The Building & Construction Division, commonly referred to as "BCD" is focused on plastic pressure pipe and tubing systems used within buildings and on building premises for applications such as plumbing, water service, fire protection, hydronic heating and cooling, snow and ice melting and ground source geothermal piping systems. Additional applications used in commercial construction include chilled water piping, pre-insulated pipes for district energy, and field heating/turf conditioning.

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MISSION: Improving the quality of life today and for generations to come by championing the advancement, acceptance, and use of sustainable and resilient plastic pipe systems in plumbing and mechanical applications.

PEX PLUMBING DESIGN AND INSTALLATION GUIDE

 
 

The third edition of the PEX Plumbing Distribution Systems Design and Installation Guide was published in April of 2026. This Guide is a joint industry publication from The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI), The Plastic Pipe and Fittings Association (PPFA) and Home Innovation Research Labs (HIRL) with support from IAPMO and ICC. It provides information and resources necessary to design and install crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) hot- and cold-water plumbing distribution systems in residential, multi-family, and commercial buildings.
 
This edition replaces the previous Second Edition, which was published in 2013, and the original edition which was published in 2006. Major updates of the new Guide include updated material properties information, updates to the 2024 model plumbing code requirements, information on the latest PEX joining systems, new piping design and layout recommendations for both residential and commercial plumbing systems, significantly expanded installation content with more than fifty figures, a new chapter on PEX Water Service Line, and an new Appendix on other applications.
 
Click here to learn more: PEX Plumbing Design and Installation Guide

BCD MATERIALS

While HDPE piping systems are used in all PPI divisions, BCD focuses on the use of HDPE piping for ground source heat pump applications (outdoor ground heat exchangers and indoor piping), district energy systems, and other hydronic applications included in model mechanical codes. For other applications of HDPE piping systems (e.g., water, gas, conduit), please refer to other PPI Divisions.

FEATURES & BENEFITS OF CPVC, HDPE, PEX, PE-RT, PP-R, PP-RCT

SMART Plastics pipes are innovative, lightweight, reliable, easy to install, contain fewer joints, and deliver lower installed cost

SAFE Extensive research and rigorous third-party certifications ensure that plastic pipes and fittings are safe for drinking water while being free of lead, PFAS, and microplastics

SUSTAINABLE Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies have demonstrated that plastic pipes have a lower carbon footprint, plus they are essential component of efficient heating/cooling technologies such as ground source geothermal and hydronic radiant heating/cooling

RESILIENT Plastic pipes and fittings are resistant to corrosion, erosion, tuberculation, abrasion, pressure surges, seismic events, extremes in temperature and pressure, chemicals, and fatigue

PROVEN Plastic pipes have provided decades of reliable service (e.g., CPVC since 1959, PEX since 1972) with billions of feet installed, plus they are adaptable and versatile and trusted by engineers and builders around the world

 

BCD APPLICATIONS

PPI's Building & Construction Division (BCD) is focused on plastic pressure pipe and tubing systems used within buildings and on building premises for a wide variety of applications. Click on the buttons below to explore those applications:

 

BCD VIDEOS

Click HERE to view BCD videos such as Field Reports on special projects, instruction videos on the BCD Calculator, and more.

 

PPI PLASTIC PIPE DESIGN CALCULATOR