Organization: MCAA

Spaeder Saves Weeks on Layout with DEWALT HangerWorks

To meet an engineer’s demanding criteria for embedding hanger assemblies into concrete slabs for a new seven-story building, Wm. T. Spaeder Company used DEWALT HangerWorks™ software, not only achieving the difficult task but saving weeks of layout time as well. HangerWorks also improved the prefabrication process by enhancing labeling and reporting in Spaeder’s building information modeling (BIM) program.

Jonathan Marsh, chief technology officer and division manager of virtual design and construction at Spaeder, based in Erie, PA, was so pleased with the outcome, he posted his thoughts on LinkedIn. “The craziest hanger load on slab validation we have ever done,” wrote Marsh. “A big thank you to DEWALT HangerWorks for saving us weeks!”

Extra Caution, Extra Headaches

Because of an experience with structural failure caused by overloaded slabs, the engineer for this project was determined to be particularly cautious about the loads added to the slabs as the mechanical and electrical systems were coordinated for the building. At first, the engineer wanted to avoid any attachments to the slab.

After discussion with the construction management team, the engineer gave Spaeder an alternative. They would be permitted to hang from the slab as long as they used concrete embeds prior to the pour and could demonstrate to the engineer’s satisfaction that they had met specific criteria.

The engineering criteria were not as simple as circles or squares surrounding each embed location. The criteria represented accumulative loads for a section of concrete 2’ wide and extending from one beam to another at every hanger location. The engineer gave Spaeder maximum weights for areas of overlap and even specific criteria based on distance from beams.

These demands could have posed a giant engineering nightmare, because the building needed approximately 25,000 hangers embedded in the slab. In fact, the criteria were so complex they required three pages of explanation. The challenge was presented to three separate subcontracting companies, who also needed to find a way to come together and work out the best available slab loads to accommodate all the building systems. Finally, all of this coordination, design, and planning had to happen fast. Construction of the building had begun, and anything in the slab had to have an embed installed prior to pouring concrete.

Handled with HangerWorks

DEWALT’s HangerWorks software is a plug-in for Autodesk Revit™ that automates the placement and design of hangers and seismic bracing for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. Complex engineering calculations are built in to the tool that enable it to size hanger assemblies based  on the weights of the MEP system, including contents (e.g., water, wire, or air), and determine hanger locations based on building code requirements and user-defined project standards. With HangerWorks, Spaeder tackled two critical problems.

First, HangerWorks allowed Spaeder to make basic point load calculations for loads that were not static. Given the involvement of multiple subcontractors, the team needed to balance all of the systems’ weights to avoid overloading any areas of the slab. With real-time reporting of loads, Spaeder could easily and quickly relocate hangers to redistribute loads to areas of the slab with available
capacity.

Spaeder modified the heat map using HangerWorks, attached it to the various hanger rods throughout their model, then gathered load data to demonstrate to the engineer that all the criteria had been met.

Second, HangerWorks succeeded in communicating the slab loads graphically in a way that everyone could understand and that alleviated the engineer’s concerns. The heat map feature in HangerWorks proved to be the perfect tool to communicate the areas of impact to the slab loads resulting from the coordination process. While the criteria given to Spaeder by the engineer were too complex to allow for use of the out-of-the-box heat map, Spaeder used HangerWorks to create a modified heat map, which they attached to the various hanger rods throughout their model. Those rods then provided individual load reports, allowing Spaeder to successfully demonstrate to the engineer that all the criteria had been met.

Moreover, the HangerWorks heat map provided a guide to enable the building owner to make good decisions about future installations within the building. “Upon creation of our first heat map and presentation to the engineer, Spaeder received applause from the owner’s representatives and members of the design and coordination team for having met the challenge and been able to pull together a workable solution,” said Marsh.

Prefab Pays Off

Had DEWALT HangerWorks served only to provide engineering calculations, it would have been well worth Spaeder’s investment, Marsh observed. HangerWorks also delivered on the prefabrication side, enabling Spaeder to automate their BIM of materials, hanger spool sheet, and prefabrication labels. By quickly modifying their existing hanger fabrication workflows to work in conjunction with HangerWorks, Spaeder leveraged the software’s enhanced reporting functions to produce better labels, improved fabrication drawings, and more useful field installation drawings. The drawings included information vital to the foreman’s understanding of the installation process and helped with sizing of strut channel and other secondary support materials. In addition, Spaeder ended up being paid to lay out fire protection and sheet metal anchors, as they were already controlling the hangers for all the trades on the project.

For more information, visit anchors.dewalt.com/anchors.

Herman Goldner Keeps Costs Low and Efficiency High with SPX Cooling Tower

When the Centre Square commercial office complex needed a new cooling tower system, HVAC contractor Herman Goldner Co., Inc. turned to SPX Cooling Technologies to address the building needs, then brought in Erickson Incorporated to conquer the formidable challenge of installing the system in a busy, urban site. Located in the heart of Philadelphia at 1500 Market Street, the Centre Square buildings, at 417’ and 490’, were too tall for the use of a traditional crane, and the extended road closures and weights associated with a tower crane were prohibitive. The existing Marley field-erected cooling tower was decommissioned and demolished in December 2017, and the project schedule required the new system to be online for the start of cooling season; therefore, knock down delivery and assembly was also eliminated as an option due to sheer material volume and potential weather delays.

Crossflow vs. Counterflow

The original 6,000-ton capacity tower was constructed from wood and fieldbuilt in place before the building was completed in 1973. Still in use until its demolition, the tower had reliably serviced the building’s cooling system for 44 years.

After first considering a counterflow-style cooling tower, the Marley® NC® crossflow cooling tower was selected for its high quality of construction, robust ability to service variable flow conditions, flexible mounting options, competitive
pricing, and strong technical support. The engineering team determined that the buildings required only four cooling tower cells at 1,250 tons each under full load
conditions. With 5,000 tons of cooling capacity, compared with the 6,000 of the original 1973 cooling tower, the new tower saved costs by reducing capital equipment expenditures and field installation labor. Additionally, the final design provides the building with built-in redundancy and extra capacity for future expansion. The decision to select a crossflow-style tower as opposed to a counterflow tower was primarily driven by reduced winter cooling loads, requiring variable flow conditions across the towers.

Limited Installation Options

Faced with the high-traffic location and aggressive schedule, a helicopter pick, although challenging, was the best solution to set the eight modules of the four-cell Marley NC cooling tower. Erickson was selected to safely pick and set the cooling tower.

The demolition and installation processes required extensive strategic planning. First, the prior system had to be demolished and removed from the building, while providing continued cooling service to tenant spaces. This step posed its own set of challenges. The existing field-erected tower’s 100’ x 30’ x 30’ wooden structure, along with piping and components such as fans and motors, had to be
efficiently dismantled and brought down a freight elevator for disposal. At the same time, a temporary bypass cooling system had to be devised to provide limited cooling while the final tower cell was demolished.

Next, the logistics of delivery, including weights and timing of a helicopter lift, had to be coordinated. “Fortunately, the days selected were bright and sunny, and the lifts went off without a hitch,” said Bob McCracken, Herman Goldner senior account executive. In the case of this particular installation, the Philadelphia Eagles’ two playoff games in January 2018 had to be considered, as lifts like this one require street closures and traffic diversion in the area during the delivery window.

Planning Makes Perfect

Ultimately, Erickson set all eight units in under two-and-a-half hours. The successful and timely delivery was the result of thorough planning and execution by the Goldner team. Prefabrication of the structural steel framing, catwalks, and piping enabled them to prepare the installation site for the new towers prior to setting them. With careful planning, the demolition, lifts, and installation were not only successful, but also safe for all involved.

The cooling tower installation was successfully completed on schedule and in time for the 2018 cooling season without sacrificing product performance, quality, or project safety. The One Centre Square installation provided several insights for the field:

  • Helicopter installations, when permitted by municipal authorities, can be a cost-effective solution for new cooling tower systems on tall and inaccessible commercial buildings.
  • Careful planning (start to finish, with contingency plans) by the HVAC contractor from predemolition through commissioning can make for a successful, timely, and safe project.
  • Crossflow cooling towers configured with “variable flow” nozzles can provide a more robust turndown for reduced-load conditions than pressurized distribution-style counterflow cooling towers.
  • Exemplary teamwork and collaboration among the HVAC contractors, engineers, vendors, various trades, and building owners can keep a complex installation safe, on schedule, and on budget.

For more information, visit http://spxcooling.com.

Message from Joseph Pikus, M/SC Chair: Better Together

This issue of Smart Solutions demonstrates the benefits of a good partner. For example, Shinn Mechanical Inc. shaved months off a timeline by using cordless products from MILWAUKEE TOOL to install Victaulic grooved couplings on an innovative piping design. Close coordination with Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co. allowed Pan-Pacific/Murray Company to deliver plumbing solutions for a new NFL stadium. Herman Goldner Co., Inc. turned to SPX Cooling Technologies for a new cooling tower system, then brought in Erickson Incorporated to conquer the formidable challenge of installing it in a busy, urban site. MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions worked with KEY2ACT and XOi Technologies to create KEY2ACT’s See software, powered by XOi—video technology that helped land a huge national contract. Brandt has used Viega products almost exclusively for more than a decade, citing their reliability and ease of use.

Sustainable Solutions

Meeting clients’ energy efficiency and sustainability goals remains a priority. Since Muir-Chase Plumbing installed Zurn Retrofit Pint urinal systems throughout the Caltech campus, the university is saving water and money each year. ACCO Engineered Systems used Daikin Self-Contained air conditioning units to help Levi’s Stadium become the first NFL stadium to achieve LEED® Gold certification. For a record-setting continuous concrete pour, Couts Heating and Cooling, Inc. laid down Uponor radiant tubing to create a thermal cooling system to ensure integrity during curing for a project that also used a slew of green  construction—and deconstruction—techniques to save millions.

Tech = Time, Money Saved

Member contractors continue to cut costs and increase productivity with digital solutions. Wm. T. Spaeder Company saved weeks of layout time using DEWALT HangerWorks™ software. JEC Service Co. credits MobiliForms from iBusiness Technologies with saving the company at least $500,000 a year by slashing time spent on paperwork. With a Trimble® TX6 Scanner and RealWorks® Office software, Arden Engineering Constructors mapped an entire office campus in just four hours, saving days of labor while creating an accurate digital as-built model.

Using KEY2ACT’s Connect technology to gather building data during a year-long retrofit project, Brandt found and fixed glitches in the products it was installing—without going over schedule. With Viewpoint software, Western Allied Mechanical, Inc. cut RFI response time from days to minutes.

Expert Advice

In this issue, get expert advice on how to avoid rework with better collaboration and more efficient processes (PlanGrid), use newer welding approaches and technologies to improve quality and save time (Miller Electric), and select and set up sit/stand workstations to increase worker comfort and productivity (CNA). Through MCAA, supplier partners and member contractors are teaming up to be better together.

Couts Cures Concrete with Uponor Thermal Cooling

Novel Use Keeps Integrity of World’s Largest Concrete Pour

For a record-setting continuous concrete pour, Couts Heating and Cooling, Inc. installed more than 20 miles of Uponor radiant tubing to create a thermal cooling system that would ensure the integrity of the concrete as it cured. Applying this new technique, Couts not only smoothed the way for this rapid, massive project, it also benefitted from the ease of installation. The PEX tubing’s “extreme flexibility made it fast and easy to install around the rebar in the base of the structure,” said Mike Martin, Couts piping department manager.

Green Construction and Deconstruction

At 1,100’ tall and 73 stories, the Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles, CA, is the 10th tallest building in the United States and the tallest building west of the Mississippi. A structure of this magnitude requires precise engineering to ensure the building’s integrity while also incorporating creative and thoughtful design elements to meet the owners’ LEED® Gold certification requirements.

The first decision was to deconstruct the original, 1.1-million-square-foot building, built in 1951, instead of demolishing it, so that some materials could be recycled rather than go to the landfill. The concrete was crushed into material that can be sold as Class II Base for structural fills, roads, or building pads. The steel beams were sent to a local foundry and melted down to make recycled reinforcing bars. This “green” deconstruction of the old building saved the developer $4 million, making it not only good for the environment but also good for business.

Record-Setting Concrete Pour

For a record-setting continuous concrete pour, Couts installed more than 20 miles of Uponor radiant tubing to create a thermal cooling system that would ensure the integrity of the concrete as it cured.

After deconstruction, the focus turned to the design of the new, $1.2-billion structure. The base for the 2.1-million-square-foot building required a 21,200-cubic-yard concrete foundation located 84’ below street level. To place that kind of concrete mass required a world-record continuous pour.

Completed in less than 19 hours, the 82 million pounds of concrete set a Guinness World Record for the largest continuous pour in a 24-hour period. To ensure structural integrity of the foundation’s massive slab, the design specified a hydronic radiant cooling system to draw off the heat as the concrete cured—a new trend that is becoming more popular for large concrete projects such as building foundations and bridges.

According to Martin, the idea of thermal cooling came from an engineer in Minnesota who was looking to redirect the heat and keep an even temperature in the slab to prevent cracking after it cured. To keep the slab at the proper temperature, the team at Couts installed more than 100,000 feet of 3/4” PEX tubing from Uponor that intertwined through the rebar of the foundation. The tubing was used to convey 40° F water throughout the system to maintain an even temperature that was not to exceed 160° F as the concrete was poured and then cured.

“The lighter weight of PEX made it easier to move around the jobsite,” said Martin. “Also, PEX is very forgiving. The installers were walking on it and dumping concrete on it, and it never damaged the pipe. Plus, any kinks in the pipe were easily repaired with a quick shot of heat from a heat gun, which is a big advantage for PEX-A type tubing. This eliminated the need to add in couplings in the slab.”

Mike Martin, Couts piping department manager, said Uponor’s PEX tubing’s “extreme flexibility made it fast and easy to install around the rebar in the base of the structure.”

Couts installed the radiant tubing at 6” on center and dropped it down 18’ from the 8” HDPE supply header before looping it back up. Once the radiant tubing installation was complete, the concrete pour began. It was a steady, organized plan that required more than 400 workers, eight concrete plants, 208 mixers, and more than 2,000 truckloads.

During the pour, the 40° F water, sourced from a chiller system featuring a 40,000-gallon storage tank, began running through the system. The thermal cooling system pumped water throughout the tubing for two weeks while being continuously monitored by 24 sensors to ensure proper system temperatures. After the two-week timeframe, the water was removed from the system and the tubing was filled with grout and remained in the slab.

Cooling Catches On

To date, the Wilshire Grand stands as a testament to new construction trends that promote business-smart sustainable design and “green” deconstruction, an idea that is likely to gain traction as older buildings make way for new structures. And, according to Martin, concrete thermal cooling will also continue to increase as more and more professionals look to smarter building practices to make structures of higher performance.

In fact, Martin noted, many general contractors are reaching out to Couts to install thermal cooling systems for similar applications. Since the Wilshire Grand, Couts has completed two bridges with concrete thermal cooling, and Martin estimated the trend will continue to grow.

For more information, visit www.uponor-usa.com.

Shinn Mechanical Couples Milwaukee Tool and Victaulic to Go Extra Mile on Seattle Tunnel Project

Under pressure to make up for lost time on a huge tunneling project, Shinn Mechanical Inc. used cordless Milwaukee tools to install Victaulic grooved couplings on an innovative piping design, shaving months off the original schedule. “Pairing Victaulic couplings with Milwaukee tools allowed us to finish a job scheduled to take eight months in only 10 weeks,” said Mike Shinn, company founder.

Setbacks Squeeze Schedule

Seattle’s SR 99 tunnel project is a 2 mile tunnel with a double-decked roadway inside. Part of the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, it will replace the original viaduct, built in the 1950s, with an underground tollway that bypasses downtown Seattle, clearing the way for new public space on the city’s waterfront.

To bore the full length of the tunnel, a 57’-diameter boring machine was built specifically for the project. Called “Bertha” after Bertha Knight Landes, the city’s first female mayor, it was the world’s largest earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine.

Bertha set to work on the SR 99 tunnel in 2013, boring from south to north. The project progressed until December 2013, when damage to the machine’s seal system prevented it from completing the job. The repairs took two years and the machine restarted in December 2015.

By the end of 2015, Bertha was back at work but was stopped in her tracks again in January 2016 when a barge in Elliott Bay damaged some piers and a sinkhole developed near the project site. Until a safer worksite could be ensured, work was suspended, resulting in a hiatus that lasted until April. A year later, Bertha reached the north end of the tunnel.

After two years of delays, the tunnel had finally been fully excavated, but the work was not nearly complete.

Shinn Mechanical Swivel Joint
Shinn Mechanical engineered its own swivel joint to custom-fit the angle and the dimensions for each joint, fabricating the parts in a single day. With Victaulic’s Style W77 coupling, “We were able to cut our pipe to length and install the two-bolt couplings without mitering any joints,” said Mike Shinn, company founder.

Creative Design Saves Time

The contracts for the project’s major construction programs had been awarded years in advance. With the tunnel finally completed, work began immediately. A team began setting precast panels to create a road deck, and specialists started on the electrical and construction work.

Tasked with installing the enormous drain system for the tunnel, Shinn Mechanical was one of several companies on the worksite. It had won the job by designing a customizable header that decreased fabrication time in the curved tunnel, where every pipe had to be custom fit. Instead of trying to find an existing part that could be modified, Shinn Mechanical took things a step farther. “We came up with a better design,” said Shinn. “We are innovative, and we’re always looking for more cost-effective solutions.”

The capacity, reliability, and compatibility of the Milwaukee tools “enabled us to maximize work hours in a challenging environment.”

— Mike Shinn, Founder, Shinn Mechanical Inc.

Shinn Mechanical engineers designed a swivel joint that uses a pivot to allow the angle and the dimension to be fitted for each joint. Two plates slide against one another at a set point in the middle to allow the arms to be adjusted to accommodate varying tie-ins. Workers took measurements to determine the angles, and Shinn used those dimensions to fabricate the parts in a single day, cutting a three- to four-day turnaround into 24 hours.

With these parts in hand, Shinn Mechanical was ready to begin the largest tunnel project it had ever undertaken, and the company looked to its trusted partners for execution.

Partnering for Success

Victaulic and Milwaukee Tool brought nearly two centuries of collective experience to the table. Shinn explained that the reliability and ease of installation of Victaulic couplings has made them the grooved mechanical
coupling of choice for Shinn Mechanical.

The gradual bend in the tunnel limited pipe lengths for the drain system to 28’, requiring approximately 350 pipe joints on the main line alone. With pipe diameters ranging from 2” to 20”, pipe size presented as much of an installation challenge as the number of joints.

“Victaulic’s Style W77 coupling was exactly what we needed for the SR 99 tunnel project,” said Shinn. “We were able to cut our pipe to length and install the two-bolt couplings without mitering any joints.”

Flexibility combined with a grooved joint that is easy to install in tight spaces and accommodates deflection made Victaulic’s Style W77 AGS™ flexible coupling the right component for the curved tunnel. This one-of-a-kind coupling with a two-piece housing eliminated the need to flange or weld, allowing for a safer and faster installation of the large-diameter pipe. Victaulic’s Installation-Ready™ technology, which improves efficiency under normal circumstances, was invaluable on a worksite where spare parts could be more than a mile away.

“There was no extra walking to get forgotten parts,” Shinn said, and that minimized unproductive time. “I didn’t consider any other coupling for this job.”

The drain Shinn Mechanical installed carries rain and surface runoff, as well as water laden with brake dust, oil, and gasoline deposited by the cars using the tunnel. A proprietary Victaulic nitrile gasket, designed for use with petroleum based products, was supplied with the Style W77 coupling Shinn Mechanical wanted for this project.

Right Tools for the Job

Wet conditions, limited access to electrical power, and long distances to the work area precluded the use of corded tools on the jobsite. Shinn Mechanical looked to Milwaukee’s industry-leading M18 FUEL™ technology for impact wrenches, band saws, vacuums, drills, and stand lights, which were indispensable in the dark tunnel. All these tools run on the same 18-volt battery system, meaning the Shinn Mechanical team did not have to spend valuable time searching for the right batteries and chargers—everything was completely compatible. This kind of tool reliability meant work in the tunnel could progress without interruption to rapidly install the drain line.

However, because of the massive amount of 20” Victaulic couplings, Shinn was skeptical that cordless tools would be up to the task. “We had zero confidence cordless tools would work on those [couplings],” said Shinn. “But as soon as we fastened down the first coupling with the cordless Milwaukee impact wrench, we were blown away that it was actually able to deliver the torque to get the job done.”

The Milwaukee Tool impact wrenches proved to be a perfect match for installing the Victaulic couplings. Providing 1,400 foot-pounds of break-away torque, these tools aptly tackled the myriad of coupling sizes. And they could do all of it without the hassle of pneumatic hoses.

“The tools performed without a hiccup,” Shinn said. “They were seamless, which enabled us to maximize work hours in a challenging environment.”

Milwaukee Tool Stand Lights
The gradual bend in the 2-mile long tunnel limited pipe lengths to 28 feet, which required approximately 350 pipe joints on the main line alone and made Victaulic’s flexible coupling the ideal choice. Shinn Mechanical found that Milwaukee’s cordless stand lights not only lit up the dark tunnel but also stood up to the harsh conditions.

Milwaukee’s cordless stand lights were particularly critical to the project because they could provide light when the tunnel was without electricity. These lights not only illuminated huge areas, but they also held up to the wet conditions deep in the tunnel.

“Pairing Victaulic couplings with Milwaukee tools allowed us to finish a job scheduled to take eight months in only 10 weeks.”

— Mike Shinn, Founder, Shinn Mechanical Inc.

Each light stood on support legs that could be immersed in water with no detriment to the tool or its light output. The Shinn Mechanical team was so efficient at joining pipe that they outpaced the team laying the precast road panels. “It turned into a bit of a competition, but most days, we’d end our shift with 10’ of pipe sticking out the front end of the road,” Shinn explained.

More than two miles of the line was hydrotested without a single leak. “We’ve done a lot of tunnel work in the area,” Shinn said, “but there has never been anything like this in the state of Washington.”

Leveraging its trusted partnerships, Shinn Mechanical delivered an innovative and durable solution in record time. The tunnel is scheduled to open in early 2019.

For more information, visit www.victaulic.com and www.milwaukeetool.com.

John W. Danforth Company Named 2018 Mechanical Contractor of the Year

Congratulations to everyone at MCAA member John W. Danforth Company for being named Plumbing & Mechanical’s 2018 Mechanical Contractor of the Year. Danforth President Robert Beck, who serves on the MCAA Board of Directors, said, “We’re all owners. [The company is an ESOP] We all take pride in our work, and pride in Danforth, and really the true power of Danforth is in our people.”

OSHA Releases Frequently Asked Questions About its Crystalline Silica Standard

OSHA recently released a document showing the most frequently asked questions that it receives from employers affected by its crystalline silica standard. MCAA and other construction trade associations worked with OSHA to establish the questions and accompanying answers through the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC).  The document helps clarify the agency’s positions on several provisions in the standard that are otherwise unclear to the standard’s users.   FAQs

If you have any questions about OSHA’s Crystalline Silica Standard, contact Pete Chaney at pchaney@mcaa.org or 301-990-2214.

Build Company Loyalty – Send Your Team to The Field Leaders Conference

MCAA President Michael Brandt, CEO of Smith & Oby, knew he had built company loyalty when Jeff Ranke returned from the Field Leaders Conference.

“I’m so glad you sent me to this conference. I needed this. Very helpful. Great speakers. I took a lot from it. It was nice to know that I’m not alone.”

—Jeff Ranke, Smith & Oby

Help your fitters, plumbers, service, sheet metal and electrical field leaders understand the value they bring to your company—and how much you appreciate them. They’ll thank you for it.

Life Would be Easy if it Were Not for Other People

Imagine what you could accomplish if you could decode the mystery of human behavior and truly understand what makes people do what they do and say what they say (including yourself!) Award-winning author of seven books and human relations expert Connie Podesta will join us in Huntington Beach, CA at the MSCA18 educational conference and show why #1 key to SUCCESS is the ability to get along with other people both at work and at home. Her message will both challenge and empower you with the knowledge you need to get along better with all the people in your life.

Connie’s emphasis on the value of long term results rather than more quick fixes will help you implement strategies that will make a lasting impact on your daily interactions with others. She will take participants right inside the minds and personalities of the people they encounter every day–bosses, colleagues, partners, customers, friends, and family– so you can act, rather than react, to whatever life throws your way!

MCAA Starts Student Chapter Presidents Advisory Council

The 2018 GreatFutures Forum was the kick off for the new MCAA Student Chapter Presidents Advisory Council. The council is composed of MCAA Student Chapter Presidents, created to help advise the MCAA Career Development Committee of student issues and concerns, and be a resource for MCAA’s GreatFutures planning. The committee will look to these students for innovations and improvements to the program.

MCAA’s mission for the advisory council is to have it provide direct student representation and input to MCAA from its 50+ Student Chapters. With the students serving as liaisons, the advisory council will meet in conjunction with the GreatFutures Forum and the MCAA Annual convention, along with access to additional MCAA events and resources.

By getting more students more engaged with their student chapters, the goal is to have those students become involved and exposed to MCAA opportunities and the mechanical contracting industry.

Please visit the GreatFutures Forum Website to see all the students experienced in Anaheim, California, September 27-29.

Interested in recruiting talent for internship and full-time job opportunities? Post full-time and internship opportunities on the new MCAA Job Board!

 

Explore the Latest from Sloan Valve Company, Viega and More in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Sloan Valve Company MCAA Virtual Trade ShowSloan Valve Company
Redesigned Optima® Faucets – Introducing the new, improved Optima® line — smarter water management made simple.

Learn More

 

Viega MCAA Virtual Trade ShowViega
When it comes to your work, “good enough” isn’t good enough. With your reputation on the line, you don’t trust just any press system. You want the original ProPress®. Viega. Connected in quality.

Learn More

Need Something Different?

No worries! There are many more smart solutions for you to explore in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

Find Great Talent at MCAA’s GreatFutures Job Fair!

Recruitment and retention of talent is a relentless challenge for the mechanical contracting industry. But, what if you knew of an exclusive event you could attend, for free, and recruit top college talent? Would you go?

Not sold? What if that talent was prequalified to assure you they are eager to work in our industry? Would you go then? Hmm…you’re a hard sell…

OK, what if this exclusive event, with all that prequalified, eager talent was held at the most favorable time of the academic year to recruit the best young people? How about then?

And… what if we could promise you no competition at this event from GCs or CMs? Are you just about there?

All right, you win…what if we pay you to register, attend and recruit at this event? Then, we’ll see you at MCAA’s GreatFutures Job Fair, Friday, September 28, in Anaheim, CA!

Here are the benefits of attending and recruiting at the GreatFutures Job Fair:

  • The attending students are from MCAA’s 50+ student chapters…they know the industry!
  • There will literally be hundreds of them attending this event.
  • They will be looking for full-time and internship positions.
  • Taking place on Friday morning, September 28th, the Job Fair sits dead center of the “sweet spot” of the recruitment year; there is no better time to recruit top talent!
  • The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) will award a $1,000 grant for each intern or full-time employee hired at the Job Fair…no limit to the number! 
  • And best of all…no GCs or CMs will be there competing for their attention!

Questions? Answers

Register to recruit? Here

Talk to an MCAA staff member about the program? Call Harlee Gallo at 301-990-2219 or email at hgallo@mcaa.org

To learn more about this program online, check out the website.

Just Released – Aerial Lift Safety Training Video for Mechanical Construction Workers

MCAA recently released a new safety training video, Aerial Lift Safety – Safe Practices for Scissors and Boom Lift Work. The new video replaces the Aerial and Scissors Lifts Safety Training Video that was previously available from MCAA.

The video will help your workers understand:

  • The significance of aerial lift load capacities
  • How to properly inspect and function test lifts before use
  • What to do when there is a problem with a lift
  • The appropriate fall prevention and protection requirements for the two different types of lifts
  • Safe operating procedures

Download or play the video

There’s More…

Accompanying materials are also available to assist you in highlighting key training points, documenting worker training and confirming that workers understand the training concepts. Like the video, these new materials replace the ones associated with MCAA’s Aerial and Scissors Lifts Safety Training Video.

Highlight key training points

Download the Pocket Guide

Document worker training

Download the Documentation Sheet

Confirm that workers understand the training concepts

Download the Test

Download the Test Answer Key

Want Even More Safety Resources?

MCAA has you covered, with a full range of resources to help you protect your workers from injury and comply with applicable safety regulations. Here’s where to find them:

On our Direct Links to MCAA & MSCA Safety Resources page, where they’re listed by category with links.

Go there now

In the Resource Center, where you can use the blue Refine Your Search bar to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for.

Visit the Resource Center

Have questions or need personal assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Pete Chaney.

Affiliated Association Executives Share Best Practices in Association Management

The 2018 Association Executives Council (AEC) Best Practices Conference was an in-depth examination of best practices in association management. Attendees participated in interactive discussions covering a variety of topics over the course of the three-day conference including UA growth and apprenticeship initiatives, the local association executives roll regarding trust funds, and how to embrace and avoid the pitfalls of technology.

United Association Assistant General President Mike Pleasant joined by UA/MCAA Joint Strategic Planning Co-Chair Mark Rogers, addressed the attendees Wednesday morning to give an overview of recent UA/MCAA news and developments. In addition to their update, Assistant General President Pleasant and Rogers participated in an engaging, interactive dialogue with the local affiliates.

Another conference highlight was the announcement of the updates to MCAA’s AEC Best Practices Initiative in support of its affiliated associations. This series of programs is designed to provide education and resources to MCAA’s local affiliated associations enabling them to provide exceptional service to their contractor members. The offerings of the AEC Best Practices Initiative are completely underwritten by MCAA.

The conference concluded with current AEC Chair, Frank Wall (PMCA of Oregon) stepping down and the introduction of Tony Saporito (MCA of New York) as the new AEC Chair, Ed Kommers (MCA of Western Washington) as the Vice Chair and Rick Lundvall (MCA of Rockford) as the new Program Chair. In his new role, Saporito addressed the group thanking them for their dedicated conference participation. He stressed the importance of the education this conference brings to local association executives and encouraged attendees to take full advantage of MCAA’s Best Practices Initiative.

The 2019 AEC Best Practice Conference is scheduled for late July in Milwaukee, WI.

Dick Starr, Former MSCA Chairman, Provides Insight on the Maintenance Requirements of High-Performance Buildings

Energy efficiency, comfort, and productivity are the top focus for most high-performance buildings, according to Dick Starr, senior account executive, Enterprise HVAC Service & Control, Twinsburg, Ohio and former chairman of the MSCA Board of Managers.

In a high-performance building, system integration is key. A balance between productivity, safety, good health, and energy efficiency is imperative. Failure to maintain one component may prevent the entire system from performing optimally.

With an emphasis on system v. equipment, these high-performance buildings differ from most other commercial buildings, where the focus tends to land more on a ‘break/fix’ mentality and focus only on basic wear and tear maintenance. With the equipment running independently of each other maintaining one part will not impact another.

Since high-performance buildings are normally ‘owner-occupied’ facilities, according to Starr, he believes that building and maintaining trust between the building owner and HVAC service provider is key to developing best practices and creating a successful strategic plan. Each building is unique and requires a different maintenance program to operate at its highest potential.

Read the full article from theNews and learn more on how to create a maintenance program that will result in higher performing systems, please click here.

Popular Peer Group Forums to Feature Hot Topics at MSCA18

Looking to grow your company’s vision? Curious about best practices in deploying mobile devices? Needing ideas on how to increase your customer retention? Or have questions about building data analysis? We’ve got you covered.

This year’s MSCA education conference in Huntington Beach, CA will feature two sessions of peer group forums.  Always one of our most popular conference events, these peer group forums provide a unique opportunity to discuss current topics and concerns with your peers and top leaders in the field. Each of these interactive sessions are lead by a leader in the industry and will focus on a single topic in order to provide an opportunity to dive into an in-depth conversation amongst the entire group. This collaborative environment is a valuable way to share and learn from other’s successes and setbacks and launch your business ahead of the competition. We will be talking about technological innovations on both the hardware and software side as well as discussing struggles and sharing best practices on how to deal with the new realities in our field, to name a few. With more than seventeen topics to choose from, including water management programs, service training, sales, succession planning and empowering techs, there’s no doubt that you’ll be leaving with invaluable knowledge and resources to help advance your business.

Be on the lookout mid-September for instructions on how to sign-up for the topics that interest you!

Discover the Latest from Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co., IFS North America and More in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® a Member of Morris Group International Zip Trench MCAA Virtual Trade ShowJay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® a Member of Morris Group International
Jay R. Smith Mfg. Co.® has added a 6” wide option to the Zip Trench™ product line. This product offers a less expensive, labor saving alternative to cast-in-place trench drains.

Learn More


IFS North AmericaIFS North America
IFS Field Service Management covers the entire, end-to-end service lifecycle. Recent enhancements and embedded IoT capabilities make it the most connected FSM solution offering on the market.

Learn More

Need Something Different?

No worries! There are many more smart solutions for you to explore in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also features tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

2019 Fabrication Conference Planning Under Way!

MCAA’s Fabrication Task Force visited Murray Company’s fabrication facilities, site of the 2019 Fabrication Conference. During the conference, Murray Company will showcase its 80,000 square foot plumbing, piping, high purity and underground utilities operations. Mark your calendar and plan to join us at the May 1-3 conference in Los Angeles. Registration opens January 15 and the conference fills quickly.

Who is planning the conference?

The task force members who will be planning the event are:

  • Jeff Knoup of Mechanical, Inc.
  • Jay Rohan with Dynamic Systems, Inc.
  • Shaabini Alford of Murray Company
  • Mark Magnuson with Murray Company
  • Sean McGuire of MCAA
  • Greg Fuller with North Mechanical
  • Mike Shinn of Shinn Mechanical
  • Cynthia Buffington with MCAA
  • John Koontz of MCAA
  • Mike Bement with John W. Danforth

About Murray Company

Murray Company is a large, full-service mechanical and underground piping contractor based in Rancho Dominguez, CA. Here’s a sneak peek at their facilities.

Murray Company High Purity Piping

Murray Company Welder on Lift

Murray Company Visits with the MCAA Fabrication Conference Task Force

MCAA/MSCA Release Fleet Safety Training Video for Mechanical Service and Construction Supervisors

MCAA/MSCA recently released its new supervisor safety training video, Fleet Safety for Mechanical Service and Construction Supervisors. Fleet safety is getting a lot of attention because motor vehicle fatalities, which are the leading cause of deaths in America, continue to increase each year. Most vehicle accidents are caused by unsafe driving behavior, substance abuse, insufficient driver training, or inadequate vehicle condition/maintenance.

This new video will help your supervisors understand:

  • How to properly screen their drivers
  • The components of effective driver training
  • How to monitor driver behavior and
  • How to ensure proper inspection and maintenance of the company’s fleet

Download or play the video

Want More Safety Resources?

MCAA has you covered, with a full range of resources to help you protect your workers from injury and comply with applicable safety regulations. Here’s where to find them:

On our Direct Links to MCAA & MSCA Safety Resources page, where they’re listed by category with links.

Go there now

In the Resource Center, where you can use the blue Refine Your Search bar to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for.

Visit the Resource Center

Have questions or need personal assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Pete Chaney.