Need of Codes and Standards

The plumbing and mechanical codes help protect the environment through safe plumbing and sanitation practices and also educate on water & air management and conservation of natural resources, says Lt. Gen (Retd) S. P. Sree Kumar, Director General, IAPMO India.

The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) was founded to advance the latest and most improved methods of sanitation and accomplish a uniformity in the application of the provisions of the ordinances. IAPMO partnered with the Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) to develop a Uniform Plumbing Code for India that utilized proven international concepts, taking into consideration the proven plumbing practices within India. The agreement identifies three distinct target markets: existing and emerging engineers; plumbing contractors, construction managers & supervisors; and plumbing systems installers and repairers. The codes and standards can bring about a desired threshold level of change and acceptance for health and sanitation. The main aims of the code are:

• To ensure that planners, administrators and plumbers develop the required competency to ensure that the codes are applied and upheld
• To set standards to ensure that plumbing assemblies, materials and technologies are safe and effective
• To ensure that plumbing installations meet these standards
• To ensure safety and effectiveness continuously through the proper maintenance of these installations

Uniform Plumbing Code India:

The first ever plumbing codes developed by the Indian Plumbing industry attempt to minimize risk by specifying technical standards of design, materials, workmanship and maintenance for plumbing systems. The advantages include:

• Best methods to ensure safe sanitary and plumbing systems
• Flexibility to adapt new innovations and technologies
• Easier project planning and management
• Improved coordination of sub-contractors simplifying cooperation with government agencies

Furthermore, the Illustrated Training Manual, based on the Uniform Plumbing Code – India, is both a primer for novice and a reference for more experienced plumbing professionals. Many of the courses planned by the Indian Plumbing Association, Indian Institute of Plumbing and IAPMO –India follow this manual. It contains plumbing dictionary, checklist for inspectors, explanations on background of the code requirement and provides insight into why specific code requirement exists.

Mechanical Codes and standards:

Building envelope serves multiple roles. It protects the occupants from changing weather conditions and it plays a key part in meeting the occupants’ comfort needs. The heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and lighting (HVAC & L) systems complement the architectural design, govern the building’s operation and maintenance costs and shape the building’s long-term environmental impact.

Designers of high-performance buildings depend on building codes/standards and energy simulation tools to understand the complicated interactions between the HVAC systems and the building envelope. These tools also prove invaluable to the designer when comparing HVAC strategies and selecting the best systems to meet the building’s lighting and space conditioning requirements. High-performance buildings cannot be designed using only rules of thumb or conventional wisdom.

IAPMO India in association with galaxy of experts representing various Indian societies and organizations work together with IAPMO India’s Mechanical experts to launch the 2012 Uniform Mechanical Code-India. This code permits the use of environment friendly refrigerants and relies upon ASHRAE 62.1 for proper indoor air quality requirements. The changes in the Uniform Mechanical Code and Uniform Solar Code will focus on achievable goals that reduce waste and conserve precious resources, while still enabling contractors to build affordable buildings with more efficient construction products and practices.

Solar energy is a time-dependent energy resource. The demands for energy are also time dependent but in a different fashion than the solar energy supply. Consequently, energy has to be stored if solar energy is to meet substantial portions of these energy needs. One of the most economically feasible methods of solar storage is fluid storage method, which has been covered in the Solar Energy Code.

Undoubtedly, climate change and global warming necessitate water conservation and energy conservation. The codes work towards the same to make the population safe and healthy.