Improved building system technology is making today’s smart buildings safer, more energy efficient, and more attractive to tenants. But ESD, now Stantec Studio Leader and Senior Security Consultant Coleman Wolf says building automated system (BAS) improvements could come with new vulnerabilities. (Read more about intelligent building security.)
James Dipping argues it is time to move the monitoring of water safety and temperature out of the mechanical room and place it throughout the plumbing system.
In his recent article for Plumbing & Mechanical Engineer magazine, “Plumbing engineering for 2022: A call for water intelligence in the age of smart buildings,” Dipping says current plumbing infrastructure designs put occupants at risk.
Dipping notes that the path out of the COVID-19 pandemic has many building owners and operators placing a major focus on indoor air quality. This ignores the millions of people getting sick every year from diseases spread through water. Dipping says it is time for the plumbing industry to update antiquated systems and measurement standards to proactively address the problem. Dipping’s article calls on design engineers to improve the intelligence of building plumbing infrastructure in the same way heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems have done for years.
He says data-driven plumbing systems are the key to delivering the water quality and safety building occupants deserve.
James Dipping brings more than two decades of experience to his role as technical director, plumbing engineering and freely shares his knowledge as part of furthering ESD’s mission to improve society through the built environment.
For more information on how plumbing engineering may impact health care, mission critical, and other facilities, reach out to James.
