When designing and specifying water distribution systems, the choice of piping materials can have significant implications for performance, maintenance, and long-term durability. Recent research sheds light on failure rates of pipe materials… more
This report explores issues building professionals must address when specifying piping materials for plenum spaces, including fire safety, air quality, mechanical durability, sustainability, & long-term financial /legal considerations… more
Using research, case examples, & industry data, this webinar explores issues building professionals must address when specifying piping materials for plenum spaces, including fire safety, air quality, mechanical durability, sustainability, and long-term financial and legal considerations… more
This report reveals critical factors that architects, engineers, & contractors must evaluate when considering value engineering of plumbing systems. Using research, industry data, & case examples, they explain the factors design & construction teams should use to select pipe materials that will perform safely and reliably… more
Using research, case examples, & industry data, this webinar explains how design & construction teams should balance cost & performance for plumbing systems. … more
One year after a train derailment contaminated the town of East Palestine, Ohio, with over a million pounds of toxic vinyl chloride, consequences of the disaster continue to impact the community of over 4,500 residents… more
Research identifies plastic pipes as a significant source of microplastics & nanoplastics in potable water systems. Both PVC and PE pipes crack and peel “relatively quickly” as they age, releasing plastic particles. When people ingest the particles flaking from plastic pipes, it increases their exposure to plastic pollution… more
Safe Piping Matters recently spoke with Anjanette Green, Senior Director of Product Transformation for the Healthy Building Network, about Informed, an impressive new platform to help project teams identify healthier building products, including the design and specification of plumbing systems… more
In February 2023, over 1 million pounds of carcinogenic vinyl chloride fouled the air, soil, & water of East Palestine OH. Contamination remains a serious concern despite declarations of safety. Safe Piping Matters calls for officials to recommend that families take measures to protect themselves… more
This report reviews issues related to firestopping assemblies for various plastic piping materials including polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), polyethylene (PE), & crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) plastic, as well as non-combustible piping materials such as copper, iron, & steel… more
Based on the findings from our Plumbing Specification Guide, this AIA course explains how the characteristics of materials used for drinking water, wastewater, and fire-suppression systems impact the health, safety, and sustainability of buildings. eligible for HSW credit. … more
Engineers and architects use plastic pipe for many critical systems – including drain, waste, and vent (DWV), water distribution, fire suppression sprinklers, and other applications – across a wide variety of building types. These systems are installed throughout structures, making it essential to understand how they will perform during fire incidents. This report examines fire safety aspects of plastic piping materials, including one of the most commonly used, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), through a review of relevant research… more
Part 2 of our recap of the presentation & discussions at the BSS conference. We focus on fire safety issues like combustibility, toxic releases, & firestopping. … more
Contractors, engineers, & manufacturers raised great questions after our presentation to the invite-only BSS Conference at Wembley Stadium in London. We focused on two important issues that don’t always get the focus they deserve: sustainability & fire safety… more
While it may be easy to produce, plastic building materials represent the antithesis of circularity and sustainability. Companies engineer these materials to be flexible, lightweight, and cheap to produce. They are in no way designed to be recycled, however. … more
Recent contamination of water systems by jet fuel leaking from the Navy’s Red Hill fuel storage facility in Hawaii illustrates again the importance of safe drinking water and of the piping that delivers it.
Many questions remain about this incident, including one that has been largely ignored to date: How will the Navy and local officials repair or replace pipes impacted by chemicals released into the system… more
The Lie of Plastic Recycling Bloomberg investigative reporter Kit Chellel put two trackers inside pieces of plastic and deposited them in recycling bins at 3 Tesco locations in the UK. The linked… more
Limiting Legionella in Building Water Systems New Techniques to Gauge & Limit Risk Cases of Legionnaires disease (a form of pneumonia) and Pontiac fever (a flu-like illness) continue to increase, according to… more
Plastic Particles Found in Human Blood A Dutch team from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has published a study showing plastic particles can enter and circulate in human bloodstreams. The researchers found plastics in… more
Fuel from the Red Hill Naval facility on Oahu, Hawaii, leaked into a water system servicing over 90,000 residents in November 2021. As the situation evolves, Safe Piping Matters is sharing developments along with recommendations based on research studies and lessons learned from previous contamination events… more
