The Noritz NRCB residential combination boiler allows simultaneous hot water and space heating.

Fresh off a big win in the PR category at Cannes, Matt Neale joins the podcast to talk about award-winning work and more.

Jeff Hahn joins the podcast to talk about his firm’s unique Austin, Texas-based culture, surviving his own crisis and much more.

PRWeek sat down with panelists at its inaugural conference in New York City on Thursday to discuss the day’s events and the role AI is playing at their companies.

The founder and CEO of the Acceleration Community of Companies drops by a special Halloween edition of PRWeek’s podcast.

As residential building codes and energy conservation standards continue to evolve, many are requiring proof of high quality air sealing.

As building codes and programs such as Energy Star and Passive House require higher degrees of air sealing in new construction, the use of heat recovery ventilation (HRV) is increasing.

I’ve written it before and I’ll write it again — panel radiators are one of my favorite hydronic heat emitters. I base this sentiment on several benefits. Here are a few to consider…

 All boilers that burn hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, propane, oil or wood produce water vapor as a byproduct of combustion.

Many legacy hydronic heating systems use a fossil fuel boiler to supply fin-tube baseboard heat emitters in some areas of a building and lower-temperature radiant panels in other areas. 

Government planners, taking their queues from politicians and advocacy organizations, have steered the future of energy supply away from fossil fuels and toward renewably-sourced electricity. It’s happening on every level from the feds right down to local city councils.

More and more hydronic heating and cooling systems are being designed around air-to-water and water-to-water (geothermal) heat pumps. When the heating distribution system is extensively zoned, a buffer tank is typically installed between the heat pump and that distribution system.

Last month, we discussed the role of buffer tanks in combination with air-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps that operate as “on/off” devices. The key concept was to turn the heat pump on and off based on changes in the buffer tank temperatures and not based on thermostats calling for heat.

Although the market for solar thermal systems is a tiny fraction of what it once was, I still believe there are viable applications that could help in decarbonizing thermal energy systems.

The overall objective was to create a complete HVAC system, rather than just a heating + cooling system. The system would provide space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and fresh air ventilation.

Last month, we began discussing the HVAC system installed at my church’s newly-constructed parsonage. In this month’s column, we’ll complete the picture.

One of the best things about hydronic heating is there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized. One of the worst things about hydronic heating is that there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized.

Find out about piping options for retrofitting an air-to-water heat pump into an existing hydronic system.

There is a growing interest in adding air-to-water heat pumps to existing hydronic heating systems. While I support their use, I do not recommend replacing a perfectly good cast-iron boiler that still has a long service life.

In rural upstate New York, residents harvest trees for firewood using chainsaws and hydraulic splitters. I burn about two face cords annually in my wood stove, enjoying its warmth during winter and relying on it during power outages caused by outdated utility lines.

Primary/secondary piping is a way to achieve hydraulic separation by connecting multiple hydronic circuits with their own circulators to prevent interference. Using a pair of closely spaced tees is a common method to achieve this.

I attended a conference hosted by the Building Performance Association and presented on air-to-water heat pump systems. Many professionals were interested in heat pumps, especially ductless air-to-air systems. One person mentioned the difficulty of finding qualified installers for air-to-water heat pumps and noted the higher cost compared to ductless air-to-air systems.

Air-to-water heat pumps and water-to-water geothermal heat pumps provide warm water for space heating, domestic water heating, and chilled water for cooling. Switching a hydronic heat pump system from space heating to cooling and vice versa seasonally is relatively simple. The system operating mode is changed at the thermostat or a dedicated system mode switch with heat, off, and cool settings.

In 1986, I installed a 1.5-ton geothermal heat pump in my home using two 500-foot horizontal HDPE earth loops. After digging a trench, I connected the loops to the pump and opted for a 2 HP swimming pool pump to fill and flush the system, as a garden hose couldn't provide the needed flow rate.

A little water conservation can go a long way.

And as the second-most visited space in commercial buildings — just behind the lobby — the restroom and its water-saving fixtures can help lead the way when it comes to cutting back consumption.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association had a monumental year in 2022. It kicked off with the first in-person Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) event since 2020. Last year also marked the 60th anniversary of the association and the 10th year since KBIS and the International Builders’ Show (IBS) joined forces to create what is now known as Design and Construction Week (DCW)’s NAHB Builders Show.

As businesses and homeowners across the nation wrestle with inflation and stretching their dollars for maximum value, one area that can’t be overlooked is the heating system.

Have you remodeled a bathroom recently? If so, maybe you’ve noticed problems with the toilet.
To get more specific: Is it rocking noisily when the homeowner takes a seat? Or maybe they've noticed water pooling at the base. Perhaps the flooring surrounding the toilet feels soft. Or water spots have appeared on the ceiling located directly below the toilet.

How is the aging population changing product design? Builders and designers have been hearing from clients that homeowners now want to age-in-place, and they also want to renovate their existing homes to accommodate various generations living under one roof. The lack of housing stock and current mortgage and interest rates have contributed to this phenomenon. This shift in living has been a boon to the renovation industry, and it has given rise to innovations and building processes that elegantly combine technology and health benefits in the service of independence for elderly or anyone with physical challenges.

RainStick Shower co-founders Alisha McFetridge and Sean McFetridge share a longtime passion for water conservation. In 2019, the two began building the North American Market’s first water circulating shower. Supply House Times Chief Editor Natalie Forster sat down with Alisha McFetridge to dive into RainStick Shower’s backstory and plans for the future.

Watts Water Technologies held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in April to celebrate the grand opening of its latest training center in Fort Worth, Texas. The new 250,000-square-foot facility is customized for training, administration and manufacturing, and joins five other Watts Works Learning Centers across North America.

In the third edition of the Bath & Kitchen Pro eBook you’ll find both residential and commercial product and design trends, showroom display trends, economic indicators and more!

The decision to build the first CO₂-neutral ceramic production facility in Canada is a significant investment for a sustainable future for the global brand and a vital step for climate neutrality by 2045.

Eight important factors to consider when selecting and installing a residential floor drain.

Multiple generations living together under one roof, has challenged traditional ideas about space utilization and functionality.

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) returned to Las Vegas in 2023.  Hoping to break records again, KBIS/IBS returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center this year. Explore the latest products, technologies, and trends in kitchen and bath design.

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show marked the most successful show in its 60-year history this past February. Watch a few of the exhibitors talk about their product.

In the fourth edition of the Bath & Kitchen Pro eBook you’ll find both residential and commercial product and design trends, showroom display trends, economic indicators and more!

Hands-on training supported over 2,200 students in The Philippines, Mexico and Thailand.

Water scarcity and quality are widespread issues in the US. Embracing sustainability is crucial to the evolution of plumbing, with tried-and-true fixtures and new advances making a healthier, more water-efficient reality possible.

Selected as one of 33 projects in the U.S., the funding will be matched by Kohler investment to support the Electric Boiler & Microgrid project at its manufacturing site in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Paperboard, corrugated and carton solutions have been a key area of focus for manufacturers due to their dependability and ease of use. This focus has resulted in key innovations regarding environmental responsibility and design investments.

In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration obtained commitments from manufacturers to cease sales for food contact use of grease-proofing substances that contain certain types of PFAS.

The investment has allowed the company to expand the size of the production space in La Chevrolière by 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) and has been made in response to an increasing demand for sustainable corrugated cardboard by existing and potential DS Smith customers in the region.

Strategic move underscores Meyers’ commitment to expanding its footprint in the folding cartons sector.

The Build Your Own Box tool offers an unprecedented level of customization, ensuring that businesses can create packaging that perfectly aligns with their product dimensions and brand aesthetics.

The Acquisition will expand Mondi’s corrugated footprint in Western Europe and add complementary fiber-based products, focused on eCommerce and FMCG, to enhance its existing customer offering.

For more than 17 years, I’ve been helping contractors learn and practice good habits. It has improved their lives, their employees’ lives and even the lives of the customers they serve.

What is finally going to fix things at your company? 

One of the most common things I see when I begin my work with a new contracting client is the resistance to train employees.