Maximizing Water Efficiency for Sustainable Restroom Design START

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This Online Learning Seminar is available through a professional courtesy provided by:

Water Connects Us®

Sloan 10500 Seymour Avenue Franklin Park, IL 60131 Tel: 847.671.4300 Fax: 847.671.6944 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.sloan.com/ Maximizing Water Efficiency for Sustainable Restroom Design START

©2015 Sloan. The material contained in this course was researched, assembled, and produced by Sloan and remains its property. “LEED” and related logo is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used by permission. The LEED® Rating System was authored by and is the property of the USGBC. Any portion of the Rating System appearing in this course is by permission of the USGBC. Questions or powered by concerns about the content of this course should be directed to the program instructor. This multimedia product is the copyright of AEC Daily.

Maximizing Water Efficiency for Sustainable Restroom Design

Presented by: Sloan 10500 Seymour Avenue Franklin Park, IL 60131

Description: This course provides an overview of water use and trends in the U.S., with a focus on choosing high-efficiency water- saving products for sustainable restroom design, and a discussion on green building programs and initiatives.

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The American Institute of Architects · Course No. AEC854 · This program qualifies for 1.5 LU/HSW Hours.

AEC Daily Corporation is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

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AEC Daily Corporation has met the standards and requirements of the Registered Continuing Education Program. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to RCEP at RCEP.net. A certificate of completion will be issued to each participant. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the RCEP.

Purpose and Learning Objectives

Purpose: This course provides an overview of water use and trends in the U.S., with a focus on choosing high-efficiency water-saving products for sustainable restroom design, and a discussion on green building programs and initiatives.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

• articulate facts about water and water use in the U.S., including why saving water is important • explain the movement toward green building and programs that outline ways to conserve water • identify water-conserving high-efficiency products for sustainable restroom design applications, including performance testing information, and • define differences and similarities between LEED® 2009 and LEED v4.

This CEU is registered with the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) for continuing education credits. This credit will be accepted by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Designers Association (IIDA) and Interior Designers of Canada (IDC).

The content included is not deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by IDCEC of any material or construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing or dealing in any material or product.

Questions related to specific materials, methods and services should be directed to the instructor or provider of this CEU.

This program is registered for 0.1 CEU value. The IDCEC class-code is: CC-104911-1000.

• This CEU will be reported on your behalf to IDCEC and you will receive an email notification. Please log in and complete the electronic survey for this CEU. • Certificates of completion will be automatically issued once you have submitted the online survey for this CEU. • Attendees who do not belong to ASID, IIDA or IDC and do not have a unique IDCEC number will be provided with a Certificate of Completion after this CEU.

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Table of Contents

Introduction to Water Use 8

LEED 23

High-Efficiency Products 39

Additional Ways to Conserve 60

Summary and References 65

Click on title to view

Introduction to Water Use

Why Saving Water Is Important

The World Economic Forum is a non-profit foundation that brings together business leaders, international political leaders, and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world. In 2015, they identified the looming water crisis as the top global risk in terms of impact, with an increase of 33% in the average cost of water since 2010.1

Carbon emissions related to our use of water (to extract, treat, distribute, etc.) are estimated at 290 million metric tons annually.2 This is equivalent to annual emissions of 53 million passenger vehicles, or emissions from the electricity use of over 40 million homes.

Competition for scarce water resources can create instability in many regions, such as South Asia and the Middle East. Water supply conflicts are also appearing closer to home in the Southwestern U.S, where disputes between farmers, electric utilities, and cities are growing. Places like Denver, Albuquerque, and Las Vegas are all competing for a limited supply of water. According to the Palmer Drought Index, 8% of the U.S. is experiencing extreme drought conditions and another 15% is experiencing severe drought conditions.3

1The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015. “The Global Economic Outlook.” January 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015. 2Griffiths-Sattenspiel, B. and Wilson, W. “The Carbon Footprint of Water.” Portland: River Network, May 2009. Web. Accessed November 2015. 3National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information. “State of the Climate: Drought for September 2015.” NOAA, October 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Why Saving Water Is Important

This is the U.S. Drought Monitor, which is updated weekly. The dark red areas are the worst drought conditions. It is helpful to think of these areas as moving targets; it will eventually rain in these places and the drought conditions will move to different regions.

During drought conditions, more water is being used than the supply can keep up with, and as a result, reservoirs start to get strained.

United States Drought Monitor. The National Drought Mitigation Center, November 3, 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Why Saving Water Is Important

The World Resource Institute has partnered with Aqueduct to create some of the best maps available to indicate the various levels of water stress across the globe.

Water stress is a measure of demand and supply for water in a given area, and is calculated as the ratio of local water withdrawal over renewable water supply.

Note the high scarcity in the central plains. This is where the Ogallala Aquifer (one of the world’s largest aquifers) is located. It’s utilized for drinking water and irrigation and is being drained at unsustainable levels. This is very concerning considering the amounts of wheat, corn, soybean, and cattle that require water in this area.

World Resources Institute. “Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, Current Conditions.” WRI Aqueduct, 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015

Water Facts

Water is an essential natural resource. We need water for survival. Though we can go a period of time without food, we would only last days without water.

Global water consumption has doubled in the last 20 years. North Americans are the biggest consumers of water, using an average of 100 gallons per day, per person. Alternatively, in the United Kingdom, an average person uses about 40 gallons of water per day. Many people in the U.S. take clean drinking water for granted, as well as water for washing clothes, washing dishes, irrigation, faucets, toilets, showers/baths, filling swimming pools, and more, all of which adds up to 3.9 trillion gallons per month.

This matters because water and energy are inextricably linked.

USGS. “Water Questions & Answers: How much water does the average person use at home per day?” U.S. Dept. of the Interior, November 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015

Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Water is needed to produce electricity; electricity is needed to extract, treat, and distribute water; and water is needed to grow crops and sustain agriculture. This is the water-energy-food nexus.1

U.S. public water supply/treatment facilities consume about 50 billion kilowatt-hrs per day, enough energy to power over 4.5 million homes for an entire year.2 If water levels in rivers, lakes, and aquifers get too low, power plants won’t be able to cool down, resulting in shut-downs which can cause blackouts. As an example, California’s single biggest electricity user is the State Water Project.

By the year 2050, the global population is expected to surpass 9 billion people, doubling the demand for agricultural products and electricity. This, coupled with a rising global demand for water-intensive meat products, will have a large impact on future environmental issues and economic growth.3

1World Economic Forum Water Initiative. “Water Security: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus.” The World Economic Forum, 2011. Web. Accessed November 2015. 2The Water Information Program. “Water Facts.” Southwestern Water Conservation District, n.d. Web. Accessed November 2015. 3Molla, Rani. “How Much Meat Do Americans Eat? Then and Now.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 2 October 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Cost of Water

Researchers say we can expect the cost of water to increase more than the rate of inflation. The price is determined by a few main factors: the cost of transporting from the source, total demand, price subsidies, and treatment.1

The water rates we have now are the cheapest they will ever be—the cost is rising faster than any other utility service. Average rates in the top 30 U.S. cities went up almost 7% in 2014.2 In some places, rates have gone up over 25%, such as in Austin, Charlotte, Chicago, San Francisco, and Tucson, with increases of 50% over the last five years.2

1Beecher, Janice A. “Trends in Consumer Price (CPI) for Utilities Through 2011.” Michigan State University, March 2012. Web. Accessed November 2015. 2Duffy, M. “White Paper: Water/Energy Correlation.” American Water, 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Cost of Water

It costs money to treat and pump water through the water Customer supply cycle. Water prices are going up due to operational inputs like chemicals, energy, and labor all getting more expensive. Water Wastewater In Phoenix over the last 10 years, chemical costs per million treatment plant gallons of treated water have increased 493%, electricity treatment plant costs by 68%, and raw water costs by 41%.1

San Diego imports 90% of its water. They are paying 66% more for untreated water because prolonged droughts have reduced deliveries of cheap water from the Colorado River. $4 billion is spent annually in the U.S. for energy to run drinking water and wastewater utilities.2 Rivers, lakes, groundwater, etc.

1Downtown Voices Coalition. “Proposed Water Rate Increase Overview.” City of Phoenix, February 2011. Web. Accessed November 2015. 2Leiby, Vanessa M. and Michael E. Burke. “Energy Efficiency Best Practices for North Unchlorinated, Chlorinated, Dirty American Drinking Water Utilities.” Water Research Foundation, 2011. Web. Accessed clean water clean water water November 2015.

Cost of Water

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that 30% of the pipes that deliver water to more than 100,000 people are between 40 and 80 years old. Some water systems are over 100 years old. These pipes are reaching the end of their designed life, with more frequent water main breaks, and need to be replaced.1 The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning found the Chicago area alone is losing 22 billion gallons of treated water per year through leaky pipes, and approximately 21 trillion gallons are lost nationally each year. That’s roughly 16% of our nation’s daily water use, or enough to flood the city of Chicago under 43 feet of water.1 The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates the total cost to fix U.S. water systems is $334.8 billion over 20 years.1

The images on the right are from the July 2014 water main break that sent 20 million gallons of water gushing onto the UCLA campus and nearby streets.

1 Schaper, David. “As Infrastructure Crumbles, Trillions of Gallons of Water Lost.” NPR, October 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015. 2Economic Development Research Group, Inc. for American Society of Civil Engineers. “Failure to Act: The Impact of Current Infrastructure Investment on America’s Economic Future.” ASCE, 2013. Web. Accessed November 2015. ©2015 ∙ Table of Contents < Slide 16 of 70 > • About the Instructor • About the Sponsor • Ask an Expert

Water Usage per Industry

Looking at water use by industry helps us better understand who is using how much water and why. You can see that whether the building is a school, office, hospital, or hotel/motel, most of the water used is in the restroom. The number one user of water in the restroom is the water closet. However, the restroom offers many opportunities to save water, as we will discuss further in the course. Note that office buildings use on average over 14,000 gallons of water per day.

Office Buildings Hospitals Hotels/Motels Schools

City of San Jose Environmental Services. “Sustainable Environment in San Jose.” City of San Jose, n.d. Web. Accessed November 2015

Indoor Domestic Water Use

This chart shows indoor residential water usage. Toilets, faucets, and showers account for almost 60% of indoor water use. Also note that 13.7% of water is lost due to leakage.

The EPA estimates that a leaking toilet can waste 200 gallons of water a day. A dripping faucet or showerhead can waste up to 1,000 gallons per week. If these leaks were fixed, it would save approximately 177 billion gallons of water a day.

Mayer, Peter W., William B. DeOreo, et al. “Residential End Uses of Water.” AWWA Research Foundation, 1999. Web. Accessed November 2015. ©2015 ∙ Table of Contents < Slide 18 of 70 > • About the Instructor • About the Sponsor • Ask an Expert

Reducing Water Use: Legislative

Water shortages in the United States are prompting legislation and development of water conservation programs on a larger scale. According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, there are 17 new efficiency acts in front of the 114th Congress, and 10 are specifically related to water conservation.

Arizona City of Surprise Ordinance #08-22 Maximum Allowable Water Consumption Flow Rates California California Green Building Code Colorado Boulder County Build Smart; Fort Collins Water Conservation Ordinance draft Florida Miami Dade Ordinance 08-14 Relating to Water Efficiency Standards Georgia Dekalb County Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Ordinance Hawaii Senate Bill SB556 – Relating to Low-Flush Toilets North Carolina Recommendations for Water Efficiency Standards House Bill A1628 – Permits water supply service and sewerage service sub-metering in multi-family New Jersey dwellings to promote water conservation House Bill 2667 – Relating to Performance Standards for Plumbing Fixtures Sold in this State; Dallas Green Texas Building Ordinance Washington Senate Bill SB 2047 – Water Efficiency Appliances

Reducing Water Use: Rebates

Another method being implemented to help reduce water usage is water rebate programs. These are available in many states and municipalities. A water rebate program is really quite simple: replace high water-consuming products with lower water-consuming products, and the state will reimburse a certain amount of money to help offset the cost. In some cases, the new product may be paid for outright; some pay 50%. Many rebate programs require that the products be WaterSense labeled. New York recently announced a rebate program to replace 800,000 toilets, expecting to save 30 million gallons of water a day. San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has an aggressive rebate program. The agency’s goal is to save one billion gallons of water a year. The city used the same amount of water in 2009 that it did in 1984—about 65 billion gallons a year—even though its population has soared 67%.

The state is offering a rebate on replacement high-efficiency water heaters. City of Tucson is offering a rebate on high- Arizona efficiency toilets that are installed to replace pre-1991 toilets in nearly all applications. Bay Area water providers are offering rebates for high-efficiency toilets in households and high-efficiency toilets and urinals in California commercial restrooms. Colorado City of Boulder is offering a rebate to both residential and commercial customers who install high-efficiency toilets. New York New York City is offering a rebate of $125 to replace old water guzzling toilets. San Antonio Water Systems provide free high-efficiency toilets, high-efficiency showerheads, and aerators—$150 rebate for Texas on-demand hot water heaters.

Washington Seattle area water providers are offering rebates for WaterSense approved toilet replacements.

Benefits of Building Green

There are numerous benefits associated with building green, specifically related to water. Reducing the impact of natural resource consumption is the major environmental benefit. By using less water, you are pumping less water into and out of a building, which will in turn reduce your utility bill, a major economic benefit. Using less water also benefits the community, by minimizing strain on local infrastructures such as the local wastewater treatment facilities.

Green Building Rating Tools

Listed below is a quick overview of a number of green building rating tools available. We will expand in detail on LEED in the following section of the course.

• LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design • Green Globes Building Initiative (GBI) • EPA WaterSense Program – developed in 2006 to promote the importance of water efficiency. Products and services that have the WaterSense label have been certified to be at least 20% more efficient. Plumbing products completed include HETs, HEUs, faucets, and showerheads. This is a voluntary labeling program. • EPA ENERGY STAR® • CHPS – Collaborative for High Performance Schools • Green Guide for Health Care • Living Building Challenge – focuses on site, water, energy, health, materials, equity, and beauty • WELL Building Standard – focuses specifically on human health and wellness: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

Overview: LEED® Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non proﬁt organization composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to promote buildings and communities that are environmentally responsible, proﬁtable and healthy places to live and work. USGBC developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification program, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.

LEED credit requirements cover the performance of materials in aggregate, not the performance of individual products or brands. Therefore, products that meet the LEED performance criteria can only contribute toward earning points needed for LEED certification; they cannot earn points individually toward LEED certiﬁcation.

For detailed information about the council, their principles and programs, please visit www.usgbc.org.

LEED 2009 and v4

Although LEED is voluntary, it has become the standard for environmental building in the U.S., and is required on all federal buildings. Out of all the rating tools, LEED is the most recognized throughout the world.

In July 2013, LEED v4 was voted on by the membership and approved. USGBC is easing into LEED v4; project teams will be allowed to register LEED 2009 projects until October 31, 2016 at which time registration will close. The certification “sunset” for all LEED 2009 projects is June 30, 2021.

Let’s talk briefly about LEED 2009 before moving on to v4. With LEED 2009, more LEED points were given towards water efficiency. Now that the USGBC will be rolling out LEED v4, they are raising the bar for project performance.

• 1 prerequisite - 20% water reduction • 10 possible points - 4 landscaping points (WE1) - 2 wastewater innovation points (WE2) - 4 indoor water use points (WE3)

LEED v4: Water Efficiency

LEED v4 saw several changes made to the Water Efficiency section. Two prerequisites were added; Credit 2 Sustainable Wastewater Management was removed from LEED 2009; the title was revised and requirements were updated for Water Efficient Landscaping; and two NEW credits were added, Cooling Tower Water Use and Water Metering.

• Prereq 1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction NEW

• Prereq 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction

• Prereq 3: Building Level Water Metering NEW

• Credit 1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction

• Credit 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction

• Credit 3: Cooling Tower Water Use NEW

• Credit 4: Additional Water Metering NEW

LEED Prereq 1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction (New)

Prerequisite 1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction – Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options:

• Option 1 – No irrigation required • Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system beyond a maximum two-year establishment period.

• Option 2 – Reduced irrigation • Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement (LWR) by at least 30% from the calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month. Reductions must be achieved through plant species selection and irrigation system efficiency, as calculated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense Water Budget Tool.

LEED Prereq 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction

Prerequisite 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction

• Reduce aggregate water consumption by 20% from the baseline (base calculations on the volumes and flow rates are shown in the table on next slide). • All newly installed toilets, urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads that are eligible for labeling must be WaterSense labeled (or a local equivalent for projects outside the United States).

The only difference between v4 and LEED 2009 is the required use of WaterSense labeled products. For commercial applications, the EPA WaterSense program has labeled urinals and will soon start working on the specification for commercial water closets as well.

LEED Prereq 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction

The chart below outlines the current baselines for indoor water use reduction. Some states and cities are moving to 1.28 gpf (gallons per flush) or less on water closets and 0.5 gpf or less on the urinals, and as such would use the lower gpf for the baseline in LEED calculations. As the baseline starts to go down, the points will be harder to achieve.

Commercial Fixtures, Fittings, and Appliances Current Baseline

Water closet (toilets)* 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf)

Urinal* 1.0 (gpf)

Public lavatory (restroom) faucet 0.5 gpm at 60 psi (all others except private applications)

Private lavatory faucet* 2.2 gpm at 60 psi

Kitchen faucet (excluding faucets used exclusively for filling operations) 2.2 gpm at 60 psi

Showerhead* 2.5 gpm at 80 psi per shower stall

* WaterSense label available for this product type.

Prereq 3: Building Level Water Metering (New)

Prerequisite 3: Building Level Water Metering

• Install permanent water meters that measure the total potable water use for the building and associated grounds. Meter data must be compiled into monthly and annual summaries; meter readings can be manual or automated.

• Commit to sharing with USGBC the resulting whole-project water usage data for a five-year period beginning on the date the project accepts LEED certification or occupancy, whichever comes first.

This prerequisite is new and applies to all project types. Its intent is to aid water management and identify opportunities to save water, and could also serve as a “water police” to identify buildings that swap out low-flow diaphragms for high-flow diaphragms.

Credit 1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction

Credit 1: Outdoor Water Use Reduction – Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options:

• Option 1 – No irrigation required (1–2 points) Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system beyond a maximum two-year establishment period.

• Option 2 – Reduced irrigation (1–2 points) Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement (LWR) by at least 50% from the calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month. Reductions must first be achieved through plant species selection and irrigation system efficiency as calculated in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense Water Budget Tool.

• Additional reductions beyond 30% may be achieved using any combination of efficiency, alternative water sources, and smart scheduling technologies. Examples of potential technologies and strategies might include planting native or adaptive plants, xeriscaping, using high-efficiency equipment, and using stormwater, greywater, and/or condensate water for irrigation.

Credit 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction

Credit 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction Percentage reduction Points

25% 1 • Further reduce fixture and fitting water use from the calculated baseline in WE Prerequisite 2: Indoor Water Use Reduction. Additional potable water savings can be earned above the 30% 2 prerequisite level using alternative water sources. Points are awarded according to the table on the right. 35% 3

• Potential technologies and strategies include specifying HETs and 40% 4 HEUs, specifying electronic faucets, and using rainwater, stormwater, greywater, or air conditioner condensate to flush 45% 5 toilets and urinals. 50% 6

Baseline Calculation

Example: One-story building with two restrooms. There are 500 people who occupy the building during office hours: 250 men and 250 women.

1. Men’s restroom • Two urinals • Two closets • Two sinks with push-button metering faucets

2. Women’s restroom • Four closets • Two sinks with push-button metering faucets

Assumption: Males use urinals twice per day; closets once per day; females use closets three times per day. Both males and females use faucets three times per day.

Design Calculation

Example (cont.):

In calculating the design case, do not change the number of building occupants, the number of work days, or the frequency data. The only variables you change are the duration and flow rates.

Assume the following: 1. 0.125 gpf (one pint) urinals will be used 2. 1.28 gpf water closets will be used 3. Electronic faucets with low-flow aerators (0.5 gpm) will be used. The electronics have been factored for a 12-second cycle time.

You will notice that the electronic faucets are set for a 12-second time-out. There are electronic manufacturers who offer 10-second time-out settings, but LEED will only allow you to use 12 seconds as the shortest cycle time.

Calculations

Daily Fixture type Duration (flushes); Flow rate (gpf); Water use (gal) Baseline Calculations uses faucets (min.) faucets (gpm) Daily Total 2,475.00 250 Men’s Water Closet 1 1.6 400.00 Annual Work Days 260 Total Annual Volume (gal) 643,500 750 Women’s Water Closet 1 1.6 1200.00

500 Men’s Urinal 1 1.0 500.00

Conventional Metering 1500 0.25 (15 seconds) 1.0 375.00 Faucet

Daily Fixture type Duration (flushes); Flow rate (gpf); Water use (gal) Design Calculations uses faucets (min.) faucets (gpm) Daily Total 1,492.50 Men’s Water Closet (ultra low 250 1 1.28 320.00 Annual Work Days 260 flow) Total Annual Volume (gal) 388,050 Women’s Water Closet (ultra 750 1 1.28 960.00 low flow) With this example, we get a 40% savings 500 Men’s Urinal (pint flush) 1 0.125 62.50 over the baseline just by using different flow rates and flush volumes. 150.00 1500 Electronic Faucet 0.2 (12 seconds) 0.5

Credit 3: Cooling Tower Water Use (New)

Credit 3: Cooling Tower Water Use

• Conserve water used for cooling tower makeup while controlling microbes, corrosion, and scale in the condenser water system. (1–2 points)

• For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a one-time potable water analysis in order to optimize cooling tower cycles.

LEED v4 will expand water savings to target to cooling towers. The focus of this credit is to reduce water lost through blowdown, when water is drained from cooling towers to reduce mineral and sediment accumulation. Projects pursuing this credit increase the number of cycles through which water can be re-circulated before it is removed by blowdown.

Credit 4: Additional Water Metering (New)

Credit 4: Additional Water Metering

• Install permanent water meters for two or more of the following water subsystems, as applicable to the project (1 point): • Irrigation • Indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings • Domestic hot water • Boiler • Reclaimed water • Other process water

Credit 4 will support water management and identify opportunities for additional water savings by tracking water consumption. Metering gives us more information about when and how people are using water. You can’t manage what you don’t measure, so a water meter is the best way to identify high water use areas and leakage. Projects rewarded for submetering must have at least two water end uses.

Meeting LEED Requirements with HEPs

One way to help projects qualify for a range of LEED credits is to specify HEPs (high-efficiency products).

High-efficiency products are the key elements in the next generation of green restroom design. From toilets and urinals to faucets and high-speed hand dryers, today’s green restrooms blend design and innovation to reduce water, energy, maintenance, and waste.

Restrooms are a cost center and are one of the most visited rooms in a commercial building, other than the lobby. Water, electricity, paper towels, toilet paper, maintenance, and waste removal expenses add up quickly, impacting a facility manager’s bottom line. Upgrading restrooms with high-efficiency products immediately saves time, money, and the environment.

The next section of the course will discuss high-efficiency products to help conserve water for sustainable restroom design.

High-Efficiency Products

High-Efficiency Toilets (HETs)

We are going to begin with the high-efficiency toilet. An HET is a fixture with an average flush volume of 1.28 gpf or less, and must meet the performance requirements of ASME 19.2/CSA B45.1 and pass the 350 grams MaP. Dual-flush devices (1.6/1.1 gpf) are considered HET. That’s 20% less than most toilets on the market today. The current toilet standard is 1.6 gpf.

In our sample calculation we did earlier, we saved over 83,000 gallons a year by using 1.28 gpf instead of 1.6. Again, there are states and municipalities that are also starting to mandate HET fixtures.

Timeline of flush volume (gallons per flush) • 1994 to present: 1.1 to 1.6 • 1980 to 1994: 3.5 to 4.5 • 1950 to 1980: 5.0 • pre-1950s: 7.0

Performance Testing

The minimum performance benchmark with the AMSE fixture standard for MaP is 250 grams. This is based on a British medical study that identified 250 grams as the average maximum male fecal size. 1000 grams is the maximum allowable MaP Score.

The EPA has adopted 350 grams as the minimum threshold for the WaterSense Program. Most water rebate programs with HETs are adopting the WaterSense specifications for performance, and as we talked about earlier, LEED is requiring WaterSense labeled products as well.

The ASME 112.19.2/CSA B45.1 standard outlines the minimum requirement for water closets at 350 grams.

Many other ASME tests regarding performance such as the granule and ball test, surface wash/“ink line,” mixed media, and drain line carry must meet the above requirements before achieving UPC certification.

Flushing Platforms

There are different flushing platforms with HETs, either battery operated or hardwired. What is better depends on the application. Below is a simple cost difference comparison of battery operated vs. hardwired.

Battery operated • 3 yr./4000 cycles a month = $2 every three years for four AA batteries • Cost of maintenance person to change batteries (median pay for general maintenance worker is $16.70 per hour)* • Batteries in landfill • Less expensive to install Battery operated Hardwired • 3 yr./4000 cycles a month = $1.02 every three years • No changing batteries • No batteries in landfill • More expensive to install Hardwired

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates the national commercial energy rate at $0.10 per kwh. *according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Manual Dual-Flush

Dual-flush toilets have been around since the early 1980s. They were very popular in Australia with tank type fixtures and in the U.S. with both tank type fixtures and flushometer type fixtures. Manual dual- flush toilets require efficient 1.6 gpf bowls.

Dual-flush retrofit handles are very easy to install and give a building owner or building manager an inexpensive way to start saving water in the restroom. They are also available as a complete valve.

When the user tilts the handle up, it gives you 30% less water for light waste. When the handle is tilted down, it will give you the full volume for solid waste. Manual dual-flush valves will come with an instructional placard that will educate the user on how to operate the device.

Electronic Dual-Flush Flushometers (Battery Operated or Hardwired)

The next generation of dual-flush is electronic and hands-free. These devices work by timing how long the toilet is being used. If a user is detected for less than 60 seconds, the device will assume light waste and give you the lower volume of water. If a user is detected for over 60 seconds, it will assume heavy waste and give the full flush volume of 1.6 gallons. With the electronic dual-flush, the user is not in control of whether they will save water—it will happen automatically.

Solar-Powered Flushometers

Another way to save on maintenance and resources is with power harvesting plumbing fixtures. These hands- free solar-powered flushometers are available in a single-flush and in a dual-flush electronic product. The key advantage with solar products is that they use less battery power and have their power source extended by the ambient light in the room. The battery life is extended two to three times the normal battery life of a regular battery-powered product.

The advantage of utilizing solar instead of a turbine is the device does not have to be used in order to recharge the capacitor; plus, fewer moving parts reduce maintenance concerns.

Electronic single-flush Electronic dual-flush

Dual-Flush Case Studies

Target Field, which many consider the greenest ballpark in America, installed over 600 manual dual- flush flushometers. By installing these water-efficient devices, they plan to save $100,000 per year compared to the standard 1.6 gpf.

The Portland Airport installed 330 manual dual-flush and electronic dual-flush flushometers. After the installation was completed, they saw a savings of over 30,000 gallons of water a day.

Electronic dual-flush

Manual dual-flush

Reclaimed Water Flushometer

The use of reclaimed water is mandatory in some countries and gaining traction across the U.S., such as in California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, and Florida. Reclaimed water systems are more aggressive than potable water systems due to the chemical content and nature of the water. These environments can be more conducive to dezincification, which can diminish mechanical strength.

A reclaimed water flushometer utilizes the industry-standard purple color (pictured on the next slide), which is used to identify water district/municipal water lines and other systems using reclaimed water, as mandated by both the Uniform Plumbing Code and the International Plumbing Code. Several key components including the wall flange, inner cover, and diaphragm guide are colored purple to signify the use of reclaimed water. The flushometer also includes a wall plate communicating the use of reclaimed water and is available with an optional purple handle.

Reclaimed Water Flushometer

The flushometer pictured on this slide has been specifically engineered utilizing a high copper, semi-red brass, giving it the ability to withstand these harsh chemical conditions, as opposed to a yellow brass that is higher in zinc. This includes the cover, valve body, control stop, and the copper sweat solder kit. In addition, to better withstand the harsh conditions of reclaimed water, all organic rubber components have been replaced with synthetic compounds.

Pressure Assist Toilets

Another method of achieving a high-efficiency toilet is to use a pressure assist toilet. These products use compressed air as a medium to increase the flush velocity. These are available in 1.6 gpf, 1.28 gpf, and 1.0 gpf. All but the 1.6 gpf unit qualify as HETs.

High-Efficiency Urinals (HEUs)

A high-efficiency urinal is a urinal with a maximum flush volume of 0.5 gpf or less, and must meet the performance requirements of ASME 19.2/CSA B45.1. The current urinal standard is 1.0 gpf, which means an HEU uses 50% or less water. There are many options for HEUs including 0.5 gpf, 0.25gpf, 0.125 gpf, waterfree, and hybrid.

Billions of gallons are used every year to flush urinals. HEUs are becoming the standard in many states, including Texas and California. In our earlier sample calculation, we saved over 113,000 gallons of water a year by using pint urinals instead of 1-gallon-per-flush urinals.

High-Efficiency Urinals (HEUs)

Just like the water closets, HEUs have many different flushing platforms that include power harvesting, electronic, and manual operated. Depending on the project and application, there is an option to best meet the needs of the facility.

Manual Battery operated Hardwired

Waterfree Urinals

Waterfree urinals usually consist of a vitreous china fixture and a cartridge. The cartridge is the heart of the system that provides an airtight seal between the drain and the restroom to prevent odors from escaping. The cartridge also acts as a trap collecting sediment, allowing waste to pass easily down the drain. Installation and routine maintenance are key with waterfree urinals.

Codes are evolving to permit the installation of waterfree urinals. The Plumbing Director for the Illinois Department of Public Health has stated that waterfree urinals are an approved fixture in the State. Budget cuts have delayed the release of a circular on the code changes, but all inspectors within the State have been trained and informed that waterfree Waterfree urinals urinals that meet the referenced standard (ASME A112.19.19) are permitted to be installed. Cartridge

Waterfree Urinal Case Study

Merritt 7 Corporate Park in Norwalk, CT retrofitted 23 waterfree urinals. After the retrofit, water bills reflected the water savings by showing usage reduced by 858,000 gallons per year. This equates to an annual savings of $7800 with a 2.5-year payback on investment.

The Corporate Park anticipates saving as much as two million gallons a year from all the water-efficient plumbing system upgrades. This also allowed them to get an additional LEED credit for Water Efficiency on top of the one they got for installing low-consumption toilets.

High-Efficiency Urinal Hybrid

Recently introduced, the “hybrid urinal” uses a directed water purge to rinse the drain line, preventing build-up that can cause odor. This rinse aids plumbing system performance with a very small amount of carefully directed water.

This urinal also uses a cartridge to accelerate and direct flow, and virtually eliminates the root causes of many of the problems associated with waterfree urinals.

How It Works

1. The system uses a cartridge spout to redirect, aim, and accelerate the water.

2. The water supply system also acts as an air gap device.

3. Close range sensor allows maintenance purge.

High-Efficiency Faucets (HEFs)

Faucets account for more than one trillion gallons of water use per year across the U.S.

Electronic faucets are a great option to use to save water. The average time an electronic faucet is “on” per user is around 10 seconds. It is on for two–three seconds when the user wets their hands. When the user rinses hands, it’s on again for six–seven seconds. You can see, by using a 10-second time-out and 1.5 gpm flow control, you get the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (addressing energy production in the U.S) standard of 0.25 gallons per cycle for metering faucets.

LEED baseline calculations for faucets are 0.25 gallons per cycle, 30 seconds at 0.5 gpm. • 10-second time-out with • 1.5 gpm = 0.25 gallons per cycle

• 12-second time-out with • 0.5 gpm = 0.10 gallons per cycle – 60% below baseline • 12 seconds is the shortest time LEED allows for their calculations on metering faucets.

Electronic Faucets

Electronic faucets have several advantages: they are ADA compliant, efficient, vandal resistant, and more hygienic. Electronic faucets will only dispense water when needed, harvest power, and come with time-out settings. Studies indicate significant savings with sensor faucets (discussed further on the next slide).

Electronic Faucets

A study was conducted at a major U.S. university where faucet consumption was monitored and measured in a building. Three phases of the study: 1. Tune Up Phase: Existing manual faucets were tested after having been regulated to 1.0 gpm flow rates. Data collection began for two weeks in all restrooms to establish a baseline. 2. Low Consumption Phase: Low-consumption, 0.5 gpm aerators were installed on the manual faucets and lavatory flows were re-measured. Again, data was collected for two weeks in all restrooms. Not surprisingly, they got 50% savings going from 1.0 to 0.5 gpm. 3. Automatic Phase: Installation of sensor-operated faucets with 0.5 gpm aerators took place and lavatory flows were re-measured. Another set of data was collected for two weeks in all restrooms. With the last phase, they got a 39% savings with the automatic faucets.

High-Efficiency Showerheads

According to the EPA, we use 1.2 trillion gallons of water per year showering, with the average shower time at 8 minutes.1

Low-flow shower heads are big water savers. However, user satisfaction can play a key role in determining flow on a showerhead. Showerheads below 2.0 gpm could cause scalding, so it is recommended that you consult the mixing valve manufacturer to make sure a super low-flow showerhead will work in your specific application.

• 8 min/2.5 gpm shower uses 20 gallons – reduce by 3 minutes and save 7.5 gallons • 8 min/1.6 gpm shower saves 7.2 gallons

As you can see, simply reducing the length of a shower is a very easy way to save water.

1EPA . “WaterSense – Showerheads.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Additional Ways to Conserve

More Ways to Conserve

Lastly, we are going to discuss other effective ways to conserve water, such as using technologically advanced monitoring systems.

These systems are available to help monitor restroom fixtures. By monitoring your fixtures, you can prevent waste. These systems are very flexible and allow administrators to control any combination of toilets, sinks, or showers to pre-set limits for fixture use. This control has made monitory systems popular in prisons.

A case study involving two state prisons in California, Corcoran and High Desert State Prison, that used programmable systems on their fixtures highlights the large savings potential. Before installing the system, the prisons were discharging 42,000 gallons a day. After, they average 8,300 gallons a day—an 80% savings!

High-Efficiency Hand Dryer

Historically, hand dryers have not been popular because they take too long to dry hands completely. It takes about 10 seconds to dry hands with paper towels and 35–45 seconds with traditional hand dryers. This is why hand dyers are only installed in about 10% of restrooms.

However, newer high-speed energy-efficient hand dryers are changing people’s perceptions. These hand dryers can dry hands in 10–15 seconds, and save 80% of the energy of traditional hand dryers. This also translates to a 100% savings of paper towel costs.

Deck-Mounted Hand Dryer System

High-speed hand dryers offer three times faster drying times than traditional dryers. Along with the convenience of fast drying, today’s high-speed dryers are also 50% quieter than older dryers. The faster drying times will result in energy savings of approximately 80% (GreenSpec listed). Deck-mounted hand dryer systems are easy to install and virtually service-free, and come with the option of a HEPA air filter.

High-speed, deck-mounted hand dryers, coupled with a fabricated solid surface sink designed to “capture” the high volume of air, preventing water or soap in the sink from exiting, eliminates the messy “water trail” from sink to wall where towels or a wall-mounted hand dryer are typically located.

High-Efficiency Hand Dryer

These three case studies highlight how much is saved using a high-efficiency hand dryer vs. paper towels. Using a high- efficiency hand dryer results in 90–95% savings.

MANUFACTURING PLANT CLASS A OFFICE BUILDING MAJOR LEAGUE BALLPARK

Using 5,000 cases of paper towels @ Using 4,950 cases of paper towels @ Using 1,525 cases of paper towels @ $17.49/case plus freight, tax, and labor costs $17.25/case plus freight, tax, and labor costs $32.93/case plus freight, tax, and labor costs

Paper Towel Cost $131,175/yr Paper Towel Cost $128,081/yr Paper Towel Cost $75,327/yr Hand Dryer Hand Dryer Hand Dryer $6,000/yr $5,197/yr $1,830/yr Operating Cost Operating Cost Operating Cost Annual Savings $125,175/yr Annual Savings $122,883/yr Annual Savings $73,497/yr

Please remember the exam password EFFICIENCY. You will be required to enter it in order to proceed with the online examination.

Summary and References

Summary

It is important to remember that water and energy are related; using water is using energy, and cutting down on water usage will result in less energy used. Water-saving products such as high-efficiency toilets, urinals, and faucets can all help a project meet the demands of many green building programs and initiatives, such as LEED, resulting in cost savings for the owner.

There are a number of considerations to keep in mind when choosing products for a sustainable restroom design: • Firstly, will it meet the needs of the facility in terms of hygiene, water conservation, and local codes? • Products should be easy to maintain, with easily available parts and service for a low cost of ownership over the life of the product. • It is important to be familiar with the current building’s plumbing infrastructure to decide what product is appropriate, and • Last but not least, a sustainable restroom design will save water without sacrificing performance.

References

Beecher, Janice A. “Trends in Consumer Price (CPI) for Utilities Through 2011.” Michigan State University, March 2012. Web. Accessed November 2015.

City of San Jose Environmental Services. “Sustainable Environment in San Jose.” City of San Jose, n.d. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Downtown Voices Collation. “Proposed Water Rate Increase Overview.” City of Phoenix, February 2011. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Duffy, M. “White Paper: Water/Energy Correlation.” American Water, 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Economic Development Research Group, Inc. for American Society of Civil Engineers. “Failure to Act: The Impact of Current Infrastructure Investment on America’s Economic Future.” ASCE, 2013. Web. Accessed November 2015.

EPA . “WaterSense – Showerheads.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Griffiths-Sattenspiel, B. and Wilson, W. “The Carbon Footprint of Water.” Portland: River Network, May 2009. Web. Accessed November 2015.

References

Leiby, Vanessa M. and Michael E. Burke. “Energy Efficiency Best Practices for North American Drinking Water Utilities.” Water Research Foundation, 2011. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Mayer, Peter W., William B. DeOreo, et al. “Residential End Uses of Water.” AWWA Research Foundation, 1999. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Molla, Rani. “How Much Meat Do Americans Eat? Then and Now.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 2 October 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Centers for Environmental Information. “State of the Climate: Drought for September 2015.” NOAA, October 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Schaper, David. “As Infrastructure Crumbles, Trillions of Gallons of Water Lost.” NPR, October 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015.

The Water Information Program. “Water Facts.” Southwestern Water Conservation District, n.d. Web. Accessed November 2015.

References

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015. “The Global Economic Outlook.” January 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

USGS. “Water Questions & Answers: How much water does the average person use at home per day?” U.S. Dept. of the Interior, November 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

United States Drought Monitor. The National Drought Mitigation Center, November 3, 2015. Web. Accessed November 2015.

World Resources Institute. “Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, Current Conditions.” WRI Aqueduct, 2014. Web. Accessed November 2015.

World Economic Forum Water Initiative. “Water Security: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus.” The World Economic Forum, 2011. Web. Accessed November 2015.

Conclusion

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