sustainable business & enterprise roundtable (sber
TRANSCRIPT
Best Practices for Water Management
& Reduction Strategies
1 Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable © 2015 Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. Confidential – For use in connection with SR Inc Services only.
Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable (SBER) | March 2015
Best Practices for Water Management & Reduction Strategies
2
Agenda
1. Introductions & overview
2. Setting Water Reduction Goals & Strategies
3. Example Strategies & Best Practices (Case Studies)
4. Water Audit Vendors
5. Financial Incentives for Installing Water Reduction
Infrastructure
6. Barriers and Costs
7. Appendix
8. Questions & comments
9. Closing & next steps
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Setting Water
Reduction Goals &
Strategies
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4
Setting Water Reduction Goals & Strategies
Source: SR Inc analysis.
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How do companies set water reduction goals and then strategies?
• LEED Guidelines
• EPA Water Sense guidance
• Water audits
• SR Inc Guidance
5
LEED v4 Water Efficiency Credit Category
Source: http://www.usgbc.org/guide; http://www.usgbc.org/credits .
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LEED Building Design +
Construction (BD+C)
LEED Interior Design +
Construction (ID+C)
LEED Building Operations +
Maintenance (O+M)
Focus Areas
• Indoor water (used by
fixtures, appliances, and
processes such as cooling)
• Irrigation water
• Water metering
• Site plans
• Fixture cutsheets
• Alternative water sources
• Fixtures
• Appliances
• Processes
• Floor plans
• Fixture cutsheets
• Fixture cutsheets.
• Indoor water (used by
fixtures, appliances and
processes, such as
cooling)
• Irrigation water
• Water metering
• Site plans
• Fixture cutsheets
• Alternative water sources
• Occupancy calculations
Credits
• Outdoor water use
reduction (Requirement)
• Indoor water use reduction
(Req)
• Building-level water
metering (Req)
• Outdoor water use
reduction
• Indoor water use reduction
• Cooling tower water use
• Water metering
• Indoor water use
reduction (Req)
• Indoor water use
reduction
• Indoor water use
reduction (Req)
• Building-level water
metering (Req)
• Outdoor water use
reduction
• Indoor water use
reduction
• Cooling tower water use
• Water metering
6
EPA WaterSense Guidance
Source: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/commercial/types.html#tabs-office.
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End Use of Water in Office Buildings: To-Do List:
Develop a water management plan
Assess your water use to identify opportunities for
savings and track results
Check regularly for leaks and, when found, repair
them promptly
Consider replacing bathroom fixtures with more
efficient models and check automatic sensors to
ensure they are operating properly to avoid
unnecessary water use
Consider water smart landscaping and irrigation
practices
Optimize your cooling systems and determine if
they can provide or use alternative onsite sources of
water
Review WaterSense at Work for information on
these practices and more.
7
Water Efficiency as Part of a Sustainability
Strategy
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Executives incorporate water efficiency into their companies’ portfolio-wide
sustainability strategy rather than adopting it as a discrete program.
They have clearly identified the role water efficiency and the concomitant
reduced energy consumption play in greater sustainability – environmentally,
financially, and socially. Executives use this framework to more effectively
reduce costs, mitigate risks, and create opportunities. From the
corporate perspective, executives improve water efficiency in order to:
• Reduce water and energy costs.
• Mitigate market and regulatory risks.
• Increase their ability to obtain green building certification.
• Increase their ability to address shareholder and customer concerns.
• Enhance their reputation and industry leadership.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
8
Portfolio-wide Water Efficiency
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Best Practices:
• Implementing portfolio-wide water efficiency requires executive support in
coordinating strategies
• The real estate team is responsible for conducting or outsourcing a thorough
water audit and mapping all facility water footprint and usage patterns.
• Use this data to develop a complete profile of portfolio water use, benchmark, and
define relevant KPIs and metrics
• Develop strategies and begin planning pilot programs, integration into existing
systems, and portfolio-wide expansion.
• For continued success and complete implementation, executives clearly define and
document relevant KPIs and metrics, data gathering, and assessment
methodology for historical and current water use and water costs in each property
• Executives collect and communicate results and best practices internally and
externally to establish the company as an industry leader in water efficiency,
underscoring the executive and corporate commitment to sustainable value for the
company and the industry as a whole.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
9
Types of Strategies
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Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
10
Water Savings Opportunities
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• Low Flow Fixtures
• Installing low-flow faucets, toilets or no-flush urinals will significantly reduce this portion
of water demand
• Cooling Tower
• Changing the number of cooling cycles before water discharge from five to eight
• Efficient Landscaping
• Utilizing drip irrigation or planting only local plans that are used to that climate
• Leak Repair
• Finding leaks and patching them
• Onsite Wastewater Recycling
• Using filtration processes to make wastewater safe for non-potable uses
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Utilizing rainwater for landscape irrigation purposes
• Stormwater Management
• Permeable parking lots to prevent stormwater runoff
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
11
Solution Matrix for Water Efficiency Measures
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Color coded
measures are
especially
important in
regions that are
cold, hot, dry, or
humid.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
12
Recommended Sequence for Implementing
Water Efficiency Measures
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Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
13
Planning Process for Water Efficiency Strategies
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Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
14
Selecting Key Performance Indicators
& Setting Goals
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Leaders choose Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for water consumption
and use them to set goals. Normalization by climate region and landscaping
allows companies to compare different facilities using these KPIs.
Common KPIs include:
• Annual water expenses per facility [$ / (year * facility)]
• Annual water consumption per facility [gallons / (year * facility)]
• Annual water expenses per area [$ / (year * square foot)]
• Annual water consumption per area [gallons / (year * square foot)]
The International Water Association (IWA) has developed a set of performance
indicators designed to measure water loss
• Financial performance indicators include non-revenue water percentage by volume
• Operational performance indicators measure annual water losses per service
connection by volume.
• Companies following IWA recommendations to focus on proactive leak response
strategies also track related factors such as soil type, supply continuity, average
operating pressure, and length of water mains.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
15
Conduct Assessment and Set Goals
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Measuring & Mapping:
• Global Water Tool:
http://www.wbcsd.org/work-program/sector-projects/water/global-water-tool.aspx
• Guidance for Developing Baseline and Annual Water Use:
http://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/water-efficiency-goal-guidance
• Water Consumption Calculators & Benchmarking:
http://www.savewateramerica.com/calculators/landing.htm
• EDF- GEMI (Global Environmental Management Initiative) WaterMAPP:
http://www.gemi.org/EDFGEMIwaterMAPP/
• CERES – Considerations for Addressing a Company’s Water Risk:
http://www.ceres.org/resources/reports/assessing-water-risk/at_download/file
• IFMA – A Comprehensive Guide to Water Conservation: The Bottom Line Impacts, Challenges
and Rewards
http://feapc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IFMA-Water-Guide.pdf
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
Featured Case
Studies
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17
Overview
Source: SR Inc analysis.
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Common Strategies & Initiatives:
• Metering and Sub-metering
• Fixture Improvements
• Cooling Tower Optimization
• Landscaping
• Landscaping
• Plumbing Fixture Improvements
• Stormwater Diversion
• Wastewater Recycling
• Leak Detection
• Billing Analysis
18
Example Strategies & Initiatives to
Reduce Water Consumption
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Data,
Tracking,
Benchmarking
• Surveyed regional managers regarding water
usage.
• Estimated that its total water use likely
exceeds 350 million gallons annually
• Set a reduction goal of 10% (about 35 million
gallons annually) by first year.
• As properties reach the 10% reduction goal, the
company will consider the feasibility of long-term
reduction targets.
• Uses an online data repository for all properties to
monitor, review, and pay all utility bills.
• Property managers report water use in EPA’s
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
Strategies
• Metering and Sub-metering
• Fixture Improvements
• Cooling Tower Optimization
• Landscaping
Challenges
and Benefits
• The paybacks and returns aren’t as great as with electricity
• Executives concerned about tenant reaction to new plumbing fixtures, but believe this can be
mitigated through tenant education regarding water savings
Costs and
Savings
• Estimates each meter installation costs
between $300 and $700
• Initially focused on improvements that have
payback periods of less than a year
• Calculated the payback for fixture
improvements using the IPC baseline for
water efficiency.
• Based calculations on the estimated water usage
from IPC-standard fixtures and subtracted from
the estimated water use for existing fixture.
• Savings in gallons are multiplied by the estimated
cost of water ($6.73 per hundred cubic feet [748
gallons]) to approximate annual savings which is
used to estimate payback
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
19
Payback for Faucet Aerator
Replacement
Source: Brandywine Realty Trust.
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20
Estimated Annual
Savings for Waterless Urinals*
Source: Brandywine Realty Trust; *by Installed Urinal Type
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21
Estimated Savings for Automatic
Faucets*
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*Brandywine Realty Trust conducted a payback analysis for replacing various faucets with a 0.5 gpm automatic faucet. The payback analysis
detailed in the table is based on a cost of water of $6.73 per hundred cubic feet (748 gal.) and the assumption that the use of automatic faucets will
lead to a 20% reduction in the duration of use.
Source: SR Inc “Payback for Automatic Faucets” Report.
22
Strategies
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Brandywine is focusing primarily on fixture improvements, cooling tower optimization,
and water-efficient irrigation strategies that have payback periods of one to two years.
Regional managers are granted discretion on which strategies to implement.
Metering and Sub-metering
• Plans to install irrigation meters and
separate meters for cooling tower makeup
and blowdown in unmetered properties.
• Estimates it will need 97 new meters to
complete this initiative during summer
2011.
• Weekly monitoring of meters identifies
irregularities such as a sudden spike in
water use, which can indicate a leak.
• Determines domestic usage by subtracting
irrigation and cooling tower submeter
readings from primary meter values; this
difference is the domestic water use of the
property.
Fixture Improvements
• Prioritized installation of plumbing fixtures that
meet the 2006 standards of the International
Plumbing Codes (IPC). By summer 2011
Brandywine expects to install faucet aerators
that have a flow rate of 0.5 gallons per minute
(gpm) or lower in all of its properties and
upgrade diaphragms in all 3.5 gallons per flush
(gpf) flush toilets or 1.5 gpf urinals.
• By the end of 2012, Brandywine plans to have
all fixtures meet or change to ‘or exceed the
following IPC baseline:
• Toilets – 1.6 gpf
• Urinals – 1.0 gpf
• Faucets – 0.5 gpm
• Showerheads – 2.5 gpm
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
23
Strategies
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Cooling Tower Optimization
Cooling towers account for the largest fraction
of water use in many of
Brandywine buildings. Property managers
monitor cooling tower makeup
and blowdown to ensure efficient operation.
Some properties are considering
reuse of cooling tower water for irrigation or
using recycled water
for the cooling tower itself. By the end of 2012,
Brandywine will have developed
a plan to guide replacement of older cooling
towers with more
efficient closed-loop cooling towers during
major renovations or new construction.
Landscaping
Seventy four Brandywine properties reported that
they have already instituted some form of water
efficient landscaping. Common parallel strategies
include minimizing turfgrass and only planting
endemic florae. Integrating these two strategies
reduces irrigation requirements dramatically,
as native plants are adapted to regional rainfall
patterns. Brandywine has retained third-party
consultants to develop responsible landscaping
programs based on LEED requirements. These
programs include:
• Cutting grass higher to ensure greater water
retention and improve drought tolerance
• Mulching to minimize water loss due to
evaporation
• Using drip irrigation to deliver small amounts of
water near plant roots
By summer 2011, Brandywine will have installed
rain sensors at all properties. Rain sensors monitor
precipitation and only allow scheduled watering
when rainfall is neither present nor imminent.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
24
Best Practices
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• Brandywine conducted intensive research to select optimal strategies
based on the desired payback timeframe.
• Brandywine uses some properties as pilots for more ambitious
strategies such as green roofing. If strategies in pilot properties
produce strong returns, the company considers expanding the use of
green roofs to more of its portfolio.
• Brandywine officials perform technical retrofits, such as closed-loop
cooling tower installation, during extensive renovations or new
construction to minimize costs.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
25
Example Strategies & Initiatives to
Reduce Water Consumption
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Data, Tracking,
Benchmarking
• NIH tracks campus water use with
building meters, typically
reserving submeters to monitor
cooling towers.
• NIH’s water consumption targets come from 2007
Executive Order 13423, which requires Federal
agencies to reduce water consumption (gallons per
square foot) by 16% by the end of fiscal year 2015. This
is a 2% per year reduction from 2008 through 2015 with
a long-term reduction goal of 26% compared to a 2007
baseline.
Strategies
• Landscaping
• Plumbing Fixture Improvements
• Stormwater Diversion
• Wastewater Recycling
• Leak Detection
• Billing Analysis
Challenges and
Benefits
• Federally mandated reductions are based on a 2007 baseline, established after NIH had
stopped irrigating properties and following water-efficient fixture installation
Costs and Savings • The water bill for the Bethesda campus was $6.8 million in 2008, and $8.6 million in both 2009
and 2010
• NIH’s long history of water efficiency improvements makes it difficult to determine total
expenditures on the efficiency projects
• On average, NIH’s payback period for individual projects has been five years
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
26
Strategies
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Landscaping
• In the 1990s, NIH planted drought-resistant
species that require no irrigation other than
rainfall. Consequently, NIH does not irrigate
any of its campuses.
Plumbing Fixture Improvements
• By 2008, NIH had retrofitted fixtures in existing
buildings in compliance with the 1999
Executive Order. All new buildings meet the
following standards in NIH’s Guidelines:
• Toilets – between 1.0 - 1.3 gpf
• Urinals – between 0.5 - 0.8 gpf
• Restroom sinks – hands-free at 0.4 - 0.5
gpm
• Laboratory sinks – 2.0 gpm
• Surgical prep sinks – 2.5 gpm
• Showers – 2.0 gpm
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
27
Strategies
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Stormwater Diversion
• The Bethesda campus manages
stormwater using stream and ponds. The
campus also installed the first greenroof in
Montgomery County above the Gateway
Center in 2008 (see Figure 25). The green
roof captures 55% of the runoff from the
building and facilitates compliance with
zoning regulation for stormwater
management.
Wastewater Recycling
• At the Poolesville campus, NIH recycles
greywater using an onsite treatment plant. This
saves between 25,000 and 60,000 gallons
daily, and reduces onsite water use by up to
50%..
Leak Detection
• NIH conducts an ultrasonic leak detection
survey for every campus on a three-year
schedule. Surveys were completed in March
2011 for the Bethesda and Poolesville
campuses. Although there were no major leaks
at the Bethesda campus, repairing one
significant leak at the Poolesville facility
reduced losses by 15,000 gallons a day.
Billing Analysis
• Monthly water bills are entered into an archival
system. NIH intends to hire more staff to
analyze usage and monitor data for
irregularities. NIH also compiles data on its
water and energy usage for an annual report to
the Department of Energy
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
28
Best Practices
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• NIH diverted stormwater into streams and ponds that would otherwise
have contributed to runoff and soil erosion.
• NIH conducted periodic leak detection to monitor ongoing
performance; this strategy can be optimized further by the installation
of smart submeters that report in real time.
• NIH adopted an external contracting process that incentivizes outside
agents to proactively develop new solutions.
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
Secondary Case
Studies
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30
Example Strategies & Initiatives to
Reduce Water Consumption
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable © 2015 Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. Confidential – For use in connection with SR Inc Services only.
The U.S. Bancorp Tower
Overview:
• 42-story building with 740,000 square feet of office space
• Second tallest building in Portland, OR
• Owned by Unico Properties, a real estate investment and operating
company in the western United States
Strategies
• Retrofitted with 500 low-flow toilets as part of an effort to green and
modernize the building (originally constructed in 1983)
• Low-flow toilets are typically 1.6 gallons per flush fixtures
• Realized indirect water savings from necessary renovations to the
building’s heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems
Impact
• Water use decreased 38%
• Plumbing investment paid for itself in two years
• Building also received LEED-EBOM Silver certification
31
Example Strategies & Initiatives to
Reduce Water Consumption
Source: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/commercial/docs/watersense_at_work/files/assets/common/downloads/WaterSense-at-Work_FINAL_508c3.pdf.
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Granite Park Overview:
• Office park landscape facility type in Dallas, Texas
• Landscape size of 372,000 square feet
• Two buildings in the complex, Granite Park One and Two, already
earned LEED® Gold certification
Strategies
• Performed an irrigation audit
• Precision Landscape Management, an irrigation professional certified
through a WaterSense labeled program improved the efficiency of the
office park’s irrigation system by:
• Installing a weather-based irrigation controller which analyzes
local weather data and landscape conditions to program
watering schedules based on plants’ needs
• Rain sensor
• Freeze sensor
• Performing needed maintenance on the existing irrigation
system (replacing broken sprinkler heads, positioning sprinkler
heads to ensure adequate coverage, installing pressure
regulating nozzles to increase the uniformity of water applied)
Impact
• Water savings of 12.5 million gallons in first year
• Cost savings: $47,000 in first year
• Simple payback of less than 1.5 years
• Earned credits toward its LEED Gold certification
32
Example Strategies & Initiatives to
Reduce Water Consumption
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Burns & McDonnell
Overview:
• Engineering firm Burns & McDonnell retrofitted its Kansas City, MO
world headquarters
• 468,000-square foot office building originally built in 1985
• Burns & McDonnell are tenants on the property and divided the
costs of the project with the property manager.
• Property manager covered maintenance related costs and Burns &
Mc-Donnell paid for sustainability initiatives
Strategies
• Installed low-flow fixtures
• 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) toilets
• 0.25 gpf urinals,
• 0.5 gallon per minute (gpm) faucets
• Installed a new boiler system that circulates hot water around the
building.
• The building manages stormwater onsite through bioswales and
green roofs
Impact
• Spent $101,500 for its fixture improvements, for an
• estimated payback period of 13.5 years.
• Total water use has been reduced by more than 50%
• Now 40% of stormwater is captured and treated onsite
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
33
Example Strategies & Initiatives to
Reduce Water Consumption
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Hurt Building
Overview:
• 17-story office building in Atlanta, GA
• 522,502 square feet
Strategies
• Building equipped with 4.5 gallons per flush (gpf) toilets and 1.6 gpf
urinals.
• 40%of toilets were replaced with 1.6 gpf models and the remaining
60% were retrofitted with 3.5 gpf flush kits.
• All urinals were replaced with 1.0 gpf models.
• Restroom sinks that were equipped with 1.5 gallons per minute
(gpm) faucets were retrofitted with 0.5 gpm units.
• Has a rainwater harvesting system that provides irrigation for interior
plants as well as a system for capturing condensate for reuse in the
cooling tower.
Impact
• Indoor water use was reduced 27% in first year for an annual
savings of 1.3 million gallons and an annual savings of $29,000.
• The payback period on the fixture improvements was less than six
months
• Building was granted LEED-EB Gold certification
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
Water Audit Vendors
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35
Water Audit Vendors
Source: NRDC and AWWA.
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Performance contractors conduct water audits. NRDC has a list of
contractors on their Greening Advisor site:
http://www.nrdc.org/enterprise/greeningadvisor/wu-audits.asp
Under “Conservation”:
http://sourcebook.awwa.org/SearchResults?categories=842
Financial Incentives
for Installing Water
Reduction
Infrastructure
36 Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable © 2015 Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. Confidential – For use in connection with SR Inc Services only.
37
Financial Incentives for Installing Water
Reduction Infrastructure
Source: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/rebate_finder_saving_money_water.html.
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Federal Incentives: • None
State/Local Incentives: • AZ
• CA
• CO
• FL
• HI
• MA
• NC
• NV
• NM
• OR
• WA
• WI
• WY
Appendix
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39
Appendix – Additional Resources
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• Water Sense at Work: Best Management Practices for
Commercial and Institutional Facilities:
• http://www.epa.gov/watersense/commercial/docs/water
sense_at_work/files/assets/common/downloads/Water
Sense-at-Work_FINAL_508c3.pdf
• NRDC Greening Advisor Water Audit Guidance
• http://www.nrdc.org/enterprise/greeningadvisor/wu-
audits.asp
• Free Water Audit Software:
• http://www.awwa.org/resources-tools/water-
knowledge/water-loss-control.aspx
Source: SR Inc research; SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.
40
Appendix – Engagement & Awareness
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• Create a Water Awareness Display: http://green.harvard.edu/tools-
resources/how/create-water-awareness-display?utm_source=Web+Sign+Ups&utm_campaign=7ba1bf06f7-
March_2015_eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e881688224-7ba1bf06f7-106175729
• What is Your Water Footprint?: http://green.harvard.edu/tools-resources/what-your-
water-footprint?utm_source=Web+Sign+Ups&utm_campaign=7ba1bf06f7-
March_2015_eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e881688224-7ba1bf06f7-106175729
• 5 Ways to Measure a 5 Minute Shower: http://green.harvard.edu/tools-
resources/green-tip/5-ways-measure-5-minute-
shower?utm_source=Web+Sign+Ups&utm_campaign=7ba1bf06f7-
March_2015_eNews&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e881688224-7ba1bf06f7-106175729
41
Appendix - U.S. FEMP Water Management
Toolbox
Sustainable Business & Enterprise Roundtable © 2015 Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. Confidential – For use in connection with SR Inc Services only.
NIH follows the fourteen best management practices with the Water Management Toolbox of the Federal Energy Management
Program. The practices are available online through the U.S. Department of Energy and provide the following proven strategies:
• Water Management Planning – Successful water management plans require identifying and quantifying current water use to the
fullest extent possible.
• Information and Education Programs – Agencies should provide educational outreach for employees, contractors, and the public
about their commitment to water efficiency through the use of userfriendly hotlines, informational signs, or regular training workshops to
complement efficiency improvements.65
• Distribution System Audits, Leak Detection, and Repair – Agencies should first conduct a full-scale leak audit and then monitor
from the minimum flow rate, around 3-4 a.m. Any significant deviations from this baseline are likely leak-related.
• Water-Efficient Landscaping – Agencies should use landscaping that depends on rainwater and design systems that deliver
supplemental irrigation efficiently.
• Water-Efficient Irrigation – Agencies should use contractors that are familiar with water-saving guidelines, install irrigation meters,
and use an irrigation schedule that is appropriate for the climate, soil conditions, plant materials, and season.
• Toilets and Urinals – Agencies should follow the EPA WaterSense specifications for toilets and flushing urinals. Toilets cannot exceed
1.28 gpf and urinals are not to exceed 0.5 gpf.
• Faucets and Showerheads – Agencies should use the ASME guideline of 0.5 gpm for public faucets and the EPA WaterSense
guideline for showerheads of 2.0 gpm.
• Boiler and Steam Systems – Agencies should maintain a condensate recovery system and an automatic blowdown system that is
based on boiler size or optimize cycles of concentration to reduce the frequency of blowdown.
• Single-Pass Cooling Equipment – Agencies should eliminate singlepass cooling by modifying equipment to operate on a closed loop
that recirculates water. If this is not possible, agencies should install an automatic control to shut off the system during nights and
weekends or find a way to recycle cooling water.
• Cooling Tower Management – Agencies should examine options, such as water softening or ozonation, to increase the cooling
tower’s cycle of concentration.
• Commercial Kitchen Equipment – Agencies should run dishwashers only when full, install flow restrictors in existing pre-rinse spray
valves to reduce the flow rate to 1.6 gpm, and replace single-pass cooling icemakers if possible.
• Laboratory and Medical Equipment – Agencies should use strategies to reduce water consumption from water treatment systems,
disinfection systems, x-ray equipment, vacuum systems, automatic animal watering systems, and glassware and cage washers.
• Other Water Intensive Processes – Agencies should sub-meter processes where possible and shut off water supply when processes
are not operating. They should replace old equipment with ENERGY STAR-labeled models.
• Alternate Water Sources – Agencies should consult with experts to identify potential non-potable water use while reviewing current
practices, but the use of non-potable water is most effective when incorporated into the design of new facilities
Source: SR Inc “Water Efficiency: Reducing Costs Portfolio-Wide” Report.