Water Wise: Plumbing Retrofits
Part 1: Maintenance Department Spearheads Plumbing Retrofits
Part 2: Texas School District Specifies High-Efficiency Toilets and Urinals
Part 3: Technicians Play Key Role in Plumbing Retrofit
Part 4: Satellite Facility Streamlines Plumbing Maintenance Tasks
Part 5: Maintenance 'Smart Teams' Make Department More Efficient
Technicians Play Key Role in Plumbing Retrofit
By Chris Matt, Managing Editor - Print & E-Media - January 2010 - Plumbing & Restrooms
In addition to working with utility companies and taking advantage of rebates, Morin says managers also need to think about scheduling and maintenance before taking on such a retrofit. Many of the retrofits took place after hours or on weekends, and because extracurricular activities occur during non-school days, strong communication with each campus to schedule the retrofits was important.
Making sure technicians are equipped to maintain the new technology also is crucial when bringing new technology online. Morin has a handful of experienced plumbers on his staff, and they worked closely with the contractors because the plumbers have the inherent knowledge of the buildings a contractor does not possess.
"(The plumbers are) very experienced; they're very knowledgeable," Morin says. "They attend workshops. There are training seminars. Anything that we see is going to be sponsored by somebody, we try to send (employees) to continue the education process. That's really paid off a lot."
