Company: Broadway Mechanical Contractors Inc., Oakland, Calif.

Customer: A private social club in San Francisco’s Jackson Square neighborhood.

Installation: More than 18,500 feet of Uponor AquaPEX tubing (½-1½ inches in diameter)

Completion: June 2013

Objective: To provide a comfortable and energy-efficient space while cutting overhead expenses.

Work Completed: Instead of using conventional copper supply lines in the building, which was built in 1907, Broadway Mechanical chose to use PEX (crosslinked polyethylene) tubing for its ability to bend around corners and obstructions, minimizing the number of fittings and connections, and reducing both material and labor costs. More than 18,500 feet of Uponor AquaPEX tubing (½-1½ inches) was used to provide potable water piping on all levels of the building, which is home to multiple restaurants, bars, saunas, a fitness center, treatment rooms, a wine cellar, a 12,000-gallon Koi pond, and more. As a result of the flexible tube installation, the cost of materials was reduced, as was the number of pipe fittings. The use of PEX eliminated the need to do a lot of testing, resulting in substantial labor savings.

Quote: “We didn’t have a lot of space for mechanical equipment,” said Bill Flockhart, project manager for Broadway Mechanical, adding that the use of PEX on the project lowered both material and labor costs. “Once the team got the feel of installing the PEX, the installation was significantly more convenient than using hard copper.
- Bill Flockhart, Project manager, Broadway Mechanical

Publication date: 1/27/2014 

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!