News bits

A nonprofit global Web portal for the plumbing industry was recently launched. The site features a search engine, an industry database, business news, new plumbing technologies, a product showcase, a tradeshow listing, a discussion forum, a message board, industry links, articles and a listing of new books and publications.

www.plumbing-info.com

Contractor Power, a new online business resource and directory for contractors, assists industry professionals in locating products and services to help run their business. Manufacturers can add their Web sites to the directory, while special pricing and services will be created for Web viewers.

www.contractorpower.com

Online carpet search tool enables architects to dramatically shorten the carpet selection process by providing search capabilities of 16 major manufacturer's lines, using up to 11 criteria. Searches can include everything from face and fabric construction to type of pattern and fiber to shipping options available.

www.intertechflooring.com

Atlas Roofing Corp. offers an on-line calculator measuring required thickness and minimum number of layers needed to achieve the Long-Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) value for any roof, which will be mandated in the U.S. beginning Jan. 1, 2003. After roofing contractors enter the desired LTTR value, the calculator will then determine the required thickness and minimum number of layers needed to achieve it.

www.atlasroofing.com