BCD Industry News

Information from Chris DeArmitt PhD, FRSC, FIMMM

Plastics Research Council

Summary of Scientific Review on Plastics and Plastic Products

The links below are to articles of general interest of BCD readers and may not reflect the views or opinions of PPI or our members.

2026

RealLife DIY: What Happened When America Switched from Copper Pipes to Plastic - and What Plumbers Think About It (Glen Mosher) - March 2026
Plumbing Engineer: The Difference Between Building Codes and Industry Standards (Ron George) - March 2026
NewScientist Health: How worried should you be about microplastics? (Chelsea Whyte) - March 2026
Plumbing Engineer: Preventing Issues with CPVC Fire Protection Installations (Lici Resch) - February 2026
Contractor: How CPVC Pipe Leaks Happen, and How to Avoid Them (Gabe Ellis) - February 2026
Plumbing Engineer: History of US Model Code Development (Ron George) - February 2026
PHCP Pros: Plastics Pipe Institute Names Steve Sandstrum and Dean Jenne as Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients - January 2026
Plumbing & Mechanical: New ICC 815 Pipe Sizing Standard Brings Critical Changes and Innovation to Building Services - January 2026

2025

Mechanical Business: Fantastic Plastic - How Plastic Changed, Revolutionized, or Saved the Hydronic Radiant Industry (Bob Rohr) - December 2025
PM CxE: PPFA Releases 22 new Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for Plastic Pipe and Fittings Products - December 2025
Nature: Geothermal Networks Let Cities Warm and Cool as One (Peter Fairley) - December 2025
Insulation Outlook: Listed and Labelled - How Two Little Words Are Making Big Waves in Building Codes (Luke Rogers) - November 2025
PHCP Pros: Hyperscale Data Centers - The Powerhouses of Modern Computing (Mimi Egg) - October 2025
PHCP PROS: PPI Announces New Chair of Hydrostatic Stress Board - July 2025
Plumbing Engineer: Comparison of the 2024 UPC and 2024 IPC Model Codes (Ron George) - June 2025
PHCP Pros: Plastics Pipe Institute Announces Annual Winners - June 2025
IAPMO Advances Development of 2027 Uniform Codes during Technical Committee Meetings - May 2025
This Old House: PEX Vs. Copper Pipe (Video) - April 2025
Inside Climate News: What You Need to Know About Geothermal Heating & Cooling - April 2025
M echanical Hub: Building a Sustainable Future with Thermal Energy Networks (Marc Miller) - March 2025
ASPE Pipeline: ASPE Member Bard Donaldson is Announced as New PPFA Executive Director - January 2025
Plumbing & Mechanical: Busting Myths about CPVC Fire Sprinkler Systems (Dominic Colletti) - January 2025
Supply House Times: Water Efficiency Trends in Codes and Standards (Jim Kendzel) - January 2025

2024

2023

2022

US DOE: Making Our Homes More Efficient: Clean Energy Tax Credits for Consumers - December 2022
Supply House Times: Geothermal - The Way Forward To Decarbonization and Electrification - December 2022
HPAC Magazine: What is a Heat Pump - November 2022
Water Online: Understanding the Safety of Using Plastic Pipes in the U.S. Service Line Replacement Project - September 2022
Mechanical Hub: Snow and Ice Melt System Shelters Montrealers from Harsh Winter Weather - August 2022
Geodelphia: Promoting Geothermal Heating and Cooling in Philadelphia - July 2022
Office of Sustainability at Princeton University: Geo-Exchange & Heat Pumps at Princeton University (video) - June 2022
Mechanical Hub: Bell & Gossett’s Little Red Schoolhouse Reopens for In-person Training - April 2022
HPAC: Air Quality and Energy Efficiency (Combining DOAS with active chilled beams) - April 2022

2021

Princeton University: Going deep - Princeton Lays the Foundation for a 'Net-zero' Campus - November 2021
Plumbing Engineer: Snowmelt System Snares Industry Honor (UVU Pedestrian Bridge) - October 2021
Plastics News: PPI recognizes top pipe projects - July 2021
PHCP Pros: Legionella – Cost Effective Control of this Serious Pathogen - June 2021
Mechanical Business: Key Points to Selecting a PEX Piping System Design - April 2021
Plastics News: Solar decathletes design 'inspiring' buildings with plastic pipe systems - April 2021
Plumbing & Mechanical: VRF vs. Hydronics - Comparing HVAC technologies and associated costs - March 2021
Civil + Structural Engineer Media: Rebuilding of Paradise Counts on HDPE Pipe - January 2021
Water & Wastes Digest: Rebuilding Paradise – California town conquers conflagration with HDPE pipe – January 2021

2020

Radiant & Hydronics: Opportunity Knocks for Hydronic Heating Industry - September 2020
ASPE Pipeline: New PPI Document Addresses Plastic Pipe Directly Connected to Tankless Water Heaters - November 2020
P&M Engineer: Putting the Sun’s Energy to Work (with the IAPMO USHGC) - September 2020
Mechanical Hub: ASPE and the Plastics Pipe Institute Sign MOU to Formalize Industry-Beneficial Initiatives - September 2020
FacilitiesNet: Facility Managers Should Know Their ABCs on Plastic Pipe - September 2020
HPAC Engineering - How to Detect, Repair Pinhole Piping Leaks (in Copper) - July 2020
Contractor: New PPI TN-56 Installing Plastic Pipe Near Recessed Lighting - July 2020
PHCP Pros: PPI Announces Building & Construction Division Management Committee Changes - May 2020
ASPE Pipeline: PPI Announces a New Selection of ASPE-Approved Courses - June 2020
PHCP Pros: PPI Announces Projects and Members of the Year - May 2020
Pipe & Profile Extrusion – Taking the heat: PEX Pipe in Construction - March 2020
Mechanical Hub: New Technical Document Addresses Suitability of CPVC Piping Systems for Commercial Applications - April 2020
Mechanical Hub Chat: David Fink, President and Executive Director of The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. - March 2020
PHCP Pros: White House Updates ‘Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce’ List to Encompass Full Supply Chain of the Plumbing and Mechanical Industry - March 2020
PHCP Pros: PPI Sponsors DOE Solar Decathlon - Design Challenge - March 2020

2019

ASSE Working Pressure: A Brief History of Plumbing Codes – December 2019
HVAC/P: Protecting Plastic Pipes - Winter 2019/2020
PHCP Pros: Plastics Industry - Don’t Turn Clock Back on Innovation - December 2019
Plumbing + HVAC: PEX Piping Industry Matures - September 2019
St. John's, NL latest Canadian city to flirt with idea of heated downtown sidewalks - January 2019
PHCP Pros: Plastic Pipe Industry Responds to UA, Firefighters Union Call to Limit Plastic Pipe - April 2019
Contractor: Value with Hydronic Snow and Ice Melting - January 2019
Engineered Systems: Piping - The Overlooked Technology in Chiller Systems - February 2019

2018

HVAC/P: New PEX Plumbing Design Course Online - November 2018
Radiant & Hydronics: PPI Introduces New PEX Plumbing Design Course - November 2018
FacilitiesNet: Sustainable Snow Removal Strategies - September 2018
PPI Forms Polypropylene Pressure Pipe Steering Committee - June 2018
Radiant & Hydronics - PPI Expands Geothermal Support - April 2018
Contractor: Geothermal System Tax Credits Reinstated - February 2018
PMI: Legionella and Water Supply Systems -2018

2017

Best Practices for CPVC Installation - December 2017
Melting Snow is a Beautiful Thing - August 2017
PLUMBING ENGINEER (Page 30) PPI Takes Issues with Flint''s Process - June 2017
CIPH PIAC becomes the Plumbing & Mechanical Advisory Council - June 2017
Important updates to CSA B214 for Hydronic Heating Systems - February 2017
RPA Article on Danger of Combined Systems - January 2017

2016 & Older

RPA & ASSE Certify Professionals As Hydronics Systems Instructors, Including PPI's Lance MacNevin -December 2016
BCD's 2016 Project of the Year Winner article, Contractor Magazine - October 2016
Egg: Geothermal Technologies Explained for the Rest of Us - May 2015
Supply House Times: The Story Behind Nominal Pipe Size (Julius Ballanco) – March 2006