2007 Press Releases

Congressional Funds Awarded for Testing of Antimicrobial Copper Metals
Congressionally appropriated funds to continue clinical trails determining the antimicrobial effectiveness of copper, brass and bronze have been awarded to the Copper Development Association, announced CDA President Andrew G. Kireta Sr.

Copper Development Association Offers Free Guides to Ampacity Adjustments for Wire and Cable Derating for Commercial Buildings
The Copper Development Association announces two new guides for sizing the wires and cables inside conduits on rooftops in accordance with the 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC). Available free from CDA, these two publications make it easy to estimate temperatures inside electrical conduits at various heights above the rooftop for hundreds of cities across the US and make the necessary ampacity adjustments required by the Code.

Drug-Resistant Bacteria May Be Eradicated By Common Metal
Clinical trials focusing on the ability of copper metals to kill deadly pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), on touch surfaces are being conducted in hospital facilities in New York City and Charleston, South Carolina.

Copper Roof Crowns $1.3 Million Saratoga Track Renovation
Every August since 1864, the oldest operating racetrack in the country, Saratoga Race Course, has drawn betting fans, vacationers, celebrities and the elite echelons of high society by the thousands to this woodsy whistle-stop in upstate New York.

Seeing is Believing: Actor Tours Four Wired Homes
The Copper Development Association has produced a new multimedia CD-ROM titled "Structured Wiring for Today's Homes - Homeowner edition" hosted by actor John Ratzenberger (who played "Cliff Claven" in Cheers and is host of Made in America). The CD-ROM is available free of charge upon request from CDA.

Federal Funding Awarded To Test Antimicrobial Properties Of Copper Metal
Congressionally appropriated funds to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of copper, brass and bronze have been awarded to the Copper Development Association, announced CDA President Andrew G. Kireta Sr.

U.S. Copper Consumption Sees Small Decline in 2006
U.S. copper usage dipped slightly to 7,461 million pounds in 2006, a 2.6% decrease from 2005's 7,660 million pounds.

U.K. Hospital to Test Copper's Ability to Fight Germs
Beginning in April 2007, Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, U.K., will be participating in an 18-month clinical trial to test whether copper alloy touch surfaces help reduce the incidence of deadly Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in their facility. Trials are also being planned for hospitals in the United States.

Copper Surfaces May Help Prevent Cold and Flu
It's cold and flu season, and you can't be too careful about the spread of germs. Have you ever wondered who touched that doorknob before you?

Homeowners Should Choose Lower Gauge for Greater Power When Rewiring the Home
When homeowners are rewiring their homes, electricians may give them a choice between 12 AWG or 14 AWG (American Wire Gauge). The Copper Development Association recommends that homeowners opt for the lower number. When it comes to electrical wiring, a lower gauge number means larger wires with lower electrical resistance, and that translates into greater load-carrying capacity.

Home Networking in the Kitchen Is on the Rise
According to the Copper Development Association, computers are showing up in the darnedest places. Not long ago, one computer in the home was enough. Typically, it would be in a den or home office. Soon after, the kids needed Internet access in their rooms to do their homework and messenger their friends.

Structured Wiring Boom Creates Job Opportunities
According to the Copper Development Association, a growing interest in all things digital for the home has created a new trade, one that is growing in prominence: the communications wiring installer.

Building Green With Copper
If you are looking for ways to "green" your next building project, consider the benefits of copper. Its durability, recyclability and excellent heat-transfer properties help builders meet NAHB green building guidelines while conserving energy, natural resources and the environment.

CDA Offers Free CD-ROM on Communications Wiring
The Copper Development Association has completed production on a new CD-ROM that informs and educates homeowners about the growing importance of residential communications wiring.

Copper Alloy Surfaces Can Eliminate E. coli
Scientists at the University of Southampton, U.K., have found that E. coli O157:H7, a harmful bacterium primarily associated with raw and undercooked ground beef or foods that come into contact with raw meat, cannot survive on certain copper alloy surfaces. The study, published in the June 2006 issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology, compares the ability of copper alloys to eradicate E. coli with that of stainless steel, which is commonly used for food processing surfaces.

Copper Motor Rotors Boost Performance of Army Trucks
Four 140-hp electric motors power the latest generation of U.S. Army severe-duty trucks. The AC induction motors use die-cast copper rotors on each of four axles. The new rotors are a major breakthrough in motor technology developed by the Copper Development Association (CDA) and delivered under the Copper-Based Casting Technology (C-BCT) program.