John Lansing
@pipedreaming.bsky.social
Plumbing, building codes, engineering design guides, water and nutrient cycle, architecture, embodied carbon, development, cities, and the international variations of them all
By increasing the diameter of the drainage stack for a kitchen sink from 2 inches to 3 inches, all of the vent piping can be eliminated. This isn’t however allowed in most major American cities. NYC adopted the International Plumbing Code but deleted sections 913 and 917 that would allow this.
November 25, 2025 at 3:19 AM
By increasing the diameter of the drainage stack for a kitchen sink from 2 inches to 3 inches, all of the vent piping can be eliminated. This isn’t however allowed in most major American cities. NYC adopted the International Plumbing Code but deleted sections 913 and 917 that would allow this.
Ventilation was one of the original public health measures featured in early building codes in London and New York City. While contaminated water supplies were the real cause of cholera and typhoid outbreaks, airborne disease spread and high CO2 levels continue to plague modern buildings today.
November 23, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Ventilation was one of the original public health measures featured in early building codes in London and New York City. While contaminated water supplies were the real cause of cholera and typhoid outbreaks, airborne disease spread and high CO2 levels continue to plague modern buildings today.
MIT’s 19th century single stack test rig. The German and Danish construction sector have benefited significantly from early American research in this area for well over 100 years yet most American plumbing engineers still aren’t familiar with the single stack today.
November 22, 2025 at 1:52 AM
MIT’s 19th century single stack test rig. The German and Danish construction sector have benefited significantly from early American research in this area for well over 100 years yet most American plumbing engineers still aren’t familiar with the single stack today.
“The committee has collected a large number of plumbing codes, State laws, and local ordinances and given them careful study. The situation may be described as chaotic.” 1929
November 21, 2025 at 11:00 PM
“The committee has collected a large number of plumbing codes, State laws, and local ordinances and given them careful study. The situation may be described as chaotic.” 1929
Your regular reminder that Joe Biden did not in fact rig the election to change the water consumption of dishwashers at McDonald’s. I can think of exactly one person that would do this.
Trump: "I gave them as you know unlimited water, Biden came back with a rigged election, and he immediately restricted the water again. But I came back in and immediately unrestricted it again. So now you have unlimited water to clean your damn dishes."
November 20, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Your regular reminder that Joe Biden did not in fact rig the election to change the water consumption of dishwashers at McDonald’s. I can think of exactly one person that would do this.
Reposted by John Lansing
so at tonight's single stair and code talk, @stephenjacobsmith.com brought the good stuff. people were floored.
'architects don't design buildings, codes do'
'architects don't design buildings, codes do'
November 20, 2025 at 4:47 AM
so at tonight's single stair and code talk, @stephenjacobsmith.com brought the good stuff. people were floored.
'architects don't design buildings, codes do'
'architects don't design buildings, codes do'
World Toilet Day is a good time to revisit some staggering statistics on sanitation: 3.4 billion people live without safely managed sanitation (WHO/UNICEF, 2025). 🧵
November 19, 2025 at 11:40 PM
World Toilet Day is a good time to revisit some staggering statistics on sanitation: 3.4 billion people live without safely managed sanitation (WHO/UNICEF, 2025). 🧵
Reposted by John Lansing
It's World Toilet Day, a United Nations reminder that toilets should be accessible to all. In honour of the day, here's a roundup of some of my recent posts on toilets: lloydalter.substack.com/p/bonus-post...
Bonus Post: I almost missed World Toilet Day!
Here's a bonus roundup of some of my recent posts about toilets.
lloydalter.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:38 PM
It's World Toilet Day, a United Nations reminder that toilets should be accessible to all. In honour of the day, here's a roundup of some of my recent posts on toilets: lloydalter.substack.com/p/bonus-post...
NIST’s report, which is a review of existing literature on the single stack, came 2 years after Alan Wise with the BRS went on an educational tour in the US, visiting various cities and publishing articles for the American audience on the single stack.
November 17, 2025 at 9:49 PM
NIST’s report, which is a review of existing literature on the single stack, came 2 years after Alan Wise with the BRS went on an educational tour in the US, visiting various cities and publishing articles for the American audience on the single stack.
The urbanism of Edinburgh in 1861
November 17, 2025 at 6:25 AM
The urbanism of Edinburgh in 1861
The single stack (Fig 105) was always the most obvious solution for drainage, but the dual concern over siphonage and cleaning miasma from drainage pipes (to prevent contamination of the water in the traps) resulted in a much more complex configuration with vent piping installed at traps (Fig 107).
November 12, 2025 at 2:15 AM
The single stack (Fig 105) was always the most obvious solution for drainage, but the dual concern over siphonage and cleaning miasma from drainage pipes (to prevent contamination of the water in the traps) resulted in a much more complex configuration with vent piping installed at traps (Fig 107).
If NIST and HUD were properly funded, they would rebuild the drainage testing tower that they removed several decades ago, and build it as a single stack with clear drainage piping - then invite AHJs, plumbing code TC members, engineers, plumbers, architects, ect to see for themselves.
This demonstration I saw last year at the Geberit HQ in🇨🇭 shows a typical Swiss sanitary drainage configuration - no vent piping at each floor (similar in the rest of 🇪🇺 and the 🇬🇧 ). You can see the trap seal barely moving, despite a stack flow that far exceeds probabilistic overlapping fixture use.
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 PM
If NIST and HUD were properly funded, they would rebuild the drainage testing tower that they removed several decades ago, and build it as a single stack with clear drainage piping - then invite AHJs, plumbing code TC members, engineers, plumbers, architects, ect to see for themselves.
Sold out seats for the @thewaroncars.bsky.social book launch tour in Vancouver @uytaelee.bsky.social @brooklynspoke.bsky.social @sgoodyear.bsky.social
November 9, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Sold out seats for the @thewaroncars.bsky.social book launch tour in Vancouver @uytaelee.bsky.social @brooklynspoke.bsky.social @sgoodyear.bsky.social
Now arriving at Costco Station. Doors to your left.
November 9, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Now arriving at Costco Station. Doors to your left.
Checking out the latest plumbing products in the Canadian construction market at CIPHEX West in Vancouver.
November 6, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Checking out the latest plumbing products in the Canadian construction market at CIPHEX West in Vancouver.
What’s also bad is when a mechanical engineer decides to combine exhaust ducts from multiple bathrooms and the path of least resistance is your bathroom. Same with the kitchen exhaust. Not a typical installation practice but this discussion comes up a lot in design for some one-off unit floor plans.
My new downstairs neighbours are using the bathroom ventilation much more than the previous ones, and now I have a constant low humming noise in the house.
I really hate these cardboard houses. This continent should learn how to build properly.
I really hate these cardboard houses. This continent should learn how to build properly.
November 6, 2025 at 4:50 PM
What’s also bad is when a mechanical engineer decides to combine exhaust ducts from multiple bathrooms and the path of least resistance is your bathroom. Same with the kitchen exhaust. Not a typical installation practice but this discussion comes up a lot in design for some one-off unit floor plans.
Vancouver is like a fictional city that somehow actually exists. It’s no wonder all the movies are shot here.
November 5, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Vancouver is like a fictional city that somehow actually exists. It’s no wonder all the movies are shot here.
Typical sanitary drainage configuration for larger aisle-layout bathrooms in California vs what would be designed/installed in Europe. The one to the left requires double the amount of piping and labor while also having 8 penetrations through the floor rather than 4, each requiring fire-stopping.
November 4, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Typical sanitary drainage configuration for larger aisle-layout bathrooms in California vs what would be designed/installed in Europe. The one to the left requires double the amount of piping and labor while also having 8 penetrations through the floor rather than 4, each requiring fire-stopping.
Interiors contractors (装修队) demonstrating the design and installation of an apartment bathroom in China. You can see there’s a dedicated connection to the WC stack and another for the wash drainage stack, which passes through a common trap (中央排水汇集器).
November 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Interiors contractors (装修队) demonstrating the design and installation of an apartment bathroom in China. You can see there’s a dedicated connection to the WC stack and another for the wash drainage stack, which passes through a common trap (中央排水汇集器).
Reposted by John Lansing
As @tedgrunewald.bsky.social noted, the Vitrolite in the White House bathroom was irreplaceable. As @pipedreaming.bsky.social noted, the Flushometer toilet had a lot more flush than the Kohler that replaced it. I complain about the marble floor and lack of grab bars, which make it a deathtrap.
The White House bathroom renovation is a horrifying mess
It's a cheap and ugly deathtrap of a bathroom.
lloydalter.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 12:53 PM
As @tedgrunewald.bsky.social noted, the Vitrolite in the White House bathroom was irreplaceable. As @pipedreaming.bsky.social noted, the Flushometer toilet had a lot more flush than the Kohler that replaced it. I complain about the marble floor and lack of grab bars, which make it a deathtrap.
The Quebec Construction Code allows unvented drains for sinks in some circumstances, but requires an incredibly deep trap seal (4 inches/100 mm) for such an installation. Not only is this 2x the depth of what is required in most European countries but it’s also less sanitary.
November 3, 2025 at 5:17 AM
The Quebec Construction Code allows unvented drains for sinks in some circumstances, but requires an incredibly deep trap seal (4 inches/100 mm) for such an installation. Not only is this 2x the depth of what is required in most European countries but it’s also less sanitary.
If you walk into the plumbing section of a Canadian Tire, you’d think you were in the US. The allowable materials, products, and methods in the National Plumbing Code of Canada are nearly identical to what you’ll find in the IPC/UPC.
November 3, 2025 at 2:21 AM
If you walk into the plumbing section of a Canadian Tire, you’d think you were in the US. The allowable materials, products, and methods in the National Plumbing Code of Canada are nearly identical to what you’ll find in the IPC/UPC.
Reposted by John Lansing
When it rains a lot I go to the St. George Rainway to watch water going in and out of things.
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 10:20 PM
When it rains a lot I go to the St. George Rainway to watch water going in and out of things.
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
“We” did not land on the moon. You guys left without me and I’m still mad about it.
Not sure who needs to hear this but we landed on the moon
November 1, 2025 at 2:25 AM
“We” did not land on the moon. You guys left without me and I’m still mad about it.