Smart Solutions Category: Valves

Enhancing Pipefitter Training: A Collaboration Between NIBCO & Local 597

Recognizing the need for skilled professionals equipped with knowledge and practical experience, NIBCO, a leading provider of flow control products, has partnered with Chicago Pipefitter’s Local 597 Union to enhance its training programs. This collaboration aims to elevate the level of training and ensure that apprentices are well prepared for the field.

Local 597’s Training Approach

Local 597’s apprenticeship program is a comprehensive five-year course designed to produce highly skilled pipefitters, welders, and HVAC service technicians. With 1,200 apprentices currently enrolled, it is one of the largest programs in the country, with a rigorous curriculum split between classroom instruction and hands-on training. The first three years involve block training, where apprentices spend three months in intensive training before heading into the field for nine months. In their fourth and fifth years, apprentices attend night classes while gaining field experience during the day.

Local 597 Training Director Joe Bonato oversees the main facility located in Mokena, IL, another in Palatine, IL, and a satellite school in Crown Point, IN. Bonato is a firm believer in the importance of exposing apprentices to industry specialists to supplement their learning. NIBCO’s involvement has made a significant impact.

NIBCO’s Role

NIBCO approached Local 597 with a proposition to support the training center by sharing expertise, particularly in copper development and valve technology. Since fall 2023, NIBCO has been providing lectures and hands-on training sessions.

“Our 597 instructors are fantastic and possess great experience from being in the field, but it is a huge benefit to bring in industry specialists [who] can take us to the next level,” explained Bonato.

Kyle Coleman, Local 597 training instructor, highlighted the value of this collaboration. “NIBCO expands on what we can offer in-house. They provide insights into the purpose and function of various valves, which is crucial for our apprentices,” he said.

NIBCO’s Aaron Kilburg, commercial sales manager, and Sean Kelly, area sales manager, bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience from years of experience at NIBCO to the training sessions. Their approach is twofold—a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on training. The first day focuses on lead-free soldering with valves, where apprentices receive one-on-one instruction and feedback. The second day delves deep into valve best practices, providing apprentices with the tools to make better selections and troubleshoot issues in the field. Apprentices also learn about the vast array of commercial and industrial valves available today.

The Impact of Hands-On Training

Through the NIBCO-Local 597 collaboration, the apprentices gain practical experience. During hands-on sessions, they practice soldering large diameters and working with larger valves, which they might not encounter frequently in the field and are also cost-prohibitive to practice on during normal training.

“The opportunity to solder a 2” ball valve is rare. This training experience is crucial, as it helps apprentices understand the intricacies of working with different materials and techniques,” explained Kelly.

Bonato acknowledged the significant impact of the partnership. “NIBCO has been top-notch in their approach. They are hands-on, engaging, and committed to helping

us produce the best journey workers possible. Their involvement ensures that our apprentices receive the highest quality training,” he noted.

Building Skills, Building Relationships

The hands-on training provided by NIBCO is invaluable for apprentices. “Apprentices get the opportunity to practice soldering larger-size pipes and working with large valves in a controlled environment. This not only builds their confidence but also ensures they are well prepared for real-world applications,” explained Coleman. The feedback from apprentices has been overwhelmingly positive.

NIBCO’s involvement goes beyond mere instruction; the focus is on building relationships with the apprentices. Kilburg explained, “We aim to create an environment where apprentices feel comfortable reaching out to us for additional training or resources. It’s about fostering a sense of camaraderie and support.”

“I think it is genius of a company like NIBCO to invest the time to come here,” said Bonato. “They are meeting and building relationships with the next generation of leaders— the industry supervisors, project managers, general foremen, and potential owners.”

NIBCO has conducted similar training sessions at various union locations in the Midwest, including Local 75 in Wisconsin, Local 166 in Indiana, and Local 130 in Illinois. This widespread involvement underscores NIBCO’s commitment to enhancing the skills of the next generation of professionals in the industry. The training sessions are continually refined based on feedback from apprentices and instructors.

“Every training session is a learning experience for us as well.” Kilburg commented. “We pick up new techniques and insights from the apprentices and instructors, which helps us improve our training methods.”

Looking Ahead

By combining classroom instruction with practical, hands-on experience, the partnership between NIBCO and Local 597 provides apprentices with a comprehensive learning experience that prepares them for the challenges of the field. As the collaboration continues, both NIBCO and Local 597 are committed to refining and expanding their training programs and are dedicated to ensuring that apprentices not only acquire the necessary skills but also develop the confidence and knowledge to excel in their careers.

The NIBCO-Local 597 partnership represents a model for successful industry collaboration. By leveraging the expertise of industry specialists and providing practical training opportunities, this initiative is setting a new standard for apprenticeship programs. As Bonato put it, “It’s about bettering the brand and ensuring that our apprentices represent the best in the industry. With NIBCO’s support, we are well on our way to achieving that goal.”

Kilburg added, “As appreciative as Local 597 is for the training we are providing, NIBCO is appreciative of the relationships we are developing.”

This collaboration not only benefits the apprentices but also strengthens the industry as a whole. NIBCO and Local 597 are demonstrating that with the right support and training, the next generation of mechanical contracting professionals will be well equipped to meet the demands of the industry.

For more information, visit www.nibco.com. To learn more about training, contact Aaron Kilburg, NIBCO commercial sales manager, at kilburga@nibco.com.

Cleaning Up Coal Plant Emissions

A coal-burning power plant in Gallatin, TN, chose Apollo® Valves from Aalberts integrated piping systems for a vital environmental upgrade. Apollo Valves products were selected for their reliability, durability, and precision—crucial characteristics in managing the slurry of limestone that neutralizes sulfur dioxide in flue gasses.

The project involved the installation of scrubber technology. Scrubbers are essential for cleaning gasses emitted from smokestacks. They play a pivotal role in reducing air pollution and curbing the formation of acid rain, which aligns with national efforts to meet stringent Clean Air Act regulations.

Specifically, the project used 1½” through 4” 87A-90X-24, 300 class full port stainless flanged Apollo Valves. These valves are equipped with AS spring return pneumatic actuators.

Approximately 130 Apollo actuated valves were integrated into the scrubber system. The successful implementation of these valves not only ensured operational efficiency but also enhanced environmental compliance, significantly reducing sulfur emissions from the plant.

This scrubber project is a testament to how Aalberts integrated piping systems and its Apollo Valves brand support the power industry’s transition to more sustainable operations. It exemplifies how industrial applications can achieve environmental goals through technological innovation.

For more information, visit aalberts-ips.us.

Holmberg Mechanical Saves Time, Meets Regulatory Requirements with Help from Anvil International

Timeline on Track for Seattle’s New Colman Dock

Holmberg Mechanical knew Anvil International’s Gruvlok® products would help them meet the quick turnaround time required for the new Colman Dock in Seattle, WA, which will service the largest ferry system in North America. But the job posed another challenge. Because the dock is a publicly funded project (with a price tag of $455 million), Holmberg Mechanical had to comply with Buy America Act (BAA) standards. They needed to secure the right materials on time and with the proper BAA certification.

Anvil’s Gruvlok products met both criteria. Holmberg installed hundreds of Gruvlok fittings and couplings for the first hydrostatic test, which involved more than 1,000 linear feet of 6″ piping. The test was successful, and all Gruvlok products performed perfectly. Randy Hart of Holmberg Mechanical, who has been in the industry nearly 30 years, commented that Gruvlok technology “is a foolproof design that reduces labor when compared to welding.” Anvil International provided Holmberg all the required documentation to comply with BAA standards. Anvil is an MCAA major sponsor.

The combination of Gruvlok technology, excellent communication, and the ability to deliver all materials and documentation in a timely manner made the project a success for Holmberg Mechanical and Anvil International. This five-year project is expected to be complete in 2023.

For more information, visit www.anvilintl.com. MCAA thanks Anvil International for being an MCAA major sponsor.

With HDPE Pipe and Victaulic Couplings, Shoemaker Mechanical Makes Light Work of Cooling Tower Replacement

By using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe rather than carbon steel and pairing it with Victaulic’s HDPE pipe joining system, Shoemaker Mechanical replaced a cooling tower in less time than planned, with fewer people than expected, and avoided potential weather delays. Tulsa Community College’s (TCC’s) system has performed with no issues since it was installed. Victaulic is an MCAA major sponsor.

Attractive Alternative

Ranked in the top four percent of community colleges in the United States, TCC has more than 25,000 students attending four locations spread across the city of Tulsa, OK. Recently, an academic building on the college’s Metro campus, located downtown, needed a new cooling tower to provide water to its HVAC system.

TCC initially favored carbon steel for the tower’s piping system, but after consulting with Shoemaker Mechanical, the contractor responsible for the cooling tower and related mechanical room installation project, as well as considering various other factors, the college agreed to explore alternative pipe materials that could streamline installation without sacrificing performance.

The budget and the timeline for the cooling tower project were tight, so any change in the piping materials selected had to allow for quick and efficient installation. And since the new cooling tower would be located on the roof, the system needed to be durable and withstand the elements.

Shoemaker Mechanical ultimately proposed HDPE pipe, which matched the construction type of the new specified cooling tower and offered compelling benefits. Not only does HDPE pipe weigh less than carbon steel, making it appealing to installation crews, it can be joined with Victaulic mechanical couplings more efficiently and with fewer workers and resources than traditional methods.

“HDPE helped us beat our piping installation schedule, and with Victaulic couplings, we did it with a smaller crew.”

— Richard Shoemaker III, Project Manager, Shoemaker Mechanical

“Looking at the schedule, logistics, and potential weather conditions, as well as seeing they’d previously used HDPE on the cooling tower construction, it made sense to use HDPE and keep everything consistent,” said Richard Shoemaker III, project manager for Shoemaker Mechanical.

After evaluating the labor and material costs and benefits to the overall project by pairing HDPE pipe with Victaulic’s new Style W907 couplings, TCC and the engineer ultimately approved the proposed plan. The TCC cooling tower replacement was the first project in the country to use Victaulic’s new 14″ Style W907 couplings.

Despite Weather, Swift Completion

Victaulic’s HDPE pipe joining system allowed Shoemaker’s crew to quickly
and safely install more than 360′ of 4″, 10″, and 14″ HDPE pipe in just two days,
faster and more easily than expected.

In preparation for the installation, Victaulic worked alongside Shoemaker Mechanical to review project drawings to integrate their system solution for HDPE pipe into the plan, then the project went to prefabrication. The teams collaborated to amend plans as change orders came in and adjusted accordingly when the timeline was pushed back to limit disruptions to the TCC class schedule.

Once onsite, Shoemaker Mechanical had one weekend to move materials from the street to the roof of the seven-story building without bucket hoists, pulleys, or elevators. The team used a crane to lift parts into position, while crews easily maneuvered the lighter-weight piping into place by hand. Workers then joined the HDPE pipe with hand tools and visually verified correctly installed joints by ensuring bolt-pad-to-bolt-pad contact, giving them confidence in the system’s durability and longevity.

As the installation progressed, winter arrived in Tulsa. Some days were cold and wet, while others were warm and sunny. On snowy days, workers were especially grateful for Victaulic’s couplings, because they did not have to lie in the snow to weld steel pipe together. If Shoemaker Mechanical had decided to fuse the pipe, the snowy conditions would have forced the crew to use tarps during their fusion process, making it even more laborious.

Using Victaulic’s new 14″ Style W907 couplings—for the first time anywhere in the country—Shoemaker cut the number of work hours required to install a new cooling tower by 50 percent over estimated time.

Despite the unpredictable weather conditions, Victaulic’s HDPE pipe joining system allowed the crew to quickly and safely install more than 360′ of 4″, 10″, and 14″ pipe. By choosing Victaulic, Shoemaker Mechanical reduced the number of work hours by more than 50 percent and finished ahead of the original project timeline by 15 percent, all while using a smaller, four- to six-person crew.

“HDPE helped us beat our piping installation schedule,” said Shoemaker. “And with Victaulic couplings, we did it with a smaller crew.”

A Successful Combination

Plastic piping continues to gain ground as materials like HDPE offer greater corrosion resistance at a competitive cost when compared with materials like carbon steel pipe. Victaulic’s HDPE pipe joining system allows you to install plastic piping quickly and in any weather condition compared with traditional methods like fusing.

“Victaulic made multiple visits over to us, the engineer, and the owner to make sure everyone understood Victaulic’s HDPE products and ensured our team was up to date on the proper installation methods,” said Shoemaker. “Their support throughout the project helped make it a success.”

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com. MCAA thanks Victaulic for being a major sponsor.

Get Precise, Consistent Joints with Laser Welding

NIBCO INC. Appreciates the Benefits of Laser Over Other Welding Processes

Many types of welding have been proven performers for a long time. Welding is, at its core, simply a way of joining two materials. While there are other ways to join metal (e.g., riveting, brazing, or soldering), welding has become the method of choice for its availability, high performance, and high strength.

Essentially, all welding processes are the same: melt the metal in a seam so that it can blend, then fuse—forming one piece. This process is achieved (more or less) satisfactorily depending on the materials in the two pieces, the welder’s experience, the method used, and the costs in time and labor. Weld strength and appearance are also factors. NIBCO INC. favors laser welding for its strength and efficiency. NIBCO INC. is an MCAA major sponsor.

Bringing Metals Together, One Weld at a Time

The welding process dates to the Bronze Age (~3300 BCE to 1200 BCE), when copper alloys were heated until the metal softened, then pounded together with a hammer on an anvil to create a forge weld. Now, 5,000 years later, there are three basic welding techniques:

  • Gas welding
  • Arc welding
  • Laser welding

Traditional welding methods (e.g., gas and arc) generate large amounts of heat. Some techniques can create so much heat that the welded pieces can warp and distort, which can ruin the work piece or require a heat treatment or other remedial actions (adding to the cost). Welding requires skill, training, and specialized, expensive equipment.

Gas welding requires bottles of acetylene and oxygen. The acetylene is mixed with the oxygen to create a flame that can be used to melt metal. Gas welding is a slow process.

Arc welding uses closely controlled, high-amperage electricity to form an arc from the electrode to the work pieces. The welding power source is a transformer that modifies incoming AC power so that it can create an arc that melts the work pieces. Filler rod is typically used in this process.

The Future Is Now

Laser welding, compared with forge welding, is a relatively new technology. It is used in many high-tech industries, including automotive, aerospace, and oil and gas. Laser welding uses a high-energy laser beam to melt the materials being joined. The metals then rapidly solidify after the laser moves on or turns off. Laser welding, when used for joining valve components, increases the pressure-containing ability of the valve as compared with a traditional, threaded assembly. The process is repeatable, efficient, and strong, producing high-quality assemblies.

Laser welding is very precise, fast, and clean. Lasers are also flexible. Different operations, such as cutting or drilling, can be accomplished through straightforward machine setup changes. Depending on the types of materials being welded, different welding equipment and supplies are required. Although laser welding equipment is capital intensive, operating costs are low.

Lasers provide the accuracy, repeatability, speed, and confidence modern manufacturers want. Lasers generate more concentrated heat (high-power density) than arc and gas welding. Laser energy can be focused precisely to make the smallest-possible weld seam. Those attributes make the laser ideal for welding thin, heat-sensitive products, as well as for joining dissimilar materials, such as copper and aluminum. Bronze alloys lend themselves well to most welding processes, and laser is no exception.

So, for what types of applications would laser welding offer the most advantages? Laser welding is best applied to production lines where its precision, repeatability, speed, and safety can be controlled. Laser welding consistently repeats the weld from the first part to the final part in the production run.

For more information, visit www.nibco.com. MCAA thanks NIBCO INC. for being a major sponsor.

Jomar Valve Explains the Corrosion-Resistant Properties of Heat-Treated Brass as Alternative to Bronze for Plumbing

For those considering open-loop copper plumbing systems, there may be a misconception that bronze valves are the only reliable option for dezincification resistance. However, changes in lead-free requirements as a result of the Safe Drinking Water Act have led to new, viable alternatives to bronze. Heat-treated, dezincification-resistant brass valves are becoming a popular specified product within the engineering community. When subjected to ISO 6509 testing, heat-treated, dezincification-resistant brass valves perform as well as bronze in fighting against corrosion.

What Is Dezincification?

Many forms of corrosion can occur in copper-based alloys. The most common in plumbing systems is dezincification. This process mainly exists in copper zinc alloys that contain more than 15 percent zinc. Dezincification selectively removes zinc from an alloy, leaving behind a porous and copper-rich structure with poor mechanical strength.

Additional environmental factors can also contribute to the acceleration of dezincification. These factors include water with high levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide, slow-moving (or stagnant) water, water with high chloride ion content, and water with high salt content above room temperature.

In some instances, design engineers and contractors are unaware of harsh, preexisting conditions prior to beginning work onsite. However, after completion of a piping system, a number of visual signs might indicate a higher likelihood of dezincification in common copper alloy valves. These indicators include mineral stains on the outer surface of a valve, water weeping from a valve body or stem seal, and the presence of a white deposit (zinc oxide) on the exterior of the valve. A narrowly written valve specification can help minimize these potential failures by simply calling for a proper corrosion-resistant, copper-based alloy.

How Can Brass Become Corrosion Resistant?

Two manufacturing methods can eliminate dezincification in copper-based brass alloys. The first method is to increase the copper content, which results in a reduction of zinc in the alloy. The second practice involves adding corrosion inhibitors to brass alloys. Only through a controlled-heating and slow-cooling annealing treatment can the second method create a stronger material with a realigned molecular structure. Brass alloys typically have two phases to their molecular structure. The first—alpha phase—is dezincification resistant; the second—beta phase—is dezincification susceptible. When brass alloys are enhanced to an all-alpha phase through heat treatment, they perform the same as bronze alloys when fighting dezincification.

The Solution: Heat-Treated Forged Brass

An example of a heat-treated alloy in the commercial plumbing industry is CW511L. This duplex brass is a lead-free brass alloy composed of both an alpha and beta phase. Alpha and beta phases correlate to the solubility between metals in brass alloys, resulting in different colors and structures in each phase. As a result of the temperature changes in heat treatment, elements within the alloy change their liquid and solid states, resulting in a restructured alloy composition.

The alpha and beta composition is resistant to cracking and is extremely malleable at high temperatures. The purpose of heat treatment is to transform alpha and beta phases into a predominately alpha phase (dezincification resistant). After heat treatment, the new composition structure’s alpha-to-beta-phase ratio is less than one percent beta phase, resulting in a dezincification-resistant alloy. At this point, beta phase is now referred to as a residual beta phase, and the alloy structure is 99 percent in alpha phase. This restructuring leaves a brass alloy that is now truly dezincification resistant.

Figure 1 (below) shows the varying phase changes of CW511L during the heat treatment process. These changes are distinguishable by the color and shape of the crystals within the alloy. When the alloy completes its heat treatment process, the color of the brass will appear more gold than bronze under a microscope. However, the valve body surface will appear bronze in color due to the oxidation of brass at 1,000° F (537.87° C).

When CW511L brass is heated to a temperature of 1,000° F (537.87° C), an all-alpha phase is achieved. This alpha state is maintained in the alloy by a slow-cooling, annealing process. The end result is optimal dezincification performance when tested to the ISO 6509 standard for determining dezincification depth of copper alloys with zinc exposed to fresh, saline, or drinking water. The method is intended for copper alloys with a mass fraction of more than 15-percent zinc.

Third-party ISO 6509 testing explored dezincification susceptibility among copper-based alloys, including bronze and brass valves. This testing illustrated the difference in dezincification depths for each valve and corresponding alloy. It was determined that heat-treated CW511L brass showed a dezincification depth of zero microns, which was equivalent to the dezincification depths seen in bronze valves. The remaining non-heat-treated brass valves showed dezincification above 200 microns depth as illustrated in Figure 2 (below).

This level of dezincification is above the acceptable performance level based on the ISO standard, deeming the non-heat-treated brass valves as not truly dezincification resistant. The results of the test prove that not all brass materials are equal and that certain heat-treated brass alloys can perform as well as bronze when it comes to corrosion resistance.

Jomar Valve’s white paper offers more detail on dezincification: https://www.jomarvalve.com/docs/lit-wp-crb.pdf

Consider Alternatives

Dezincification in plumbing systems is an ongoing battle, but bronze is not the only solution. New technologies, like Jomar Valve’s heat-treated CW511L brass alloy, can act as a combatant to dezincification while providing an increased level of mechanical strength.

For more information, visit www.jomarvalve.com.

Milwaukee Valve Pros Explain How to Check Your Check Valves

Depending on the application, check valves can get a bad rap. They are blamed for problems such as water hammer, vibration, reverse flow, leakage, or component wear and damage—all of which are harmful to downstream systems. However, the real cause of these problems usually stems from poor sizing and inadequate selection of the check valve for the application.

Most check valves are selected on line size and the desire for the largest valve flow coefficient available. Swing checks require a minimum rate of flow for the valve to function. If the flow is not sufficient to hold the disc in a fully open and stable position, the disc and associated internal parts will be in a constant state of motion (wobble). Insufficient flow results in premature wear, noisy operation, and vibration.

The solution to this problem is selecting a line size that produces sufficient flow. A general rule of thumb for water systems is to maintain a minimum of 7.5 feet per second (ft/sec) flow rate. If the system struggles to maintain that flow rate, it is sometimes recommended that the line size be reduced.

In piping systems containing other types of fluids, the flow requirements vary with the specific gravity of the media. The following formula can be used to approximate the minimum flow rates.

Flowmin (ft/sec) = 60 √V

V = specific volume of fluid (ft3/lb)

Silent check valves such as the Milwaukee Valve 1400 (Wafer) and 1800 (Globe) have slightly different flow requirements. Spring-loaded silent check valves are designed to provide a cracking pressure of 0.5 psi and to fully open at a flow velocity of 4 ft/sec.

All check valves should be installed in a location that has smooth and laminar flow conditions. The following general rules exist for check valve installations:

Downstream of a reciprocating pump or other turbulence-inducing device (elbow, tee, etc.):

  • Swing type: Locate the valve a minimum of 10–12 diameters downstream of the device.
  • Silent type: Locate the valve a minimum of 4–5 diameters downstream of the device.

Pipe fittings, elbows, reductions, etc., downstream of the valve:

  • Swing type: Locate the elbow a minimum of 5–7 diameters downstream of the valve.
  • Silent type: Locate the elbow a minimum of 2–3 diameters downstream of the valve.

For more information, visit www.MilwaukeeValve.com.

Victaulic and Current Mechanical Achieve Perfect Harmony on Ambitious Expansion Project

Victaulic Products and Expertise Help Current Overcome Labor Shortage to Meet Tight Timeline 

For a demanding new warehouse project with a nine-month timeline, Current Mechanical counted on Victaulic’s experienced virtual design and construction (VDC) team, fabrication services, and grooved mechanical couplings to save installation time even as its workforce was stretched thin. “With the labor shortage, I am not sure we would have been able to complete this project without using Victaulic’s fabrication services,” said Steve Lewis, project manager at Current Mechanical.  

Lewis continued, “Victaulic was able to model the room, create 3D installation drawings, and assist with spatial challenges when they arose with other trades as the project progressed. The biggest advantage to using Victaulic’s fabrication services was that we were able to reduce manpower and save critical time by allowing the construction crew to spend its time focusing exclusively on installing the piping system.” 

Scaling Up With Control 

In 2019, Sweetwater Sound, Inc. planned to expand its Fort Wayne, IN, campus by building a new 500,000-square-foot warehouse. Sweetwater began in 1979 as a recording studio in a Volkswagen bus and has since become the largest online retailer of musical instruments and professional audio equipment in the United States.

“The biggest advantage to using Victaulic’s fabrication services was that we were able to reduce manpower and save critical time by allowing the construction crew to spend its time focusing exclusively on installing the piping system,” said Steve Lewis, project manager at Current Mechanical, of the Sweetwater Sound storage facility project.

Storing musical instruments requires a climate-controlled environment, so maintaining appropriate conditions within the warehouse was critical. High humidity and fluctuating temperatures increase the risk of cracks, corrosion, and broken strings, so precise control is vital to preserving the integrity of the instruments in storage.  

The project also had to be completed in just nine months, which was a challenge because of its large scope of work, including six air handling units (AHUs) with humidification; two chillers; a two-cell cooling tower; three boilers; heating, chilled, and condenser water pumps; an air piping system for conveyor systems; a domestic water system; and a reverse osmosis system for humidification.

The system installed also had to be scalable to accommodate future warehouse expansion. The initial concept was to build a giant central plant that answered the immediate needs of the facility but that was constructed so it could be expanded to meet the higher loads required to adequately control humidity and temperature in a larger space as more demand was made on the system. 

Making Music Together 

The contract was awarded to Current Mechanical, a Fort Wayne-based contractor that specializes in refrigeration, plumbing, HVAC, process piping, medical gas piping, and fire protection services. Current Mechanical had a solid track record with Sweetwater, having previously completed work for two other warehouse facilities, as well as its corporate office in Fort Wayne.

Although Current Mechanical had worked with Sweetwater before, the company had not installed the type of humidification system that was required for this new-build warehouse. Additionally, they were also undertaking this project at a time when their workforce was stretched thin. Current Mechanical needed a partner that could expedite and simplify installation to relieve some of the pressure on its limited crew and provide fabrication to facilitate site work.  

Current Mechanical’s successful partnership over the past 15 years with Victaulic, the leading producer of mechanical pipe joining solutions, made the decision to reach out for support an easy one. By joining forces, Current Mechanical would not only have access to Victaulic’s experienced and knowledgeable VDC team, they also would benefit from the company’s fabrication services. And by using grooved mechanical couplings, which are 10 times faster to install than welded joints, Current Mechanical could streamline installation with its limited workforce, which was an enormous benefit on a project that was understaffed from the outset.  

Managing Last-Minute Changes 

Victaulic’s VDC team proved its value throughout the project, identifying potential issues, working rapidly to address them, and responding quickly to engineering design changes.

Sweetwater anticipated expanding its new warehouse, which would necessitate scaling up temperature and humidity control, so this project incorporated four large AHUs, all of which required triconnection coils. Problem-solvers at Victaulic addressed this requirement by using a series of single-coil AHU drops, which Current Mechanical was able to install in only four days.

“One of the last steps before issuing fabrication spools is to issue preliminary drawings for review and signoff,” said Brandon Horton, territory sales manager at Victaulic. On this project, “we received guidance from the mechanical engineer that required last-minute changes. Our VDC group was able to adapt and make the applicable adjustments needed.” 

Once the revised preliminary drawings were approved, Victaulic’s VDC team began the fabrication process, which included spooling, fabrication maps, cutting lists, truck loading logs, and material procurement. 

“Making changes, especially during fabrication, can be a challenge, but it’s incredibly important to make sure everything will meet layout and design intent,” said Josh MacMurray, piping coordinator at Victaulic. 

Pulling all the pieces together for seamless execution requires a true team effort. “It’s quite a collaborative ecosystem,” said MacMurray. “There are modelers on one end developing quantities, then they pass it on to customer care to allocate and prepare for production. We also work with the fabrication team to make sure the right quantities will be at the right place at the right time.”

Victaulic provided on-site support and allocated all of the materials ahead of time, which was particularly valuable for the large-diameter pipe, which was not stored by the contractor and not available from local distributors. This approach meant materials could be released as needed for each phase of construction, and the necessary materials were onsite to permit construction to continue according to plan. 

Innovative Solutions 

Because of the size of the warehouse and its eventual expansion plans that would necessitate scaling up temperature and humidity control, this project incorporated four large AHUs, all of which required triconnection coils. Problem-solvers at Victaulic addressed this requirement by using a series of single-coil AHU drops. “This was an example that really showed the flexibility of our product lines,” said MacMurray. 

As critical as this solution was, of equal significance was the product’s ease of installation. Although the contractor feared the workaround would be labor- and time-intensive, because of the simple design of the Victaulic catalog item, workers were able to complete the AHU drops in only four days.  

Another “first” on this project was the installation of Victaulic’s QuickVic™ SD Installation-Ready™ System for small-diameter pipe. Used on the compressed air system that moves the conveyors that transport instruments through the warehouse, these products featured a thermally diffused zinc coating for improved corrosion resistance. 

Additionally, Victaulic’s globe-style balancing valve was a key advantage for this project. Globe-style valves are preferred over ball-style valves because they provide much more accurate flow control of the heating and chilled water through the AHUs, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.  

Local newscast provides a look inside Sweetwater’s new warehouse: https://wpta21.com/2020/02/17/take-a-look-inside-sweetwaters-new-52-5-million-warehouse/  

The Grand Finale 

Working together, Current Mechanical and Victaulic were able to successfully deliver the project on schedule. Even more important, the groundwork has been laid for Sweetwater to continue to grow for future encore performances.

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com. MCAA thanks Victaulic for being an MCAA sponsor.

Health System Trusts Brandt and NIBCO Valves and Press Fittings for New Hospital Project

When University Health System in San Antonio, TX, invited Brandt to bid on the mechanical and plumbing contract for their new facility, they requested the same systems and products—including NIBCO valves—that Brandt had used on a smaller project with University Health a few years earlier. “The best sales tool is performance,” said Kyle Holmes, senior vice president at Brandt. In addition, Brandt welcomed the opportunity to use NIBCO pressed fittings for the job, saving labor and avoiding the risks of welding. NIBCO is a major sponsor of MCAA22.

University Health’s planned Women’s & Children’s Hospital is a 521,000-square-foot, 12-story, 300-bed hospital expansion for women, babies, and children. Construction began in September 2019 and is scheduled for completion in July 2023. The project includes the new structure and renovation to the hospital’s central plant, as well as additional shell space for future growth. When completed, 4,000 fixtures will be installed. Headquartered in Dallas, Brandt has established itself as the largest MEP contractor in Texas. The firm’s in-house capabilities range from build/design, construction, and commissioning to service.

Time-Saving Systems

At Brandt, Holmes is responsible for planning, purchasing, and maintaining relationships with manufacturers and vendors. He also has been instrumental in Brandt’s business practices and has worked to establish standards, such as the installation matrix, which ensures that everyone on the Brandt team, from estimation to installation, knows what products are used for different systems, whether domestic water, heating, or chilled water. These time-saving standards are particularly critical for health care projects, which typically have more MEP systems per cubic foot than other types of projects.

Using pressing tools and NIBCO fittings, Brandt made most of the joints inside the racks, which range in size from 20’ to 30’ long so they could be transported. Pressing is especially useful for connecting the joints in a rack system, where insulation can easily catch on fire.

The installation matrix details the specific items required for each system. For example, instead of saying a ball valve will be installed, the matrix specifies a NIBCO PC-585-NS valve. Everything is documented, not only so the building owner can feel comfortable with what is being purchased, but also to ensure that the Brandt team is installing the right items in the right places.

For the Women’s & Children’s Hospital, NIBCO valves were specified for a majority of valves, ranging in size from of 1/4” to 20”, from very large butterfly valves to smaller valves spread throughout the building in the various MEP systems, including hydronic systems, domestic water systems, steam systems for sterilization, and chilled process water systems. A valve matrix was created to designate every valve to be used in every size, in every system.

“Valves are really important, but especially in health care,” explained Holmes. “Valves are actually very complex and have an important job to perform in the MEP system. Often, if you have problems in a system, the valve is likely the issue, whether it is leaking or a function of users not understanding proper use.

“NIBCO does a great job of ensuring that they provide a product that is safe (NIBCO valves are lead-free), high quality, and to spec. They are valve experts!” said Holmes, who has been with Brandt for 22 years and has used NIBCO valves the entire time. “What matters to me the most, is that I know if I have a problem and I call someone at NIBCO, they are going to take my phone call. The relationship is important, so if we need training, I know that NIBCO’s got my back.”

A Pressing Approach

Holmes’ trust in NIBCO led him to choose NIBCO pressed fittings for the Women’s & Children’s Hospital project. Brandt recognized that pressing would help the company save on labor. Also, pressing technology is especially useful for working in existing hospital buildings, where fire watches are required when flames or soldering are involved.

“I was already very interested in NIBCO’s pressing products for the labor savings, but then to not have to deal with flames was a bonus,” explained Holmes. “I knew the buy-in from our organization would be easy if we were working with the same company that provided us with high-quality valves. It also reduced paperwork and increased efficiencies by not having two different suppliers.”

For the Women’s & Children’s project, the general contractor, J.E. Dunn Construction, requested that Brandt prefab the MEP system in large racks. The two companies had successfully developed the racking system for a smaller, previous project.

“In essence, we were building the ‘spine’ of the hospital before the concrete was even poured,” said Holmes. “The racking system is the magical unicorn for us.”

University Health Systems was so pleased with Brandt’s work on a previous project they invited Brandt to bid on their new facility and requested the same systems and products—including NIBCO valves—be used again.

Using the racking system enabled  Brandt to prefab the MEP systems in the Brandt Fab Shop, located less than 20 miles from the project site. In coordination with the general contractor and other trades, thousands of hours were invested to build the racking systems efficiently, test them, and tag them in a controlled environment that is not affected by weather or inhibited by working off of a ladder. 

Using pressing tools and NIBCO fittings, Brandt made most of the joints inside the racks, which range in size from 20’ to 30’ long so they could be transported. Once the racks were moved to the project site by flatbed trucks, each rack had to be connected, which was done via pressing. More than half of the NIBCO fittings are pressed fittings used on the prefab systems. 

“Every time we can, we want to press a fitting,” said Holmes. “Especially in the rack system, where insulation can easily catch on fire.”

Having a high-quality supplier that provides Brandt with efficiency and confidence has been instrumental on this high-profile project—particularly because Brandt’s service division will eventually service the building. “We’re going to get the call when something goes wrong, so for Brandt, using very high-quality products that the manufacturer stands behind is really important to us,” said Holmes.

For more information, visit  www.nibco.com. MCAA thanks NIBCO for being a major sponsor of MCAA22. 

 

Rand Construction Relies on U.S.-Made ASC Gruvlok Products to Keep Hospital Project on Track During Pandemic

Renovating an active hospital is challenging in the best of times; to complete a transplant hospital’s new unit in the midst of a global pandemic, Rand Construction needed products that could be delivered on time and installed quickly and safely. Gruvlok® grooved couplings and fittings from ASC Engineered Solutions were the perfect fit. ASC is a major sponsor of MCAA22. 

In November 2020, Midwest Transplant Network’s headquarters in Westwood, KS, began major mechanical renovations and minor additions to create a new Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit. The Midwest Transplant Network is a nonprofit organization that provides services for organ donation and procurement in Kansas and parts of Missouri. By providing an onsite recovery facility for organ and tissue donors, the Midwest Transplant Network reduces the reliance on local hospital resources and ensures that donors receive highly specialized care. 

Rand Construction worked closely with distributor MKS Pipe and Valve, which recommended Gruvlok ductile iron couplings and cast fittings and carbon steel schedule-40 fabricated fittings for the project. “Some of the major equipment, such as the chiller, was already manufactured and shipped with grooved connections. That made it an obvious choice to utilize Gruvlok,” said Fred Thorpe, vice president of Rand Construction. “Gruvlok products were also very helpful in some of the more restricted areas and/or where welding was not an option or permitted,” Thorpe added. 

MKS Sales Manager Kevin Aylward noted, “What really makes [ASC] stand out is the large breadth of their product offering, great customer service, and quality products with dependable deliveries.” MKS made sure that the Gruvlok products for the transplant center met the required specifications for mechanical couplings, achieved savings compared with competitive brands, and were available on the requested delivery timeline. 

The complete Gruvlok order was delivered on time, in one shipment, boxed and tagged to indicate what materials were enclosed. Thorpe pointed out, “By utilizing Gruvlok products, we were also able to install products made right here, at home in the USA.” Because ASC has domestic manufacturing locations, Gruvlok products were less affected by the prevalent delays in production and shipping that happened throughout 2020 and 2021. 

Another key selection criteria that helped secure Gruvlok as the build choice was ASC’s extensive building information modeling (BIM) catalog. All Gruvlok products can be used in digital design projects; ASC provides Gruvlok BIM content in multiple file formats and design program compatibility, including Revit®. 

“We were confident the products would work when we incorporated them into our preliminary planning, layout, design, and fabrication,” said Thorpe. “All of the data needed to make an educated decision was readily and promptly available, so that’s clearly why we chose Gruvlok.” 

Thorpe added, “MKS and ASC Engineered Solutions were excellent strategic partners on the Midwest Transplant Network project,” citing their cooperation with Rand as a key factor in this project’s success. The Midwest Transplant Network Donor Care and Surgical Recovery Unit is expected to begin taking patients in late spring or early summer of 2022. 

For more information, visit www.asc-es.com. MCAA thanks ASC Engineered Solutions for being a major sponsor of MCAA22. 

Way Engineering Partners With Victaulic to Meet High Expectations for Houston Highrise

Way Engineering, Ltd. partnered with Victaulic to provide the HVAC mechanical work for a new Houston, TX, highrise, saving the contractor money and time throughout the complex project. Thanks in part to Way Engineering and Victaulic, the 1.14-million-square-foot Texas Tower successfully achieved LEED® Platinum status, WiredScore Platinum Certification (for digital infrastructure), and WELL™ Building Standard certification. Victaulic is a major sponsor of MCAA22. 

In 2018, Hines, a privately owned global real estate investment, development, and management firm, began planning  construction of a 47-floor office building in downtown Houston to house their global headquarters. The location (the former site of the Houston Chronicle newspaper) sits at the confluence of the city’s Central Business District, Theatre District, and Historic District. Construction took place throughout 2020 and 2021, with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in place. 

Reliable Partners

Way Engineering already had a long history of working with Victaulic. “Victaulic partners with you in a way that’s more than a vendor selling a catalog number,” said Derrick Williams,

Building the 1.14- millionsquare- foot Texas Tower in the middle of downtown Houston posed challenges, but Way Engineering overcame them— for example, by using Victaulic products that were easy to transport and install.

executive vice president of operations at Way Engineering. “They partner with you to make the job a success and take an interest in the project, not just an interest in the sale of a product.” 

Way Engineering and Victaulic started preparation right away, working together on engineering, planning, and scheduling. The timing of this collaboration was fortunate, because it meant the bill of materials was finalized before the industry was affected by pandemic-driven supply chain challenges. 

“Victaulic was active in bringing options to the table; not just waiting to receive the order,” said Williams. “Because we used building information modeling [BIM], we knew early on what would be needed for the job. Victaulic took the initiative to review the advanced bill of material and coordinated scheduled, bagged-and-tagged deliveries. This meant when we required material, it only took two to three days to have it onsite, not four to eight weeks. This made a big difference because you need the flow of a job to never stop; you’re always pushing to meet the schedules set by the general contractor.” 

Anticipating Challenges Together 

The chilled water system for Texas Tower includes four chillers, four cooling towers, 12 pumps, two heat exchangers, fans, filtration systems, duct systems, piping up to a 20” diameter throughout the building to serve the air handling units (AHUs), and risers from the basement to the cooling towers. On the risers, all branches were isolated with Series 761 Vic-300™ MasterSeal™ Butterfly Valves. Then, Series 732 Wye Type Strainers and TA Series 789 Grooved End Manual Balancing Valves accompanied the AHUs to optimize energy efficiency throughout the tower and for ease of installation. 

Having enough pressure is critically important for highrise buildings like Texas Tower. Victaulic’s off-the-shelf Series 761 Vic-300 MasterSeal Butterfly Valves eliminated the need for a specialty high-performance butterfly valve, saving costs and allowing more lead-time. “The planning process across the board, through all parties, was exemplary. Since the inception of the project, Victaulic took on a role as a specialized engineering resource in response to high-performance valve requirements,” confirmed Stan Whitfill, Way Engineering’s executive project manager. “They get involved in the BIM process, and they bring value-engineered options to the table. A lot of companies don’t put in that time and risk until they have a purchase order in hand,” added Williams. 

Way Engineering and Victaulic collaborated closely on engineering, planning, and scheduling for the new Houston, TX, highrise. Their partnership helped the project meet some of the industry’s highest building standards.

In addition to meeting Hines’ high-performance butterfly valve requirement, Way Engineering eliminated flex connectors at the pumps, using three flexible couplings in a line instead. Mechanical connections also allowed Way Engineering to cost-effectively install a temporary loop on the 27th floor to hydro-test part of the system early and eventually connect the higher floors. 

“Being in the middle of downtown Houston is always a struggle for contractors for many reasons, including limited staging and storage areas,” said Corbin Best, territory sales manager at Victaulic. “Aside from a reduction in specialized equipment needed onsite while utilizing mechanical connections, one of the biggest advantages seen at Texas Tower was the ease of mobility and installation when there was one service elevator that all trades had to share to access 47 stories.” 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were limits on how many people were allowed in the building at one time. Way Engineering found that Victaulic products required fewer field connections, and the contractor could fabricate spool pieces offsite, cutting down labor onsite. 

Despite the obstacles, Way Engineering and Victaulic’s collaboration upfront and consistent communication—with each other and with Hines—facilitated a successful project. 

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com. MCAA thanks Victaulic for being a major sponsor of MCAA22. 

Fresh Meadow Slashes Days Off Residential Riser Replacement Using Victaulic Couplings

With only three weeks to fully replace the riser system at a high-profile residential building, New York-based Fresh Meadow Mechanical Corp. selected Victaulic to win the race against time. Ultimately, they remained ahead of schedule, completing the entire project in only 15 days. Despite spatial constraints at various stages of the project, Fresh Meadow navigated each challenge with reliable engineered solutions that will benefit the building’s tenants and management for years to come.

The existing riser system, original to the decades-old residential building, had degraded over time. A new system needed to be installed before New York’s cold weather kicked in and tenants were left with inadequate temperature control. To accomplish the job, Fresh Meadow needed to first extract the riser that ran from the first-floor ceiling up to the 18th-floor mechanical room. The return riser design also had to accommodate for thermal movement in the existing space. The final and most critical challenge was that the building would remain fully occupied, meaning Fresh Meadow needed to minimize disruptions and maintain occupants’ safety during installation.

Putting People First

During planning of the riser replacement project, Fresh Meadow evaluated the impact of the work on occupants and chose a grooved system over welding. The hot works and fumes generated during welding require a hot work safety program, including restricted work areas, permits, and fire watch. To building residents, welding would raise safety concerns, divert traffic patterns on every floor, and cause a noticeable, unpleasant smell. To mitigate the effect on occupants, Fresh Meadow worked with the Victaulic Piping Movement Design group to execute a grooved system while staying within budget and on schedule.

“We didn’t have to shut down anything and didn’t interrupt the tenants at all. We also knew we wanted to cut down on the noise and could do that using Victaulic,” said Keith McKee, Fresh Meadow’s superintendent for the project. “The only noise was tightening the couplings with an impact gun, which made the building managers happy.”

Tackling a Strict Schedule

Going floor to floor, Fresh Meadow cut the riser out of the wall, rigged it down a 17-story shaft, and then removed the obsolete pieces from the lobby level. The removal used up four days of the three-week timeline, but Fresh Meadow and Victaulic were confident the team would still deliver ahead of schedule.

The Victaulic-patented QuickVic™ Installation-Ready™ couplings installed throughout the riser system are designed to expedite pipe-joining. The two-piece housing design features shift-limiting slant pads that allow for one-touch tightening instead of alternating between bolts, accommodating high-performance impact guns and streamlining installation. On many retrofit projects, standard lengths of pipe tend to be larger than the service elevator. Contractors must choose between cutting pipe lengths to fit on the elevator—which translates to added welding time—and increasing material handling time and coordination of 21’ pipe lengths. Fresh Meadow avoided this lose-lose situation by cutting down pipe lengths to fit in the service elevator, and then joining riser sections within minutes using QuickVic Installation-Ready couplings.

“The pipes were taller than the floor-to-ceiling height, so we cut them in half to get them upstairs. Adding joints may have slowed us down in a different project, but Victaulic grooved connections made it a more efficient installation. We got the building back online much faster than if we had utilized other methods. It was the adaptability we needed for this retrofit,” said McKee.

Additionally, the collective Victaulic team, including the Piping Movement Design group, provided detailed drawings of pipe layouts to the on-site crew and coordinated expedited material deliveries so the project could progress from design to installation without pause.

Space-Saving Solutions

Restricted by the riser shaft’s tight dimensions, Fresh Meadow had to design a dual-temperature system that accounted for sufficient space for thermal expansion and contraction. “There was simply no room to put an expansion loop within the existing shaft,” explained Mike Russo, chief operating officer of Fresh Meadow.

“The owners would need to modify their occupied building, inevitably encroaching on hallway space and evaluating building code, in order to compensate for pipe growth caused by temperature changes using traditional methods like expansion loops.” said Russo. “Instead, using the Victaulic self-contained [Style 155] expansion joint assembly was advantageous because we could work within the existing shaft.”

Fresh Meadow installed two Victaulic Style 155 expansion joints with three Victaulic Style A10 riser anchors at specific levels of the multistory building to accommodate for thermal expansion and contraction. The engineered solution provided the necessary expansion and contraction capability without the need for additional coordination, review, and field work that would have affected the schedule and budget.

Read Victaulic’s white paper, “Using Grooved Mechanical Joining Systems to Accommodate Thermal Piping Movement.”

From Challenge to Triumph

Rapidly replacing an extensive system with minimal disruption to residents’ day-to-day life was a tall order. Attention to detail and thinking ahead during the design phase, combined with Victaulic’s Installation-Ready grooved couplings and engineered motion control solutions, enabled Fresh Meadow to set and maintain a furious pace, cutting a full week off of the project timeline.

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com.

Starco Overcomes Confines of Jail Project Using NIBCO’s Innovative PressACR System

To update the HVAC system at the Montgomery County Jail in Dayton, OH, Starco, Inc. relied on NIBCO’s new PressACR™ system to save at least 100 hours in installation time. Initially, press systems were not approved on the specs for the project, but Starco convinced the building owner and the project’s engineering firm, HEAPY, that PressACR would save time and money.

Also located in Dayton, Starco specializes in commercial plumbing, heating, air conditioning, piping systems for steam and medical gas, and sheet metal ductwork. “NIBCO is our ‘go-to’ brand,” said Jonathan Stumpf, project manager at Starco, who led the $2.2 million project. “It’s been that way ever since I’ve been at Starco, and I’ve been here for 11 years!”

Improving Life on the Inside

Originally constructed in 1965, Montgomery County Jail was expanded in 1993 to become a minimal-security county jail complex, which  now has a 900 prisoner-bed capacity. The older, original portion of the building required an HVAC system upgrade to improve the efficiency and performance of the system, which consisted of an older chilled heating combination system with unit ventilators servicing areas in the cells where the prisoners reside.

The facility wanted to remove the outdated system and replace it with eight variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems to serve the same areas. The replacement system consisted of eight condensing units, 46 indoor units, and three make-up air units. Starco, the prime contractor for the renovation, also had to do some rework to an existing air handler to change it from a single heating/cooling coil to have separate heating and cooling coils, enabling two separate systems throughout the building.

“The project was certainly a bit unusual due to it being a jail,” commented Stumpf. “We worked in narrow, three-foot-wide catwalks with the prisoners in close proximity of our installers. Security guards had to be with us at all times, which presented some logistical challenges for scheduling.”

Beginning in fall of 2022, Starco worked in approximately 32,000 square feet of the five-story building, but also had considerable work on the exterior of the building, where all the refrigerant pipe and ductwork was run. The pipe and ductwork ran down the exterior sides of the building due to the narrow catwalks on the interior. Piping ran from the individual indoor units through holes in the wall to the exterior. To access the exterior piping, Starco had to work with scaffolding on one side of the building because it was too narrow for lifts. On the other side of the building, the installers worked off vertical lifts.

Pressing in Prison

To expedite the installation, Stumpf chose NIBCO’s PressACR system, a joining method designed for use in copper tube systems for air conditioning and refrigeration applications. PressACR fittings are approved for use with a wide range of refrigerants and lubricants and create a safer installation, as there is no flame or fire hazard with press technology.

“This Montgomery County Jail project was our first experience with PressACR,” said Stumpf. “I had wanted to try it out for a couple of years, and I thought this would be a great project to try it out on because there was a substantial amount of refrigerant pipe—about 2,800 linear feet.”

Stumpf explained that the estimated time savings with PressACR were key to getting approval for its use. He also noted that “getting copper fittings to 1,100° F to braze in the middle of winter outside on a rooftop is not an easy process. I did a cost analysis comparing my bid actual costs and calculated that it took approximately 100 hours less time to install. It was about $2,500 more for the materials, but we saved about $7,500. Plus, the aggravation!”

Because the bid did not take into consideration that the actual installation would have required extra time for the outdoor winter brazing, the savings were likely underestimated. Also, without brazing, there were additional cost savings from reduced brazing rods, fuel gas, and nitrogen purges.

According to Dave Hirby, Starco’s foreman on the project, “PressACR saved us a lot of grief. It was most definitely easier to slide fittings together, press a button and crimp, versus brazing, in the winter, on a roof. And I appreciate the consistency and reliability of the joints.”

Due to logistics, each VRF system required short pieces to be brazed into the wye fittings before using a press coupling to join them as they were installed down the wall. The only two leaks in the entire system of the eight VRF systems installed occurred in the brazed joints. To install the PressACR fittings, Starco used a NIBCO PCR-20M Press System®battery-operated, mini pressing tool designed to create a leakproof connection with the correct pressure. Starco conducted its main pressure test of the system at 550 psi (the fittings are rated for 700 psi), after the installation was completed.

Starco began using pressing soon after it was introduced to the United States 20 years ago. “We press any time we can on a project, if it is allowed for,” said Stumpf.  “If it’s not specified, we even push for it after the fact, using RFIs [requests for information] to see if we can obtain acceptance to use pressing for domestic water and hydronic piping.”

NIBCO is Starco’s preferred brand for solder fittings, press fittings, and valves for all its projects. On the Montgomery County Jail project, for the chilled piping, heating piping, and condensate drains, Starco used a variety of NIBCO press fittings, including more than 100 90-degree elbows, more than 90 flare adapters, and 60 couplings, in sizes ranging from ¼” all the way up to 1 3/8”. Starco also used NIBCO ball valves in the heating and chilling system.

For more information, visit www.nibco.com.

Jomar Explains How Adjustable Thermostatic Balancing Saves Time and Money

If your team is tired of callbacks because of a lack of hot water at the point of use and the labor required for manual balancing, thermostatic balancing, a more efficient domestic hot water balancing method, is now an option. Thermostatic balancing recirculates the hot water loop based on temperature, as opposed to pressure or flow.

Balancing a domestic hot water line is often a challenge because it is an open-loop system that is constantly changing in relation to user demand. Once a system is up and running in the field, it can easily fall out of balance. Thermostatic balancing ensures that all fixtures maintain the minimum desired water temperature constantly.

Manual vs. Thermostatic Balancing

Manual balancing is the most common type of balancing in plumbing. It is based on pressure, and often results in customer dissatisfaction. It is also labor-intensive, because it involves having a person at each point of use as well as a person at the balancing valve adjusting the valve to ensure hot water is available at every fixture for every line throughout an entire system. Additionally, manual balancing is an ongoing challenge, because when one balancing valve is adjusted, it affects the entire system, instantly putting the system out of balance. Maintenance teams often adjust the valves in response to users’ complaints about fixtures not receiving hot water.

Thermostatic balancing eliminates the need for a person to be at the point of use during the installation, eliminates callbacks due to flow adjustment, and increases customer satisfaction.  You simply install the thermostatic balancing valve at the end of each hot water supply line before the recirculation loop and then turn on the hot water to balance the system. Because you no longer need contractors in the field to turn on every fixture to ensure hot water is in the line, you can direct workers to the projects where their skills are most needed.

How It Works

The technology behind the product uses a thermostatic cartridge that adjusts flow based on temperature. The valve will modulate open as a line cools and closes as a line achieves its desired temperature, using water’s path of least resistance to ensure adequate flow throughout an entire system. The valve never fully closes, which prevents deadheading the recirculation pump.

The thermostatic cartridge in Jomar Valve’s RecircSetter™ eliminates the need for pressure ports to balance a system. By selecting the same temperature at each valve, a uniform temperature is ensured in every branch. Designers select the design temperature within the range of 95° F to 140° F (the factory setting is 125° F), and the temperature is set in the field by the contractor using the presetting hand wheel.

To learn more about how thermostatic balancing works, watch this video.

Site-Specific Options

Jomar Valve offers three different models of the RecircSetter that address different installation needs. The standard thermostatic balancing valve balances domestic hot water lines from 95° F to 140° F. The thermal disinfection model has an added thermal disinfection cartridge that is particularly useful in health care settings that need to avoid the proliferation of bacteria in a potable water system. The RecircSetter with an actuated thermal disinfection valve allows the end user to choose the thermal disinfection temperature, duration, and frequency through a building maintenance system.

The RecircSetter has a temperature sensor port that allows for remote monitoring through a building maintenance system, so it can be easily integrated. The standard drywell thermometer on each valve allows for easy identification of the water temperature flowing through each unit. Drywells are located on each side of the RecircSetter for orientation flexibility. The assembly models have fewer connections, shorter assembly lengths, and an integrated check valve option, which saves costs, takes less space, and makes installation seamless. The valve can be adjusted in the field to accommodate design condition changes without valve replacement.

For more information, visit www.jomarvalve.com.

Maxair Mechanical and Victaulic Streamline Complex Med School Project From Design to Startup

For a new, state-of-the-art medical school campus, Maxair Mechanical saved valuable time by installing “miles of piping” using Victaulic products rather than welding and relying on Victaulic’s 3D models of the mechanical space to anticipate potential pitfalls and avoid costly delays. Streamlining processes at every opportunity, Maxair completed the project on time, despite labor and supply chain challenges. Victaulic is a major sponsor of MCAA23.

Thanks to Victaulic’s VDC team, Maxair was able to optimize the mechanical room layout for the School of Medicine, so each component is easy to access and can be disassembled without welding or flanging, simplifying maintenance and service.

The new Mercer University School of Medicine in Columbus, GA, boasts 77,000 square feet of classrooms, research facilities, and office space. To support it, Mercer University needed a sophisticated, reliable mechanical system that would keep students and faculty comfortable and safe while also providing temperature control to critical areas, such as a gross anatomy laboratory and vivarium.

Mercer University tasked NBP Engineers Inc. and Maxair Mechanical with installing four mechanical spaces at the new site, which included three boilers, chilled and heating water piping and pumps, a condenser system, and five dedicated air handling units for the laboratories.

Working under a tight completion deadline, Doug Polley, Maxair’s senior project manager, knew they needed to incorporate strategic solutions to compress their schedule and mitigate risk. Victaulic was the ideal partner for the job.

Setting Up for Success

The mechanical rooms required precise layouts to fit the necessary equipment and piping. Optimizing the spatial design was also a priority, as it would simplify the initial installation and facilitate future maintenance and servicing for Mercer University. The Victaulic Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team was fundamental to meeting the project’s demands.

Victaulic’s VDC team worked to optimize the layout and design of the entire mechanical system at Mercer University which, combined with the efficiency of Maxair’s new fabrication shop, enabled workers to keep pace despite delivery delays.

“Victaulic used their expertise to create 3D models of the mechanical spaces, which proved hugely advantageous in the BIM [building information modeling] process,” Polley said. “The 3D modeling enabled us to optimize the room layout, identify potential issues ahead of time that might have wrecked the schedule, and put solutions in place during the design phase that avoided costly rework.”

Dale Heiring, principal at NBP Engineers, Inc., added, “We were pleased with the consistent support Victaulic provided. The team reviewed all our specs—which are extremely thorough—and they made sure every detail was accounted for.”

Navigating Challenges

When Maxair Mechanical first bid on the project in the fall of 2020, they were prepared to work through a certain degree of uncertainty. Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the available skilled labor pool and caused supply chain disruptions that directly affected construction schedules.

“It was constantly a race to keep up on the project. It was quite challenging. There were moments that seemed impossible,” Polley said.

Challenges ranged from finding sufficient staff to substitute workers when outbreaks spiked to delayed material arrivals because delivery drivers struggled to locate people at drop-off locations on the large campus. But Maxair was determined to complete the work on schedule—and they did.

Maxair Mechanical used Victaulic grooved couplings, fittings, and valves to tie in two boilers inside the first-level mechanical room at Mercer University’s School of Medicine, saving time compared with welded solutions.

The thoughtful and clear design and layout of the mechanical space, combined with the efficiency of Maxair’s new fabrication shop, enabled workers to keep pace despite delivery delays. Onsite, pipefitters worked off of a detailed spool map, developed by the Victaulic VDC team, that streamlined installation, while the grooved couplings, fittings, valves, and equipment modules proved easy and fast to install.

“If we had welded everything, it would have been very challenging to maintain the schedule,” Polley said. “We had miles of piping to install throughout a large, two-story medical building, and we were working with many complex systems.”

“Once the materials and units arrived, it didn’t take long to install the Victaulic product, the mechanical rooms were laid out well, and the designs were easy to follow,” said Guy Cozzolino, Maxair’s pipefitting coordinator.

A Productive Partnership

Despite unfavorable supply chain conditions that complicated this highly sophisticated mechanical installation, Maxair Mechanical and NBP Engineers, Inc. delivered the full scope on schedule. By partnering with Victaulic and engaging its VDC services, the engineers and mechanical contractors streamlined the entire process before materials were even purchased.

Mercer University School of Medicine at Columbus welcomed its inaugural class of medical students to the new campus in December of 2021. “It’s a win for Mercer that their students got this state-of-the-art facility that is well thought-out from the design phase to the final product,” Polley said.

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com. MCAA thanks Victaulic for being a major sponsor of MCAA23.

A&R Mechanical Overcomes Supply Chain Challenges Building Illinois Softball Center Thanks to NIBCO

Breaking ground on the Rex and Alice A. Martin Softball Training Center at the University of Illinois in April 2021, A&R Mechanical Contractors, Inc., faced the unique challenges of building during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent supply chain issues. They successfully completed the project on schedule thanks to NIBCO, which manufactures more than 90 percent of its products in the United States. “I would have to say NIBCO was very instrumental in helping A&R Mechanical get this project finished in a timely fashion,” said Chris Asklund, A&R Mechanical project manager. NIBCO is a major sponsor of MCAA23.

State-of-the-Art Softball Center

A&R Mechanical partnered with NIBCO on the new indoor softball training center because of NIBCO’s easy-to-install and reliable products and NIBCO’s reputation for high-quality, domestic-made valves and fittings at a competitive price.

The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics opened the new, state-of-the-art indoor practice facility for the Fighting Illini softball program in time for the start of the fall 2022 school year. The project was funded by a $3 million, lead-naming gift from Rex Martin and his daughters, Ashley Martin and Alexis Martin-Klose, in honor of their late wife and mother, Alice Martin, who received her master’s degree from the University of Illinois, one of the top schools in architectural engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.

The $6-million training center provides a premier indoor performance and development facility for Fighting Illini softball student-athletes. The structure, measuring approximately 13,000 square feet, was constructed as an addition to the existing softball clubhouse and includes a full, collegiate-size infield as well as hitting and pitching cages with retractable netting. The center’s ability to host full infield practice is rare among comparable softball training facilities. Other features include a new recruiting lobby and hall of fame, an expanded player lounge, restrooms, increased storage, and improved parking.

Overcoming Supply Challenges

A&R Mechanical, a fourth generation, family-owned company that started in 1925 in a small garage in Urbana, IL, took on the project in the midst of exceptionally uncertain times. Asklund, who has been in the pipefitting trades since 2001, said, “The global material shortages that we witnessed as a result of the pandemic definitely had an effect on the project schedule, but fortunately it was minimal, thanks in part to NIBCO that always had the valves we needed available.”

The University of Illinois project was the first large-scale project that A&R Mechanical had collaborated with NIBCO on. “We used a lot of NIBCO products on this project and the inventory was strong—we really depended on NIBCO during COVID when the world was experiencing uncertain supply chains,” Asklund added.

A variety of NIBCO valves were specified for the project—from butterfly valves and iron check valves to ball valves and bronze check valves, ranging in sizes from 1/2” through 4”. Sold through distributor Ferguson-Lafayette for the project, the valves (mainly soldered and threaded) were used for the installation of the new hydronic system, including new boilers, air curtains, pumps, fan coil units, and heat exchangers.

Partnering for Success

“We were familiar with NIBCO valves and had found them to be easy to install and reliable on past projects,” said Asklund. “We were looking for a true partner for this project and we chose NIBCO because of its reputation for high-quality, domestic-made valves and fittings at a competitive price. We also appreciated that during times when material pricing escalation was happening at a rapid pace, NIBCO was very fair and consistent with their pricing.”

Taking advantage of VDC and prefabrication, A&R Mechanical was able to minimize its workforce needs in the facility and keep workers together in one spot, which helped during COVID-19 and aided with keeping the project on schedule.

In recent years, A&R Mechanical has expanded its capabilities into virtual design and fabrication. During the pandemic, this proved to be very beneficial.

“We were able to design at the A&R Mechanical facility onsite with VDC (virtual design and construction),” explained Asklund. “Ninety percent of the project was prefabricated offsite at our shop, in a controlled environment.”

A&R Mechanical’s VDC department laid out the mechanical room and the perimeter piping. The prefabricated portions were built in the prefab shop and were delivered in pieces to the project site and then constructed onsite. A&R Mechanical was able to keep its workforce down in the facility and keep everybody together in one spot, which helped during COVID-19 and aided with keeping the project on schedule.

At the fabrication shop, NIBCO arranged “lunch-and-learns” for the A&R Mechanical team to share best practices and training for valve, solder, and press installation. “It was great to be part of this project and partner with NIBCO. Not only did they provide a reliable product that met the specs, but they were great to work with, and the on-time deliveries were invaluable,” said Asklund. “This project definitely had some unique challenges, but with the collaboration of all the partners involved, the job got done.”

The project achieved LEED silver certification and stands as a testament to the resolve, ingenuity, and hard work of all involved. A true collaboration between all the stakeholders—the Martin family, the University of Illinois Engineering and Capital Projects teams, NIBCO, A&R Mechanical, IMEG Engineering, Ferguson Enterprises, and Williams Brothers Construction—who came together to deliver a premier indoor training and performance facility that honors the memory of Alice A. Martin and will benefit Fighting Illini softball student-athletes for generations to come.

For more information, visit www.nibco.com. MCAA thanks NIBCO for being a major sponsor of MCAA23.

General Piping Flies Through Installation With NIBCO’s Grooved Butterfly Valves

General Piping, Inc. counted on NIBCO grooved butterfly valves to meet the strict deadlines of a high school renovation project. “NIBCO’s grooved butterfly valves were easy and fast to install, and they’ve performed well,” said Justin Richardson, project manager, who led the renovation of Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, IN.

Extensive Renovation Underway

Originally built in 1963, approximately 463,000 square feet of the high school’s 531,000 square feet was included in the renovation, along with a three-story addition to the front of the original building. The building has gone through several renovations since it was built but had not seen any significant updates since 1989. It is in the midst of a four-year, $80-million renovation project.

Not only will the school look completely refreshed, but it will also function better, with modernized plumbing, heating, and cooling systems that will promote student comfort and learning. General Piping of Indianapolis began work on the high school in July 2020.

“We were brought in to install all the hydronic piping for the heating and cooling systems, as well as the entire plumbing portion of the renovation, which included new piping, new fixtures, and new mechanical equipment,” said Richardson.

For the renovation, the interior portions were completely gutted, and, in some cases, the concrete floors were taken down to dirt to pave the way for a complete redesign of the interior and exterior of the building. Once the building was demolished and the area was made safe, General Piping’s crew got to work.

With a total budget of approximately $13 million for the mechanical and plumbing systems, General Piping set out to install 75,000 linear feet of piping and 378 individual plumbing fixtures, including new sinks, toilets, water fountains, and emergency eye wash stations for the science laboratories. A central main plant in a separate building behind the high school contained all the major mechanical equipment, including the heating system boilers and cooling system chillers.

Tight Timing

General Piping’s Jason Miller (left) and Newt Briar installed NIBCO’s #GD4765-5 grooved butterfly valve with a gear operator on the exterior chilled water piping that feeds the high school’s new air-cooled chillers. The ease of installing the NIBCO products helped General Piping stay within the narrow window for completing the cooling system.

Because the high school was in session for part of the renovation, some work took place in an occupied building, which presented challenges from a timing perspective. To expedite the installation, General Piping prefabricated all the major mechanical room work offsite at its fabrication shop and then shipped it to the jobsite for installation. All the mains and branch piping for both the hydronic and plumbing systems were prepared and installed in the field.

“We had a window of time when we shut down the heating system in April and had to have everything torn out and the new system installed and functional by October, when it started getting cooler. Because of the amount of welding that was needed, the only way to achieve that was to fabricate everything offsite,” explained Richardson.

Once the heating system was installed, General Piping duplicated the process with the chilled water system, removing the old system in October and having the new system in place by the end of March, before the weather turned warmer.

To complete the project, General Piping used primarily NIBCO fittings, valves, and FLO-BOSS® Coil-Connect® kits, which come bagged and tagged ready to use for specific pieces of equipment. The project specifications also mandated that copper sweat fittings be used rather than press fitting systems.

“For the prefabbed portion that was brought onsite, we strategically placed our grooved joints, using the grooved system (or grooved valves in some cases) as a natural break to connect the system as quickly as possible without problems,” said Richardson.

The owner of the building had specified a specific grooving system that meant General Piping had to modify standard lug butterfly valves by using an adaptor or by fabricating weld flanges to the valve in its fabrication shop to make the grooved connection. These were used on the mechanical hydronics system for 2-1/2” steel pipe and larger, up to 12”.

“Upon learning this, our NIBCO representative brought to our attention that they offered grooved butterfly valves that could eliminate the extra work,” said Richardson. “I’d estimate that nearly 80 percent of the valves on this project are grooved valves.”

NIBCO’s grooved butterfly valves are faster to install than others because they have two bolts regardless of their size, while standard lug valves have a minimum of four bolts, and larger valves have even more bolts. Contractors also find that the grooved valves are easier to orient in a system, because they can be pushed and adjusted into place before torque is applied to lock the valve into position. Finally, grooved valves are overall lighter in weight.

NIBCO Products Preferred

General Piping has a long history—more than 20 years—of using NIBCO products, especially its valves. “More often than not, NIBCO is our preference,” said Richardson.

Some of the renovation of Lawrence Central High School took place in occupied buildings during the school year, so General Piping used prefabrication and NIBCO products to keep the project moving quickly and smoothly. Estimated completion is fall 2024.

The majority of General Piping’s work is bid/spec, which allows the contractor to choose from several different manufacturers that meet the specifications outlined. “NIBCO almost always is an option, so when all things are equal, NIBCO is our go-to,” added Richardson. “In a competitive, low-bid environment, cost is always important, and NIBCO products are always priced competitively, giving us peace of mind in knowing our material cost will be in line with our competitors.

“Since we have been using NIBCO products as long as we have, we have great comfort in the quality of NIBCO products,” he continued. “We rarely have problems, and in the rare instance we do, the problem is addressed in a timely fashion, and we know that NIBCO will stand behind its products.”

Distribution is available locally in Indianapolis, making it convenient for General Piping to find products in stock. If they are not in stock, they are only a day or two away.

“NIBCO’s got a great local distribution network,” said Richardson. “We know that we can get almost any product we need quickly, which is important on a renovation project such as Lawrence High School, where unforeseen issues arise daily.”

While press fitting technology was not an option on the Lawrence Central High School project, in recent years, General Piping has been using more and more press fittings on projects. From a business standpoint, General Piping realizes the advantages of pressing because of the labor cost perspective. Pressing installations are quicker and problem-free.

“Now, when we have the option of using press fittings, we go exclusively with pressing on copper systems,” said Richardson. “And we always choose NIBCO for the same reasons as the valves—quality products. We don’t have issues, and if we do, they are taken care of immediately.”

That quality assurance has made the Lawrence Central High School project, scheduled for completion in fall of 2024, go smoothly so far.

“Really, the only challenges that we faced on this project are the same ones that the entire world is facing—the lead times on many building products have ballooned,” said Richardson. “Other than that, the project has gone smoothly.

“Having NIBCO products on this project has been instrumental,” Richardson continued. “NIBCO products are user-friendly; they install without issue, and we have the confidence that the company stands behind its products. I just can’t say enough good about NIBCO.”

For more information, visit www.nibco.com.

Rock Hill Mechanical Meets Tight Timeline Thanks to Anvil International

New Aquarium Opens on Christmas Day in Historic Downtown St. Louis

Rock Hill Mechanical knew that Anvil International’s Gruvlok® system was a better choice for a new aquarium’s mechanical room than the originally specified PVC products. With quick delivery of the Gruvlok parts and the ease of installation, Rock Hill Mechanical met the tight timeline for completing St. Louis’s newest tourist attraction.

The Aquarium at Union Square was a much anticipated addition to downtown St. Louis. It was expected to open on Christmas Day of 2019. Rock Hill Mechanical was tapped to outfit the mechanical room, which consisted of air handling units, condensed water, chilled water, and heated water systems.

Despite the fact that the specs for the mechanical room were originally for PVC and CPVC, Rock Hill Mechanical quoted the job for Anvil’s carbon steel Gruvlok products, said Jamison Bloebaum, vice president of Design Build Services at Rock Hill Mechanical. The company had confidence in Gruvlok products, having used them successfully in past projects. In the non-corrosive environment of the mechanical room, Rock Hill Mechanical knew carbon steel Gruvlok products would hold up far better to the rigorous vibrations of the nearby pumps than PVC joints in the long term.

Anvil’s complete Gruvlok system, including fittings, couplings, and valves, was used in the mechanical room. Gruvlok Slidelok® couplings were used on fittings 8” or smaller, and Gruvlok Rigidlok® couplings were used on fittings 10” or larger.

Anvil International and National Sales Company have a longstanding strategic partnership that allowed the latter to provide competitive pricing and quick deliveries of material to Rock Hill Mechanical Corporation. The combination of the selected products, ease of installation, and a solid collaboration among Anvil International, Rock Hill Mechanical, and National Sales Company made the project a success. The 120,000-square-foot aquarium features more than 13,000 animals from more than 250 species. It also boasts a 250,000-gallon shark tank with over 80 sharks and rays. The aquarium opened to a large crowd on Christmas Day, 2019.

For more information, visit www.anvilintl.com.

MCAA thanks Anvil International for being a major sponsor of MCAA2020 and sponsoring the Annual 5K Fun Run & 1-Mile Walk.

NIBCO’s Tips for Designing an Efficient Hydronic System

Designing an efficient hydronic system is no easy task. The needs of each system can vary greatly from one job to the next, although the core elements remain mostly the same. In a typical system, you will usually find a boiler, circulator pumps, an expansion tank, various heat distributors, and accessories such as vents, valves, and drains. Selecting the right components for the best installation, servicing, and control of the system and its equipment are key to the efficiency of the job.

These are things to look for when designing a modern and efficient hydronic system:

  1. Starting at the boiler, consider a manifold with integrated shutoffs and drains to simplify installation and service of the primary heating loop. This solution combines closely spaced tees with isolation valves to (1) achieve hydraulic separation for the heating loops, (2) isolate the circulator pump, and (3) purge the system. Using a manifold with the right piping kit can save an impressive 261 minutes of labor, eliminate 29 leak paths, and replace 34 individual components. For combination boilers or tankless water heaters, choose a service valve kit that combines union-threaded isolation valves for the hot-water outlet and cold-water inlet with high-flow purge drains and a port for the required pressure relief valve. The service valve kit in this installation saves 108 minutes of labor, eliminates 12 leak paths, and replaces 14 components.

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  2. For the system pumps, choose a uni-flange ball valve that connects to the circulator pump at one end and the system piping at the other. It enables the user to isolate the pump for service, allowing virtually no air into the system upon replacement. Optional features include a removable rotating flange, slotted bolt holes for high velocity pumps, a round flange for variable speed pumps, and a multifunction high-flow hose drain. Choosing this forged brass alternative to field assembly can save up to 63 minutes of labor, eliminate seven leak paths, and replace eight components.

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  3. At the expansion tank, three-way ball valves can be installed to address the various needs of the tank. These valves are designed to allow the user to easily install, isolate, drain, or replace the tank, as well as connect the system to the supply feed. It also provides a connection to an air separator, which separates and vents trapped air from the system via a unique stainless-steel coalescing medium. This single valve can save 54 minutes of labor, reduce six leak paths, and replace seven components.

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  4. Heat distribution methods can vary widely, from standard equipment such as baseboard heaters and radiators to premium installations such as in-floor heating and snowmelt systems. Use thermostatic mixing valves on any of these water distribution systems to ensure that the fluid is delivered to the device at the appropriate temperature. With eight end connections and optional union temperature gauge and isolation valves, thermostatic mixing valves can be customized for any installation.

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  5. Within the heating loops, some unique products on the market can control flow between primary and secondary zones. One such product is a valve that places a ball valve between two closely spaced tees—a configuration impossible to achieve using off-the-shelf components. For optional loops such as the snowmelt zone, look for products that assist with routine maintenance of the fluids. For the snowmelt zone, for example, the loop is outfitted with a three-way ball valve that isolates the flow between two independently actuated hose drains, allowing the user to simultaneously purge and fill the system. It saves 54 minutes of labor, eliminates six leak paths, and replaces seven components.

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  6. The remaining needs of the system can vary but mostly depend on shutoffs and drains. Combination ball/drain valves can be used anywhere the user needs to isolate and drain a portion of the system. They can save up to 45 minutes of labor, eliminate five leak paths, and replace six components. They can also be adjusted to drain from either side of the ball. For more simplified draining needs, a T-style drain can be installed anywhere a drain is needed that does not require isolation.

Hydronic systems have changed over the years. Many innovative products, such as NIBCO’s Webstone® valves, save labor, space, and leak paths. When designing your next hydronic system, consider the newest valve innovations available. In a complete installation, valve selection is essential to having a modern and efficient hydronic system. With the right products, you can expect to replace 220 components, save over 26 hours of labor, and eliminate 177 leak paths.

In a complete installation, valve selection is essential to creating a modern and efficient hydronic system.

For more information, visit www.nibco.com.

Kruse Saves Thousands Using Victaulic BIM and Products

Contractor Meets Tight Timeline for Renovation of Wichita’s Union Station

Victaulic’s building information modeling (BIM) expertise saved Kruse Corporation an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 on the renovation of Union Station in Wichita, KS, while the streamlined construction approach reduced build hours from 4,000 to 3,100, yielding an additional $40,000 in labor savings. The combination of BIM services and Victaulic products simplified coordination,
reduced risks during construction, and cut the manpower needed for this project in half.

Laying the Foundation for Project Downtown

Project Downtown is Wichita’s master plan for developing the city’s urban core to increase the community’s quality of life and encourage regional economic growth. It focuses on key stretches of the downtown area and includes both private and public investment. Union Station, a two-story train depot built in the early 1900s as a central railway station, was repurposed as a commercial office building when the city ended its passenger rail service in 1979. Today, it is central to the city’s ambitious urban renewal project.

In September 2018, Kruse was selected to renovate the hydronic piping system in Union Station. The project schedule was ambitious—even without considering the unknowns of a building more
than a century old and the fact that work would have to take place during the winter holidays. With a move-in date of April 1, 2019, for the new commercial tenants, Kruse was determined to meet the exacting schedule, so they reached out to Victaulic and laid out the requirements and timeline.

Before construction could begin, it was important to understand the workspace. Union Station’s mechanical room was in the unlit basement, which meant there was limited space. The area was only 6′ high, and the contractor knew at the outset there was insufficient space for the hydronic system. Excavation would be necessary before work could begin, so it was critical to understand the layout, potential interference from existing structures, and the proposed placement of the new system components.

Victaulic’s 3D scans streamlined design conversations with Kruse and others, because the model and the scans could be overlaid to ensure the designs were aligned with the space.

Site assessments usually begin with a sketch made from physical measurements, a process that takes a lot of time and can be flawed. Victaulic’s Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) team used a FARO 3D scanner to assess the basement instead. Using the scanner allowed the team to quickly compile measurements of the room and the existing piping network while eliminating the need
to go back to the jobsite for a missing measurement. As the project progressed, the scans streamlined design conversations, because the model and the scan could be overlaid to ensure the designs were aligned with the space. While traditional site assessment methods would have taken two to three days, the digital scan was completed in a single day.

The scan verified that the planned installation matched the room dimensions and confirmed which areas needed to be excavated. The data, made up of more than 40 scans, fed into the BIM software, ensuring the correct dimensions were used. As a result, designers from Victaulic, Kruse, and other trades were aware of any potential interference as components were assembled for the hydronic piping systems.

Coordinating in Real Time

Using Victaulic Tools for Revit®—a pipe-routing software add-in—the VDC team drew all piping sized 2.5″ and larger and submitted the drawings to Kruse. Once everything was approved, Victaulic began drawing equipment and piping schematics and shared a virtual model with the Kruse design team.

Taking advantage of Navisworks to identify clash detection, designers from both companies began piecing the system together, noting, for example, that previous electrical components posed impediments that would require piping to be routed around them. This information allowed the teams to coordinate workarounds that would permit construction to proceed without interruption,
streamlining the design and avoiding costly and time-consuming rework down the road.

Using Trimble layout software, the teams were able to see where components were placed in relation to one another. The Victaulic model was imported to the Kruse model to ensure system design was coordinated throughout the project. Kruse laid out duct work and hangers based on the piping design developed by Victaulic. Once the designs were confirmed, semi-trailer trucks excavated
47 loads of earth to prepare the space for the hydronic systems.

Expedited Construction

A nearby Victaulic facility manufactured the pipe spools for installation and shipped them to the jobsite, following the BIM assembly map provided by the design team. Because Kruse knew exactly what was coming and when, they efficiently organized and executed a systematic construction schedule. While work was being done in the Victaulic shop, Kruse was installing hangers in preparation for the pipe spool delivery. Once a spool arrived on the jobsite, it was lifted straight up into the hangers.

With piping systems being installed in a confined space, ventilation was a safety concern. Welded connections would not be feasible because of the open flames and fumes. Kruse decided the most efficient way to meet the schedule would be to use Victaulic’s grooved mechanical joining system, which would allow joints to be connected safely and easily in this space-restricted area.

Using BIM to schedule the work resulted in significant time savings, allowing installers to complete 80 percent of the basement in just a few days. Everything fit as intended, enabling accelerated installation. By using visually inspectable parts, workers could verify proper installation as the system came together, enabling work to proceed safely and delivering a reliable and robust system.

Wichita celebrated the grand re-opening of Union Station on May 16, 2019.

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com.