March 2022

Publication Mail Agreement #43029513. Return postage guaranteed Marked Business Media Inc. 286 King Street W, Unit 203, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1J 2J9

Taking back the Trades How one female is inspiring the next generation of technicians

INSIDE

n EV sector inspiring building market

MARCH 2022

WWW.PLUMBINGANDHVAC.CA

n Trade certification coming to B.C n Commercial construction

enters fourth industrial revolution n Skills Ontario finally her

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n Contents

Commercial Systems Issue Departments Hot Seat..........................................5 Celebrating World Plumbing Day

Industry News ...............................7 MEET Show Preview

Industry Champions . ..................56 B.C. apprentice breaking glass ceilings

People & Places............................58 Reed Manufacturing celebrates 125th anniversary

Shop Management......................60 Remuneration for employees and customers

15

Coming Events.............................62 Return of the OGA Conference

Products & Technologies Commercial Systems ...................15 Commercial Products ..................20 Building Green ............................22 Humidity Control ........................29 Hydronics . ...................................35

Future of Commercial Construction Innovation adoption rates increasing slowly but surely

Features

AHR Expo . ...................................40 Refrigeration ...............................43 Sick Building Syndrome

29

Hydrogen Boiler

35

Indoor air quality can affect occupants health

Cover: Jess Bannister, an apprentice at Cam Cool Refrigeration Inc, is looking to inspire more females to a career in the trades through her advocacy work and social media campaigns.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Heat from Refrigeration, Pt II Heat pump fundamentals

43

Heating indoor environments with zero-carbon hydrogen

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n Hot Seat March 2022 Volume 32, Number 2 ISSN 1919-0395

Publisher Mark Vreugdenhil (289) 638-2133 ext.1 Cell: (416) 996-1031 mark@plumbingandhvac.ca

Celebrating World Plumbing Day and International Women’s Day in March Some time ago, I wrote a column that highlighted my childhood experience of helping my father hold the flashlight while he was pulling wire, working on one of our motorcycles, or building a project my mother had tasked him with. To this day, that was my favourite column I have written, as so many readers chose to write and share their similar fond memories. This column has been on my mind, as of late, since I was once again tasked with helping my father on one of his latest projects by holding up the flashlight when I was up for a visit. I highly suspect this will be something I will do to help my father for decades to come.

This passing off of skills (proper flashlight holding is an art) from parent-to-child or journeyperson-to-apprentice has always been a strength for the skilled trades. There ends up being an almost childhood nostalgia to the work performed. However, this also might be a reason why this industry tends to be on the slow end for the adoption of innovation and new technology. I can see the industry maneuvering its way through its growing pains.

As frustrating and terrible as this pandemic has been on Canada and the rest of the world, it has advanced the global mindset

Facebook: @PlumbingandHVAC

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surrounding the skilled trades. People have started to realize the important work this industry does for the community. This is best evident in the amount of ventilation upgrades made to our institutions.

Those that know me, oftentimes refer to me as a "humble bragger," which of course I always respond with “I am the Queen of the Humble Brag.” Celebrating these accomplishments is important.

This is also why March is one of my favourite months of the year since two special celebrations happen to fall in it: World Plumbing Day (WPD) and International Women’s Day (IWD).

Celebrated on March 11 (WPD) and March 8 (IWD), these two days allow for people to stop and think about the dedicated demographics that they highlight.

Let us know how you chose to celebrate each of these special occasions by emailing, leah@plumbingandhvac.ca.

You could even nominate a plumber or woman to be highlighted as part of our "Industry Champions" profile series.

LinkedIn: Plumbing + HVAC Magazine

Twitter: @Plumbing_HVAC_

Editor Leah Den Hartogh (289) 638-2133 ext. 2 Cell: (289) 830-1217 leah@plumbingandhvac.ca Assistant Editor Francesco Lo Presti (289) 638-2133 ext. 3 francesco@plumbingandhvac.ca Contributing Writers Roy Collver, Ron Coleman, Mark P. Evans, Bill Hooper, Michael McCartney, Glenn Mellors Bruce Nagy, Greg Scrivener Design and Production Tim Norton/Janet Popadiuk production@plumbingandhvac.ca All articles and photos by Plumbing & HVAC staff unless noted.

PLUMBING & HVAC Magazine is published eight times annually by Marked Business Media Inc. and is written for individuals who purchase/ specify/approve the selection of plumbing, piping, hot water heating, fire protection, warm air heating, air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, controls and related systems and products throughout Canada.

Marked Business Media Inc. 286 King Street W, Unit 203, Oshawa, ON L1J 2J9 Tel: (289) 638-2133 Postmaster: Send all address changes and circulation inquiries to: Plumbing & HVAC Magazine, 286 King Street W, Unit 203, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada L1J 2J9. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 43029513. Postage paid at Toronto, ON. Annual Subscription Canada: $40.00 plus applicable taxes, single copy $5.00 plus applicable taxes. Annual Subscription United States: $60.00 U.S. Annual Subscription foreign: $90.00 U.S. Copyright 2022. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

A member of: • Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating • Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada • Ontario Plumbing Inspectors Association • American Society of Heating Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers • Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada • Refrigeration Service Engineers Society of Canada

Instagram: plumbing_hvac_

2022-03-03 6:06 PM

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n Industry News

Atlantic Canada can get ready for the return of its largest trade show for the mechanical industry.

Back to business for Atlantic Canada’s largest trade show Atlantic Canada’s largest trade show and social event for the industry will return to Moncton in 2022. After a four-year hiatus due to the ongoing global pandemic, the Mechanical, Electrical, Electronic and Technology Show, or more commonly referred to as the MEET Show, will be returning for the first time since 2018.

It will return to the Moncton Coliseum

The two-day event will feature plenty of educational opportunities, which will be released at a later date. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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Complex in New Brunswick and run May 4 to 5. The two-day show will begin both days at 9 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. on the 4th and until 4 p.m. on the 5th.

“Planning is well underway for this year’s event and it’s shaping up to be a great show. We heard from many of our exhibitors, and they are very eager to return and reconnect with industry members and do business again,” said Shawn Murphy, show manager for MEET. “We are on track to having a sold-out show floor with very limited spaces left. This is a one-of-a-kind event for Atlantic Canada to meet experts in the mechanical and electrical industries.”

Mechanical products will include plumbing, heating, hydronic heating, air conditioning, ventilation, refrigeration, drain cleaning, tools, pumps, valves, fittings, business, and design software, etc. And that’s just on the mechanical side, with another entire hall devoted to electrical.

The show anticipates around 350 exhibitors, which is around normal numbers.

Back by popular demand For the 2022 show, there will be plenty of educational sessions and seminars.

The schedule is anticipated to be released within the coming weeks once all has been confi med.

The Innovation Awards will also be making a triumphant return with the winners expected to be announced sometime around mid-April.

In previous iterations of the trade show, on the evening of the fi st night of the show, an industry dinner has been held. This year, the show has decided not to hold a dinner.

MEET is produced by Master Promotions Ltd. in Moncton, and sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH), IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) – Maritime Sections, ElectroFederation Canada (EFC) and ACME (Atlantic Canada Mechanical Exhibitors).

For more information about the show, please visit www.meetshow.ca.

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n Industry News

The World Plumbing Council is asking for people to share their thoughts and say thanks to those in the plumbing industry by using #WorldPlumbingDay on social media.

Celebrate World Plumbing Day 2022 Plumbing is a crucial aspect of any building; without it the world would be living as it did back in the dark ages. This is why, every year on March 11, the world stops to acknowledge the

distributors provide the products and technologies that deliver clean, safe drinking water as well as comfortable and efficient home heating,” explains the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating plumbers and all they do for us (CIPH), in a press release. by celebrating World Plumbing “Modern plumbing and Day. It was first established by heating products allow the World Plumbing Council Canadians to have fresh, safe (WPC) in 2010. running water and warm According to the World homes.”

Health Organization (WHO), Products like handsaround 829,000 people are free faucets and toilets can estimated to die each year as a reduce exposure to germs and result of unsafe drinking-water viruses, according to the and by 2025, half of the world’s World Plumbing Day association. population will be living in was first created by the To celebrate World water-stressed areas.

World Plumbing Council Plumbing Day, CIPH “Canadian plumbing and back in 2010. suggests those interested heating manufacturers and to host a special event, educating students at a local Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022 school, or fundraise or

8

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donate to a relevant charity. Additionally, there are plenty of opportunities to join the conversation through various social media channels. To spread the message, the WPC is asking people to share their thoughts and say thanks to the plumbing industry by using #worldplumbingday.

According to CIPH, there is an important link between good quality plumbing, health, environmental sustainability and, increasingly, economic prosperity.

Looking backwards

The word “plumber” derives from the Latin word “plumbum,” which means “lead” as in the element found on the periodic table.

Lead was used in early systems of the Roman Empire. Some historians theorize that too much lead in drinking water could have been a reason for the decline of the Roman Empire. They are also famous for its use of aqueducts in its society.

For more information about World Plumbing Day and how to celebrate, check out the World Plumbing Council’s website. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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What technologies and best practices can we develop to ensure ease of use and installation, innovation, and durability? This is the question that guides Continental’s research, engineering, and production to build the best. We’re eager to continue to invest in product offerings that excite you as much as they do us.

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n Industry News

Skilled trades certification coming to B.C.

British Columbia will require apprentices or journeypersons to register for certification to work within the 10 initial trades.

After 20 years of the mandatory skilled trades being eliminated in British Columbia, the province announced its Skilled Trades B.C. Act has been introduced into legislation to address labour shortages and support trades-people’s work in B.C. The skilled trades c ertifi ation will now require people to register as an apprentice or a

certified journeyperson to work in one of the 10 initial trades.

These trades include: 1. Mechanical (gas-fitter Class A and B, steamfitter/pipefitter, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, and sheet metal worker) 2. Electrical (power-line technician, industrial electrician, and electrician construction) 3. Automotive (heavy-duty equipment technician, automotive service technician and autobody and collision technician.)

“As the only province without skilled trades certification, B.C. workers and employers have been at a disadvantage. With 85,000 new job openings expected in the trades by 2031, there are so many opportunities for meaningful work in B.C.,” said Anne Kang, minister of advanced education and skills training. “That is why we’re launching a new, made-in-B.C. skilled trades certification

system to encourage more people to choose careers in the trades, so they can prosper, and employers can find the workers they need as B.C builds a strong economic recovery.”

Skilled trades certification for the 10 initial trades will be implemented in phases between 2022 and 2024, pending the passage of legislation.

Per the province, without this new certification, trades workers can be faced with trouble moving between employers, increasing barriers to gaining stable employment, resulting in lost or lower wages for the workers and their families.

The province hopes that once the Skilled Trades B.C. Act is passed, it will replace the Industry Training Authority Act (ITA) and become a Crown agency that is responsible for skills training in the province.

B.C. also announced that it would invest $5 million to the ITA to provide more trades training seats and help address waiting lists for priority trade programs in B.C.

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n Industry News

Ontario launches Skilled Trades Ontario It’s estimated that by 2025, the skilled trades easier for people to learn about and enter the will see a shortage of 350,000 jobs. As such, trades via strategic marketing, developing the Government of Ontario has new training and curriculum standards, officially launched Skilled Trades and providing a streamlined user-friendly Ontario (STO), a new crown agency that experience for tradespeople.

There are currently 144 trades in Ontario, will help combat the estimated labour shortage seen in the skilled trades industry. and by 2025 it is estimated that one in five “We’re redrawing the system to address jobs will be in the trades.

Ontario’s labour shortage and make the STO will also provide new online services trades a career of choice for more people,” that intend to help apprentices by creating an said Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, online “one-stop-shop,” which will allow for training, and skills development. them to schedule classes and exams, submit Previously STO was known as the Ontario forms, and pay fees.

College of Trades (OCOT), but the “The Heating, Refrigeration, and Air government remodelled the program. The Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) plan forMarch.22_Layout the new agency will be to make it 1is pleased to see these new online services as TPI 8x5 1 2/8/2022 1:31 PM Page

this was one of the key recommendations made by HRAI during the STO stakeholder consultations that were reflected in the final legislation,” explains the association by press release.

“Other HRAI recommendations that were also included in legislation were increased interprovincial alignment and labour mobility and the development of a continuum of compliance tools used by inspectors.”

An independent board of directors will lead the STO in delivering the government’s Skilled Trades Strategy; this includes breaking the stigma surrounding the trades, simplifying the system, and encouraging employers to hire more apprentices.

The new STO board of directors will include association leaders, educational personnel, and other industry stakeholders.

The process to launch STO began back in 2021 when the proposed legislation titled “Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades.”

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n Commercial Systems

Still in the infancy of what experts refer to as its fourth industrial revolution, the commercial construction industry has begun to quicken its pace in adopting new technology. Something it has struggled to keep up with in the past.

By Francesco Lo Presti pandemic taught us a great deal as change appeared to happen almost overnight.

COVID-19 has impacted every facet of our society and many businesses have adopted technology at a faster rate due to necessity.

Prior to the pandemic, touchless technology was just starting to gain market share, but arguably skyrocketed in terms of interest as people hunkered down in their homes, which also became the office or a lot of Canadians.

Online connections The digital age should allow for easier collaboration within the trades, especially with the introduction of a 5G network.

W

elcome to the future. It probably isn’t shaping up the way it was expected. We haven’t perfected technology in the way so many movies had predicted. If the movie “Back to the Future” held any amount of truth, the world would have been travelling around in style with flying cars back in 2015. Oftentimes the future is synonymous with change; one always following the other. Arguably, the global

Another example would be the introduction of online-based systems across the construction sector. For the commercial industry, it was no different. Although, some of these technological innovations had already begun prior to the pandemic, explains David Bowcott, global director of growth, innovation and insight for the Global Construction and Infrastructure Group and Aon. “I see as a whole, the industry has been Continued on page “17”

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Commercial Systems

Modular construction could be one solution to the ongoing labour shortage in Canada.

Continued from page “15”

slow to adopt. It’s not a secret that globally the construction industry is one of the slower in adopting technology, but in the last five years it has picked up pace quite a bit.”

Back in 2019, Bowcott spoke at the

that were expected to be part of the future of commercial construction. This included prefabrication and modular builds, advanced building materials, 3D printing, autonomous construction, artific al intelligence, big data, wireless monitoring, cloud and real-time, 3D scanning, and building information

I think as a whole, the industry is making some good strides with respect to adopting new technologies and new innovations, but I think there’s certainly a recognition that the industry can do more and that there’s room to adopt new technologies and innovations.

Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada’s (MCAC) Innovation Conference, which was held at the Beanfield Centre at the Exhibition Place in Toronto. “The status quo is not an option. What made companies relevant in the past won’t necessarily work today. The industry needs to evolve with the times,” explained Bowcott, when he spoke at the Innovation Conference in 2019.

During his presentation, he listed trends www.plumbingandhvac.ca

PHVAC-March2022.indd 17

modelling (BIM).

“BIM, the cloud, internet of things (IoT) and 3D digital scanning are currently the biggest players, but there is a potential for machine learning to be a real game changer in the industry,” explained Bowcott when asked to look back at the conference three years ago. “The cloud is pretty stable, and you can actually hook up IoT devices. The fact you’ve got these nerves effectively in the asset

that can tell you whether there’s dampness or tilting of structure. IoT plays a massive role.”

When it comes to the labour shortage, its expected by those in the industry that prefabrication and modular construction will play a key role. “Prefabrication and modular construction is one of the means by which you may see a skilled labour challenge addressed because if there are fewer workers on the job, you can now focus on work in a closed, controlled environment for prefabrication and modular construction and bring that to the job site,” explains Ken Lancastle, chief operating officer ith MCAC. While the industry has made good strides in this facet, there still is more work to be done.

“I think as a whole, the industry is making some good strides with respect to adopting new technologies and new innovations, but I think there’s certainly a recognition that the industry can do more and that there’s room to adopt new technologies and innovations,” said Lancastle.

Red tape

The adoption process for many of these new technologies can sometimes be slowed Continued on page “18”

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n Commercial Systems Continued from page “17”

down due to red tape. Sometimes this can mean quite a few additional hurdles, “I think number one, the owner and design community aren’t really educating themselves around the technology as much as they should

Part of the aforementioned solution is due to procurement models changing since technology is allowing for the job to be more transparent. This means that different levels of the industry will be able to collaborate more efficiently, explains Bowcott.

Lancastle suggests that contractors

David Bowcott spoke at the MCAC Innovation Conference in 2019 and looked at trends within the commercial construction sector. be. Second, contractors and the industry as a whole have thin margins so for them to take a risk and try different technologies, it could be a pretty costly risk. Lastly, the complexity of things means there’s so many different technologies and it can be confusing to learn them all,” explains Bowcott.

The industry appears to recognize this red tape and has found solutions to some of its problems. “Procurement can be a challenge with respect to technology adoption but as we see a move to more collaborative procurement and contracting methods, I think you’ll start to see more innovation occurring in the industry,” said Lancastle. “Having a more collaborative contracting methodology will allow contractors, consultants, and owners to work together to create more innovation in construction and on a project.”

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Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

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could even be brought in earlier on in the procurement to allow for innovations to occur earlier in the construction process.

This is also where BIM shines. “It is a significant component in allowing mechanical contractors to take advantage of the productivity improvements that can occur as a result of BIM being involved,” said Lancastle.

Global shifts

According to Bowcott’s presentation back in 2019, commercial construction is into its fourth industrial revolution and the connectivity of all things is at the forefront of this innovation. Looking back on this stance, Bowcott still sees the commercial construction sector in the beginning stage of a fourth industrial revolution and that it

has been coming since the assets in the built environment are becoming more aware of potential problems. “Hopefully this leads to us experiencing less unexpected events in the assets,” he explains.

Unexpected global events, like the pandemic and climate change, has hindered the progress that was happening within the industry.

According to Bowcott, “Without a doubt we are entering a new phase of economy which is when the built environment becomes more aware even predictive, and this should lead to less friction overall."

There has been a lot of progress in the industry since the conference was held back in 2019, reports Lancastle. "I think what’s really going to be the game-changer with respect to the connectivity of all things is the advent of 5G.” Th s should allow for faster networks and seamless integration.

The adoption of cloud and real-time technology, big data, and wireless monitoring are just some examples from Bowcott’s list of technologies that will be directly impacted by 5G. “As a collective whole, we sit on a lot of data and there are tons of data that happens on every single project. The ability to understand that data and to harness it is important, and 5G can be a game-changer because it will allow for that real-time data to occur without lag,” explains Lancastle.

Environmental revolution New buildings will have to embrace more energy conscious technology moving forward as Canada moves closer to its commitment of being net zero by 2040. The industry understands the important role it will play in making these net zero requirements, explains Lancastle. “We know the important role that construction plays with respect to meeting the net zero requirements both in terms of new construction but also more importantly existing buildings and retrofitting buildings to net zero.”

Bowcott is calling on our industry to come together and figure out how we can work towards our goal because the tools are there — “It’s just a matter of figuring out how to make them work.” : www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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n Commercial Products

Product Profile New pressurization unit coming to North American market At the 2022 AHR Expo in Las Vegas, Mikrofill Systems Ltd, Redditch, United Kingdom, introduced its Mikrofill 3 hydronic system pressurization unit for the North American HVAC market. The direct-type pressurization unit is available for sealed, low-pressure hot water and chilled water commercial and multifamily residential applications. Able to fill any heating or chilled water system from empty without the use of a pump, the product delivers commercial backflow protection with no RPZ valves, while providing electronic pressure management.

It connects directly to the commercial building’s incoming water supply (main or boosted). Precommissioned sensors monitor system inlet and operating pressure which automatically maintain system pre-sets. When a change in cold-fill water pressure is detected, the sensors open the Mikrofill 3 valves to top off the system. It also provides leak and flood protection. It has a fill rate of 3.8 gallons per minute, based on an incoming pressure of 30 psi. The base requirement is a water-supply pressure of 4.5 psi greater than the cold-fill requirement.

Mikrofill u www.mikrofill.com

Commercial water heating system

Rinnai, Atlanta, Georgia, unveiled its new tank replacement solutions for both contractors and end-users with their all-new non-condensing Demand Duo R-Series commercial water heating system. Its design connects to existing sixinch B-vent, allowing contractors to replace standard-efficiency atmospheric tanks. Sold in 80 or 119-gallon tank options, the Demand Duo R-Series eliminates the need for new vent penetrations and the pre-installed drip leg and 36-inch swivel-flex gas line reduces install time with a pre-installed electrical junction box and duplex outlet. The digital controller allows management of building recirculation without purchasing an additional aquastat.

Rinnai u www.rinnai.us

Low GWP compatible compressor

Emerson, Sidney, Ohio, introduced its new Copeland ZPSK7 two-stage scroll compressor lineup for residential and light commercial HVAC applications. The new Copeland ZPSK7 is regulation-ready and will offer low GWP compatibility while being optimized for the R410A refrigerant. The compressors are available in 1.5 to five-ton single phase models, with three-phase compressors following in 2022. The new compressor platform will also help original equipment manufacturer (OEM) achieve additional efficiencies, making them meet new 2023 Department of Energy (DOE) regulations.

Emerson u www.Climate.Emerson.com

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Flood prevention and backflow protection

Watts, Burlington, Ont, introduced its LF909-FS with SentryPlus alert technology.

The integrated flood sensor technology is now standard on all large diameter (2-1/2 inch to 10 inches) Watts 909 backflow preventers. Flood sensors can be activated with add-on cellular or BMS kits. The sensors are designed to detect discharge from the RPZ backflow’s relief valve, so action can be taken to prevent flooding. An integrated sensor is pre-installed at the relief valve, directly before the air gap, on all large diameter 909s.

Watts u www.watts.com

Low sound rating heat pump

Bosch Thermotechnology, Mississauga, Ont, announced the availability of its new heat pumps for commercial spaces — the QV Series.

Available in multiple sizes and both horizontal and vertical configurations, the commercial grade QV Series features a low sound rating of 53dB. It delivers a compact cabinet, making it ideal to fit into small spaces in commercial buildings. The systems includes a constant airflow ECM DEC blower to provide the same CFM of airflow as the Bosch LV model, but at a lower RPM. The QV Series features Bosch’s patented compressor encapsulation, which includes high density mass loaded vinyl insulation material wrapped around the blower.

Bosch Thermotechnology u www.bosch.ca www.plumbingandhvac.ca

2022-03-03 6:06 PM

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n Building Green

As electric heat pumps, smart homes, electric vehicles, and micro-grids advance, we’re all electronics engineers.

By Bruce Nagy and varied skills will be needed. We may be in the mechanical business, but we need to know about electricity, electronics, buildings that are both self-contained and part of microgrids, micro-grids that are both islanded and part of the global energy matrix.

Smart buildings

Johnson Controls' press event at the 2022 AHR Expo covered the company’s “Connected World” strategy, new wireless smart home devices, and new AI-enabled preventive maintenance.

22

Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

PHVAC-March2022.indd 22

When I was a child, there were only a few large TV networks and newspapers. As the years passed these transformed into thousands of cable TV channels, and then into online networks, like YouTube and Netflix and thousands of internet channels. Media fragmentation created options, permutations, combinations, and demanded a different skill set for consuming it.

Our energy and building technologies are now transitioning from the old, centralized way to decentralized, diversified ways. New

During the AHR Expo in Las Vegas this February and in preparation for CMPX in Toronto in March, Google has been doing media interviews about its Nest Pro Program, part of its continuing vision to become a key part of every human family and business on Earth. “We see the thermostat as the centre of any smart home and we have millions of Nest installations,” says Gene Lanois, Nest Pro director. His pitch is that contractors who sign up can be digitally connected as the installer of the system, whenever service is needed.

Smart home technology is expected to grow more than 13 per cent each year, from $126 billion this year to about $208 billion in 2026, when there will be nearly 600 million users, about one quarter of the world’s buildings. The largest and most lucrative market is North America, which is already Continued on page “24” www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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n Building Green

The Zipcharge Go portable electric vehicle charger from the UK can be used for condos, apartments, and hotels.

Continued from page “22”

about $35 billion. Household penetration rates in Canada are very high, 32 per cent now and 53 per cent by 2026, a $4.1 billion business in the U.S. In 2020, Johnson Controls acquired Qolsys Inc., a smart-home manufacturer. Its trade show narrative involves a “connected world strategy,” and a new Zigbee mesh router that can communicate with up to 35 wirelessly enabled equipment controllers at distances of 250 ft. It’s also pushing Metasys IP equipment controllers that offer pandemic pressurization mode for instant higher levels of ventilation flush, and touting its 300 per cent investment increase in heat pumps and natural refrigerants.

According to Global Market Insights, the worldwide electric heat pump market will grow from $53 billion in 2020 to $85 billion in 2028.

Ford Motor’s new fully electric F-150 Lightning features V2G technology, which allows it to also power a house in an emergency. range when buying an electric car. That’s a lot of power relative to the needs of houses and some businesses. Not surprisingly, engineers see an opportunity for sharing at specific

We may be in the mechanical business, but we need to know about electricity, electronics, buildings that are both self-contained and part of microgrids, micro-grids that are both islanded and part of the global energy matrix.

Buildings and vehicles as batteries

If you have solar panels on your roof, electricity storage in the garage and an electric car full of lithium batteries, you’ve got power that could be accessed with or without grid utility.

We rarely use it, but we want 300 miles of

24

Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

PHVAC-March2022.indd 24

times. There is currently an explosion of technology development to support this possibility.

Ford is advertising that its new electric F-150 pickup truck will be vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capable, to power your house in an emergency.

Communities as energy producers

Canada learned from a tragedy in July 2013 when a 73-car freight train carrying crude oil accidentally rolled down a hill and derailed in downtown Lac Mégantic, a small Quebec town east of Sherbrooke. Several railcars exploded, killing 47 people. About half the buildings were destroyed and the other half contaminated beyond saving.

The town has moved forward, rebuilding, and installing a modern microgrid, which consists of solar panels, energy storage and load management tools. The control system can switch off Hydro-Québec and operate independently during extreme weather events.

Lac Mégantic is not alone. Medicine Hat College in Alberta has installed a microgrid that includes a solar parking lot canopy and E.V. charging station. It will act as an Continued on page “26”

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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n Building Green Continued from page “24”

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Prince Edward Island is building a microgrid with a 10-megawatt solar array generating enough power for about 6,000 typical homes, and grid connected batteries. It will provide clean energy and peak load management in a self-contained residential, industrial, and commercial community. It’s connected to the

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grid, but can also be islanded.

The Xeni Gwet’in First Nation, sixty-two miles from the nearest electricity in B.C. recently completed a solar energy microgrid with 1,000 kilowatt/hours of battery storage that will reduce the community’s reliance on fossil fuels by 60 per cent.

Virtual power plants

Tesla has some projects in California and Australia called “virtual power plants.” It also involves voluntary assemblage of selfgenerators to trade power with the larger grid. Similar programs are known as demand response, and may involve only smart meters and thermostats like in Ontario. They help utilities avoid building more gas plants for peak demand. In Tesla’s case, the software brings together a block of available renewable power from disparate rooftop solar or home battery sources.

Siemens has created a “micro-grid lab” for experimentation at its headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey. It consists of a parking lot solar carport, electric vehicle charging stations, batteries, and software.

ASHRAE has created something similar at its renovated new headquarters in Peachtree, Georgia.

Overall costs for micro-grids have declined by 25 to 30 per cent since 2014, and according to Researchandmarkets.com in Dublin, the global micro-grid market will grow from 24.6 billion in 2021 to $42.3 billion by 2026.

Bloomberg NEF predicts that electricity storage will grow faster, doubling six times from 2016 to 2030.

In the U.S. and Canada, homeowners and business owners have been installing about a half million rooftop solar systems each year.

While Canada’s growth has been slower, it has begun to ramp up. : Bruce Nagy is a Toronto writer, author of more than 150 articles on clean energy.

His new book, ‘The Clean Energy Age’ was released on Amazon by Rowman & Littlefi ld in 2018. He can be reached at bruce.nagy@rogers.com.

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n Humidity Control Condensation on a window is usually one of the first signs that the humidity within the space is too high.

Buildings can get sick too. If you’ve ever been concerned with the number of staff that are always sick or suffer from allergies, this is a classic case of sick building syndrome or SBS for short. When it comes to the indoor air quality of buildings, there are four main areas of focus for SBS — temperature, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and particulates, humidity, and air exchange. Humidity is the focus of this article.

The humidity spectrum isn’t so different than the children’s story “The Three Little Bears” with the adage of too little, too much, and just right. The effect of humidity levels can be separated into three parts — symptoms, health effects, and comfort.

between 30 and 50 per cent.

This translates into 30 to 50 per cent of the maximum amount of water the air can hold at any given temperature. Remember temperature was part one of SBS; so, how does humidity affect temperature? It affects the way our bodies react to temperature.

Most of our bodies’ comfort zone is 70F and 45 per cent relative humidity (RH). Temperature and humidity can play tricks on our body’s comfort zone. As an example, if you raise humidity levels, our bodies will find comfort at lower temperatures and vice versa. If we lower humidity levels, we will need to raise the temperature to find that comfort zone.

This being true, we can save energy by adding moisture to the air and lowering heating requirements in the winter. Conversely, if we

Proper humidity levels are instrumental in providing higher levels of comfort within the built environment.

By Glenn Mellors

Ideal humidity levels

According to the Mayo Clinic, the ideal healthy humidity levels are

Continued on page “31”

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n Humidity Control Other moistureproducing additions to a building could be living walls, which have been growing in popularity. This living wall is located at the Cambridge City Hall in Ont.

adjusting the thermostat or questioning if it is working.

This is a classic case of too much relative humidity.

RH is too low

Continued from page “29”

reduce humidity levels in the air, we will find comfort in higher temperatures, thus reducing the load on the air conditioning system.

Humidity too high

The first symptom of too much humidity will be dampness, wet or foggy windows, musty odours, and stuffiness. The health effect comes from the bacteria and viruses that thrive in humidity levels higher then 60 per cent.

Here lies the answer as to why staff are always sick with colds or flu in the workplace.

Making sure humidity levels are just right is key to ensure the building doesn’t become “sick.” www.plumbingandhvac.ca

It is our profession that has the power to diagnose the levels of relative humidity and prescribe the remedy.

Those little microorganisms grab hold of the water droplets in the air and transport themselves through an entire room or building. They could travel upwards of 30-ft. before dropping to the floor out of our inhalation pathway. People with any respiratory issues will be the first to fall sick in high humidity levels.

Dust mites thrive on RH above 50 per cent; they are everywhere, especially in dark damp places. This can be a trigger to allergies in the winter.

Temperature and comfort cannot happen with excessive humidity as well. You may notice people in the office constantly

When humidity levels drop below 30 per cent, a new set of problems arise, and we call it the "ahem" syndrome.

This is when everyone in the office is walking around with a sore throat from making an “ahem” sound. Static electricity is a sure sign. Dry air will reduce mucus production and create dry nasal passages, this makes us vulnerable to other respiratory issues.

Other side effects of dry air within a building can showcase itself as desks and cabinets cracking, or with premature carpet or flooring wear. Can’t forget about those dead dust mites and fecal matter still floating around in the air, either!

This can affect our body’s comfort zones too. Dry air is cooler to the touch, which leads to occupants being cold even at higher-thannormal thermostat settings; not to mention the office-wars created by people not able to control the room to reach their body’s comfort.

Just right

The perfect temperature created and maintained by the sweet spot of humidity, as previously mentioned, is 30 to 50 per cent or better yet 40 per cent RH. Within this Continued on page “33”

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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range, the only sound around the office will be of people speaking, little to no coughing or nose blowing, and no one has touched the thermostat all day. The pesky cold and flu season is well under control at this point.

Tough truth

If only every building resided within the sweet spot, but we know they do not, of course. It is our profession that has the power to diagnose the levels of relative humidity and prescribe the remedy. Sometimes it requires a simple solution, while other times it is like a complex surgery. So, Dr. IAQ, we have diagnosed a building with SBS. If we follow these simple steps, we can provide a solution — identify the source, eliminate other possibilities, and deduct what can be provided to eliminate the issue.

With ageing buildings, the source may be an

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

increase in capacity or additional moisture. Breathing alone will increase carbon dioxide. There are Dust mites thrive other moisture-proin environments ducing situations where the relative than increased foot humidity reaches 50 traffic alone, like per cent and are a excessive plants common instigator (the addition of live for allergies in the walls), showers, or wintertime. production processes.

The ageing HVAC system has probably lost some of its conditioning abilities, although air conditioning is not a dehumidifier. In cases like these, complete upgrades may be necessary. For older buildings, ventilation may need to be added, or possibly commercialgrade HRVs. Whole building dehumidifiers can be a

remarkably effective add-on solution, although stand-alone they may not keep up. But added to the HVAC system, it may just do the trick!

There are many ventilation courses available today that cover the four categories of indoor air improvement: temperature, VOC and particulates, humidity, and air exchange. I encourage you to seek out the best one for your needs. : Glenn Mellors was born into a plumbing family and started in the industry in 1973. He entered the HVAC side of the business in the 80s, working in wholesale, and then joined Lennox in 1992. In 2008 he joined the ClimateCare Cooperative Corporation, an Ontario contractor group, where he is director of training and implementation. Glenn can be reached at gmellors@climatecare.com.

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Hydronics

One opportunity for hydrogen boilers would be to replace fuel-oil tanks with hydrogen tanks.

Utilizing zero-carbon hydrogen to store and carry energy could help heat indoor environments.

By Roy Collver here are three fundamental ways we can arrive at a zero-carbon future for our built environment. In order of importance, the HVAC industry will be a large player in each of them.

1. Increased energy efficiency and conservation.

2. Using renewable energy sources to electrify everything we can.

3. Replace existing fossil fuels with zero-carbon alternatives. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

This article is focused on point number three; specifically, the utilization of zerocarbon hydrogen as a way to store and carry energy to help heat our indoor environments.

In the current scramble to try and decarbonize, strong forces are promoting the use of hydrogen gas as a fuel to produce heat in traditional combustion appliances or generate electricity via catalytic fuel cells.

I believe we definitely have the oil and gas industries on board in our efforts to transition to a carbon-reduced future. They have expertise and experience in using fossil fuels to produce industrial hydrogen, the knowledge and talent to be able to store Continued on page “37”

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n Hydronics Oftentimes in more remote locations, there isn’t access to pipelines, which presents an opportunity for hydrogen tanks to be retrofitted into the system.

Continued from page “35”

and transport such a dangerous product, and the money for the needed research, development and infrastructure to expand into producing heating fuel. BUT — they must figure out how to keep the carbon dioxide from traditional hydrogen production methods out of the atmosphere (blue vs. grey hydrogen) or the whole effort is wasted.

The renewables industry is pumped about (green) hydrogen production through electrolysis, since it will give them another storage solution for excess energy produced by solar PV and wind farms, and a carrier to move that stored energy to off-site locations. How will this play out for an HVAC industry trying to de-carbonize?

Heads-up

Because of their natural resource challenges, it is no surprise countries over in Europe and Britain are all over this, needing to fast-

establish proof of concept.

There is a lot of buzz and misinformation about hydrogen, and I have had several enquiries, so the takeaway from this article is that hydrogen utilization will be coming to Canada, and it will be here in various forms very soon.

We are a long way from electrifying everything we want to, and I am an optimist when it comes to de-carbonization. I believe that the urgency of the current situation

I believe that the urgency of the current situation is driving innovations in so many new directions, and so rapidly, that we will be hard-pressed to keep up. track green hydrogen as a solution. They are simultaneously trying to wean off fossil fuels, shut down their aged nuke plants and avoid being held gas-hostage by other countries — a most difficult hat-trick. British gas utilities are particularly aggressive with hydrogen appliance research and development, as well as distribution pilot projects in order to www.plumbingandhvac.ca

is driving innovations in so many new directions, and so rapidly, that we will be hard-pressed to keep up. So, don’t turn your back on innovations or you just might be washed away by the big waves roaring up the beach behind you.

Is it not fair then to ask, what’s not to like about hydrogen boilers? They should pretty

much be plug-and-play for existing hydronic heating systems, be able to deliver high output on-demand just like their fossil fuel cousins, and have zero carbon dioxide stack emissions.

The bad news is there are currently no residential or commercial 100 per cent hydrogen boilers available in Canada (or anywhere else I know of).

Picking up speed

I have discussed this with high-level folks at two innovative boiler manufacturers with distribution in Canada and they confirm that their phones are ringing. The interest from utility companies is keen, getting stronger, and they have both the money and motivation to kick-start this development immediately.

There are problems inherent in using hydrogen as a heating fuel, so don’t expect hydrogen to just flat-out replace natural gas (here comes my Gasfitter 1 background). The properties of hydrogen versus natural gas can be detrimental to happy utilization. For instance, flammability limits of hydrogen are four per cent (low) to 75 per cent (high), while natural gas has the limit of 4.5 per cent (low) Continued on page “39”

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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people are working through these difficulties and solutions are being found. The two manufacturers mentioned prior, and a few others, have 20 per cent hydrogen boilers available across the pond now and are busy developing 100 per cent models. British utilities are using a 20 per cent hydrogen and natural gas blend in some existing and new distribution systems right now, with the intention of converting appliances to 100 per cent hydrogen as the technology matures.

Working out the kinks

One problem with this approach is that every appliance in the house will need to be replaced or converted at the same time. There are some possible sweet spots for hydrogen use in areas without grid or pipeline services, It is possible to retrofit a propane system to run off hydrogen with the proper fuel-oil and propane tanks could be replaced modifications. with hydrogen tanks for truck or boat delivery and re-fill. Clusters of industrial Continued from page “37” users can build close to hydrogen production facilities to reduce to 14.5 per cent (high). Ignition temperatures distribution issues and costs. are similar, but the wider flammability range Large input applications such as for hydrogen means it is much more likely to commercial volume domestic hot misbehave if gas/air mixes wander out of the water heating and snow melting will proper land. add stress to the electrical grid and In terms of flame speed, hydrogen comes in be very expensive when aggressive at three meters per second (that’s really fast), peak-load and day-of-use billing while natural gas comes in at 0.35 meters per practices are implemented. second — this is a biggie when it comes to Combined hydrogen heat and burner design; flashback is a serious problem power fuel cell technology is to tackle (in modulating pre-mix burners available now, but very expensive. especially).

Expect rapid innovation to bring The BTU per cubic foot of hydrogen is 325 The ISH trade show in Germany had already been the costs down. in talks about the research and development of BTU, and 1,000 BTU for natural gas. If we It is too early to tease out all of the hydrogen boilers more than a decade ago. want to use pipelines, supply pressures will niche applications that will favour have to be cranked up in order to deliver the hydrogen combustion technology. same amount. Many existing systems won’t increases the challenge of preventing toxic Time to put on your thinking caps. : like that, and hydrogen embrittlement of steel nitric oxide production. can hurt distribution systems.

Roy Collver is an author The molecular weight of hydrogen is two, It’s getting hot in here and consultant on hydronic and 16 for natural gas. Hydrogen molecules Hydrogen flames do not emit visible light heating based in Qualicum can sneak through smaller spaces making and can’t be sensed by rectification devices.

Beach, B.C. He can be leakage more likely.

This means UV sensors will need to be reached at Lastly, the flame temperature of hydrogen re-designed to make them smaller and hoth2o@shaw.ca is 2,180C, and 1,950C for natural gas. This affordable. The good news is that very clever www.plumbingandhvac.ca

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

39

n AHR Expo

AHR Expo returns for in-person events in 2022 The 2022 AHR Expo returned as an in-person event in Las Vegas after a forced hiatus due to the ongoing global pandemic. This year’s show recorded over 30,600 attendees, which is down around 20,000 attendees compared to the 2020 show.

Attendees were eager to be back in the booths and experience new products. “It was impossible to miss the energy in the halls this year,” said Mark Stevens, show manager. “The 2022 AHR Expo surpassed any expectation — our exhibitors, attendees, associations,

speakers and everyone involved made this event one of the most special we’ve ever hosted. If you were there, the camaraderie was hard to miss. This industry is strong and we are back on track to tackle the challenges before us.”

A total of 1,573 exhibitors spread out over 443,769 sq. ft. in the central and north halls of the Las Vegas Convention Centre. The 2022 show held several of the same features from previous shows including educational seminars, its Innovation Awards, and

podcast pavilion.

“My main reason for attending the AHR Expo is the whole experience,” said Brendan Bowie, a tradesperson from Arizona and first-time attendee. “You get to meet all the people who make the things that we buy and look up to and use everyday. It is a lot of the vendors that we spend money with because they make superior products. I talked to presidents and CEOs of companies that I buy products from everyday, every week, every month.”

The 2023 AHR Expo will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Registration will open in summer 2022.

Unable to attend the show? Check out some highlighted products from the event.

Clean indoor air system Broan-Nutone, Hartford, Wisconsin, introduced Overture, an automated fresh air system. Overture uses sensor technology to monitor a home’s indoor quality. When it detects a rise in indoor air pollution caused by increased humidity, volatile organic compounds, smoke, carbon dioxide and small particles, the Overture system will automatically turn on the nearest ventilation fan to eliminate the pollutant while simultaneously bringing in fresh, clean air from outside. Overture can be set up and controlled through a mobile device.

Broan-Nutone www.broan-nutone.com

HVAC monitoring Google Nest, Sterling, Virginia, announced its new Google Nest Pro program, which is available on all thermostats and provides HVAC monitoring.

Through alerts sent to the homeowners, customers can stay updated about the health of their HVAC systems and can book a job with a Nest Pro if needed. HVAC monitoring is a free feature available to customers in Canada and the U.S. In addition to HVAC monitoring, installers who enroll in the Google Nest Pro program can access benefits like exclusive products, pricing, and extended warranties, along with training and marketing support.

Google Nest www.nest.google.com

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Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

Fan controller Airius, Denver, Colorado, introduced its new destratification fan controller to market — the BACnet MS/TP. The new fan controller provides individual Airius fan control and status integration over the BACnet MS/TP network. With up to 63 fans able to connect to the network, the new fan controller allows anyone to monitor their Airius fan system while reducing energy consumption and improving the comfort of their buildings. Additional features include on and off, fan speed control and revolutions-per-minute (RPM) monitoring, and compatibility with electronically commutated (EC) motors.

Airius www.airiusfans.com www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Strategic machines

WaterFurnace renaming product line WaterFurnace International, Fort Wayne, Indiana, is renaming its commercial solutions product lines under two brand names, Versatec and TruClimate. The Versatec brand identifies the company’s commercial line for water-to-air heat pumps, DOAS units, rooftop equipment, and indoor console heat pumps. While the TruClimate brand identifies the company’s water-to-water heat pumps and modular chillers. A new numbering system will also be introduced to the brand names, featuring numbers of either 100, 300, 500, or 700, which will intuitively communicate tiering and application characteristics to customers.

WaterFurnace International www.waterfurnace.com

Turntide Technologies, Sunny vale, California, announced the launch of its new TX motor through Turntide for strategic machines. The TX motor is a customizable full-stack hardware and software solution that improves energy efficiency and adds intelligence, controls, and automation to any commercial HVAC system, pump, or fan. It is 50 per cent lighter and is ideal for use in equipment with limited space or high torque requirements. The TX motor also features IoT capabilities which enables automated commissioning, remote monitoring, and fault detection. Turntide will also integrate its Smart Motor System.

Turntide Technologies www.turntide.com

Rheem line of products Rheem, Atlanta, Georgia, announced the expansion of its line of heat pump water heaters with its new 120V Proterra plug-in heat pump model. Because of its quick and easy installation with minimal clearance requirements, the 120V Proterra is ideal for drop-in gas replacement without the need to install a 240V electric service. It will be coming to the market in the later-half of the first quarter of 2022.

Rheem www.rheem.com

Rooftop unit Jo h n s on C ont ro l s , M i l w au k e e , Wisconsin, unveiled its 15 to 27.5 ton Choice Rooftop Unit, providing up to 23 per cent greater part-load efficiency. Choice Rooftop Units feature a broad range of outdoor air options, including low-leak damper economizers, constant volume powered exhaust, modulating powered exhaust, and a wide range of gas heat options, including full modulating gas heat with a 2.85 to one turndown ratio. Choice Rooftop Units exceed Department of Energy (DOE) 2018 guidelines up to 25 per cent and already surpasses future DOE 2023 part-load standards by almost 10 per cent.

Johnson Control www.johnsoncontrols.com www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Next generation refrigerant Honeywell, Morris Plains, New Jersey, unveiled the Solstice N71, a new low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant for commercial and industrial refrigeration that is optimized for supermarkets. The Solstice N71 is a non-flammable and energy-efficient solution that features a GWP of less than 150. The N71 expands Honeywell’s line of Solstice products, which includes the N40. In addition, the next generation N71 has a 13 per cent reduction in energy usage against R-404A and over 30 per cent energy reduction versus carbon dioxide based systems.

Honeywell www.honeywell.com

High-efficiency motors Infinitum Electric, Round Rock, Texas, announced its new HVAC fan and pump product line specifically designed to support Canadian HVAC fan, pump and general-purpose applications. The new product line is an extension of Infinitum Electric’s IEs Series motors and will be available in the 575V, five to 15 horsepower range in the second half of 2022.

Infinitum Electric www.infinitumelectric.com March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

41

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n Refrigeration

Refrigeration systems and heat pumps are similar in theory; the difference is based on which portion of the heat transfer is of interest to the expert.

By Greg Scrivener

In heat pump systems, energy is rejected to a hot reservoir at the desire temperature while using as little energy as possible.

As promised in the previous issue, the discussion on heat pumping continues.

Since we want to have a more in-depth look at several of the more challenging aspects of heat pumps in commercial and industrial settings in future issues, we are going to take a quick step back and go through a few of the fundamentals.

Most of us were probably taught the second law of thermodynamics in several of its forms at some point in our lives. Maybe this lesson was done in school or maybe it was an outcome of some life experience. I remember vividly one particular instance of putting my thumb into a car lighter as a young boy (it had such cool-looking red circles; how could I resist?). As soon as my thumb touched that glowing red heating element, the energy from the hot element moved into my thumb Continued on page “45”

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March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Refrigeration

Continued from page “43”

and burnt my skin badly. As I jumped out of the car and put my thumb in a puddle, I was certainly not thinking as Rudolf Clausius did in 1854 when he was laying a foundation for the second law of thermodynamics — that “heat can never pass from a colder to a warmer body without some other change, connected therewith, occurring at the same time.” Yet, I certainly knew that the “hot” moved from the lighter into the “cold” of my thumb. The fact that energy transfers as heat from hot to cold is intuitive to most people – the warm drink doth not make the ice cube colder. Figure 1 best represents this energy transfer.

Figure 3: A system that moves heat from cold to hot using vapour compression.

Figure 2: A machine, like a vapour compression refrigeration system, can move energy from cold to hot. all the time. Figure 2 represents the energy movement with a refrigeration system added.

Engines and machines require some form of energy to accomplish this effect.

Balanced system

Figure 1: Heat will spontaneously move from hot to cold and not the other way around.

Transferring energy from cold to hot takes some other change, connected therewith, occurring simultaneously. The way to do this is to have an engine or machine that can force the heat to move in the other direction; probably the most common type of machine we have that works in this way is the vapour compression refrigeration cycle we talk about

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You may also remember that conservation of energy is necessary for any closed system. In our case here, the machine in Figure 2 cannot magically produce or destroy energy. This means that the sum of the energy coming in from the cold reservoir and the energy being used to run the machine must equal the energy leaving into the hot reservoir. In other words:

need to reject in our condenser is equal to the amount of energy we put in our compressor plus the heat we absorbed in the evaporator.

A refrigeration system and a heat pump are conceptually the same thing; the differences lay in which portion of the heat transfer we really care about. In a refrigeration system, we want to optimize the energy absorbed from a cold reservoir at some desired temperature using as little energy as possible. In a heat pump system, we want to optimize the energy rejected to a hot reservoir at some desired temperature using as little energy as possible. These desires can lead to different challenges and applications of technology to enhance refrigeration and heat pump systems differently. And of course, nothing is stopping us from wanting both the heat rejection and the cooling effect at the same time.

Heat pump dryers If we substitute a simple vapour compression system into our “machine,” we end up with Figure 3. This theory is now approaching something we have discussed many times here before: the amount of heat we

The application of heat pump technology is increasing and there is a drive to push the technology in an increasing number of applications and in colder climates. Three Continued on page “47”

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Refrigeration

Continued from page “45”

main applications that are currently standard fare in residential applications: 1. Space heating 2. Water heating 3. Clothes drying Products using heat pumps are widely available for each of these applications. In the last issue, we discussed some of the challenges with residential space heating applications and, particularly, how the outdoor climate affects their performance. Just as we did with the space heating, we need to pay attention to details in order to understand which type of system is good for a specific application.

Heat pump clothes dryers are expensive to buy and repair but they operate more efficiently than their resistance heating element. We will be going through the

In a refrigeration system, we want to optimize the energy absorbed from a cold reservoir at some desired temperature using as little energy as possible. rationale behind a lot of the energy-saving associated with using heat pumps in an upcoming issue but in simple terms, a heat pump dryer uses about 50 per cent less energy per load of laundry compared to a standard resistance electrical model.

Venting for heat pumps

This analysis is complicated because you must add the effects the dryer has on the house.

For example, a normal clothes drier requires

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that air from the house is exhausted outside which means that you have to bring in fresh air to your house to replace this exhaust. A heat pump dryer doesn’t have a vent outside so there is not the same need to bring in and heat/cool outside air. However, as we have learned about refrigeration systems, our condenser must reject both the energy put into the compressor and the energy absorbed in the evaporator. This means that a refrigeration system running in a closed room (i.e., put a fridge in a sealed room and leave the fridge door open) will always heat up the room.

One of the ways that evaporators absorb energy is by condensing water in the air, which is obviously the main purpose of the evaporator in a heat pump dryer. If you put electricity into a heat pump clothes dryer and you remove water onto the evaporator while cooling the air, there must be a net heat energy input into your home. In the winter this would help with heating costs and in the summer, it would add to the air conditioning load. Whether this technology makes sense depends on how much laundry you do and how much your electricity costs. For high

laundry volumes in areas with expensive electricity, this technology becomes quite appealing. And if you have no way to install a vent it’s a no-brainer.

You may be wondering why we spent so long talking about clothes dryers in a refrigeration article. Well, in short, this is the exact same thing we can do with commercial and industrial heat pumps in large commercial laundries, indoor agricultural facilities, ice rinks and many other industrial processes. As we continue to move forward with decarbonization, there will be more and more applications that use these types of systems. In the next issue, we will talk about water heating with heat pumps. : Greg Scrivener is the lead refrigeration engineer and a partner at Laporte Consultants, Calgary, and works throughout Canada and the U.S. He is a professional engineer and journeyperson refrigeration mechanic. He can be reached at GScrivener@laporteconsultants.com.

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Tools & Instruments Flexible shaft drain cleaner General Pipe Cleaners, McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, unveiled the Flexi-Root 100, its latest flexible shaft drain cleaner. The Flexi-Rooter 100 shaft spins more than 10 times faster than drum machines, reaching up to 2,200 RPM. The Flexi-Rooter 100 offers a stronger shaft with the strength to cut through roots in four-inch lines yet flexible enough to negotiate two-inch lines. It features an integral variable speed motor with a foot pedal to allow contractors the ability to use both hands to safely guide the flexible shaft into the line.

General Pipe Cleaners www.drainbrain.com

Upgraded camera reel Ridgid, Elyria, Ohio, has introduced the SeeSnake rM200 camera reel with TruSense to the market. Ideal for tackling lines up to 200 ft. in length and one-and-a-half to eight inches in diameter, the rM200’s new camera functionality features TruSense technology with high dynamic range imaging and TiltSense inclinometer for in-pipe vision.

The use of TruSense establishes a two-way datalink between the camera head and a connected Ridgid SeeSnake Wi-Fi enabled monitor. The rM200 also has enhanced transport and storage features.

Ridgid www.ridgid.com

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Power tube expander Navac, Mississauga, Ont, unveiled its latest product — the NTE11L BreakFree power tube expander. The NTE11L features a longlasting rechargeable lithium battery that allows up to 200 expansions on a single charge. The battery and charger are also compatible with Navac’s NEF6LM BreakFree power flaring tool. The NTE11L comes with quick connect heads sizing in 3/8-inches, 1/2 inches, 5/8 inches, 3/4 inches, 7/8 inches, one-inches and one-anda-eighth inches. The NTE11L also comes with a two-year warranty.

Navac www.navacglobal.com

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n Refrigeration

An ammonia leak could cause lethal results if not contained properly, making safety training essential for refrigeration mechanics. (Photo courtesy of the Ammonia Safety Training Institute)

The hole left by the phasing down of HFCs presents the opportunity for lower GWP refrigerants to fill in that supply gap.

Countries around the world are phasing down higher global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in favour of those that offer lower levels of GWP. This presents the refrigeration industry the opportunity to lead the built environment into the net-zero era. “In the past 35 years, we have seen tre-

By Leah Den Hartogh

Both natural and synthetic refrigerants will be important in filling the supply gap left open by the phase-down of high GWP refrigerants. mendous change in our industry as countries around the world have chosen to move to products and refrigerants that are less damaging to our environment and impact global warming,” said Dennis Kozina, director of sales for Canada at Emerson.

When it comes to products within the marketplace, there are synthetic and natural

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refrigerants available at the most basic level. Within each of those categories, it gets much more complicated. Synthetic refrigerants are broken down into mainly four types: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydro chlorof luoro carb ons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and the newest

addition, hydrofluoroolefin (HFOs). Each containing its own generation of refrigerants; HFOs have the lowest GWP amongst the synthetics, followed by HFCs, HCFCs, and CFCs. Natural refrigerants have been commerContinued on page “53”

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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n Refrigeration

Continued from page “51”

cially used for a lot longer than synthetics.

The most common is ammonia (R717; GWP of zero) followed by carbon dioxide (R744; GWP of one) and hydrocarbons, which features quite a few but the main one would be propane (R290; GWP of three).

“We’re seeing propane in tons of equipment. For example, in grocery stores or smaller bar fridges, there are a lot of them that are carbon dioxide or a hydrocarbon,” explains Trevor Matthews, founder of Refrigerationmentor.com. “You are also see-ing them in heat pumps. It’s growing and I believe it’s just going to continue to grow at a rapid pace.” This is just one opportunity that natural refrigerants have in advancing the HVAC industry.

Read the warning label Carbon dioxide was first patented as a refrigerant in 1850 and even predates ammonia by more than 20 years. It was largely used in marine applications for both refrigeration and air conditioning on ships.

This diminished once refrigerants like R12 (CFC) and R22 (HCFC) came onto the scene and then later commercialized in the 1930s.

“These refrigerants could operate at lower pressures and were easier to handle, apply, and install,” explains Kozina. “Carbon dioxide has regained popularity over the past 10 to 15 years due to its low GWP of one.”

A concern associated with carbon dioxide is that it operates at a very high pressure. This means that if there was a leak, the system would lose its refrigerant gas in a matter of minutes and with it, all the cooling capacity.

In theory, a customer could potentially lose the entire inventory at a supermarket in just one night, explains John Keating, vice president and general manager of stationary refrigerants at Honeywell. There’s more time with an HFO to fix the situation before getting to the stage of losing produce.

Still, in the right situation, any refrigerant could pose a danger, says Matthews. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

HFCs are to be phased down in Canada due to their high global warming potential levels.

Qualified-only

This takes us onto how important proper training can be for the refrigeration industry.

Some refrigerants, like ammonia, are toxic and flammable; they can be corrosive to skin, eyes, and lungs. According to Kozina, “Only qualified and experienced technicians should be used to install, commission and service equipment using R717. Systems that use R717 must also be designed to mitigate the risks

associated with it.”

It is best to err on the side of caution with flammable refrigerants, like propane and ammonia. An open flame or spark could potentially cause ignition if a leak leads to a flammable concentration.

Natural refrigerants do pose safety concerns; yet due to their low GWP levels, Continued on page “55”

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n Refrigeration Continued from page “53”

they are still increasing in popularity.

That isn’t to say that one-day natural refrigerants will completely replace synthetic refrigerants. “We are seeing natural refrigerants gain popularity, but because of the caveats mentioned previously, we believe synthetic refrigerants will also continue to play a key role in moving to lower GWP,” explains Kozina. “We have used synthetics for almost 100 years quite safely, and new synthetic refrigerants with lower GWP ratings continue to be developed.”

“When you compare HFOs to naturals, I think certainly both provide lower GWP options compared to the other choices like HFCs,” explains Keating. On Dec. 27, 2020, the U.S. enacted the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) act, which directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address HFCs by providing new authorities to phase

down the production and consumption of listed HFCs, manage HFCs and their substitutes, and facilitate the transition to next-generation technologies.

In Canada, the Ozone-depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives Regulations were amended to control HFCs through a phase-down of consumption, according to the Government of Canada.

Back in 1987, Canada signed the international treaty referred to as the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone. It was designed to protect the ozone layer and phase out the manufacturing and consumption of ozone-depleting substances. In 2016, the Kigali Amendment was adopted which included an HFC phasedown amendment.

All in this together

When it comes to replacing refrigerants within a system, HFOs have the benefit that they can be simply dropped on for some

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of the older HFCs. Whereas if the desire was to switch to a natural refrigerant, the entire system would need to be redesigned, reports Keating. “You couldn’t use existing equipment, you’d have to put a whole new system in because natural refrigerants, particularly carbon dioxide, operate at very, very high pressures.” HFOs don’t pose these same risks.

At the end of the day, both natural and synthetic refrigerants will be important in filling the supply gap left open by the phasedown of high GWP refrigerants, explains Keating. “It is not possible to drop in a natural refrigerant into an existing synthetic refrigeration system, therefore an end-user who chooses to go “natural” would need to replace equipment in an existing system.

In Canada, the Refrigerant Management Canada (RMC) program was created to properly dispose of fluorinated refrigerant waste. The program establishes standards and guidelines for every part of the disposal process. :

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n Industry Champions

How one apprentice is inspiring younger females to a career in the skilled trades

By Leah Den Hartogh A career in the skilled trades isn’t for the faint of heart; it’s tough and you have to have a bit of thick skin. Despite this fact, after only spending one week shadowing her father, Jess Bannister was hooked on the skilled trades. “I found it so interesting and exciting. Everyday was like, where are we going next?” Now, she finds herself in her second Bannister has come year of her apprenticeship at her family a long way since com-pany, Cam Cool Refrigeration Inc, her first day on the jobsite and now where she also is the operations manager.

After leaving university, she started her things feel so much career as an executive assistant in the finan- more natural for her. cial sector where she worked for around 10 years.

“When I was choosing a career, it never occurred to any one of us, not myself, nor my family, that I could do what my dad does. But my brother automatically went into it. Even when I started working with the family business, I automatically went into the office,” shared Bannister. “I feel like if I had maybe seen another woman out there doing what my dad was doing, it may have been a consideration. But I had no examples. I had no idea girls could even be what my dad did.”

Representation matters

Fixing a piece of equipment that was broken and feeling the client’s sense of relief is her favourite part of her job. Although, she admits every success is just so exciting.

56

Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

Through her social media brand, HVAC Jess, Bannister strives to inspire more females to keep an open mind about a career in the trades. It isn’t for the faint of heart and might not be the right career move for everyone, said Bannister. “It’s tough and you got to have a bit of a thick skin. Physically you get dirty and it’s a hard job. It’s physically demanding, and you’ve got to be willing to do things like sometimes crawling on a dirty floor under a track and you just got to do it because that’s part of the job.”

Her Instagram account reaches over 10,000 followers, where she documents the day-to-day life of an HVAC apprentice in Canada. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

The Women in HVAC Canada booth at the 2021 CIPHEX West tradeshow in Vancouver, B.C. had a consistent flow of visitors, many of which shared their own stories of impactful women in the trades.

The pandemic has proven that the skilled trades are an essential service, which is great for the industry as it is essentially pandemic and recession proof, explains Bannister. “Everyone needs us regardless of what’s happening in the world.”

Furthermore, by using social media, she strives to break the persistent stigma that surrounds the trades.

“This is the kind of message I’m trying to portray in my photos and social media.

I always try to be well put together and professional looking,” she explains. “It is a trade, but it’s a skilled trade. It really does take knowledge and expertise, and it’s not for the faint of heart. That’s for sure.”

Outside her growing influence on social media, Bannister has taken her passion for advocacy regarding women in the trades to the next level. She was part of the initial www.plumbingandhvac.ca

launch team for Women in HVAC Canada, an association that focuses on supporting females within the industry.

She sits as the chair of the board for the association.

Since its initial launch back in March 2020, the association has brought in new members and started to collect sponsors.

“The reception from the industry in general has been really good. People and companies want to get involved; they want to show their support. We have a number of sponsors, which are going to help us fund things like scholarships and bursaries and stuff for girls that want to get into HVAC,” shared Bannister.

Her favourite experience, so far, with the association was attending CIPHEX West last November in Vancouver. During the event, she was able to speak with many different people, and said that everyone was just so excited and receptive to the work the association has been doing. “It kind of validated what we’re doing since everything up to that point has been online and just seeing those people and hearing their stories. Everyone had a story about their sister, cousin, or whoever, or they had stories where they had hired women in the past and they were so great, and it was just really cool and refreshing to hear those stories. I was like why aren’t those more mainstream! Why am I hearing about this now? Why can’t we spread that message out to everybody?”

While she still has a few more years left in her journey to become a licensed refrigeration mechanic, she would love to one day speak at schools and share with young kids her experience with the trades and how it is a viable career opportunity. She explains that when you go into schools or browse the internet, they are oftentimes men that are center stage. She challenges this and wonders why there can't be more friendly female faces upfront. : March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

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. People & Places The

People Aqua Tech Sales and Marketing has announced that Joe Drago will be joining the team as its technical sales representative for the central region of Ontario.

Drago has 20 years of manufacturing experience, and has been an active board member of the Ontario region for the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Joe Drago Heating (CIPH).

Harry Kandilas will be the new director of showrooms for Wolseley Canada and will be responsible for leading and managing the operations of showroom locations across the country. Previously working with Zurn Industries, Kandilas has more than 20 years of sales leadership experience in the plumbing Harry Kandilas and building material industries.

Eric Delarosbil

Clifford Bassey

Nizar Sebti

Deann Brown

Silva and Mathieu St-Louis were each appointed to the position of after-sales and service representative. Stephanie DeLorme will take on responsibilities involved in the implementation of marketing programs. This is in addition to her current role as an administrative and marketing assistant.

Judd Greene

Tim Wiley

Kevin Headley

Rinnai America Corp. announces three promotions within its company. Judd Greene has been promoted to senior vice president of administration with responsibilities for human resources, finance, and information technology. Greene originally joined Rinnai as an accounting supervisor in 2009 and held leadership positions at several companies including Curtiss-Wright Corporation.

Tim Wiley has also been promoted to senior vice president of customer experience with responsibilities for sales, marketing, commercial, quality assurance and customer care. Wiley joined Rinnai back in 2015 as vice president of sales and prior to Rinnai, he held various sales leadership positions at Moen and Georgia Pacific.

Kevin Headley has been promoted to vice president of sales with responsibilities for sales in the U.S. and Canada. Joining the Rinnai team in 2020 as senior director of sales, Headley held sales leadership positions with a variety of companies including Sub-Zero Group and Whirlpool Corp.

The

Felipe Franca E Silva

Mathieu St-Louis

Stephanie DeLorme

Saniflo Canada announces its expansion of its business development and marketing support teams with seven internal appointments. Eric Delarosbil, Clifford Bassey, and Nizar Sebti will all be named business development managers with current accounts and will be tasked with recruiting new accounts across Canada. All three will share similar responsibilities in different regions. Delarosbil will be in charge of Eastern Canada, Bassey will be responsible for British Columbia and Alberta, and Sebti for the Central region.

In addition, Saniflo announced four additional personnel appointments in the areas of marketing, administrative, and technical-service support. Deann Brown has been appointed to the newly created position of marketing and communications manager. Felipe Franca E

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Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

Companies Stuart Turner, Oxfordshire, England, a water-boosting pumps and systems manufacturer, announced the acquisition of pressurization and HVAC specialist Mikrofill Systems Ltd. Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, Mikrofill has more than 25 years of innovation and experience producing pressurization units for sealed-system control, commercial-grade boilers and water heaters. Following its purchases of Fluid Water Solutions in 2019 and GAH Heating in October 2018, Stuart Turner continues to grow its presence in the commercial pump market with the acquisition of Mikrofill.

Next Plumbing and Hydronics Supply have announced they will now be offering Victaulic to its product line. Effective March 1, 2022, Next will begin shipping Victaulic’s comprehensive line of mechanical pipe joining and flow control solutions. Next’s 11 warehouses located across the Greater Toronto Area will all be fully stocked with Victaulic inventory.

www.plumbingandhvac.ca

Bradford White Water Heaters is expanding its online training options with six new eLearning course options through its “For the Pro Training Academy platform.”

The latest training courses will provide participants overviews and installation, maintenance and troubleshooting information on the Bradford White AeroTherm Heat Pump Water Heater and Infiniti K and L Tankless Water Heaters.

Armstrong Fluid Technology announced a new tiered suite of service plans to assist customers with improvements to building performance and reducing energy costs. The new tiered suite plan features three tiers, Silver, Gold and Platinum service plans, which will provide customers with cost-effective options. All three levels of the program provide analytics, phone support and structured reports on asset performance.

Reed Manufacturing has reached a milestone, celebrating 125 years in the in-

dustry. Established in 1896, Reed started by manufacturing pipe wrenches and plumbing supplies, but also scales, bicycles, and laundry

machinery. In 1915, Reed bench vises were awarded a gold medal and Reed pipe dies received a bronze medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.

Since its inception, Reed has continued supplying the industry with pipe tools and vises for the professional trades.

Navien Inc. has unveiled its new Navien products and service mobile app, available for Apple and Android devices. Through the new app, users will be able to access information on the latest Navien innovations, as well as the ability to keep track of installation, maintenance, and service information for Navien units. Industry professionals can log installation and service information for the units they work on, live chat with Navien technical support, scan unit serial numbers to register their installations including via NavienRewards, take job site photos to add to unit service logs, search for local wholesalers, and see the latest Navien training classes.

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March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

59

n Shop Management

Contractors have the choice to bill customers and pay employees in a variety of methods.

Each business should determine what's best suited for them.

By Ron Coleman Retaining your technicians, keeping your customers happy, and making more money; these are the cornerstones of your business.

Flat rate labour payments don’t adapt as well for construction work nor major retrofit projects. However, it is an ideal setup for service and smaller retrofit type work. This begs the question, which works best for your business? Flat rate? Hourly? A combination of both?

Contractors have the choice in deciding to bill their customers based on an hourly rate, on a flat rate, or a combination of both.

Independently, they could also decide how to remunerate their employees — this is the money paid for work.

Many HVAC and plumbing contractors use flat rate billing for their customers. This has been particularly successful in Ontario and less so in the rest of Canada. There are many advantages to flat rate; billing can be done faster and with greater accuracy, and the customer knows upfront what a repair will cost. There are several recognized flat rate

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Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

programs that are used in Canada.

Does a flat or hourly rate work best for your employees? Should you consider menu pricing? Let’s explore the pros and cons of each.

Higher levels of productivity

Hourly rates are calculated in a fairly familiarized fashion, therefore there isn’t much need to go into how it is calculated. Let’s review how flat rate works. Flat rate pay is payment based on each job that’s completed.

An employer estimates the amount of time a job should take and predetermines the amount for those jobs based on the expected time. When contractors use flat rate pricing for their customers, they know what the labour allowance is. That makes it simpler to calculate the time allowances for the employees. Without using flat rate for sales, it is very difficult to use flat rate for paying employees. Travel time and diagnostic time needs to be added to the flat rate for the employee. As this is a normal price for the customer, it is a straightforward process to

allow the equivalent time for the employee.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both hourly paid and flat rate. It is important to be aware of these and ensure your employees endorse whichever method you use. Unless employees buy-in to the process, it will be difficult to implement the changes.

Flat rate suits motivated and productive employees. At least one study has shown that employees can earn up to 25 per cent extra remuneration. They can take on more work and the company will also benefit from the increased productivity as the employee is motivated to beat the targeted time allowed.

It is also important for the technician to be good at diagnostics as once the problem is diagnosed, the company is on a fixed charge and, likewise, the employee. Marginal employees will likely leave, and motivated employees will likely apply for the positions, thus enhancing your workforce and productivity to even greater levels. With the shortage of mechanics, doing more with www.plumbingandhvac.ca

have fixed pricing for changing faucets, replacing toilets, cisterns, thermocouples, fans, and motors. These prices can be established in advance and makes it simpler to carry out the repairs so that the customer knows in advance what they are paying.

So, if you are not ready for a flat rate program you could try menu pricing for both the employee and the customer. This could be a win all around, the customer knows in advance their cost, the employee has an opportunity to make extra money, and the company makes

There are many advantages to flat rate; billing can be done faster and with greater accuracy, and the customer knows up front what a repair will cost.

less and hiring motivated technicians is very attractive. Non-productive time would be expected to reduce significantly.

It’s complicated

There are disadvantages to flat rate and these need to be acknowledged and addressed.

If employees work overtime there needs to be an adjustment to the labour factor, however as companies tend to charge customers more for overtime work, this can be handled by sharing the extra revenue with the employee.

However, if the employee works more than 40 hours, you need to ensure you follow provincial labour laws.

A major concern regarding flat rate is the risk of the employee rushing the work and causing warranty issues. Generally, warranty work must be undertaken by the technician without remuneration if the failure is deemed to be their fault. If it is a parts failure, then they should be reimbursed.

The biggest advantage to hourly rate is that it is predictable. Many people like to know exactly www.plumbingandhvac.ca

what they are going to get with each payroll.

There is less risk than using flat rate. The biggest disadvantage to hourly pay is that motivated and unmotivated technicians receive the same remuneration. Therefore, why would one technician work more effectively than another?

We want to attract the best technicians and keep them motivated. Hourly pay does not support that without adding incentives.

Hybrid systems

Let’s look at a hybrid system that a company can adopt with the least level of disruption. A simple example would be where the company has a service contract for a roof top system.

The service rate would not include replacing parts such as motors, belts, etc. When the customer signs the service contract, they should be given a menu of pricing to cover normal items that are likely to need replacing during the lifecycle of the system. This avoids having to quote for repairs and discourages the customer from seeking alternative pricing.

Likewise, on a call out, a contractor can

extra money with higher margins. By not having to spend time quoting the work and explaining the charge to the customer, the employee will likely do more work. Other advantages include making it simpler and faster for invoicing and improving cash flow.

Sooner invoiced, sooner paid.

Talk to your team and customers to get a better feel for what the best approach is for your business. COVID-19 has shown us we need to change the way we do business. The previous two articles written for Plumbing & HVAC magazine certainly underscore the need for reviewing how company’s reward employees, retain customers and make more money. : Ronald Coleman is a Vancouver-based accountant, management consultant, author and educator specializing in the construction industry.

He can be reached by e-mail at ronald@ronaldcoleman.ca.

March 2022 – Plumbing & HVAC

61

n Coming Events

Geothermal conference returns in 2022 It’s back! The Ontario Geothermal Association (OGA) Conference is returning in 2022 with a jam-packed agenda full of speakers and presentations. On April 26, starting at 7:30 a.m. and wrapping up at 4:15 p.m., the geothermal industry will be gathering at the Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale in Mississauga, Ont. The OGA’s “Closing the Loop” conference gathers municipal advisors, HVAC/R professionals, consulting engineers and designers, as well as developers, educators, and utilities into one room to network and collaborate on initiatives that will help Canada reach its 2030 and 2050 climate action goals.

“Whether we are talking about commercial or residential buildings in the new build or retrofit sectors, Closing the Loop is about embracing plans and technology that will help all stakeholders meet the 2030 goals and keep the momentum going to reach the 2050 milestone,” reports the association. “Each conference speaker, exhibitor and sponsor have a vested interest in talking about plans, technology and success stories that help Close the Loop in meeting climate action goals.”

Quick peak

As stated, the day will begin with a buffet networking breakfast from 7:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m., which will immediately be followed

INDEX to ADVERTISERS AO Smith ........................................... 28 Bradford White .................................. 64 Canarm ............................................. 49 CMPX ................................................ 44 EcoKing ............................................. 63 Enbridge ............................................ 21 Flocor ................................................ 19 Fujitsu ................................................ 30 General Pipe Cleaners .......................... 2 Giant ................................................. 33 Honeywell .......................................... 42 Lyncar ................................................ 48 Master Group .................................... 46 MEET Show ....................................... 55 Mits Air .................................. 23, 25, 27 Mitsubishi .......................................... 52

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Plumbing & HVAC – March 2022

by the opening remarks by the president of the OGA, Jess Hunter, technologist at Evolved Thermal Energy Inc. Several keynote presentations have been scheduled during the day. Jean-Philippe Hardy, managing consultant at Dunsky Energy and Climate, will kick off the day when he discusses “Ground Source Heat Pumps: Playing a Role in Achieving 2050 NetZero Targets."

Martin Luymes, vice president of government and stakeholder relations at the Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI), will follow after.

A tradeshow will allow attendees to check out some of the latest products.

Additionally, exhibitor showcase timeslots h av e b e e n s c h e d u l e d p e r i o d i c a l l y throughout the day which will highlight the newest innovations.

Starting at 10:30 a.m., Jennifer Burstein, vice president of construction for Collecdev, will be speaking about “Successful Commercial Geothermal Project Analysis — Geothermal in Rental Buildings and Condos.”

This will immediately be followed by Gabriella Kalapos, executive director of Clean Air Partnership (CAP). She will be speaking on “Municipal Climate Action Front with CAP." The OGA suggests municipal advisors and anyone looking to compare or add new Napoleon ........................................... 10 Navien ................................................. 9 Plumbing & HVAC Magazine .............. 16 PVI ..................................................... 50 Rheem ............................................... 38 RWC .................................................. 12 Saniflo ............................................... 11 Taco ..................................................... 6 Thermo Mfg. ..................................... 59 TPI ..................................................... 13 Training Trades ................................... 54 Triangle Tube ..................................... 36 Viessmann ......................................... 34 Watco ................................................ 26 Wolseley ............................................ 32 Woodford ............................................ 4 Ziehl -Abbegg .................................... 14

opportunities to their climate action plan attend this session.

The next session will be led by Adler Gross, climate change project officer for ICLEI — Local Governments for Sustainability.

For his presentation, he will be focusing on “Leveraging Collaboration between Municipalities and Contractors for Small and Rural Community Climate Action Plans."

The final presentation will be made

by Victor Hyman, executive director of ClimateCare. He will be talking about the “Residential Decarbonization 2030 — How do we Motivate the Unwilling Residential Contractor? ” Municipal personnel and residential contractors are suggested to attend.

Lunch will be provided for attendees.

The OGA is a not-for-profit organization representing geothermal energy system designers, drillers, installers, equipment manufacturers and distributors.

For more information, please visit www. ontariogeothermal.ca.

Calendar March 22, 2022: CIPH Gala in Support of Habitat for Humanity, InterContinental Toronto Centre, Toronto, Ont. For more information, please visit www.ciph.com/events.

March 23 – 25, 2022: CMPX 2022, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Ont. For more information, please visit www.cmxshow.com.

April 26, 2022: OGA Annual Conference 2022, Hilton Mississauga/Meadowvale, Mississauga, Ont. For more information, please visit www.ontariogeothermal.ca.

May 4 – 5, 2022: MEET 2022, Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, New Brunswick. For more information, please visit www.meetshow.ca. www.plumbingandhvac.ca

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