We heard it through the pipeline that going green is going great at Ferguson
“It’s not easy being green.” Kermit the Frog’s famous line is true for frogs and sometimes builders. Going green in construction is often stereotyped as expensive; and changing materials and approaches that have been around for decades sometimes doesn’t bode well with many contractors. But Andy Etheridge, branch manager for Ferguson in Paducah, is out to change some minds about being green all the way down to the plumbing.
Andy is bringing Aquatherm piping to Paducah. “Aquatherm was developed by the Germans, and it’s the most environmentally friendly piping I know of from the manufacturing process all the way down to installation and long term use. In fact, it’s the only piping officially recognized by Greenpeace.
“It’s basically chemically inert. It won’t react to anything. There is no leeching. Most piping systems do something to the water or the water does something to the pipe. This doesn’t happen with Auquatherm. Plus it is heat fused meaning you don’t use glues or burning torches in the installation. There is even less friction loss in water flow meaning you retain good pressure with smaller piping. You then use smaller pumps, etc., which is a reduction of materials and energy. The list of the environmentally conscious aspects of this stuff just goes on and on. The longevity and durability is the best as well. The Germans don’t make anything lousy!”
Ferguson in Nashville, which is connected to the Paducah branch, got one of its first major installations at the Opryland Hotel. “It’s going in everywhere all over the world. Many stadiums use it as well as cruise ships, hospitals, hotels, and residential projects.
“Fairfield Inn was the first project here in Paducah. They were looking for some alternatives, and Aquatherm was a perfect match.” Ferguson also used Aquatherm in Elizabeth Hall at Murray State and most recently at the Orthopedic Institute and Midtown Market in Paducah.
“It makes sense all the way around,” says Andy. “Not only is it exceptionally green, it is actually much cheaper than using traditional piping. We’ve had some projects come to us that were over budget, and switching over to Aquatherm was a major part of reducing costs.”
For Andy Carloss of Midtown Market, the lower cost cinched the deal for him. “Chris and David Black advised me about Aquatherm and that it was the most cost efficient for what I needed,” he says.
The attraction was the same for Greg Thompson at the Orthopaedic Institute. “The savings came through the decreased installation time, which saves on manpower costs and contributes to staying on the targeted timeline. We also had a goal to find innovative ways to integrate sustainability into the project.” For the Orthopaedic Institute, Aquatherm delivered on every level.
“Sometimes it is a hard sell just because it’s different,” admits Andy, “but in this case, going green is cheaper and more durable. As a nation, we are about the most advanced technologically but slow in trying new stuff. Auquatherm is proving to be very significant, and we hope to introduce that to Paducah.”
