The gently sloping, ridge-defined agricultural area in East Drumore, Pa., is known for its 200-year-old barns and local Amish farmers who still plow fields with horse teams. But this township, located in the Southeast corner of the state, is embarking on a mission to modernize its infrastructure. What is its latest endeavor?

Redesigned and featuring 15:1 turndown for energy efficiency and low NOx emissions, the Benchmark 6000 (BMK6000) is a 6 million-Btuh condensing hydronic boiler. It has an operating efficiency of 92.5 percent. The unit measures 79 (h) by 34 (w) by 109 (d) inches.

Available in four standard boiler models — CDN040, CDN070, CDN100, and CDN120 — with gas inputs ranging from 40,000 to 120,000 Btuh, the compact, wall-mount modulating/condensing heating boiler can handle the heating load for almost any home, said the company.

Winter temperatures in Maine can easily slide toward -15˚F at night, but in the coastal town of Penobscot, 2,500 rare tropical orchids are thriving at A New Day Farm. What’s keeping them alive? 

Radiant Heating Pipe X-Pert S5® is made with Dowlex™ 2344 polyethylene copolymer resin, which offers the traditional benefits of polyethylene resin along with excellent high-temperature resistance. The result is the next generation of radiant heating pipe, the company said.

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) recently published the third version of B214, Installation Code for Hydronic Heating Systems. This version supersedes previous editions published in 2001 and 2007.

In HVAC terms, Malcolm Rowe may have the coolest home in Putnam County, N.Y. Rowe recently constructed a 5,800-square-foot residence boasting an immaculate energy envelope. The home, finished in July 2011, is Energy Star rated, EPA Indoor AirPLUS labeled, and is pending LEED accreditation.