Conserving water at home has paid off in a big way for Tim Buhler
of Glenbeulah, Wis., who has been announced the winner of a week-long eco-vacation from the Responsible Bathroom sweepstakes, sponsored by American Standard Brands. The sweepstakes were hosted at the Responsible Bathroom website, where entrants could earn extra chances to win by pledging to save water in various ways around the house.
Buhler’s wife Lonnie and children Ryan, 21, and Shannon, 17, will enjoy a seven-day eco adventure in Costa Rica. Included in the vacation package is a wildlife tour on the Sarapiqui River, a zip line tour of the Arenal Volcano, and the chance to help plant trees in a local reforestation project.
Over thirty runners-up in the contest also received water-saving American StandardFloWiseShowerheads, designed to deliver an invigorating shower experience with up to 40 percent water savings over conventional showerheads.
Follow the link to view the complete press release and learn more about the sweepstakes winners.
Employees of American Standard Brands - along with O’Reilly/DePalma team member Mary Ann Blackburn - voluntarily participated in a recent LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification training program to learn the fundamentals of green building design, construction, operation and performance.
The educational program was conducted by the N.J. chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC-NJ) and is the LEED® certification preparatory class taken by architects, engineers, developers and other commercial users of American Standard plumbing products. This was a great opportunity for company employees, as American Standard is a market leader in high performance plumbing products that help meet LEED requirements. We also appreciated the opportunity for our team to be able to participate in the program as well to learn the fundamentals of green design, construction and operations, and overall building high performance.
American Standard Brands President and CEO Don Devine presented the company’s findings on best practices to increase consumer demand and acceptance of WaterSense-certified toilets, faucets and showerheads. Devine was part of a panel session at the 2010 Greenbuild that includes Deborah Meyer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for PulteGroup, the nation’s largest homebuilder; and Wendy Koch, a reporter with USA Today, who focuses on sustainability issues.
Everyone at O’Reilly/DePalma is pleased that our Green Earth PR connection helped us secure this opportunity for our client. Don Devine has an excellent reputation for driving water efficiency solutions and has extensive knowledge of the issues, making him a great fit for the panel.
American Standard recently unveiled its redesigned Yorkville™ pressure assisted two-piece toilets at Greenbuild 2009 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Pressure-assisted siphon jet flush action and a fully-glazed 2 1/8” trapway enable high performance and fewer clogs, removing as much as 1,000 grams of bulk waste from the bowl with each flush.
Learn more about the Yorkville toilets’ classic styling and WaterSense®-certification at the American Standard Media Page.
Rheem Manufacturing Company recently announced that it has joined the Green Mechanical Council (GreenMech). The announcement follows Rheem’s recent decision to sponsor the organization’s Green Mechanical Awards, which “recognize mechanical/plumbing contractor and design/build firms that are creating the most fuel- and cost-efficient systems in residential and commercial applications.” The three winners of this new competition were announced at a special ceremony at the Greenbuild International Expo in Phoenix, Ariz., on November 11.
“We enthusiastically share in GreenMech’s commitment to educating the trade on the need to create and maintain environmentally sound residential and commercial mechanical systems,” says Peter Reynolds, vice president and general manager of the company’s Water Heating Division. “Environmental stewardship is good for both our society and our industry.”
Additional details on Rheem and its decision to join GreenMech can be found here.
BuildingGreen.com called the new Rheem integrated air source HP-50 Heat Pump Water Heater one of “the most exciting and innovative new products in the green building field.” BuildingGreen.com editor Alex Wilson announced the honor during a seminar at Greenbuild 2009.
We’re not too surprised. Rheem is continuously designing and developing their products to meet the efficient water heater needs of the future.
Back in September, Rheem was the first industry manufacturer to announce delivery of a fully integrated, highly efficient water heater. The HP-50 Heat Pump Water Heater, which meets the qualifications for an ENERGY STAR® rating, is more than twice as energy efficient as a standard electric storage water heater.
The energy-saving design will help a family reduce its carbon footprint by nearly two tons annually. In addition, the HP-50, which has a storage capacity of 50 gallons, qualifies for a federal tax credit as well as many state and utility rebates and incentives.
Feel the force from a trio of new showerheads from American Standard that deliver an invigorating, satisfying soak while reducing water usage up to 40 percent.
The FloWise® showerheads are about comfort and convenience as well as water conservation. The key to their construction is a small turbine-like mechanism that spins the water stream through the head to create a powerful, energizing spray. When the three-function showerhead is turned off, it automatically returns to the ultra water savings mode of 1.5 gpm, making it perfect for any home.
The FloWise showerheads are currently available in a variety of finishes, including Polished Chrome, Satin Nickel, Polished Brass and Blackened Bronze. New styles will be available shortly, expanding the design selection to coordinate with additional patterns in the American Standard bath lines.
The ultimate in efficiency and sleek design, American Standard’s Washbrook™ FloWise® Urinal System offers more than 87 percent water savings over standard urinals.
A high-efficiency urinal (HEU), Washbrook uses only 0.125 gallons per flush (gpf), well below HEU requirements of 0.5 gpf for water usage. It is powered by the high-efficiency Selectronic® FloWise 0.125 gpf Urinal Flush Valve. The hands-free Selectronic FloWise Flush Valve operates on DC power and delivers dependable operation throughout a powerful water pressure range of 25 to 125 pounds per square inch (psi).
The American Standard exclusive Selectronic® proximity system is the hands-free commercial plumbing system that delivers on the promise, not the hassle, of touchless technology.
Selectronic technology was developed to simplify specification and installation, while reducing maintenance time and replacement part inventory costs. Combine high-efficiency Selectronic FloWise® flush valves with high-efficiency fixtures to provide LEED-compliant engineered solutions that help meet requirements for green building projects.
The same watertight miniature sensor works for all Selectronic fittings on faucets, flush valves and urinals made by American Standard, including:
Selectronic FloWise 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) toilet flush valves will save 20 percent on water usage over 1.6 gpf toilets when installed on American Standard’s Afwall® and Madera™ high efficiency toilets (HETs).
Selectronic FloWise 0.5 gpf urinal flush valves will save 50 percent over 1.0 gpf urinals when installed on the Washbrook™ and Allbrook® high-efficiency urinals (HEUs).
Ceratronic™ proximity faucet is the first to enable users to control water temperature, as well as on-off settings, without touching the faucet.
American Standard offers the next generation of water-efficient commercial solutions with its FloWise® Flush-Free Waterless Urinals.
Available in three sizes in a sleek European design, the urinal lasts 15,000 cycles before maintenance is required — ten times longer than competitors’ waterless urinals. The result is cost savings for the facility in labor hours, besides the obvious water savings from these high-efficiency units.
In place of a standard water-driven system, these FloWise Flush-Free Waterless High Efficiency Urinals (HEUs) incorporate a bio-friendly odor barrier that prevents bacterial growth and prevents odor.
