June 25, 2025
Uponor PEX and ChlorFIT® CPVC Piping Solutions Shine in PPI Project of the Year
By Kate Olinger
Waterline features a winning combination of GF and Uponor products:
- 1,841 feet of Wirsbo hePEX™ PEX-a pipe for radiant heating and cooling in hotel lobby
- ½" to 1½" Uponor AquaPEX® PEX-a pipe for unit piping in hotel and residences
- Uponor ProPEX® engineered polymer (EP) fittings and multiport tees
- Uponor PEX-a Pipe Supports
- Uponor ProPEX Ball Valves
- Uponor Kitting Services for the unit plumbing to maximize efficiencies
- 2" to 8" Uponor ChlorFIT® Schedule 80 Corzan® CPVC for mains, risers, and the mechanical room
As one of the first completed projects to use products from both GF Building Flow Solutions (manufacturer of Uponor PEX piping systems) and Industry and Infrastructure Flow Solutions, Waterline is raising the bar for how large-scale projects can overcome unique building challenges while meeting budget demands, construction schedules, and sustainability requirements.
About Waterline
At 74 stories and 1,022 feet tall, Waterline is set to be the tallest building in the state of Texas, surpassing the JPMorgan Chase Tower to become the pinnacle of the city’s skyline. Maximizing a $520 million budget, the mixed-use high rise totals 2.7 million square feet, including a mix of office space, retail and rental space, and a five-star hotel with 252 units and 352 luxury residences.
Designed by renowned global architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, the massive structure is aiming to achieve LEED® Gold certification with several sustainable features including the use of the Austin Energy District Cooling System to provide chilled water to tenants.
As part of the sustainable development, the building includes an energy-efficient PEX-based radiant heating and cooling system in the hotel lobby to accommodate occupant comfort in a space with soaring ceilings. The project also includes a durable, corrosion-resistant, hybrid PEX and CPVC domestic water system to provide a long-lasting solution designed to last for decades.
In addition, to accommodate the construction schedule, the project incorporated Uponor Kitting Services for the unit plumbing to support installation efficiencies, accuracy, and budget requirements.
Project Success
For a project of this scale, meeting budget demands, construction schedules, and sustainability requirements created a unique challenge for the building owners, engineers, designers, project managers, and contractors.
While the structure was originally specified to use copper for the domestic water system throughout the building, MDS Maintenance, who began using flexible PEX pipe on projects in early 2020 due to the material cost savings and labor efficiencies, helped to flip the spec for the residences on floors 41 through 74. From there, Mike Rostvold, sr. sales manager at GF Building Flow Solutions, reached out to the MEP engineer to flip the spec for the domestic water system in the remaining floors of the building, which were being installed by another contractor, The Porter Company.
The Porter Company was also the installer for the radiant heating and cooling system in the hotel lobby, which used 1,841 feet of Wirsbo hePEX™ radiant barrier pipe located 6" on center for the seven loops in the design. The engineers specified radiant in the lobby as a solution for energy-efficient comfort in a space with high ceilings.
While product costs and reliability were important for the contractors, installation efficiency was at the forefront of their requirements to ensure alignment with the construction schedule and budget. They leveraged Uponor Kitting Services to help speed installation in the units while also minimizing jobsite waste, helping to promote sustainable building practices.
Beginning in February 2025, the project also began incorporating 2" to 8" Uponor ChlorFIT® Schedule 80 Corzan® CPVC for the building’s mains, risers, and mechanical room piping, providing a reliable hybrid solution that combines well with PEX for a durable, sustainable system. (Note: Corzan® is a registered trademark of Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc.)
Why GF was Chosen
With its sustainable design, luxurious amenities, and impressive grandeur, Waterline is poised to become an iconic landmark. Incorporating PEX and CPVC for the domestic water system throughout the 74 stories along with PEX for the radiant heating and cooling system showcases the diverse abilities of polymer piping systems and promotes plastics as a durable choice for large-scale projects that have typically been specified for metallic piping systems. As the tallest building in Texas, Waterline is a perfect example to prove the durability of polymers and debunk the myth that plastic piping systems aren’t strong enough to handle super skyscrapers.
With Uponor PEX and ChlorFIT CPVC for the plumbing along with Wirsbo hePEX for the radiant heating and cooling, contractors, building owners, and end users will benefit from a reliable piping solution from one source, under one warranty.
