The age-old question of function versus form has confounded experts in every field for countless decades.

Jeff Sweenor, president and CEO of Sweenor Builders in Wakefield, Rhode Island, looks at it differently. He asks, why not both? Function certainly comes first, but when the dust settles, his projects look as good as they work.

Heat pumps offer attractive solutions to energy-efficient heating and cooling, and the market is growing. According to a November 2021 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), nearly 180 million heat pumps were used for heating in 2020, as the global stock increased nearly 10% per year over the past five years.

Nexstar Network hosted its first-ever Networking Retreat March 23-25 in Incline Village, Nevada, beside gorgeous Lake Tahoe.

Scald protection valves are the last line of defense in protecting occupants from dangerously hot water in plumbing systems. Point-of-use mixing valves keep building occupants safe and enable a variety of important domestic hot water recirculation applications. How are designers using scald protection mixing valves to advance the broader topic of DHW recirculation?

Along with cutting-edge technology, Bell & Gossett has reinforced its emphasis on hands-on training with dedicated space for three new demonstration areas that feature functional displays of equipment for a variety of commercial and industrial applications, including variable speed controller technology, plumbing products and service and maintenance.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association and John Burns Real Estate Consulting’s Kitchen and Bath Market Index Report released last fall shows continued demand for residential remodel services, despite the challenges facing the supply chain and ongoing price increases. In fact, the report shows that 89% of customers are shifting toward pricier items and high-end finishes. Among these increasingly popular higher-end products lies the growing customer desire for smart plumbing — Wi-Fi-connected, voice-activated and/or touchless — products.

There’s no doubt about it, concern over water quality is becoming more prevalent. One just had to walk the trade show floor during the 2022 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) to see plenty of new water filtration and management systems, some even dispensing sparkling water by user preference.

Harco will join Aliaxis' North American IPEX business, thus further strengthening the company’s position in the United States.

“The Carbon Impact of Water” offers expert guidance on best practices to reduce waste and emissions.

Joe Schmitt died April 2 at the age of 89.