Tempered green Editor’s Letter
John Mesenbrink, editorial director
editor@plumbingengineer.com
T
hroughout the pages of Plumbing Engineer— for years now — we have promoted energy efficiency, alternative energy uses and “green” prac- tices. It’s where the industry is and where it is headed, like it or not. At a
time when whispers swirl of potential $6-per-gallon reality at the pump and oil is hovering above $100 per barrel, the smart choice is looking into alternative energy choices and energy efficient products. I think it is a wise idea to listen to those who are immersed in that aspect of
the business every day. Columnists like solar expert Bristol Stickney provide expertise every month on solar domestic hot water installation. (See Bristol on page 28.) Industry icon Bob ‘hot rod’ Rohr breathes alternative energy use and energy efficiency every day. Don’t miss his contribution on Solar Thermal Storage on page 38. I also believe that there is, to a certain extent, a case of “greenwashing” —
the deceptive use of green PR or green marketing in order to promote a mis- leading perception that a company’s policies or products are environmentally friendly — going on in multiple industries. And I’m sure you’ll hear the word again during the upcoming 2012 presidential campaign. What exactly is green? what are its measurables? I think a term like energy efficiency will be accepted more because products can measured — Btus, AFUE, water consumption, etc. And on the business side, there comes a time when users have decisions to
make regarding energy efficiency: Is efficiency too tough to sell? How do I pre- sent a palatable energy efficient solution to my customers? What are the up-front costs? What is the return on investment (ROI)? Recently, I was on Taco’s FloProTeam website (
http://flopro.taco-hvac.com) listening to one of the many informative podcasts hosted by John Barba, train- ing manager extraordinaire for Taco. In one particular podcast with an industry pro, the guest was talking about maintaining equipment as opposed to buying new and efficient, and the approach to selling new. The guest indicated that “new and efficient” needs to be sold with tact and contends that part of the chal- lenge with efficiency is that “contractors will talk with the customer about high efficiency and the customer will say, ‘What’s that mean?’ Usually, they go right into how they’ll save money. Well, how much? This is where we, as an industry, have to mix efficiency with reality. “As a homeowner/business owner, why would I want to get rid of old equip-
ment if they are willing to fix the junk in the basement? “So if the industry would take a different tack rather than say, ‘I’ll be right
over, 24 hours a day, to fix this no matter what’s wrong with it,’ say, ‘We’ll be right over but there’s a very good chance they’re not gonna have parts for this next time. It hasn’t been made for so many years that nobody has the parts for it... An appeal from that direction rather than just saying you’re gonna save money. I don’t think that’s what moves people these days.’” n
PLUMBING ENGINEER (USPS 567-950) ISSN 0192-1711
PLUMBING ENGINEER (USPS 567-950) ISSN 0192-1711 is published monthly by TMB Publishing Inc., 2165 Shermer Rd., Suite A, Northbrook, IL 60062. Phone (847) 564-1127, Fax (847) 564-1264. Magazine is free to those who design and specify plumbing/piping systems in commercial, industrial, institutional and governmental buildings; as well as government officials and plumbing inspectors. Subscription rates for U.S. and Canada: $50 for one year, $90 for two years. Other coun- tries: $300 per year. Periodical postage paid at Northbrook, IL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Change of address should be sent to Plumbing Engineer, 440 Quadrangle Dr., Suite E., Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Material and opin- ions contained in contributed articles are the responsibility of the authors, not of TMB Publishing Inc., Plumbing Engineer magazine or its Editorial Advisory Board. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. Copyright © 2010 TMB Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Volume 39, Number 6. Plumbing Engineer is microfilmed by University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, MI, and indexed by Engineering Index Inc. Publications Mail Agreement No. 41499518. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6
Page 6/Plumbing Engineer Editorial, Advertising,
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Contributors
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June 2011
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