So many things are changing in the retail world right now, and so many decorative showrooms still spend time and energy chasing product, finding staff and just surviving. 

With a renewed interest and energy for novel design ideas and improvement projects, consumers and designers seize on fresh inspiration to create beautiful yet functional living spaces.

Buying groups have been around since commerce started — individual companies joined together to maximize their purchasing power of buying products at a higher volume and lower price. 

The potential benefits that effective chemical-free technologies could deliver mean that some devices merit further evaluation. 

Product selection, drain type and location, labor savings — add these advantages to the high functionality and spa-like style of incorporating a curbless shower, and you’re well on your way to meeting the fast-changing priorities in modern bathroom design.

Even without the consideration of power outages, there are several situations where plastic pressure pipe materials should be insulated for protection against freezing. Pipe insulation buys time to hopefully prevent water in piping systems from freezing until heat is restored.

With modern buildings, leaning just a little amount can affect the flow of waste in sloping drains. Settling drains can create shear stresses and rupture pipe penetrating foundation walls; they also can cause pipe to lose slope or experience reverse slopes.

Significant renovation was needed to meet modern code, ADA and educational programming requirements at the 125-year-old Corcoran School of the Arts & Design. Modern technologies aided in designing the new and upgraded building systems.

This month, I’ll be catching you up on the code activities over the last few months.