The Weber Shandwick CEO talks about why she decided to retire — yet stay far away from “retirement” — this fall and discusses her agency’s success across categories at Cannes.

Ogilvy’s global CEO talks about award-winning work at Cannes, how different parts of her network contribute to client work and much more.

Finzel digs into his own experience at agencies of all kinds and as a political aide to discuss the biggest news stories of the past week.

General Mills’ chief communications officer talks about what he’s most looking forward to as chair of the next PRWeek U.S. Awards.

Kuczkowski reflects what his firm has been up to since it launched 10 years ago and gives advice to others looking to start their own PR agency.

Jeff Hahn joins the podcast to talk about his firm’s unique Austin, Texas-based culture, surviving his own crisis and much more.

Maus joins the podcast to talk about communications for startups and tech brands, the presidential debate and much more.

On this episode, Omnicom’s Foster talks about private equity’s influence on the PR industry and how his holding company approaches major issues.

PRWeek sat down with panelists at its inaugural conference in New York City on Thursday to discuss the day’s events and the role AI is playing at their companies.

Nancy Elder’s role goes well beyond ballgames and boxscores. She talks about all that and more on the latest edition of PRWeek’s podcast.

Health and life sciences pioneer Donna LaVoie joins the podcast to talk about the latest innovations in life sciences communications and much more.

Walker talks about campaigns for Discover Puerto Rico and other organizations, as well as her multifaceted agency role.

One of Notified’s top executives joins the podcast to talk about trends in the space and the top marketing and communications news of the week.

On this week’s show: Trump’s McDonald’s visit, agency earnings and much more.

The founder and CEO of the Acceleration Community of Companies drops by a special Halloween edition of PRWeek’s podcast.

Nearly all closed-loop hydronic heating and cooling systems are supposed to be filled with water or a mixture of water and antifreeze. The only intentional air in the system is that contained in the expansion tank.

As building codes and programs such as Energy Star and Passive House require higher degrees of air sealing in new construction, the use of heat recovery ventilation (HRV) is increasing.

 All boilers that burn hydrocarbon fuels such as natural gas, propane, oil or wood produce water vapor as a byproduct of combustion.

Although I’ve worked with hydronic heating for four decades and designed systems around just about every possible heat source, I would be hard-pressed to predict what might be available as hydronic heat sources 25 years from now. 

Government planners, taking their queues from politicians and advocacy organizations, have steered the future of energy supply away from fossil fuels and toward renewably-sourced electricity. It’s happening on every level from the feds right down to local city councils.

The basics of relays and switches - part one.

Last month, we covered the basics of classifying switches and relays based on poles and throws. Once you learn these, it’s easy to apply switches and relays to create “hard-wired” control logic - part two.

Although the market for solar thermal systems is a tiny fraction of what it once was, I still believe there are viable applications that could help in decarbonizing thermal energy systems.

The overall objective was to create a complete HVAC system, rather than just a heating + cooling system. The system would provide space heating, cooling, domestic hot water, and fresh air ventilation.

Last month, we began discussing the HVAC system installed at my church’s newly-constructed parsonage. In this month’s column, we’ll complete the picture.

One of the best things about hydronic heating is there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized. One of the worst things about hydronic heating is that there is virtually no limit to how piping systems can be customized.

Find out about piping options for retrofitting an air-to-water heat pump into an existing hydronic system.

There is a growing interest in adding air-to-water heat pumps to existing hydronic heating systems. While I support their use, I do not recommend replacing a perfectly good cast-iron boiler that still has a long service life.

I’ve written many PM columns discussing how air-to-water and geothermal water-to-water heat pumps can be combined with hydronic delivery systems to deliver efficiency AND superior comfort. This combination is a great solution for many consumers.

In rural upstate New York, residents harvest trees for firewood using chainsaws and hydraulic splitters. I burn about two face cords annually in my wood stove, enjoying its warmth during winter and relying on it during power outages caused by outdated utility lines.

Primary/secondary piping is a way to achieve hydraulic separation by connecting multiple hydronic circuits with their own circulators to prevent interference. Using a pair of closely spaced tees is a common method to achieve this.

I attended a conference hosted by the Building Performance Association and presented on air-to-water heat pump systems. Many professionals were interested in heat pumps, especially ductless air-to-air systems. One person mentioned the difficulty of finding qualified installers for air-to-water heat pumps and noted the higher cost compared to ductless air-to-air systems.

Air-to-water heat pumps and water-to-water geothermal heat pumps provide warm water for space heating, domestic water heating, and chilled water for cooling. Switching a hydronic heat pump system from space heating to cooling and vice versa seasonally is relatively simple. The system operating mode is changed at the thermostat or a dedicated system mode switch with heat, off, and cool settings.

In 2024, the North American air-to-water heat pump market saw significant expansion, with nine new offerings introduced at the January AHR show by companies new to this category. By year's end, at least 18 companies either have or plan to offer these pumps in the U.S. Read the list of these companies as of mid-2024.

In 1986, I installed a 1.5-ton geothermal heat pump in my home using two 500-foot horizontal HDPE earth loops. After digging a trench, I connected the loops to the pump and opted for a 2 HP swimming pool pump to fill and flush the system, as a garden hose couldn't provide the needed flow rate.

A little water conservation can go a long way.

And as the second-most visited space in commercial buildings — just behind the lobby — the restroom and its water-saving fixtures can help lead the way when it comes to cutting back consumption.

The consumer mindset around bathing is evolving to view showering as far more than a simple rinse to get clean, but rather as a time to relax, unwind and wash away the day-to-day stresses of life. In fact, consumers are making purchases to support this shift. According to a recent survey commissioned by GROHE, more than 65% of respondents are enhancing their time in the shower with various add-ons, such as soothing aromas, music and gentle rain shower products to elevate their “me time.”

Many pieces of news go viral within the plumbing industry. However, every now and then, something happens that reaches far outside of our industry bubble. This was certainly the case as the tributes remembering legendary businessman Herb Kohler circulated throughout national news outlets and social media everywhere.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association had a monumental year in 2022. It kicked off with the first in-person Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) event since 2020. Last year also marked the 60th anniversary of the association and the 10th year since KBIS and the International Builders’ Show (IBS) joined forces to create what is now known as Design and Construction Week (DCW)’s NAHB Builders Show.

Kohler Co. recently introduced Sprig, a new wellness brand that elevates daily routines into premium self-care rituals. With countless breakthroughs in plumbing and a history of creating award-winning spa destinations, Kohler has used water to create transformative experiences for generations.

Over the past decade, society has been evolving. It is constantly rethinking discrimination, with growing social awareness of gender identity, differently-abled individuals and sensory sensitivity. The public restroom is one area that has come under fire during this social evolution.

Many people look for ways to update their homes to provide a sense of comfort and connection to the outdoors. Outdoor projects are currently flourishing, as people extend their living spaces to feel closer to their natural surroundings.

As businesses and homeowners across the nation wrestle with inflation and stretching their dollars for maximum value, one area that can’t be overlooked is the heating system.

Have you remodeled a bathroom recently? If so, maybe you’ve noticed problems with the toilet.
To get more specific: Is it rocking noisily when the homeowner takes a seat? Or maybe they've noticed water pooling at the base. Perhaps the flooring surrounding the toilet feels soft. Or water spots have appeared on the ceiling located directly below the toilet.

How is the aging population changing product design? Builders and designers have been hearing from clients that homeowners now want to age-in-place, and they also want to renovate their existing homes to accommodate various generations living under one roof. The lack of housing stock and current mortgage and interest rates have contributed to this phenomenon. This shift in living has been a boon to the renovation industry, and it has given rise to innovations and building processes that elegantly combine technology and health benefits in the service of independence for elderly or anyone with physical challenges.

The new Market District Apartments in Ohio City will be located near the historic West Side Market, the oldest operating indoor/outdoor market space in Cleveland. Currently, the 13-story development is the largest sustainable, wood-constructed building in the country. Among other facilities, the new 385-unit structure encompasses a first-floor retail space, residential suites on floors two through seven and luxury penthouse suites on the ninth floor, as well as amenity space, including a large rental hall.

RainStick Shower co-founders Alisha McFetridge and Sean McFetridge share a longtime passion for water conservation. In 2019, the two began building the North American Market’s first water circulating shower. Supply House Times Chief Editor Natalie Forster sat down with Alisha McFetridge to dive into RainStick Shower’s backstory and plans for the future.

Watts Water Technologies held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in April to celebrate the grand opening of its latest training center in Fort Worth, Texas. The new 250,000-square-foot facility is customized for training, administration and manufacturing, and joins five other Watts Works Learning Centers across North America.

In the third edition of the Bath & Kitchen Pro eBook you’ll find both residential and commercial product and design trends, showroom display trends, economic indicators and more!

The decision to build the first CO₂-neutral ceramic production facility in Canada is a significant investment for a sustainable future for the global brand and a vital step for climate neutrality by 2045.