expected to be completed in 2015, the distribution will be put through more than 20 miles of Logstor thin-walled steel pipe jacketed with HDPE. Diameters range from 2 inches to 24 inches. A leak detection system will also be fitted into the network. There will be an expected 70% increase in efficiency over the university’s previous water heating system as well as a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels. FLEXIBLE FUTURE Urecon has a clear plan for continuing to offer improved sustainability and quality over the coming years. “We are looking at ways we can produce and supply physically flexible pre-insulated piping that are
non-corrosive,” states Mr. Vreugde. “We want to achieve that with higher operating temperatures, higher pressure limitations, and larger pipe sizes. Currently we promote a plastic product called PEX-Flex that will handle up to 200 Fahrenheit up to 4 inches in diameter.” “Flexible piping is hugely advantageous because rather than having to spend a lot of time digging and laying expensive steel pipes, it simply rolls out and is hooked up at either end. This provides savings not only for remote locations but for busy urban centres as well, where disruption to traffic and city life can be kept to a minimum. There are efforts underway to create a product that can go larger than 4 inches and take significantly higher temperatures. Beyond
our traditional market applications, the new technical boundaries will be appealing to the industrial oil and gas sector.” No doubt this will be yet another challenge that Urecon embraces. c www.urecon.com / www.pexflex.net
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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