Reducing Carbon Footprint by Low Impact Development ... 2019... · Reducing Carbon Footprint by Low...

Reducing Carbon Footprint by Low

Impact Development Stormwater

ManagementIbrahim El-Baroudy, Ph.D., P.Eng.

PINTER & Associates Ltd.

SustainTech 2019 Ibrahim El-Baroudy, Ph.D., P.Eng.

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Why?

Small decentralized stormwater management initiatives provide an

efficient and low cost tool to:

Lower initial capital cost that goes with the stages of the

development (15%-80% capital costs saving relative to the

conventional methods)

Better water management (quality & quantity)

Deal with the shift taking place in the prairies due to climate

change in a sustainable manner

Provide some carbon tax credit to off set the incoming federal

carbon tax


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Outline

Low Impact Development (LID) Stormwater Management

Systems

Bioretention Cells vs. Engineered Wetlands

Climate Change & Adaptation

Current Stormwater Management Practices & Implications

Carbon Sequestration Process & Capacity

System Dynamics Simulation of Carbon Sequestration Process

as a Design Tool

Conclusions & Future Work


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Stormwater Management Evolution

Conventional: a centralized stormwater retention

(end-of-pipe stormwater treatment) has been

practiced since 1970’s:

✓ Drain (drainage pipes)…prior 1990’s then

detain stormwater (ponds, constructed

wetlands, chambers, etc.)

✓ Attenuate peak flows using large water

bodies to protect final receiving

environment;

✓ Control release rates; and

✓ Promote sediment settling.

Low Impact Development: decentralized source

controls & increased focus on infiltration &

Evapotranspiration.


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Quantity

Quantity, Quality &

Erosion

Treatment

Stormwater Ponds

Constructed Wetlands DetentionChampers

Flow BalancingSystems

Hydrodynamic Separators

Low Impact Development (LID)

Complement traditional stormwater watermanagement

Simulates conditions prior to developmentthrough:

✓ Protecting fisheries;

✓ Preserving stream morphology; and

✓ Protecting groundwater resources.

Integrated Processes:

✓ Attenuation (slow release);

✓ Infiltration (groundwater recharge);

✓ Filtration (water quality improvement); and

✓ Evapotranspiration & Phytoremediation(plant uptake).


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Source: Water Canada

(https://www.watercanada.net/feature/sustainable-stormwater-management/)

Bioretention Cells vs. Engineered Wetlands (1)

Bioretention Cell (Raingarden/bioswale) is usually used as an initial runoff

treatment systems with short duration runoff detaining capacity.

Bioretention cell is a “dry” system (residence time is limited relative to “wet”

constructed wetland system).


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Source: Chesapeak Quarterly Online.

https://www.chesapeakequarterly.net/V04N4/side2/

Bioretention Cells vs. Engineered Wetlands (2)

Engineered (Constructed) Wetland is used to treat highly polluted runoff in larger

scale, relying on longer hydrologic residence time.


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Source: Wetland Design GuidelinesCity of Saskatoon

Climate Change: Canada & the Prairies

Increased potential for major storms and floods & Droughts, i.e.

(Unstable climates & extreme weather patterns, specially Spring Precipitation).


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Source: Climate Atlas of Canada. https://climateatlas.ca/city-reports

Up to 29% increaseUp to 30% increase Up to 26% increase

Adaptation to Climate Change Adaptation helps to reduce impact & take advantage of new opportunities,

examples (Source: Climate ADAPT):

✓ Water recycling, Improvement of irrigation efficiency & Improved water

retention in agricultural areas;

✓ Water sensitive urban and building design;

✓ Adaptation or improvement of dikes and dams;

✓ Groynes, breakwaters and artificial reefs;

✓ Adaptation of urban planning: water and energy; and

✓ Financial tools for risk management.

Reducing carbon footprint through taxation (it is imminent).

LID can be used as an efficient & sustainable stormwater management tool and

as a carbon sink (carbon footprint reduction). Mitigating physical & financial

impacts of climate change through subsidies and/or credits.


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Carbon Sequestration Process & Capacity• Wetlands/Bioretention Cell have a well

established carbon sequestration

capacity in different climate zones.


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Conceptual model of carbon sequestration process in a wetland ecosystem.Source: Mitsch, William J. et al (2012). Wetlands, carbon, and climate change. Landscape Ecol. DOI 10.1007/s10980-012-9758-8

Carbon

Sequestration

Methane

Emission

Comparison of carbon sequestration in wetlands.Source: Mitsch, William J. et al (2012). Wetlands, carbon, and climate change. Landscape Ecol. DOI 10.1007/s10980-012-9758-8

83-305 g-Carbon/m2 per year

System Dynamics Simulation of Carbon

Sequestration Process as a Design Tool


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Water Module

Carbon Module

Climate Parameters

Vegetation

Parameters

Cell Design

Parameters

Results


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Water Volume

(m3)

Carbon Sequestration

g-C

Interface tools to adjust designGraphical & Tabular output display

Conclusions & Future Work Conclusion:

LID Achieves cost savings up to 80% relative to conventional stormwatermanagement tools

Bioretention cells can be used as carbon tax credit tool through reducing thedevelopment carbon foot print (80 – 400 g-C/m2/year)

Bioretention cells are sustainable decentralized stormwater management thatenhances water quality

Future work:

Explore different design alternatives (footprint, media thickness/type, etc.)

Investigate the utility of different LID combinations on flow quantity & quality,longevity of the system, dealing with different industrial/commercial landdevelopment

Enhance model performance through large-scale pilot case studies.


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Questions ?

SustainTech 2019

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Ibrahim El-Baroudy, Ph.D., P.Eng.

Senior Hydrogeologist

[email protected]

(306) 244-1710

Reducing Carbon Footprint by Low Impact Development ... 2019... · Reducing Carbon Footprint by Low...

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