Winter 2015 Issue

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EMC Sees 30-Percent Labor Savings with Victaulic 3D Renderings and Installation-Ready Couplings

Having installed Victaulic grooved products numerous times, Environmental Mechanical Contractors, Inc. (EMC) knew Victaulic could help them meet a tight deadline for renovations at Kansas’ Fort Leavenworth. Working with Victaulic’s Construction Piping Services department (CPS) to create 3D renderings of the project also allowed EMC to minimize rework and identify and troubleshoot potential problems. “We picked up a 30-percent labor savings from fabrication to install[ation]” said Marcus Howell, EMC’s senior project manager on the Fort Leavenworth project (now director of construction operations).

Victaulic

The Real Cost of a Lost Laptop Is $49,246

Laptop computers are vital tools used by a wide population of contractors and are also the number-one risk they are facing due to theft. Since laptop computers and handheld devices are not typically used in a fixed, securable location such as a jobsite, additional measures are needed to protect them. Get started with these tips for laptop computer and mobile device security from CNA.

CNA

Mitsubishi Electric’s VRF Zoning Systems Slash Electric, Gas Costs for Franklin Energy

By installing a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning system from Mitsubishi Electric US Cooling & Heating Division in its new headquarters, Franklin Energy Services, LLC saved 32 percent in electricity and 48 percent in gas in its first year, compared with average usage for a comparable building. The savings are all the more impressive because the new headquarters are in a historic building in Port Washington, WI.

Mitsubishi Electric

With a Lift from Erickson, Thomas J. Dyer’s Installation, Labor Costs Plummet

Thomas J. Dyer placed six air handling units and a condenser on a plant roof in less than one hour by relying on innovative aerial service provider Erickson Incorporated. Thomas J. Dyer commissioned Erickson to lift and place the HVAC components onto curb installations on top of the Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Georgetown, KY. After the air handling units and condenser were placed on the single-story building by helicopter, Thomas J. Dyer crews completed the installation.

Erickson Incorporated

F. W. Spencer & Son Meets Levi’s Stadium’s Tight Deadline Thanks to Jay R. Smith Prefab-Ready Products

With just over two years to build the NFL’s new Levi’s® Stadium, F. W. Spencer & Son, Inc. turned to Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® for products designed with prefabrication in mind, allowing them to meet the accelerated deadline. Installing a big battery of water closets typically involves prefabrication to save time, but the building of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, took prefab work to another level entirely. With careful planning and quick turnaround on materials, F. W. Spencer & Son succeeded in constructing all the fixtures in its warehouse and installing them in time. The stadium is home to the San Francisco 49ers.

Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.

Sauer Group Increases Productivity by 300 Percent with Tri Tool High-Performance Welding Solutions

Sauer Group wanted to ensure high-quality welds while reducing time and costs on a natural gas processing station project, so they used Tri Tool Inc.’s AdaptARC® system, configured for flux core arc welding (FCAW) deposition, which increased productivity 300 percent over traditional stick welding. Brian Stahovec, project superintendent for Sauer Group, said, “The welding process we’re using was developed by Tri Tool in conjunction with Sauer especially for this project. Utilizing that method, we’ve been able to not only cut costs but also make sure the schedule’s been maintained.”

Tri Tool

The Waldinger Corporation Finds PENTA Mobile App Drives Productivity and Sales

The Waldinger Corporation—a leading HVAC, plumbing, sheet metal, electrical, and service contractor with local presence throughout Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri—expected that using PENTA Technologies’ Mobile Field Service application would improve productivity and save money when it came to capturing and keying in information. “What we may have underestimated is the ability of our sales team to use the added abilities to market our services,” said Dave Miller, Waldinger’s senior vice president of Operations. “We have definitely had proven results on the sales and marketing fronts.”

PENTA Technologies

Chicago Cubs’ Spring Training Facility To Be Named Sloan Park

Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs specified Illinois-based Sloan Valve Company’s plumbing systems for its spring training facility in Mesa, AZ. Recently, the Cubs announced that Sloan has joined the organization as a Legacy Partner and the team’s Official Water Efficiency Partner. As part of this agreement, the Cubs’ spring training facility will be named Sloan Park.

SLOAN

Viega Provides Tips for Preventing Waterborne Pathogens in Plumbing Systems

In the United States plumbing industry, focus on water quality and waterborne pathogens is increasing. For public water systems, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates 88 different contaminants. Of these, Legionella has received the most recent attention. Legionella is the bacteria that can cause legionellosis. (Legionnaires’ disease is a form of legionellosis.) If not treated properly, legionellosis can be fatal. When legionellosis occurs, building owners and engineers may face legal action and damage from negative public relations surrounding the case. Viega explains that the best defense for a commercial plumbing system is to understand waterborne pathogens and how to minimize the risks they pose.

Viega