THE HIDDEN IMPACTS OF WATER CONSERVATION · 2019-09-20 · Thank you for attending today’s...

THE HIDDEN IMPACTS OF WATER CONSERVATION

Laurie A. Gilmer, P.E., CFM, SFP, LEED AP, CxA

August 20, 2013

© Facility Engineering Associates 2013

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Laurie Gilmer, P.E., CFM, SFP, LEED AP, CxA

• Associate at FEA and leads Facilities Services

• Leads IFMA Sustainability Committee’s Measurement, Monitoring & Reporting task group

• IFMA Instructor

• Member of IFMA’s Sustainability Committee. and chairs the Measurement, Monitoring & Reporting sub-committee.

• Co-authored the second manual in the sustainability “How-to Guide” series, EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. © Facility Engineering Associates 2013

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Please add your name, title, a picture of you and some brief notes about you. These notes should be relevant to your expertise in the subject you are presenting.

• Learn about the evolution of water efficiency measures

• Explore issues that have developed following implementation of water conservation measures

• Learn best practices for managing water systems in existing buildings while reducing water consumption

Learning Objectives


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Discuss what you aim to accomplish through this session by providing 3-4 learning objectives (should be the same as those in the session flyer).

• Evolving water conservation • Impacts of water conservation • Water management best practices

Agenda


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Water conservation is a key part of the conversation when we talk about buildings, sustainability, and our inherent need to conserve natural resources. For a little over 20 years we have concentrated on reducing water consumption in buildings through all sorts of inventive means. But what impact might this have on our other building systems? Sanitary systems rely on water to help carry waste out of our buildings where it can be treated. Is there a point at which we have conserved so much water that our sanitary systems no longer function well?


Agenda


Domestic Water in the Past


Roman Aqueducts

Cisterns of Alexandria Native American

Waffle Gardens

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The first aqueducts were constructed in Rome approximately 312 BC. Water quality dictated use. Cisterns of Alexandria – over 1,000 years old, built below the ancient city, several hundred cisterns connected by aqueducts. Native Americans (Zuni of New Mexico) were able to harvest water and grow crops in the desert through water conserving “waffle gardens”.

Modern Conservation


Presenter

Presentation Notes

If you have been through a drought or if you have been responsible for securing water (e.g. backpacking), you have likely learned to appreciate the difficulty of finding and storing clean water for use. Over about the past 20 years, we have re-awakened to the subject of water conservation.

Growth of Water Consumption

Source: Buildings Energy Data Book


1.0%

1.9%

0.0% 0.1%

1.1%

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

Residential Commercial All Others Total Population

Annu

al G

row

th R

ate

Water use

Annual Growth in Water Consumption: 1985-2005

Water Use Categories


Domestic Irrigation Process

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Water Conservation in Buildings For most commercial buildings, water use falls into three categories: Domestic - drinking, food preparation, hand washing, flush fixtures Process – heating and cooling, laundry Irrigation

Precipitation

Utility provided

On-site

Inflows Outflows

Evaporation

Sewage waste

Gray water waste

Storm water runoff

Leakage

Water Use:

Domestic

Process

Irrigation

Water uses in buildings

M

M M

M

M


Reporting Protocol: GRI Sustainability Reporting guidelines (G3 Guidelines)

Environmental Performance Indicators: 1. Materials 2. Energy 3. Water 4. Biodiversity 5. Emissions, Effluents, Waste 6. Products and Services 7. Compliance 8. Transport 9. Overall

trendwatch.sustainableindustries.com/the-truth-will-come-out/

Corporate Responsibility Reports Submitted Per Year Since 1992, As Tracked by CorporateRegister.com

Emphasis on Reporting



Global Reporting Initiative G3.1 Framework

Category Number of Aspects Examples of Aspects Number of Indicators

Examples of Indicators (Metric)

Society 5 Community commitment, corruption

practices, compliance issues 8

Percentage of operations with community engagement, monetary value of significant

fines

Human rights 9 Non-discrimination, freedom of

association, child labor, forced labor 11

Total number of incidents of discrimination, percentage of operations subject to human

rights review

Labor Practices and Decent Work 6 Labor/management relations, Occupational

health & safety, training and education 14

Percentage of employees covered by collective bargaining, average hours of

training

Product Responsibility 5 Customer health & safety, product labeling,

marketing communications, compliance 9

Programs for adherence to laws, standards, and voluntary codes, monetary value of

significant fines

Environmental 9 Materials, energy, water, emissions,

effluents and waste, products and services, transport

30 GHG by weight, water withdrawn by source,

energy consumption by primary source (direct and indirect)

Economic 3 Economic performance, market presence,

indirect economic impacts 9

Direct economic value generated and distributed, procedures for local hiring,

development and impact of infrastructure investments


EN Performance Indicator Metric-based

Initiative-based

8 Total water withdrawal by source

9 Water sources significantly affected by water withdrawal

10 Percentage and total volume of water recycled and reused



Water:


Agenda



0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Total Water Used by Buildings (MGPD)

Commercial

Residential


Source: Buildings Energy Data Book


Source: EPA

Sanitary 41%

Cooling/Heating 26%

Irrigation 22%

Miscellaneous 9%

Single Pass Cooling

1% Kitchen

1%

Typical Office Water Use


Presenter

Presentation Notes

When we talk about water that goes down the drain, we are primarily talking about domestic use as it generally contributes the largest portion to the waste water flow stream. Depending on the building type, domestic water use can account for between 25% and 42% of the total. If the building has commercial kitchen facilities, that number could easily double. With use figures as high as these, it is no wonder there is an emphasis on plumbing fixture flow rates.

Fixture Efficiency


0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

CommercialLavatory (gpm)

Toilet (gpf) Urinal (gpf) Shower (gpm)

1980s 1990s EPAct 1992 2009 Plumbing Code

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Plumbing systems have been a concern of societies for thousands of years, but it has not been until about the last 100 years that we have really had a handle on how to keep our water sources clean and how to properly convey waste from our buildings in a networked society. In the early part of the 20th century, plumbing fixtures were getting their start and by the mid-century they were fairly common. Prior to the 1950s toilets consumed 7 gallons or more per flush. This decreased to 5.5 gallons by the late 1960s, and decreased further still to between 3 and 3.5 gallons in the 1980s. Then the Energy Policy Act of 1992 came along which set our current standard of 1.6 gallons. At the same time, our showers and sinks were becoming more water efficient with public lavatories now delivering not more than 0.5 gallons per minute. Couple that with faucet metering technology and occupancy sensors, and we have some significant savings potential.

Fixture Efficiency


Presenter

Presentation Notes

In the early years of enacting the Energy Policy Act of 1992 requirements, there were many complaints within the facilities world about the performance of the higher efficiency fixtures. Typically the criticism was directed at low-flow toilets, but with improved technology those complaints are now largely gone. In the early 2000s, sustainability began to emerge as a key topic and in the world of building water use, it translated into looking for innovative ways to reduce domestic water consumption by as much as 30% over a calculated benchmark, concentrated at the plumbing fixture level. Since fixture flow rates were already relatively efficient, new ways to reduce water flow were needed. Enter the dual flush valve and the waterless urinal. The dual flush valve made it possible for users to choose a half or full flush. The waterless urinal on the other hand, made it possible for fixture flows to be eliminated entirely.

Impacts of Saving Water

© Facility Engineering Associates 2013 Source: Residents Turn Up Noses at Sewer Stink Cure, Nick Wingfield, The Wall Street Journal, March 31, 2011.

Presenter

Presentation Notes

In the quest for water use reduction several cases have come up that have caused those of us in the facilities world take a deeper look at the impacts of our conservation initiatives. The first is a case that came up in early 2011 in San Francisco. Essentially the City promoted water conservation efforts and was able to significantly reduce water consumption. This was a great thing. However as water consumption dropped, it was found that the sewer system did not have enough water to carry the waste to treatment, particularly in the flatter areas of the City. This caused bad smells and bad feelings all around. More cases have involved the waterless urinal. Facility managers have varying opinions and experiences along the full gamut of the spectrum with some being very positive and others very negative. While these devices reduce water consumption to essentially nothing, there have been problems reported of waste pipes corroding, cracking, or occluding from build-up of solids. These problems aren’t apparent until the drain line backs up or breaks, sometimes inside the wall.



Presenter

Presentation Notes

Is the reduction of water causing these problems? While our fixtures have changed quite a lot, our distribution systems, both water and sanitary, have not. To be sure we have new piping materials and installation methods, but pipe sizing and gravity line slope requirements are largely unchanged. There is a “tipping point” in sanitary systems – that point where building system flows have been reduced so much that waste cannot be properly conveyed away from the building.



What matters? 1. Flush

volume 2. Tissue type 3. Slope

Presenter

Presentation Notes

The Plumbing Efficiency Research Coalition (PERC) published a study in November 2012 that looked at this issue. Entitled, “”, the study seeks to better understand the ability of existing sanitary systems to convey waste from buildings in an environment of reduced water flows. Not surprisingly, the three most important factors in waste transport were pipe slope, toilet paper type, and flush volume. Flush volume - Overall, the study found that standard efficiency (1.6 gpf) and high efficiency toilets (1.28 gpf) functioned without issue. Lower flush volumes, notably 0.8 gpf, did not provide consistent results and have been identified as needing further study. Toilet paper - Toilet paper was a significant factor with high tensile strength paper (think two-ply) being more difficult to convey compared to low tensile strength paper (think single ply). Slope – Gravity flow piping is typically sloped 1% or 2% by design, and in reality is installed with a slope somewhere in between. In testing, the 2% sloped drain line performed better in comparison to the 1% sloped line. One of the most significant take-aways from this study was that long horizontal waste lines that do not have sustained flows available may be at higher risk for system clogs.


Agenda


Public and Commercial Facilities

Type Metric Driver

Hospital Gal/person/day Floor Area

Offices Gal/person/year Environmental Information & Awareness

Public Cultural

Gal/visitor/day Function

Education Gal/student/day Environmental Information & Awareness

Restaurants Gal/dish/day Technology

Hotel Gal/guest/day Floor Area

Adapted from: European Commission Study on Water Performance of Buildings (2009)

Measure and establish the right metrics and targets

Best Practices


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Sub-meter of electricity in buildings is conservatively estimated to improve consumption by 2%. Guidance for Electric Metering in Federal Buildings.

Submeter… • Cooling towers • Boiler and chilled water make-up • Process water • Irrigation systems • Pools and fountains

Best Practices


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Sub-meter of electricity in buildings is conservatively estimated to improve consumption by 2%. Guidance for Electric Metering in Federal Buildings.

Cooling towers flow 3 gpm per ton of cooling capacity. Average evaporation rate = 1% of the total flow rate.

Evap

orat

ion

Warm water

Cool water

Air

Best Practices


Water System Education & occupant behavior Upgrade fixtures Apply the right technology Maintenance practices Reuse Focus on effective use

Best Practices


EPA WaterSense Program Started in 2007 with toilets and faucets. Has expanded to… • Bathroom Sink Faucets/Accessories • Toilets • Shower heads • Flushing urinals • Irrigation Controllers http://www.epa.gov/watersense/product_search.html

Best Practices


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Earth may be known as the "water planet", but even though about 70% of its surface is covered by water, less than 1% is available for human use. Water supplies are finite and we can all help protect this critical and precious resource.

http://www.epa.gov/watersense/product_search.html





Best Practices


Waste System Pipe inspections Pipe cleaning Tissue options Don’t flush paper towels Consider placement within system Long horizontal runs – careful how much you reduce Waterless urinals – consider the suitability of the

existing waste pipe material and maintenance procedures

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Waste lines Pipe inspections – if you are thinking of replacing existing fixtures with lower flow models, inspect the drain lines for corrosion, sags, and other existing conditions that could obstruct flow. Pipe cleaning – when replacing fixtures, have the waste lines cleaned. For drain lines prone to clogging, consider using lower tensile strength toilet paper. For toilet fixtures located at the beginning of long horizontal runs, carefully consider the extent to which fixture flow rates are reduced. When selecting high efficiency model toilets, give consideration to placement within the system as well as other fixtures in the vicinity. Discourage building occupants from flushing paper towels and other items not meant for the sanitary system. Waterless urinals – consider the suitability of the existing waste pipe material and maintenance procedures before connecting fixtures.

Resources


Presenter

Presentation Notes

From a sustainability perspective, we need to think more broadly about not only conserving the natural resources we consume on a daily basis such as water, but also about maintaining our existing buildings so that they last and provide long term value for the resources they require in their construction and operation. In plumbing systems, this means we must consider not only water conservation measures, but how our initiatives and decisions are inherently tied to our waste systems and their ability to operate well.

Case Study: The Madeira School


The Madeira School 376 acres

McLean, Virginia


Precipitation

Utility provided

On-site

Inflows Outflows

Pool Evaporation

Sewage waste

Gray water waste

Storm water runoff

Leakage

Water Use:

Domestic

Process

Irrigation

M

M

M



0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

Inflow (Gal) Outflow (Gal)



-20,000

-10,000

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Differential (Gal)

Average differential approximately 10,000 GPD



0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

7-Ja

n

8-Ja

n

9-Ja

n

10-Ja

n

11-Ja

n

12-Ja

n

13-Ja

n

14-Ja

n

15-Ja

n

16-Ja

n

17-Ja

n

18-Ja

n

19-Ja

n

20-Ja

n

21-Ja

n

22-Ja

n

23-Ja

n

24-Ja

n

25-Ja

n

26-Ja

n

27-Ja

n

28-Ja

n

29-Ja

n

30-Ja

n

31-Ja

n

1-Fe

b

2-Fe

b

3-Fe

b

4-Fe

b

5-Fe

b

6-Fe

b

Differential (Gal)

Where is all of the water coming from?



Summary


Contact Information

Mark your calendars for Contracting Part II

September 25, 2013 Noon EDT

FEA-U Info: • Mayra Portalatin, SFP, LEED AP

O+M [email protected]

Today’s Presenter: • Laurie Gilmer

[email protected]

Thanks!


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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