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Articles by James Dipping
Smart plumbing systems - a ways to go
In this article, I’d like to get back to discussing smart plumbing systems, and how our industry needs to get more in line with how the HVAC industry utilizes monitoring and automation for operational efficiencies. I recently presented at the ASPE Convention in Columbus, OH related to this topic, and how applying intelligence to plumbing systems can have a great effect on building occupant safety.
Advancing sustainability in commercial plumbing systems
Sustainability has been a very hot topic for a long time. In the plumbing engineering community, my impression is that sustainability often focuses on water conservation, which is a controversial topic these days. With Legionella growing (see what I did there) into such an important topic, water conservation has partially become the enemy of Legionella mitigation practices.
Lessons can be learned in difficult situations
We’ve all been there. After enough time in this or any industry, you will encounter one. The Blowhard. The person who knows it all, and not only wants to tell you, but they will also insult you along the way. In the case of my most recent experience, our “blowhard” was an owner’s rep. But with over 27 years of experience in this industry, I’ve seen this type of person appear as an owner, a general contractor, a trade contractor, an architect, and, yes, a fellow engineer.
Getting serious on how hospitals are built
The health care landscape has changed over the last several years, and it is severely impacting a plumbing engineer’s ability to keep hospital patients safe within hospital and other health care buildings. What’s that change, you may ask? It’s that no one uses the plumbing fixtures code requires in many hospital and health care applications anymore. I have discussed the need for smarter plumbing systems that improve system operation and water management strategies.
How are you polishing your technical skills?
When I first started in my career in 1997, the only option for a workplace was in the office. And before you ask, yes, the internet “existed” back then. But in no way did my first company have (or could afford) a means to allow access from outside to the IT network. This was a very small company (12 employees total on my first day), and there were simply too many constraints.
James Dipping: Delivering products as engineers
As an engineering manager, I have a responsibility to maintain a high level of quality in our “product.” But it’s my opinion that consulting engineers don’t really have a product. You might counter with — drawings and specifications are our product, are they not? Yes and no. Allow me to explain. There’s no question that we, as consulting engineers, develop drawings, specifications, schedules, details, etc. that allow a contractor to bid the drawings and ultimately build the building systems.
James Dipping: Remediation tactics for Legionella outbreaks
My last two columns discussed both 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. As I mentioned, these topics might not be a code minimum requirement, but as an engineering community, we have a responsibility to uphold the health and safety of the public.
James Dipping: Non-chemical water treatment options for Legionella control
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. As I mentioned, these topics might not be a code minimum requirement, but as an engineering community, we have a responsibility to uphold the health and safety of the public.
How the Commercial Real Estate Industry Can Recruit Gen Z Talent
The reigning theory about the Generation Z labor force is that company culture and reputation matter the most. More and more, we hear that younger candidates for office jobs care so deeply about what company culture is like and what actions they are taking in arenas like environmental sustainability that it could ultimately sway their decision of whether or not to work at a company.
Intelligent Water Systems Can Help Keep Occupants Safe
Today's property owners and managers are adjusting to new demands in a post-pandemic world. Many are reexamining the traditional functions of their facilities as tenants seek greater flexibility, connectivity, comfort, health, and safety. While indoor air quality (IAQ) often grabs the headlines, water safety is equally, if not more, important to tenants.
James Dipping: Chemical and non-chemical additives for Legionella control
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. We’ve even discussed increasing intelligence to commercial plumbing systems to improve water management programs and reduce liability concerns. And all this writing is for what?
James Dipping: A deep dive into water pipe sizing
There is a battle going on in the industry when it comes to domestic water distribution systems, and it lies in how plumbing engineers size domestic water piping. System longevity, pressure drop, water age, noise and building codes will influence the approach taken in sizing a domestic water system. First, we need to understand the many functions of a domestic water system.
James Dipping and Molly Scanlon: 5 tips for reducing Legionella risk
There has been a lot of discussion and new guidance documentation about Legionella in building water systems and the implementation of water management programs (WMP) for ongoing operations. This has led to discussions about plumbing engineering best practices to allow the building water distribution system (BWDS) to operate efficiently and safely when the building is occupied.
Synergy between prefabrication and advanced design tools
BIM Insights Prefabrication, which is often used in manufacturing, has many benefits for building information modeling (BIM) because it can give design engineers a better idea of what is required for a project and cut down on labor requirements. The construction industry is dealing with labor and cost challenges like many industries and technologies such as BIM, prefabrication and many others can reduce some of the upfront and long-term costs associated with a project.
How to define a smart building
Industry insight: Industry expert Sanjyot V. Bhusari, PE, CEM, LEED AP, Principal, Intelligent Buildings Practice Leader, Affiliated Engineers Inc., Gainesville, Florida, discusses smart building design and problems they solve. This transcript is from a May 2020 webcast and has been edited for clarity. As we talk about defining a smart building, our approach from a design point of view has been, what problems are we solving with this?
Why we need more data scientists on engineering teams
Building information modeling (BIM) is software that applies 3D modeling to processes involved in designing, constructing and managing buildings. The engineering team responsible for making decisions must coordinate their activities with architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals to achieve optimal results. An important role to add to that team is data scientists. Potential role of data scientists Data scientists aren’t included in this core group, but that should change.
Adding up the benefits of WiredScore and SmartScore certifications
When WiredScore was created in 2013, the company’s goal was to create a standardized process for measuring and certifying the level of connectivity of buildings and homes. WiredScore Certification was created. Eight years later, WiredScore (the organization) unveiled the rating system SmartScore to measure the quality of smart buildings. At first glance, the distinction between the two may seem confusing.
Prevent Legionella, Improve Efficiency with Smart Water Systems
An intelligent water system can not only save water, but also ensure your water is protected from pathogens like Legionella. Here’s what you need to know to keep your water system safe and efficient. Smart buildings use a wide range of existing technologies to facilitate the efficient and economical use of resources. They do this by collecting and sharing data between systems.
James Dipping: The facts about Legionella, and why we should care
I know one thing, the moment you say “Legionella” to a group of plumbing engineers, everyone pays attention. It’s the likeliest word in our verbal repertoire to set off alarm bells next to the word “lead.” Ironically, “plumbum” is the base word for plumbing and also the Latin word for lead, which is now known to be a poisonous material plumbing engineers attempt to avoid at all costs.
Trends, changes in data center control system design
Respondents: Bill Kosik, PE, CEM, BEMP, Senior Energy Engineer, DNV, Oak Brook, Illinois Matt Koukl, DCEP, Principal, Market Leader Mission Critical, Affiliated Engineers Inc., Madison, Wisconsin Kenneth Kutsmeda, PE, LEED AP, Global Technology Leader – Mission Critical, Jacobs, Philadelphia Ben Olejniczak, PE, Senior Project Mechanical Engineer, Environmental Systems Design Inc., Chicago Brian Rener, PE, LEED AP, Mission Critical Leader, Smith Group, Chicago Jonathan Sajdak, PE, Senior...
James Dipping: Water intelligence: Are you warmer or colder in finding a solution?
In my January 2022 column, I made a broad call for improved water intelligence to offer improved building occupant health. This is nothing new to the HVAC industry, with system monitoring and control extending far beyond the mechanical room and into the most remote areas of the building.
Water management and water intelligence: Protecting your building’s bottom line
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), around 6,000 Legionnaires’ disease cases are reported each year in the United States. However, scientists believe the reported totals are much lower than the actual cases due in part to the difficulty in distinguishing Legionnaires’ disease from other types of pneumonia. The Legionella bacteria causing the disease could be lurking in your building’s water systems, according to ESD Technical Director for Plumbing James Dipping.
James Dipping: Does your building’s tap water have an expiration date?
Fresh water is an undeniably valuable and essential natural resource. But are plumbing engineers unintentionally putting building occupants are risk by implementing water conservation guidelines and equipment? What are the unseen consequences of water conservation?
James Dipping: Plumbing engineering for 2022: A call for water intelligence in the age of smart buildings
The commercial building community is giving its full attention to improving indoor air quality as we attempt to make our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it’s true that germs and pathogens can be carried through the air, we’re forgetting how easy it is to pick them up through the water we drink, wash our hands with and cook our food in. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 7.2 million Americans get sick every year from diseases that spread through water.
As Infection Control Increases Building Water Temperature, Scalding Prevention Takes Center Stage
With the world’s heightened focus on infection control, local municipalities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other plumbing authorities are calling for buildings to use several methods to reduce the development of waterborne pathogens. One of the foremost measures recommended by the CDC and OSHA is maintaining higher domestic hot water temperatures throughout your facility. The idea is simple.
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