engineers

Caleffi North America, a leader in state-of-the-art engineered solutions for hydronic and plumbing systems and committed to Excellence in Education, announces that registration is now open for Coffee with Caleffi™ LIVE at AHR 2024, Booth #S7941.

With training content suitable for contractors, engineers, and distributors, AHR attendees can register for up to three of the unique in-booth training events that were inspired by the popular Coffee with Caleffi™ technical training webinar series.

Coffee with Caleffi LIVE will engage attendees with informative, lively conversations being lead by by industry experts like Mechanical Hub’s John Mesenbrink, Tim Ward, Eric Aune and Andy Mickelson as well as esteemed Carlson-Holohan Award Alumni including John Siegenthaler, Dan Holohan, David Yates, Bob Rohr, Ingrid Mattsson, John Goshulak, David Hughes and perhaps a surprise or two!

Free Registration and Schedule at a glance: 

• Monday, 1/22 at 11:00 am:   Charting the Course for Lifelong Learning
• Monday, 1/22 at  2:00 pm:    Enabling Electrification Through Hydronics 
• Tuesday, 1/23 at 11:00 am:  Bridging the Knowledge Gap

For those who pre-register, a special gift will be provided (one per attendee, while supplies last) and the opportunity to enter a drawing to win a one-of-a-kind sculpture by Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr.

A barista will be on hand to prepare a made-to-order Americano, espresso or cappuccino to compliment your Coffee with Caleffi LIVE experience.

“It’s like Disney World for engineers and contractors,” said one visitor on the tour. The Mechanical Hub team made a quick visit to Apple Valley, Minn., to visit Uponor North America as the company celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed Uponor Experience Center with a “pipe-cutting” ceremony.

Andres Caballero (fifth from left) performs the pipe cutting for the new Uponor Experience Center.

The team was treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the new 4,500-sq.-ft. customer experience center, which features hands-on displays, full-scale residential and commercial training areas, and cutting-edge innovation showcases, and a place to bring MEP students from the area to get a taste of the trades. The new Uponor Experience Center is a flexible education and discovery space designed to advance the technical skills of current and potential customers. In addition, it will help foster innovation within the plumbing and HVAC industry and provide an immersive experience for employees and visitors alike.

Some displays mimicked true applications.

The new Uponor Experience Center occupies the company’s previous customer training area, which was originally built in 2000 and renovated in 2010. It is at the center of the North American headquarters campus, surrounded by corporate offices, an R&D facility, and manufacturing space.

Andres Caballero thanks his staff for all of the hard work and dedication that went into planning and constructing the experience center.

“The opening of our new Uponor Experience Center signifies the importance we place on keeping the needs of our customers, employees, and key stakeholders top of mind as we continue our mission of becoming the global leader in sustainable water and energy solutions,” says Uponor North America President Andres Caballero. “The ‘X’, as our employees have begun to call it, is a culmination of our rich history and decades of innovation coming together to generate awareness and create enthusiasm for moving water more efficiently, effectively, and sustainably.”

With original concepts beginning back in 2020, the Uponor Experience Center was several years in the making. The thoughtful design, which takes into consideration the company’s rich Finnish roots, resulted from many months of internal team collaboration, as well as feedback from customers, partners, and industry influencers.

Mechanical Hub took the opportunity to record parts of the Appetite for Construction podcast with Des Clancy, director of training, Uponor, and the “architect” for the new center.

As guests move through the front doors toward the back of the space, they first experience displays depicting who Uponor is as a company along with the customers served and the unique value provided to key audiences and the industry.

Experience center visitors will get the full hands-on treatment as seen here with one of its gracious partners Milwaukee Tool and its PEX Expander.

Then, there are product showcases and interactive displays for plumbing, fire safety, radiant heating/cooling, hydronic piping, and pre-insulated piping system solutions for residential and commercial markets. Finally, there is an oversized training area, featuring both wood and steel structures, where professionals will learn proper hands-on installation techniques as well as how Uponor’s emphasis on problem-solving and productivity delivers results for their businesses.

Doug Vetter, center, and Brian Spjut, left, from Vetter Plumbing, came all the way from Seattle to get a first glimpse of the space. (Pictured right is Uponor’s Dan Hubbard.)

“We wanted the Uponor Experience Center to extend beyond simply training customers on our products and systems,” says Vice President of Sales Matt Bahr. “As a result, we’ve created a holistic experience that spans a broad spectrum of who we are as a company, showcasing the depth and breadth of our product portfolio and sustainable solutions as well as providing access to the best trainers in the industry.”

With the focus not only on customers but also employees and those in the community, Director of Training Des Clancy says the planning team was very thoughtful about creating an elevated experience for everyone.

“At any given time, we will have contractors, builders, engineers, owners, students, employees, civic leaders, and other guests coming through the doors,” he says. “From tours and training, to onboarding and education sessions, the Uponor Experience Center offers something for everyone, and we are proud to showcase all we are offering to the industry and our community.”

Mechanical Hub’s John Mesenbrink (l) and Tim Ward (r) complete the “Uponor sandwich” as they also toured Uponor’s Distribution Center in Lakeville, Minn., with tour guide and director of logistics and warehousing, Nate McIntosh.

Watts is pleased to announce a live APSE-accredited CEU webinar — “Data Center Server Cooling Optimization.” This webinar is tailored specifically for engineers, architects, designers, specifiers, and facility managers involved in retrofitting, expanding, or constructing data center facilities.

On Tuesday, July 25^th at 12 p.m. ET, attendees will learn about how a well-designed cooling system can increase the efficiency of a data center and lower operational costs. Participants can earn 0.1 ASPE CEU that counts toward professional development and licensure requirements.

In this webinar, industry subject matter experts will discuss:

• Different server cooling technologies
• How server cooling interfaces with chilled water systems
• Optimizing the interface of server cooling to building chilled water systems
• Controlling thermal expansion
• Sizing of the expansion tank and pressure relief valve

To register, www.watts.com/DataCentersCEU.

The designs of the plumbing system and the architectural design must work well together. Reduced installation costs are a direct result of good design. It could result in a more effective plumbing system and perhaps prevent future frequent plumbing problems. An architect who takes the plumbing system into account might even foresee future requirements, reducing disturbances during upgrades and remodels. What advice should plumbers follow while creating plumbing systems, then? It is clear that architects are not plumbers. However, during the design process, architects need to take into consideration the plumbing.

Well, in order to help you find answers to that question, we have gathered the necessary information to provide you with those answers. Now, if you are ready and want to learn more, sit tight and let’s dive right into the topic at hand.

Learn About Plumbing Regulations

Plumbing requires careful consideration and detailed design, which should complement the building’s architectural features.

As an architect, it is your responsibility to ensure that your design complies with all applicable local, national, and international plumbing requirements.

For instance, certain codes may specify the number of units that must be connected to a particular fixture. Other construction regulations involve topics including pipe diameter, stormwater treatment, ventilation, and drainage.

Following these guidelines will help your design stand out from those of other creators.

Make sure you are informed on the most recent local building regulations for safety, water and energy conservation, as well as environmental effects.

Most local building authorities need pre-approval of draft plans before any plumbing work may start. If a thorough planning process is implemented, there will be no inconsistencies or errors in the drawings. Due to that, if you are working as a real estate agent, getting familiar with plumbing regulations is simply a necessity if you want to be one of the best architects Miami has to offer.

Consult with MEP Designers to Help 

You can benefit substantially from the design expertise of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers. In this manner, you may identify any issues that may arise throughout the installation and maintenance process. You probably already know that the clash between architectural and plumbing designs is one of the most significant worries of MEP designers and plumbers.

The greater your pre-design collaboration with them, the fewer issues will develop. In order to avoid any problems, try to work with a reputable plumbing business.

This strategy has the benefit of ensuring accurate plumbing sizing. Making enough area for plumbing fittings is another crucial problem in construction that can be avoided with enough research and cooperation from plumbing experts. This is where using BIM software may be quite helpful.

Take Energy and Cost into Consideration

Skilled architects should consider energy conservation when creating their designs. Some might wonder what connection there is between architects and energy.

For instance, it’s crucial to consider the distance between the water heater and the kitchen and bathroom. In reality, more heat will be lost the longer it takes the hot water to reach the user. These circumstances require the use of extra materials in addition to energy, which can get very expensive for the owners.

Another aspect that needs to be considered is the type of HVAC system and determine whether the inside layout of your home is effective for circulating air and allowing for natural ventilation. In actuality, you may minimize the requirement for mechanical ventilation with proper indoor architecture. Therefore, a key factor in lowering the building’s energy use is the architect.

Let Your Creativity Help You Along the Way

While each part of your plumbing system has a distinct function, they may also be employed as ornamental elements. Even though modern systems are frequently concealed in walls, some of their parts are still seen negatively. Sometimes these observable pipelines or other things can perform wonders. You may turn them into attractive items with a little imagination and even less money.

For instance, some interior designers think of hanging plant-filled vases to improve the aesthetics and air quality of the space. Others attempt to hide the pipes with wooden decorations to give the space a more traditional appearance. Although some individuals who have creative views are also interested in these designs, this is more appropriate for rural houses and cottages.

Final Thoughts

Although it is not the responsibility of architects to design plumbing systems, it is crucial that they understand the fundamentals of these systems. When designing bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas with plumbing fixtures, specific rules must be taken into account. If you refuse to take into consideration these regulations, it is needless to say that you will be met with quite a few problems in your line of work. Making an effort to learn and understand these regulations is a fundamental aspect that will help you succeed in your future jobs.