LEED^® GOLD AGRO HEADQUARTERS USES PP-R PIPING

Product used: SDR 11 multilayer faser PP-R piping

The primary goals for Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ new headquarters in St. John’s, Mich., were that it be sustainable and environmentally responsible. The general contractor, Wieland-Davco (Lansing, Mich.), selected Progressive Heating Cooling & Refrigeration, Inc. (Lowell, Mich.), as the HVAC subcontractor. Progressive recommended using PP-R piping as an eco-friendly, leak-free and long-lasting option, for the geothermal, chilled, condenser water and snowmelt systems.

“We thought we could achieve some cost savings because the system didn’t have to be insulated,” says Pete Flanagan owner of Progressive. “The owner liked the life-cycle benefits the pipe system provided.” Another benefit was the 10-year multimillion-dollar warranty offered by the pipe manufacturer because crews had been trained in the unique features of PP-R installation.

Additional environmentally friendly features included nontoxicity and full recyclability. Using PP-R on a geothermal and radiant system also helped contribute LEED points through the Innovation credit. After a year in operation, the owner reports good performance from the entire system.

Photo courtesy of Aquatherm

Types of PP-R

Manufacturers have developed several lines of pipe that are specifically engineered for certain applications and have identified them with colors and stripes.

While there have been some standards and piping codes issued that specify pipe colors, in most cases these only apply to the marking on the pipe (e.g. potable water pipe may be required to have white marking on a green background). This marking can be achieved in a variety of ways and does not affect the color of the pipe itself. Within the plastic piping industry, the color purple is used to identify reclaimed/recycled water, and yellow is used for natural gas. Beyond this, colors can vary significantly between manufacturers. Design professionals and contractors should confirm each manufacturer's product color designations before relying on this to differentiate a pipe system.

In some cases, there may be more than one manufacturer using a specific color for a specific application. To ensure a product is being used properly, the design professional must also consult the manufacturer and the various product approvals and listings.

PP-R pipes are used for potable and food grade applications, hydronic, gray water and industrial systems. They are also used for light-hazard fire sprinkler, geothermal and other systems.

For purposes of clarification in this CEU, PP-R green pipe refers to pipes used for potable and food grade applications; PP-R blue pipe refers to medium-thick pipe used for hydronic and industrial applications.

Photo courtesy of Aquatherm

Green PP-R pipe with molded PP-R heat-fused fittings is approved for potable water.