Building conditions must be factored into any specification or application of plumbing systems to assure proper performance, according to a new white paper from Sloan Valve Company.
The document evaluates the findings of the PERC I (The Plumbing Efficiency Research Coalition) study: “Down the Drain.” The PERC I study sought to learn how drain lines react to the use of low-flow, high-efficiency toilets. It found that certain variables: toilet paper—along with the pipe slope and flush volume—are key variables in determining whether drain lines might be predisposed to clog.
The white paper reviews the results in relationship to real-life building conditions in the United States. Sloan strongly recommends an onsite visit by a plumbing engineer as part of any retrofit project. Such a hands-on survey of the building's entire plumbing system can help identify potential issues and affect the outcome for the best possible solutions, which may not support ultra-low water flows.
The white paper aims to help determine if low-flow flushometers are suited for particular restroom environments.
Related Stories
| May 7, 2012
4 more trends in higher-education facilities
Our series on college buildings continues with a look at new classroom designs, flexible space, collaboration areas, and the evolving role of the university library.
| May 7, 2012
Best AEC Firms: MHTN Architects nine decades of dedication to Utah
This 65-person design firm has served Salt Lake City and the state of Utah for the better part of 90 years.
| May 7, 2012
2012 BUILDING TEAM AWARDS: TD Ameritrade Park
The new stadium for the College World Series in Omaha combines big-league amenities within a traditional minor league atmosphere.
| May 7, 2012
2012 BUILDING TEAM AWARDS: Fort Belvoir Community Hospital
A new military hospital invokes evidence-based design to create a LEED-certified facility for the nation’s soldiers and their families.
| May 7, 2012
2012 BUILDING TEAM AWARDS: Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital
How a Building Team created a high-tech rehabilitation center for wounded veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
| May 3, 2012
2012 BUILDING TEAM AWARDS: Rush University Medical Center
This fully integrated Building Team opted for a multi-prime contracting strategy to keep construction going on Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center, despite the economic meltdown.
| May 3, 2012
U of Michigan team looking to create highly efficient building envelope designs
The system combines the use of sensors, novel construction materials, and utility control software in an effort to create technology capable of reducing a building’s carbon footprint.
| May 3, 2012
Best commercial modular buildings and marketing programs recognized
Judges scored entries on architectural excellence, technical innovation, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and calendar days to complete.
| May 3, 2012
Zero Energy Research Lab opens at North Texas
The living lab—the only one of its kind in Texas—is designed to test various technologies and systems in order to achieve a net-zero consumption of energy.
