Leading North American Plumbing organizations come together

Chicago — For the first time, leading North American plumbing organizations came together on June 7, 2011 to discuss current issues impacting the plumbing community. Stakeholders represented included plumbers, contractors, engineers, inspectors, code officials, standards development organizations, and manufacturers. The meeting was facilitated by the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) and was held at the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) facility in Chicago.

The key issue discussed by the group was a presentation on electronic (hands-free) faucets provided by Johns Hopkins University staff at a recent national conference and the subsequent media coverage. During the June 7th meeting, the participants reviewed the Johns Hopkins presentation based on the limited public information available and also heard presentations from Dr. Paul Sturman, PE, from the Center for Biofilm Engineering at Montana State University, who spoke on biofilms; Doug Erickson from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), who discussed the status of a project that is surveying hospitals on their use of electronic faucet systems; and Jim Mann, Executive Director of the Handwashing Leadership Forum.
The following conclusions and recommended actions resulted from the meeting:

• The use of electronic faucets provides significant benefit by reducing the potential of cross-contamination from faucet handles to healthcare providers’ hands.

• Broad industry participation (manufacturers, engineers, subject-matter experts, and installers) early in any research process would enhance the research regarding accuracy and results.

• As no one in the group had seen the actual study, additional information is needed concerning the results presented by Johns Hopkins, and the group agreed that outreach should continue. Questions prepared by the group will be provided to Johns Hopkins, along with an invitation for them to participate with the group in further research and data collection.

• Full support was given to the position statement recently published by ASHE and the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

• The ASPE Research Foundation will coordinate research projects designed to address questions raised by the Johns Hopkins presentation.

• A separate position statement on the use of electronic faucets will be developed by the group for future release.

• There is tremendous value in bringing together stakeholders to discuss important industry issues. While this meeting was the first of its kind, it will not be the last, as significant benefits resulted from the cross-industry communication on the issue.

Organizations represented at the meeting included:

• Alliance for Water Efficiency • American Backflow Prevention Association • American Society of Plumbing Engineers • ASPE Research Foundation • Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating • Canadian Standards Association • International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials • International Code Council • Mechanical Contractors Association of America / Plumbing Contractors of America • NSF International • Plumbing Contractors Association of Chicago and Cook County • Plumbing Manufacturers International • Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association • Underwriters Laboratories

ASHRAE presents 2011 Lou Flagg Historical Award to global collaborators for their ‘History of Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems’

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has presented the prestigious 2011 Lou Flagg Historical Award to Canadian Robert Bean, R.E.T., P.L. (Eng.) and two collaborators from Denmark and South Korea on a recently published, two-part historical series on radiant heating and cooling.

The trio was recognized at the 2011 ASHRAE Annual Conference in Montreal, held June 24-29, for the most outstanding recorded history of either projects or persons related to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry.

Bean, who served as the lead researcher, and co-authors Professor Bjarne Olesen, Ph.D., from the Danish Technical University and Professor Kwang Woo Kim, Arch.D., from the Seoul National University were recognized for their global collaborative work on the "History of Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems," published in the January and February 2010 issues of the ASHRAE Journal. Bean, Olesen and Kim, who began the project in 2006, are specialists in building energy and indoor environmental quality and have extensive knowledge of radiant-based HVAC systems.

A Registered Engineering Technologist through the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET), Bean is a graduate of N.A.I.T.’s Building Construction Engineering Technology program and a Professional Licensee (Engineering) through The Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA).