Given the current upward trend and volatility of fossil fuel pricing, there’s renewed interest in heating using wood pellets. Federal incentives that currently cover 26% of some qualified equipment adds enticement toward purchasing pellet-burning stoves.

Concealed attic spaces combine some of the most difficult aspects of fire protection design and require carefully tailored fire sprinkler solutions for effectiveness.

In my January column, I began a series focused on chemical and non-chemical additives or technologies that I treat as “must consider” for plumbing engineers in their design practices to reduce the risk of legionella bacteria developing in the domestic water system.

In terms of civic engagement, younger generations have been voting and volunteering at higher rates than previous generations. Regardless of one’s political beliefs, I think we can all agree that politics has become a much bigger portion of daily life. Whether on social media or at our local coffee shop, we all are spending more energy talking about the bigger picture.

Building and safety codes are near and dear to my heart as they, undoubtedly, have a significant impact on public health, safety and welfare. Buildings in every jurisdiction in the United States use some version of building and safety codes. In addition, building and safety codes cover most products manufactured for the building and construction industries.

When designing hydronic circuits, most engineers focus on what’s necessary for that circuit to absorb thermal energy at a heat source, carry it along like a conveyor belt and drop it off at one or more heat emitters.

Codes and standards are intended to provide a minimum level of protection of the public’s health, safety and welfare. And, generally, these documents accomplish that intended purpose in the urban/metropolitan areas of the United States. However, that may not be accurate when one gets into the rural or more isolated areas of the country.

Happy 2023, PM Engineer readers! Thank you for spending this part of your day with me as I discuss topics in compliance. Let me introduce myself. I, Misty Guard, am a policy wonk, bibliophile, gastronome, musicophile, techie nerd and scotch whiskey aficionado.

In 2012 the price of #2 fuel oil in upstate New York was approaching a previously unheard of $4 per gallon. This spurred many pending heating system projects to consider the use of cordwood or wood pellets.

Many of the topics I have discussed in my column to this point have been about temperature considerations within the supply and return system based on recommendations in the community and right-sizing domestic water piping to reduce the overall volume of water in the building’s piping system.