing and ready partner that, rather than simply responding to what governments are trying to achieve, will lead the way with innovative and effective solutions for Canadians. But this means industry will have to embrace changes that will lead to major industry opportunities.”

As well as covering business issues such as association finances, HRAI president Sandy McLeod discussed a governance and strategic priorities review with stakeholders. The organization met with stakeholders throughout October, with any changes to be implemented in 2022.

“One study that came out recently

by Efficiency Canada found that to achieve our carbon targets in Canada we’re going to need to retrofit and switch heating solutions at a rate of about five per cent per year,” said Dunsky. “One out of every 20 households every year is going to need to be switched from a fossil intensive heating solution to a low or no carbon heating solution over the coming 30 years.”

Other speakers included Huw Williams, president of Impact Public Affairs, who discussed the recent federal election and it’s affect on HRAI and the HVAC/R industry.

Noting the number of returning MPs, Williams said that “all of the hard work that HRAI has done in the background really allows us to deal with those returning MPs without having to start at first base with them.

They understand the challenges and they understand where HRAI is in terms of solutions.” Williams sees more involvement for HRAI members as the federal government continues its efforts to fight climate change.

Tara Smith of Mr. Furnace/Furnasman New Homes is now the HRAI contractor division chair.

“One study that came out recently by Efficiency Canada found that to achieve our carbon targets in Canada we’re going to need to retrofit and switch heating solutions at a rate of about five per cent per year.”

Martin Luymes, vice president of government and stakeholder relations for HRAI, wrapped up the

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Finally, chair for 2020/2021 Rob Flipse of Ainsworth Inc. presented a look at HRAI’s initiatives over the past two years, noting that “During the early days of the pandemic, we were successful ensuring our industry was needed as an essential service,” and pointing to government initiatives such as the Greener Homes grant, green building trades, and provincial apprenticeship and training programs, as key wins for the association. Flipse concluded by announcing that Scott McDonald of Johnson Controls Canada will take over as chair for 2022/2023.

During the contractors’ division AGM and town hall, outgoing divisional chair Eric Foren of MasterTech HVAC and Plumbing reported that membership retention remained at 92 per cent, a positive sign considering the challenges contractors have faced in the past year. Foren also announced that former vice chair Tara Smith of Mr. Furnace/ Furnasman New Homes will take over as division chair.

The meeting ended with a review of programs the division will be pursuing in the coming year, and a discussion of issues affecting members, such as mandatory COVID vaccinations and vaccine passports. hrai.ca

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Fujitsu General Airstage VRF Perfect for small, tall, and everything in between Flexible Fujitsu Airstage VRF systems. The perfect, and more profitable solution for residential, retail and commercial installations.

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10/12/21 10:00 AM 2021-11-12 10:26 AM

BUILDING TRENDS GEORGE BROWN BREAKS GROUND ON ONTARIO’S FIRST MASS TIMBER INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING B y C a r o lyn C o oper George Brown College in Toronto, ON has begun construction on The Arbour, the province’s first mass timber, low carbon institutional building. The 10-storey building will be located at the school’s Waterfront Campus.

The new structure, designed by Toronto-based Moriyama and Teshima Architects and Vancouver, BC-based Acton Ostry Architects, will be made of sustainable mass timber components sourced in Canada, and has been planned to maximize natural light and fresh air. It will also include smart building technologies.

Mechanical contractor for The Arbour is Toronto-based Black & McDonald Ltd., which George Brown College spokesperson Joyann Callendar says will start work on the project in March 2022, with a projected final completion date of June 2024. Paul and Douglas Automatic Sprinklers Ltd. are the fire protection contractors.

Rendering of the Arbour, at George Brown College’s Waterfront Campus in Toronto.

CWC’s report also indicates wood has natural thermal resistance which, combined with tight tolerances in the building envelope assembly, can result in buildings with high operational energy performance, better indoor air quality and improved human comfort. In addition, wood stores or sequesters carbon, meaning mass timber is a low-carbon material with the potential to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions in the building industry.

George Brown College points out that mass timber has inherent fire resistance “due to charring which tends to protect residual wood as it acts as an insulator. Moreover, it is quite difficult to ignite mass timber elements in a building (i.e., columns, beams, floors) due to their massive sizes.

Often, mass timber buildings are fully or partially encapsulated with gypsum or cement boards which further protect the wood from being engaged in fire.” In addition the school says mass timber offers improved dimensional stability, and better structural and fire safety.

Mass timber, which refers to large dimension solid lumber, glued-laminated lumber (glulam), cross-laminated lumber (CLT) or other large-dimension wood products, is used for tall buildings worldwide. The buildings are actually hybrids, meaning they include other building materials for foundations, the first floor or for elevator and stairwell shafts.

Recent case studies such as the Canadian Wood Council’s Brock Commons Tallwood House report, reveal that wood is a safe, cost-effective, and high-performance option in constructing tall buildings. Because mass timber products are prefabricated, construction can be faster and more consistently higher quality, and their lighter weight allows building in areas with poor soil, reducing foundation requirements.

The Arbour will house a centre for innovation called The Tall Wood Research Hub, a research centre that will focus on mass-timber construction called The Mass Timber Research Hub, as well as the School of Architectural Studies and the School of Computer Technology. The building will also include a childcare centre serving the surrounding neighbourhood. According to the school, the facility is “flexible and future proof, and is designed to adjust to changing academic uses and a changing climate.”

Since it was announced in 2018 The Arbour has won numerous design awards, and has been listed by MaRS as one of “10 Toronto green buildings to get excited about.”

The 10-storey Arbour is designed to maximize natural light and fresh air.

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Look for more on the trend to mass timber building and its impact on mechanical system design in an upcoming issue of Mechanical Business.

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2022 CALENDAR

OF

39

Call us to advertise in our CMPX March Issue!

EVENTS

The Nov Virtu theb

ASHRAE Winter Conference January 29 - February 2 Las Vegas, NV Hybrid ashrae.org

MEET (Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology) Show May 4 – 5 Moncton, NB meetshow.ca

AHR January 31 - February 2 Las Vegas, NV ahrexpo.com

National Apprenticeship Conference May 29 – 31 Halifax, NS caf-fca.org

BuildEx Vancouver February 16 - 17 Vancouver, BC informaconnect.com

CIPH ABC June 19 – 21 Jasper, AB ciph.com

IAQA Annual Meeting & EXPO February 23 – 25 Tucson, AZ iaqa.org

13th International Industrial Ventilation Conference for Contaminant Control June 22 – 24 Toronto, ON ashrae.org

Chillventa October 11 – 13 Nuremberg, Germany chillventa.de/en/

ASHRAE Annual Conference June 25 – 29 Toronto, ON ashrae.org

Unless specified otherwise, events are in-person. For the most current information regarding event status visit mechanicalbusiness.com.

Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE) March 8 – 11 Milan, Italy mcexpocomfort.it Gala in Support of Habitat for Humanity March 22 Toronto, ON ciph.com CMPX March 23 – 25 Toronto, ON cmpxshow.com

World Refrigeration Day June 26 Around the world worldrefrigerationday.org International Federation of Hospital Engineering International Conference September 17 – 22 Toronto, ON ches.org

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ASPE Convention & Expo September 16 – 21 Indianapolis, Ind expo.aspe.org

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The Canadian Hydronics Conference September 27 – 28 Saskatoon, SK ciph.com

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Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada Conference September 28 – October 1 Halifax, NS mcac.ca

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GOT AN EVENT? SPREAD THE WORD! If your organization has a conference, trade show or other event coming up, send details to kerry.turner@mechanicalbusiness.com See it all online at www.mechanicalbusiness.com

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PROJECT PROFILE

REROUTING DRAINAGE FROM 29 PLUMBING FIXTURES ALLOWS HOTEL TO REMAIN OPERATIONAL The historic Edgewater Hotel in Whitehorse, YT overlooks the majestic Yukon River, with a lineage tracing back to the Klondike Gold Rush. This particular gold rush between 1896 and 1899 involved a migration by an estimated 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of the Yukon.

In 2017, the hotel underwent a $2.2-million renovation, offering 33 upgraded rooms and suites, each with a new washroom featuring fully tiled showers and glass doors. But the upgrades did not end there, as hotel ownership recently decided to add a completely new wine bar to its list of amenities.

The historic Edgewater Hotel overlooks the majestic Yukon River. project. Tackling residential, commercial, and industrial service and installation, the company services the Yukon and northern British Columbia.

According to Bryan Albanese, who is a journeyman gasfitter and plumber, his company portfolio includes everything from typical service calls to major installations, commercial kitchen appliance service and repair, to liquid propane industrial distribution maintenance.

The Belly of the Bison wine bar opened on schedule in the summer of 2021.

The wine bar has three new washrooms, two unisex stalls, and one handicapped bathroom, each with a sink and water closet to accommodate guests. The handicapped bathroom also has an emergency floor drain with a trap primer.

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Albanese Mechanical, a plumbing and mechanical contractor also located in Whitehorse, was awarded the plumbing scope of the

“Being so remote, you need to have a broad range of knowledge and skills under your belt,” explains Albanese. “I love being in the service industry. You never stop learning, and it makes you solve a wide variety of problems for your clients.”

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OVERCOMING THE CAST STACK CHALLENGE The Edgewater Hotel project, in particular, posed some unique problems.

According to Albanese, the job entailed rerouting drainage from a cast iron soil pipe stack to the side of the building, while also picking up the drainage from the three new wine-bar washrooms.

The cast stack, which is the pipe system that wastewater and sewage flow into to be expelled into a sewer line, is located in the middle of the room above the hotel’s basement. It discharges the drainage from seven of the hotel suites to the main drain line.

“With the new washrooms added to the wine bar, I could not make the grade to tie the drainage back into the main drain line,” explains Albanese.

“Along with that issue, there was no way to get around two large supporting beams for proper drainage.”

The best solution was to add the wine bar washroom loads (eight fixtures) and the load from the seven hotel suites (21 fixtures, including showers, tubs, toilets, and lavatories) to the far side of the building.

Time is of the essence in the hospitality industry. Ultimately, hotel ownership’s main concern was to keep the hotel operational and downtime to a minimum during renovations.

Conventional plumbing wasn’t feasible.

THE SOLUTION

Photos: Saniflo

Albanese needed a costeffective alternative to pump wastewater from the newly added wine-bar washroom and hotel-suite bathrooms to the existing main drain line at the far side of the building.

Before image showing the cast iron soil pipe stack located in the middle of the room above the hotel’s basement.

This stack discharges the drainage from seven of the hotel suites to the main drain line. The job entailed rerouting drainage from a cast iron soil pipe stack to the side of the building, while also handling drainage from three new wine-bar washrooms.

“I didn’t need to look far for a solution after explaining the situation to another contractor, who recommended a preassembled duplex lift station capable of discharging wastewater from multiple fixtures,” Albanese says.

Equipped with two 1.5-hp motors (duplex), the lift station can discharge effluent through either two-in. or four-in. rigid pipe and offers a shut-off head of 43 ft. The system provides above-floor drainage for multiple plumbing fixtures for an entire commercial or residential structure, thus eliminating the need for costlier and less-convenient sewage ejector pit installations.

The lift station employs an internal air pressure switch to automatically cycle the units on and off. It has a failproof sensing mechanism system. Three pressure switches are installed on the system’s own internal dip tube, in order to detect the water level inside the enclosure. The unit also comes equipped with a wired control panel and an external audible and visual LED indicator alarm if a pump experiences overload or ceases to operate.

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Albanese installed the lift station in the hotel’s basement.

The four-inch discharge pipe runs from the top of the lift station 10.5 ft. vertically and 25 ft. horizontally before tying into the existing drain line.

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PROJECT PROFILE I

PLANNING AHEAD

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With its easily removable circular panels on top, the enclosure permits ready access to major components inside. The result is easier and cleaner servicing.

To keep the hotel operational, the Albanese Mechanical team blocked off time at night to cut into the line and test and commission the lift station. “The hotel was able to run normally after the testing was complete,” he says.

The pump impeller creates a vortex action as the effluent enters the lift station enclosure. This technology keeps solids away from the impeller as it turns, pushing waste rapidly through the pump and to the discharge pipe. In doing so, the possibility of clogging is reduced.

With up to 250 gallons per minute (gpm) flow rate, the maximum height either pump can discharge is 36 ft., using two-in. diameter pipe; and 20 ft., using four-in. pipe. Flow rates vary, depending on the discharge-pipe diameter and the elevation the flow must overcome, ranging from 26 gpm at 36 ft. of head with a two-in. pipe and one motor operating; to 250 gpm at three ft. of head with a four-in. pipe and both motors operating. Both motors turn on upon gpm demand, increasing the amount of wastewater it is capable of discharging.

Albanese installed the lift station in the hotel’s basement. “The four-in. discharge pipe coming from the top of the lift station runs 10.5-ft. vertically and 25-ft. horizontally before tying into the existing drain line.”

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The drain lines coming from the washroom loads and the load from seven hotel suites running to the lift station.

Eventually, the basement, formerly a restaurant, will be converted into a gym. “After the conversion, I will cut into the floor and run conventional drainage lines while the lift station picks up the load,” explains Albanese.

“The unit allows my customer to operate the new bar and will give them flexibility on when to start the basement renovation.”

Meanwhile, adds Albanese: “I will provide the client with a preventive maintenance schedule to keep the system in tip-top shape and cut down on servicing issues.”

Albanese adds that the hotel owners particularly like that the external audible and visual LED indicator alarm can be placed at the front reception desk to provide a quick alert if the lifting station encounters any issues.

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STUFF YOU NEED Knee pads

Tape measure Dewalt’s Toughseries hand tools includes tape measures with a rugged housing and RipShield blade coating. The tape measures are available in 16-, 25- and 35-ft. lengths, and feature double-sided print and a removable magnet hook connection for greater versatility.

The tape measures are stronger straight than previous models, allowing workers to measure long spans alone.

Toughbuilt offers a range of interchangeable shell knee pads for skilled trades professionals, including waterproof, ultra light, non-marring and stabilizing models, as well as thigh support stabilization knee pads. Knee pads are available with GelFit and FoamFit design for ergonomic comfort, and interchangeable SnapShells are made of shatter-resistant plastic that protect the knee while allowing side-toside movement.

www. toughbuilt.com

www. dewalt.ca

Magnetic hex drivers Malco Products has expanded its line of C-RHEX cleanable, reversible magnetic hex drivers to include seven- and eight-mm hex sizes. This line is available in two-, four-, and six-in. length models. The seven-mm size is specially designed with a slim profile for easier access in tight spaces.

www. malcoproducts.com

Slip joint pliers

Drill bits Diablo’s multi-material carbide tipped hammer drill bit range is suited for use in tile, masonry, concrete, wood and metal.

It offers a carbon tip that extends the life of the bit while increasing productivity, allowing users to drill holes faster and cleaner. The line of six-in. long bits come in a variety of diameters, and features increased shank stability and durability in cordless and corded impact and drill drivers, delivering more holes per charge. The flute design also removes dust and chip build-up, and keeps the carbide tip cooler to maintain maximum strength.

The TwinGrip Pliers from KNIPEX Tools have a five-adjustment push button for a greater gripping capacity from 5/32-in. to 7/8-in diameter.

With both front and side gripping areas, the pliers can be used for gripping stripped screws and bolts, as well as round, square, hex materials and flat objects with maximum force. Made of high-grade chrome vanadium steel, the pliers feature a slim head for use in hard to reach spaces, and a guard to prevent pinched fingers.

www. knipex.com

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

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BTN

Compiled by Mechanical Business

BY THE NUMBERS

RENOVATIONS RETURN 55 Percentage of Canadians who say they have done a renovation during the pandemic or would like to do a home renovation within the next year, according to the RE/MAX 2021 Renovation Investment Report.

10,000

BUILDING BOOM

Maximum dollar amount 47 per cent of Canadians say they want to spend on home improvements.

43

49

Percentage of all working cranes that are located in Toronto, more than any other city in North America according to a report by Rider Levitt Bucknall (RLB). The next highest number of cranes, at nine per cent, were in Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, DC.

Percentage of Canadians who prefer to use a professional tradesperson for most or all of their home renovations.

HYGIENE HABITS 37, 78, 57 Percentage of Americans who said they washed their hands six times a day when asked pre-COVID, in April 2020 and in January 2021.

53 Percentage of people who say they now prefer to wave hello; 29 per cent said they prefer a fist or elbow bump; and 16 per cent like air hugs.

79

WINTER IS COMING 45.5 Average feet of snow that falls on Mount Fidelity in BC, the location with the highest recorded average snowfall in Canada.

21 Average feet of snow received by Woody Point, NL each year, more than any other community in Canada.

304 Days that Alert, NU has at least one centimetre of snow on the ground.

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Percentage of U.S. office workers who believe no-touch fixtures are an important feature in workplace washrooms, according to a survey by Bradley Corp.

COVID SAFETY MEASURES ON THE JOB 62 Percentage of employers who have introduced COVID-related improvements to make employees feel safer returning to the workplace. Upgrades include adding hand sanitizing stations around the office (66 per cent), cleaning offices and restrooms more frequently (65 per cent) and encouraging employees to stay home while they’re sick (51 per cent). Only 42 per cent of companies say they have communicated these changes to their employees.

Percentage of Canadian real estate owners who say they are over budget and late on construction projects, with an average of 26 per cent over budget and 73 days late. Labour shortages and environmental regulations were the two top reasons cited.

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