■ Pipes, Valves & Fittings
The contractor that can do both the plumbing and electronic connections will gain a competitive advantage.
Connected
Ohren, backflow prevention product manager for Apollo Va l v e , M a t t h e w s , N o r t h Carolina. Just about every manufacturer today either offers a connected product or is developing one. “Plumbing is kind of like the last frontier to be tied into building management systems (BMS), remarked John Mankins, product manager, water control and safety, for Zurn, Paso Robles, Calif., which offers numerous connected options for backflow and flood prevention. The primary focus f o r Wa t t s Wa t e r Technologies, Andover, Massachusetts, has been flood protection, reported backflow product specialist Cameron Rapoport. “I think the reason that backflow has moved a little more slowly into the connected space than some other products is because of the strict regulatory environment around it,” he added. Apollo Valve doesn’t currently offer connected backflow products, noted Ohren. “We have been looking at them and considering them for our next stage of development.”
backflow prevention Flood prevention drives move to digital technologies By Simon Blake
www.plumbingandhvac.ca
The adoption of “connected” devices for backflow prevention has been relatively slow, but there is one major issue driving it. Where an engineer has no option but to locate the backflow preventer inside a large building where the result of a full discharge could cause catastrophic damage, having it connected to a water shutoff and providing an alert to building maintenance personnel is a significant safeguard. “If there are assets within that building that need to be protected or cannot be compromised – data centers for example – then this connected technology specifically for backflow prevention regarding RPZs where there is a leak or flooding event – that’s where we primarily saw the application (of connected technology),” remarked Hans
Incorporating electronics Zurn’s latest connected technology builds on the company’s SDS technology, which tied the Please see ‘Installation’ on page 27
May/June 2020 – Plumbing & HVAC
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