editor’s focus rainwater harvesting

Host to the ’s Cup in 2013, Pier 27 now serves as a berth for cruise ships and a venue for events.

By John Vastyan Green at Its Best

n the world of aquatic sporting the cup in a winner-take-all 19th race, unique facets of the project is the and adventure, there are few places defeating challenger Emirates Team BRAE rainwater harvesting system Ion Earth as well recognized as New Zealand by 44 seconds. Led by with several large tanks, there to do San Francisco’s waterfront along the 35-year-old skipper , two very important things: It puts Embarcadero. Located in the heart of Oracle won by a score of 9 to 8; rainwater to use, water that would the city’s bustling Fisherman’s Wharf Spithill became the youngest person otherwise be lost, and it greatly reduces area, Pier 27, once visited daily by ever to skipper a cup-winning team. runoff from the property, water that hordes of residents and tourists alike, The 2013 races featured 72-ft-long would spill into the ocean. To build had gradually deteriorated under with- sailboats for the first time. Another this way—especially in a city and state ering traffic over the past decade. unique feature to note was that world- at the cutting edge of environmental The eastern waterfront area along the class races are rarely held so close to responsibility—points to our steward- Embarcadero is now in the midst of a shore, making Pier 27 one of the best ship of natural resources. It’s a win-win renaissance that is transforming it from venues yet. for everyone.” a dilapidated warehouse district into one Although the races are now over, the Singh explained that the new Sailing race venue of the city’s most festive focal points. new terminal remains as a monument terminal is an 88,000-sq-ft, two-level The restored piers include famous to the sport and a cruise ship port. building. The size of the terminal was integrates rainwater tourist destinations such as Fishermen’s “New construction on Pier 27 defined as optimal to serve current and Wharf and have proven productive long was focused on the new James R. future ship berthing. treatment and reuse beyond their original purposes. Herman cruise ship terminal. There’s Passengers departing from and no question that it is now a landmark arriving in San Francisco now pass A Race for the Ages building for San Francisco’s water- through the terminal, which houses Piers 27 and 29 are uniquely joined front,” said Kavinder Singh, vice presi- ticketing, baggage, customs and secu- at the end to form a 10-acre trian- dent and general manager for Turner rity operations. It opened as the venue gular area. For decades, each pier was Construction Co. for the 2013 America’s Cup Village covered by a bleak patchwork of sheet The 1,360-ft berth can accommo- and is designed to accommodate metal structures. The old buildings date groups coming to and from the vessels up to 1,200 ft long, in addition were removed to create space to view largest cruise ships. It is designed to to being an elegant gateway to the city. the 34th America’s Cup races. The focal handle 2,600 passengers routinely, and Unnoticed by the throngs of people point of the construction there—and up to 4,000 in a pinch. Forty to 80 pouring into the city or enjoying for the tourists who came to see the cruise ships visit the port each year, box office seats for the best views of races—was the new ship terminal. and when ships are not in port, the the America’s Cup, however, was the In September 2012, trial runs of the terminal is available for other events. network of drains, pipe, valves and sleek America’s Cup candi- controls installed to harvest and put to dates began, drawing crowds from Green Focus use the world’s most precious natural around the world. Construction of the With California at the leading edge resource: freshwater. steel and glass terminal building was of the sustainability movement, it is well ahead of schedule for the event’s natural that green technology was a Integrating the System official opening. key expectation for the new terminal The terminal is equipped with In July and August 2013, four coun- early on. The building earned a LEED a five-tank, 42,000-gal rainwater tries competed in the Silver rating from the U.S. Green harvesting system. for the right to challenge ’s Building Council. “Rainwater is used for toilet Oracle Team USA, the defending 2010 “The green movement has so many flushing in the main terminal, and America’s Cup champion. good angles to it,” Singh said. “For also for outdoor irrigation of the Once again, the Oracle team won the cruise terminal, one of the really facility’s gardens,” said Eddie Van

6 Water Quality Products Giesen, ARCSA, MLA, national in the city to use rainwater for indoor The large terminal structure, with single-source supply: “The original sales manager for BRAE Rainwater non-potable use. Toilet flushing more than an acre of roof surface, will system was pieced together from Harvesting Systems. BRAE supplied consumes vast amounts of water, so certainly shed a lot of water during various suppliers. From tanks to treat- all components of the rainwater this is a big step. And it just stands to periods of heavy rain. If the storage ment, BRAE could provide it all.” harvesting system, which consists of reason that it’s not the most prudent tanks are full, the overflow water will “The systems there work just as three 12,800-gal tanks, two 1,650-gal use of clean, potable water.” nonetheless be filtered and treated, they were designed to,” Van Giesen tanks, and a rainwater control station Combined with water for irrigation, rendering it pollutant-free before it said. “Through the years, the use that houses all of the filters, treatment the facility will conserve thousands enters San Francisco Bay. of rainwater at Pier 27 will only equipment and controls. of gallons of freshwater each year. Sales representatives Ron Monk play a greater role. It all ties to the The larger tanks are used for toilet Another key advantage is that poten- and Dave Johnson of the Rancho city of San Francisco’s and the Port flushing; the smaller tanks provide tially contaminated runoff will not Cordova, Calif.-based manufacturer’s Authority’s admirable commitment water for irrigation. flow freely into San Francisco Bay. representative firm, Repcor, presented to sustainability.” wqp According to Van Giesen, water BRAE’s rainwater catchment capabili- from the terminal’s roof is sent to a A Sustainable Example ties to managers of the city—Pier 27’s John Vastyan, owner of Common prefiltration system, which removes Turner Construction tapped owner—and Broadway Mechanical. Ground, is a journalist whose work larger debris before the collected rain- Oakland, Calif.-based Broadway “We assured them that the BRAE focuses on the plumbing and mechanical, water enters the storage tanks. When Mechanical to do all of the plumbing systems would meet and exceed their HVAC, geothermal and radiant heat there is a call for water, fluids are work at the Pier 27 terminal. According expectations,” Monk said. “We remained industries. Vastyan can be reached at pumped through the filtration and to Michael Hohl, project manager for in close contact with them throughout [email protected] or 717.664.0535. treatment (rainset) system before Broadway Mechanical’s work at Pier 27, the entire timeline, involving specifica- entering dedicated lines to the toilets. the job involved 12 plumbers, a detailer, tion, sales and installation.” For more information on this subject Ozone is used for disinfection. an engineering project manager and an Hohl added that there was also write in 1001 on this issue’s reader “As a Port Authority project, assistant manager. They were on the job an advantage in the BRAE system’s service card. designers knew the importance of this for about nine months. groundbreaking system. It’s one of the According to Hohl, the cruise finest projects of this scale. California terminal building is among the first Assembly Bill 1750, also known as in the city with such a large volume the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012, of stored rainwater, and it is the first was signed into law by California in San Francisco with a skid-mounted Gov. Jerry Brown,” Van Giesen ozone system for water treatment. said. “In addition, the California “Technically, this qualifies the water Building Standards Commission as having potable quality, but that’s not approved Chapter 17 of the California the intent at all,” Hohl said. “Being Plumbing Code—a chapter devoted the first at something like this does to rainwater harvesting in the state— have its challenges. Local code and so sweeping changes to California water board officials and other authori- plumbing coincided with passage of ties can all take divergent views about the rainwater bill. water quality and what constitutes “With a project of this caliber, water of sufficient quality to drink.” and with its high profile, designers He explained that all of the city’s wanted to exceed expectations, and water authorities reviewed the water they accomplished it marvelously,” Van catchment plan and have studied the Giesen added. “The terminal is now storage, filtration and treatment of one of the highest-profile buildings water there. The water, though treated to a high quality, is still labeled non-potable and is used only for landscape irri- gation and the flushing of toilets and urinals within the terminal building. “One of the goals for this project was to set a precedent: to raise the sustainability bar voluntarily,” Hohl said. The plan to install a rain- water harvesting system at the terminal gave Port Authority an opportunity to lead by example. Hohl explained that the city’s infrastructure for storm- water drainage is near capacity. That is why the terminal’s ability to harvest The rainwater harvesting system includes five tanks for a total so much rainfall on site is a capacity of 42,000 gal. real advantage.

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