Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1078761
Construction Marketplace 4 1 Wednesday, February 20, 2019 the benefits to building sustainably. There are many innovative and eco- friendly ways to build, and COTE stresses to inform members that it can be done in a cost-effective way. CM: What are some key things that con- tractors and developers look out for in the industry? RR: Cost is the primary consideration in New Construction. Architects feel the pressure to build sustainably, but must be analytical about the amount of money they have available and how to spend efficiently. At the end of the day, it's all about the bottom line. We're also seeing walkability as an important factor. Consumers want to live, shop, play and work all within a "com- munity," and as contractors and develop- ers, we're challenged to conform to this design. CM: Do you expect to see an emphasis on water conservation technology in New Construction moving forward? RR: Yes, I think so. Water is such a valu- able resource, and we need to do our part to be mindful of conservation so that there are resources available for future generations. Niagara Conservation (Cont'd. from p. 1) When you look at municipal water use, about 80 percent of it happens indoors. If we can improve our indoor water efficiency through new construction, then that much more is saved for mother earth. CM: Why do you feel that Niagara is a game changer in this space? What do Niagara products have that makes them preferable? RR: The previous stigma around low- flow toilets, showerheads and aerators is that they don't work well, or they aren't powerful enough, but that simply is not the case with Niagara products. These toilets are water-efficient and work well, and it's because of the innovative tech- nology that only Niagara offers. At just 0.8 GPF, Niagara has the highest power and lowest GPF in the market, and it comes at a competitive cost. Standard toilets utilize a rubber flapper to assist in their flush, but Niagara's patented seal and vacuum-assist is what gives it the power that was previously missing from a low-flow toilet. Niagara products are the most sound choice cost-, perform- ance- and conservation-wise. For more information, go to www .niagaracorp.com, call 800.831.8383, email info@niagaracorp.com or stop by KBIS booth #SL1812. plumbing products to the Official Mexican Standards (NOMs). In addition, ICC-ES PMG is also licensed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to cer- tify water-efficient products under the WaterSense ® program. Product Certification Product certification is a review of prod- ucts against a standard, a criteria or a code to ensure continuous compliance of products. Certification steps include review of products, periodic inspection of plants (by an ISO/IEC17020 accredit- ed agency) and periodic review of sub- mitted information against new or revised standards. Accreditation of ICC-ES PMG ICC-ES PMG is accredited as a product certifier by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). ICC-ES PMG was also recently accredit- ed by entidad mexicana de acreditación (ema), to certify plumbing products to the Official Mexican Standards (NOMs). ICC-ES PMG is the most widely accept- ed and trusted leading program in the U.S, Canada and now Mexico. Benefits of having an ICC-ES PMG Listing include: comprehensive prod- uct evaluation to applicable codes and standards; no charge for additional company listings; no warehouse inspections – on factories where prod- uct is manufactured; licensed by the EPA to certify water-efficient products under WaterSense Program; licensed by California and Federal lead laws, NSF/ANSI 372 of NSF ANSI 61; and evidence to prove your product com- plies with code and standards. The following sets ICC-ES PMG apart: ICC (Cont'd. from p. 1) ICC-ES PMG upholds the highest stan- dards for safety and reliability; ICC-ES PMG provides a one-stop shop for the evaluation, listing and now testing of innovative building products through our newly formed cooperation with Innovation Research Labs, a highly respected ISO 17025 accredited testing lab with over 50 years of experience; expedited certification for all client list- ings and low cost; the only entity with direct contact with IPC, IRC, IMC, IFGC code development staff; no separate list- ing for NSF 61; and ICC-ES PMG is the only evaluation service entity who is a part of an entity (International Code Council) who publishes the building code for the nation. About ICC-ES A nonprofit, limited liability company, ICC-ES is the United States' leading evaluation service for innovative build- ing materials, components and systems. ICC-ES Evaluation Reports (ESRs), Building Product Listings and PMG Listings provide evidence that products and systems meet requirements of codes and technical standards. The ICC-ES Environmental Programs issue VAR environmental reports that verify a product meets specific sustainability tar- gets defined by today's codes, stan- dards, green rating systems and ICC-ES environmental criteria. The Environmental Programs now offer Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to meet global market demand for science-based, transparent, quality- assured information about a product's environmental performance. ICC-ES is a subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC). For more information, visit www.icc-es- pmg.org, email espmg@icc-es.org, call 800.423.6587, x7643 or stop by KBIS booth #SL4222 and IBS booth #C3022. Manufacturers Rush to Create the Smarter Kitchen By Lorrie Baumann Manufacturers are eager to put their smart home devices in home kitchens, and consumers who are eager for help with their cooking are embracing some of the new technology, according to Digital Lifestyle Expert Carley Knobloch, who made her case in the Innovation Theater during the International Home + Housewares Show. "It's reached a point at which there's a lot of interest from manufacturers. Brands and big compa- nies are vying for countertop space and control – which brand is going to be the remote control for the kitchen," she said. The airwaves are crowded with com- mercials advertising new smart home devices ranging from smart speakers to home security technology and thermo- stats that save energy, but the devices have been slow to penetrate home kitchens. Manufacturers, though, have woken up to the possibilities of inserting their technology into the operational cen- ter of the home. "It's not just a place where the family congregates, it's also the place where generations interact and memories are formed," Knobloch said. "The kitchen is also a hub to a lot of struggles exacerbated by our lack of time to feed ourselves." Consumers are most excited about technology that either makes them better cooks or that will take over the cooking for them to produce restaurant-quality results without requiring culinary training for the home cook, according to Knobloch. "A lot of companies have chefs working side by side with engineers to design these prod- ucts," she said. "Ovens and induction burners are being engineered to recognize the food and then cook it to the user's pref- erences." One example of this is Miele's Dialog oven, which exists now in concept form. It won't be appearing in home kitchens any time soon, according to Knobloch, but the oven uses electromag- netic waves, similar to what a microwave oven uses, paired with sensors that monitor how the food is cooking and shift the wave frequencies to adjust as the cooking pro- gresses. Miele says that the Dialog oven cooks foods uniformly rather than from the outside in, so that meats end up moist and uniformly cooked and breads have enhanced texture. The oven even lets the cook control browning and crust develop- ment of breads. "The result is that you have restaurant-quality food without hav- ing to do anything but press a button or two," Knobloch said. The Joule sous vide tool from ChefSteps is another example of a smart device that will allow the home cook to achieve better quality. The tool circulates the water in the water bath to gently bring the food up to temperature and hold it there. It pairs with an app that allows the home cook to select a degree of doneness and then press go to control the device. The device even features voice control. Voice assistants have the ability to really help in the kitchen because the home cook often has his hands full there. They can add things to a grocery list or set a timer or pull up a recipe. Yes, Chef! is a voice-controlled app that will walk the cook through a recipe using voice in a conversational way. Now available only for iOS devices, the app currently offers more than 350,000 recipes, and Knobloch predicts that it will be acquired in the near future by a powerhouse like Amazon or Google, since their virtual assistants don't yet have that skill level. While the Joule and Dialog products are designed to make cooking easier, man- ufacturers are also developing products that solve the problem of kitchen invento- ry, even decreasing food waste by helping home cooks figure out what they can cook for dinner from the ingredients they have on hand before it goes bad. "This could be for the kitchen what the Nest thermostat was for the rest of the home," Knobloch said. "It takes a process that's rather opaque and makes it transparent so that people can use it." Yummly unveiled an app this year at CES that will enable users to scan the food in their refrigerators and recommend recipes based on the food that's available. It can even take into account the user's preferences and dietary needs. Paired with a Whirlpool range, it'll even be able to control the oven. Whirlpool expects to release the free app this year. Pantry Chic manages inventory by dispensing foods by weight and keeping track of what's left in the bin. "You can see how the cycle will complete itself when a device like this will say, 'Do you want me to order another bag of flour for you because you're running low?'" Knobloch said. These inventory control devices will give both consumers — and the device's manufacturers — a real handle on what's in their house and how to use it. "It isn't just a benevolent act — they want to be the ones replenishing these goods as they're needed," Knobloch said. "Whoever owns the screen in your kitchen or the appliances listening for commands are going to be the witnesses to your food needs and the likeliest to ful- fill the orders. Consumers are typically showing that they're relatively comfort- able exchanging privacy for this kind of convenience, but manufacturers will need to make sure that they're having a continuing conversation with consumers about trust and making sure that they're taking seriously their responsibility for their customers' privacy." "They're going to figure out how to monetize that one way or another. As long as they're providing value, con- sumers are continuing to buy in," she added. "Who's properly pondering the concerns of the consumer is going to decide who's going to succeed ... Ultimately, computers don't cook; people cook. Even if the computer is doing a lot of the work, it's the person who's having the experience of the food."