Aquatherm Celebrates 40 Years of Pipe Innovation with Rebranding.

North American partner of German pipe pioneer announces a new logo and product names.

As it enters the 40th year of production, Aquatherm GmbH, and its North American partner, Aquatherm North America, are releasing a refreshed logo and new product titles. The pipe manufacturing company, based in Attendorn, Germany, is the leading supplier of polypropylene-random (PP-R) piping systems worldwide and has seven major product lines, five of which are currently available in North America.

“Aquatherm has been the world’s leading polypropylene pipe producer and innovator for decades, and as the company celebrates its 40th anniversary, we are proud to launch this rebranding campaign,” said Dirk Rosenberg, Managing Director of Aquatherm GmbH. “Along with a fresh new logo, we have better aligned the names of our products with their applications.  The new product names and logo position us to continue our steady growth in North America and around the globe.”

Since developing the original Aquatherm Greenpipe® system that propelled Aquatherm into the world market, the product lineup has expanded gradually over time. Because new innovations were named as they were created, some disparities resulted.

“A few of our products were named after the application they were originally designed for, but were later used with other types of projects,” said Steve Clark, President of Aquatherm North America. “Climatherm is a good example – it was designed for air conditioning, but is appropriate for hydronic, compressed air, chemical transport, and many other applications.”

For the sake of unity and clarity, the Aquatherm product lines will be identified using a color-coded convention. This was originally tested in the U.S. market, when Aquatherm’s original piping product, Fusiotherm, was renamed to Aquatherm Greenpipe with great success. With the new naming system Aquatherm Greenpipe will now become Aquatherm Green Pipe, and Climatherm will be known as Aquatherm Blue Pipe®. Aquatherm Lilac Pipe® will retain its same name.

“We’re trying to provide a better, more intuitive experience with our products,” added Clark. “We look forward to the opportunity of improving piping systems everywhere.”

LEED-ing the Way: A Look Behind Green Building Ratings

With increased popularity and brand recognition within the building and design industries, LEED has become an internationally recognized green building program since it’s inception in 2000; touting more than 45,000 buildings and projects that are LEED-certified (either completed or in progress) to-date. As defined by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary, consensus-based, market­driven program that is transforming the way built environments are designed, constructed, and operated; comprehensive and flexible, LEED addresses the entire lifecycle of a building for increased sustainability and decreased energy use.

And to no surprise, Aditya Ranade of Boston-based Lux Research, noted that, “The green building sector will be a $280 billion global industry by the end of the decade.” Concluding that “Green building is not [just] a curiosity anymore — it’s a huge market.”

But what exactly does it mean?

Projects earn points (up to 100) to satisfy green building requirements, distributed across five major categories: sustainability, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, along with indoor environmental quality. The system offers specific breakdowns for each group that is geared towards the unique needs of the project or building type — whether it be new construction, commercial interiors, healthcare, education, neighborhood development or even retail. Additional points can be earned for innovation in design and regional priority.

Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification:

• Certified: 40–49 points
• Silver: 50–59 points
• Gold: 60–79 points
• Platinum: 80 points and above

For a full overview of the LEED rating system, click here.

At the 2012 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo  in San Francisco, USGBC announced the launch of the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) — a web-based tool that allows users to: search and explore green building activity around the world; analyze trends and patterns in green building practices; and discover connections between projects, people, products, and services. The site allows individuals and businesses to further understand the LEED program as it is applied to real-time projects worldwide. Click here to learn more about GBIG.

Empire Southwest to Host “Get in, Get Real” Demo Event for Industry Pros

Construction professionals and business owners throughout the Southwest are invited to attend the event, featuring hands-on and live equipment demonstrations, along with an opportunity to win a three-month use of a Cat machine for free

Eloy, Ariz. – Empire Southwest – the Arizona and Southern California Caterpillar® dealership, announces today its “Get in, Get Real” demo event for industry professionals. The upcoming event aims to demonstrate how Cat machines out-perform the competition, ultimately saving construction professionals and business owners valued resources, time, and money.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy hands-on participation by climbing into the cab of a Cat machine; three winners will be chosen to receive free use of an eligible Cat machine for up to three months (see eligibility below).

When:  
Thursday, April 25 // 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Where:
Empire’s Eloy Sales Center
3501 W. Houser Rd.
Eloy, Ariz. 85131

Who:    
Construction Professionals

What:
Lunch and Cat Machine Demonstrations

Why:
To learn more about Cat machines and why they out-perform the competition; three winners will receive free use of an eligible Cat machine for up to three months.

Web:
www.catallday.com/real

Machine Demos:

• 320 E, 336 E Excavators
• 140M2 Motorgrader
• 420F Backhoe Loader
• 924K, 930K, 938K, 950K Wheel Loaders

To be eligible to win, you must:

Complete the registration form at www.catallday.com/real to attend the “Get In, Get Real” Event. Own a business in the construction industry or work for/be employed by a business in the construction industry or be authorized to represent the owner of a business in the construction industry. Limit one entry per business. Receive rental approval from your local Cat dealer prior to taking possession of machine. For verification purposes, you must submit proof of insurance and a business taxpayer ID number if your business is drawn as a winner.

About Empire Southwest

Empire Southwest is the authorized Caterpillar® dealer for heavy equipment and engines in Arizona, Southeastern California and portions of Northern Mexico. In addition, Empire is a provider of commercial solar power systems and an authorized dealer for agriculture machinery from AGCO, Challenger, Massey Ferguson and other leading manufactures. The third-generation, family owned company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered on a 55-acre campus in Mesa, Arizona. Empire locations include Apache Junction, Buckeye, Casa Grande, Eloy, Flagstaff, Kingman, Nogales, Peoria, Phoenix, Prescott, Safford, Show Low, Tucson and Yuma, Arizona; Imperial and Blythe, California; and Mexicali, Mexico. More information is available at www.empirecat.com.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint: Tips for Home and Office Living

More than a social trend or a marketing strategy, sustainable living has become an essential attribute for responsible global citizenship. While composting and recycling are the most common efforts employed, additional strategies for reducing our carbon footprint are within reach.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cited that in 2010, U.S. anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions totaled 6,821.8 million metric tons CO2 Eq. — a 3.2 percent increase from 2009. However, since 1990, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have rose by 10.5 percent nationwide.

On a global scale, the key greenhouse gases emitted by human activity are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases (F-gases). And according to 2008 reports, top carbon dioxide emitters worldwide include China, the U.S., the European Union, India, the Russian Federation, Japan, and Canada.

So what can we do to further reduce our impact?  Here are a few tips on how to save:

Look for ENERGY STAR

You can find the ENERGY STAR label on more than 60 kinds of products, including appliances, lighting, heating and cooling equipment, as well as electronics. Over their lifetime, these products can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 130,000 pounds and save you an estimated $11,000 on energy bills.

Unplug it!

Unplug appliances that you don’t use frequently. From cell phone chargers and laptops, to televisions and  stereos, try using a power strip for groups of electronic items; not only is this an easy solution that minimizes inconvenience, but can also add up to additional saving on your energy bill each month.

Buy Organic and Local

When possible, buy organic or “fair trade.” There’s a better chance the food was grown in an eco-friendly manner, and if it’s locally grown, it didn’t have to travel very far. Also, try dining at restaurants that serve locally produced or seasonal foods.

Recycle Old Electronic Devices

With the rapid growth of technology, new cell phones and laptop computers are rapidly invading the market. Recycle or sell your old Blackberry, PDA, laptop, iPad or iPhone to YouRenew.com –  the site offers a simple, yet responsible outlet for used gadgets, demonstrating that it pays to recycle.

Stop Junk Mail 

The average adult receives 41 pounds of junk mail each year. With the help of 41pounds.com, a non-profit service that contacts dozens of direct mailers to remove your name from their lists, you can stop an average of 80-95 percent of unwanted catalogs and junk mail from entering your mailbox.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Beyond aluminum cans and plastic bottles, Earth 911 offers additional suggestions on what can be recycled: rechargeable batteries, paint, jeans, ink cartridges, aluminum foil, and even metal clothes hangers. Click here [http://earth911.com/recycling/] for more complete list.

For additional tips, click here [http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/home.html

If you’d like to calculate your carbon footprint, check out The Nature Conservancy’s calculator [http://www.nature.org/greenliving/carboncalculator/index.htm] to measure your impact on our climate.

Kimmel Bogrette Welcomes Partnership with Architecture Veteran Robert Reid, AIA, LEED AP

Kimmel Bogrette Welcomes Partnership with Architecture Veteran Robert Reid, AIA, LEED AP

With much anticipation, Kimmel Bogrette Architecture + Site welcomes Robert Reid as a new firm Associate and Director of Planning, forging a partnership that will merge Reid’s firm, ELEVATE architects+collaborators, into Kimmel Bogrette; “elevating” the portfolio of the combined firms to one that includes an even greater depth of projects for higher education institutions, cultural and civic organizations, healthcare, nonprofits, as well as commercial and corporate clients.

The partnership is expected to further strengthen Kimmel Bogrette’s reputation as an architectural success story and one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Top 25 Architecture Firms for the last several years. Since its founding, Kimmel Bogrette has focused on creating “Extraordinary Solutions for Ordinary Budgets” which translates for each client into design excellence coupled with fiscal responsibility and a focus on the mission and success of the client organization.

“When we first spoke with Bob it was amazing to hear the similarities between our respective firms in terms of territory and type of clients, and how we both strive to holistically fulfill our clients’ goals,” said Jim Bogrette. “It was serendipitous that we reconnected since Bob, Martin and I were all in Architecture School at Temple University more than 20 years ago. Because of this personal connection, I’ve kept track of Bob’s professional growth and beautiful architectural solutions. I’m really glad to have one less competitor out there and to have him on our team!”

Mr.  Reid will be responsible for advancing Kimmel Bogrette’s success through client engagement. He will also direct business development strategy, along with overall project leadership and implementation.

“After exploring numerous architectural firms in the area,” notes Bob Reid, “I was thrilled to find in Kimmel Bogrette the rare combination of design excellence, fiscal responsibility and a deep-seated desire to help clients succeed through the use of the built environment.   I am excited to be working with Martin and Jim. “

With more than 20 years of experience in the field, Mr. Reid is preceded by his reputation for completing well-orchestrated, successful projects for institutions such as Widener University, Drexel University, the University of Delaware, and the Philadelphia Greek Museum, not to mention his tenacity and an ever-present natural rapport in guiding clients through simple and complex projects.

New Empire Southwest Facility Will Expand Service Capacity, Employee Count

Mesa Mayor Scott Smith joins Empire Southwest executives at the groundbreaking of a new facility in Mesa.

Empire Southwest, LLC recently broke ground on a major new service facility on its Mesa, Arizona campus.  The new building will house the Component Rebuild Center (CRC) shop and a significant portion of Empire’s product support operation.  More than 50 new service and support employees will be added when the facility opens in 2014, and the company projects that up to 175 additional employees may be needed within six years.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/12AKY3M

The Green Schoolhouse Series Announces Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Events | EVO Spring 2013 [SPECIAL EDITION]

Click here to read the newest issue of The Green Schoolhouse Series Magazine – EVO.