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PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
WHET YOUR APPETITE
I
probably sound like a broken record but I’m constantly
blown away by the innovation that goes into plumbing
products and systems.
The money spent on R&D is quite staggering and when
you think about the wish-lists of clients these days, it’s
no wonder so much time and effort is spent in the area.
As a human race we’ve become lazy. Or perhaps it’s the
technology that’s made us that way? I’m not so sure. We
want everything ‘now’, we want everything automated and
we want it to work, first time, every time. It’s not just Gen Y
either... everyone is guilty of it.
It is what it is and it seems as though this industry is no
different when it comes to feeding the insatiable appetite
of the consumers. Such was highlighted at the 2015 ISH
exhibition in March, hosted in Frankfurt, Germany.
Jeff Patchell took one for the team and headed over
with the intention of delighting in this years’ menu.
Needless to say, he was well fed and while he wasn’t as
blown away by innovation as he has been in previous
years, I was once I caught glimpse of all the brochures he
kindly picked up for me.
In his ISH Trade Fair report on page 46 he shares some
of the more interesting new products with us. From the
outlandish toilet ‘with the lot’ and 360 degree shower to
the more practical like a soft touch shower tray and body
dryer, all manner of innovation was on display.
Most interestingly perhaps is the product displayed on
the cover of this magazine. You may recall a story we ran
on shower heat recovery systems in the spring edition of
2013. We featured three systems that, while still in their
infancy, aimed to save both energy and water by reusing
heat from shower water that typically goes down the
drain, never to be seen again.
The product being held on the front cover is the Joulia-
Inline. Its manufacturers claim that it’s able to save
more than 50% of the energy normally lost in the flushed
shower water.
The compact Joulia unit is unnoticeable once installed
in the shower floor and has no moving parts that require
maintenance. It’s a simple idea – which means it has a
high chance of being adopted.
THE BATTLE AGAINST BACTERIA
Bacteria are one of those things that can be easily
forgotten about until an outbreak occurs and people get
sick. It’s an old cliché but the ‘out of sight, out of mind’
EDITORIAL
saying certainly rings true in the case of these small but
deadly pathogens.
We take a look at legionella and pseudomonas and how
the problem of each is being dealt with across Australia
and abroad. It appears as though Australia has much
catching up to do in the area, with the UK and the United
States taking a more combative approach.
Kate Jordan takes an in-depth look at the problems,
possible solutions and how you as plumbers and
consultants can help to stop bacteria from spreading.
Matt Freije, leading expert on legionella, shares with
us an update from the US and the potential impact of
the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-
Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) pending Legionella
Standard on Australia.
Both articles contain some real food for thought as
bacteria outbreaks can be devastating. It’s time to arm up
for the battle.
Justin Felix