There is no time to relax for a codes and standards person — 2018 kicked off with my attendance at the ASHRAE Committee meeting held in Chicago, followed by attending the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) A.112 Plumbing and Materials Equipment Committee meeting in San Diego. I participated in many discussions related to building and plumbing issues during the meetings and I noted a common thread – water efficiency.
There is a debate going on involving those who want to further decrease mandated requirements for flow rates and flush volumes for plumbing fixtures and those who want to wait while we gain additional information through sound research on the impacts of further decreasing water flows.