Document mBEVGyZLm6Eg1rxb53baQqe44

Wayne Interchange Plaza II 155 Route 46 West Wayne, NJ 07470 NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Daniel G. Stanowick 216/376-6500 or Nora Jacobs 216/781-2400 Edward Howard & Co. VINYL CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM COST SAVINGS CONFIRMED WAYNE, N.J., October 7,1991 -- Confirming the findings of a report completed several years ago, a new study by a leading independent research firm shows that building contractors can save from 14 to 42 cents on every dollar by specifying PVC (polyvinyl chloride, or vinyl) pipe and electrical conduit in construction. The study, based on 1991 material and installation costs and labor rates in estimating the savings advantages of vinyl in construction applications, was conducted by IFT Technical Services, Berkeley, California. The study looked at actual building costs in Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle. The costs of using PVC plumbing pipe; drain, waste and vent (DWV) pipe; and electrical conduit were evaluated for four types of structures: a wood frame townhouse, a strip shopping center, a high-rise residential building and a high-rise office building. On average, the study found that CPVC (chlorinated PVC) plumbing pipe systems cost between 14 and 40 percent less than copper in new hot and cold water installations, according to Joseph B. Zicherman, Ph.D., president of IFT Technical Services. (more) The Vinyl Institute, A Division of The Society of the Plastics Industry The original copy of this document pnnted on recycled paper CTL026969 When PVC was compared to cast iron pipe in drain, waste and vent installations, the savings varied from 29 to 42 percent, he said. Rigid vinyl electrical conduit was found to be 31 to 33 percent less expensive to install than metallic tubing, he stated. 'Translated into dollars and cents, this can mean a savings of between 14 and 42 cents per dollar in each application," Zicherman noted. 'This updated study reconfirms that there are significant cost advantages to using vinyl products in construction," said Roy T. Gottesman, executive director of the Vinyl Institute, which funded the IFT study. "Further, it is significant to note that these cost advantages endure over time. Our original report, based on data gathered in 1988, also showed significant cost savings -- ranging from 16 to 44 cents per dollar." Gottesman noted that while vinyl construction products have proven to be safe, dependable and capable of meeting existing building codes, little concrete evidence of their superior economic performance existed prior to the IFT studies. He also noted that EFT didn't examine the total lifetime costs and the related replacement costs of the various systems. "When you consider that vinyl can easily outlast competitive materials, its advantages become even greater," Gottesman said. Because of its cost advantages and long life, PVC commands nearly three-fourths of the plastic pipe market and is expected to maintain its strong hold well into the next century. Rigid vinyl is used by the electrical industry in conduit, boxes and components, while flexible vinyl commands 40 percent of the market for wire sheathing and insulation. Further information on this study is available by contacting the Vinyl Institute, 114 Mayfield Ave., P.O. Box 3053, Edison, NJ 08818-3053. The Vinyl Institute, a division of The Society of the Plastics Industry, is a national trade association representing the leading U.S. manufacturers of vinyl, vinyl feedstocks, additives and film and sheet products. It is headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey. ### CTL026970