The Plastics Pipe Institute has announced the winners of its Projects and Members of the Year. The awards were presented during the group’s recent annual worldwide meeting held in Indian Wells, California. Each year the PPI membership reviews and votes on Project of the Year and a Member of the Year for each of the five PPI divisions – Building & Construction, Drainage, Energy Piping Systems, Municipal & Industrial and Power & Communications. The PPI Member of the Year Award is for an individual’s outstanding support and contributions to the association and the industry. PPI winning projects and members are:
PPI Building & Construction Division Project of the Year
The Waterline Complex, Austin, Texas
PPI Member Company: GF Building Flow Solutions
The tallest building in Texas at 74 stories, the Waterline is a mixed-use complex that will be qualified to achieve LEED Gold certification due to the use of sustainable features and products, including an energy-efficient PEX-based radiant heating and cooling system along with a corrosion-resistant, hybrid PEX and CPVC domestic water system.
PPI Drainage Division Project of the Year
Howard Frankland Bridge, Tampa, Florida
PPI Member Company: Advanced Drainage Systems
The new Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa is the largest in Florida with more than 2.6 million square feet of bridge deck area, and costing $875 million. Use of polypropylene pipe provided the project with a drainage system that would prevent erosion of low-lying areas. The strength and stiffness of the pipe also provided the required premium joint performance. Slotted high-density polyethylene pipe was used to handle runoff and mitigate hydroplaning.
PPI Energy Piping Systems Division Project of the Year
Upgrading Canadian Oil Producer Pipeline
PPI Member Company: FlexSteel USA, LLC
A major Canadian oil producer had to rehabilitate an old NPS 14 carbon steel pipeline constructed in the 1980s that supplied freshwater from two wells to a bitumen recovery facility. Several buildings and other pipelines, however, were in the way. Plus, sections of the old line were under up to 25 feet of soil, and the terrain along the right-of-way included muskeg. The swampy bog along with the burial depth plus the need for expediency led to pulling 4,000 feet of spoolable 10-inch 1,500 psi pipe through the old, buried pipeline. This pipe-in-pipe installation minimized both the amount of excavation and disruption above ground.
PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Project of the Year
Boat Harbor, James River Crossing, Treatment Plant, Newport News, Virginia
PPI Member Companies: High Country Fusion, Performance Pipe and AGRU America
Running more than a mile of new 42-inch diameter pipe in less than 24 hours for a new force main 100 feet under the James River along with nearly 20,000 feet of high-density polyethylene pipe won the Project of the Year Award from the Municipal & Industrial Division of the Plastics Pipe Institute. Association-member companies provided the pipe in diameters ranging from 42 to 54 inches for the new pipeline that takes raw wastewater underneath the James River to the Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk, Virginia.
PPI Power & Communications Division Project of the Year
Pennsylvania Turnpike Micro-Trenching Project
PPI Member Company: Dura-Line
More than 500 miles of micro duct was used to build the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s automated collection system that also connects highway condition monitoring units and other devices supporting traffic management. Additionally, the system features other conduit pathways for additional fiber cable installations for the turnpike, and to provide for extending broadband reach to underserved communities.
PPI Building & Construction Division Member of the Year
Daniel Pierce, Reliance Worldwide Corp.
Pierce serves as chair of the PPI Emerging Professionals Group and was the founding member of the group in 2024. He also is chair for the third edition of the PEX Plumbing Design Guide and is a member on 10 other division R&D projects.
PPI Drainage Division Member of the Year
Dan Figola, Advanced Drainage Systems
Figola’s contributions to the PPI Drainage Division, particularly in areas related to sustainability and resiliency, included assisting in developing and highlighting the National Academy of Sciences report on the use of plastic recycled materials in infrastructure.
PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Member of the Year
Gerry Groen, P. Eng., Infra Pipe Solutions, Ltd.
Groen’s leadership, technical expertise and tireless support for multiple projects continue to be valuable to the division and the industry. This included being the task group chair for multiple projects such as fabricated fittings, thrust restraint and more. A participating member of PPI for more than 20 years, he was awarded honorary lifetime membership in 2018, and named the division’s Member of the Year for 2022.
PPI Power & Communications Division Member of the Year
Andrew Nause, IPEX USA, LLC
In 2024, Nause became the marketing chair for the PCD management committee, chaired the conduit joining task group and was heavily involved in the formation work of the Codes and Standards Committee. Nause led the development of the recently published Technical Note on Joining of Conduit and has participated in numerous other PCD projects and committees, including the Division’s Strategic Plan for 2025-28.
