scholarly journals A GHG Metric Methodology to Assess Onsite Buildings Non-Potable Water System for Outdoor Landscape Use

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine Seguela ◽  
John R. Littlewood ◽  
George Karani
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Water System ◽  
Competent Authority ◽  
Recycled Water ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
The Impact

This paper documents a water:energy greenhouse gas (GHG) metric methodology for a decentralized non-potable water system that was developed as part of a Professional Doctorate in Engineering (DEng) research project by the first author. The project identified the need to investigate the challenges in changing the use of potable water to recycled water for landscape irrigation (LI) and for water features (WFs) at a medical facility case study (MFCS) in Abu Dhabi (AD) (the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The drivers for the research project were based on the need for AD to decrease desalinated potable water as well as reduce the environmental impact and operational costs associated with the processing and use of desalinated water. Thus, the aim of the research discussed and presented in this paper was to measure the impact of using recycled and onsite non-potable water sources at the MFCS to alleviate the use of desalinated potable water and reduce associated energy consumption, operational costs, and GHG emissions (latterly in terms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), for LI and WFs. The analysis of three case scenarios at the MFCS compared different approaches to alleviate energy use, costs, and GHG impacts for the use of recycled water in LI and WFs against a baseline. The findings led to a proposed sustainable water conservation and reuse (SWC) strategy, which helped save 50% desalinated potable water for LI use by soil improvement, building water system audits, and alternate non-potable water reuse. The recommendations for this paper are to develop a SWC strategy forming the basis for a water protocol by the competent authority for regional medical facilities including an assessment methodology for building decentralized non-potable water systems to measure their energy, GHG emissions and financial impact.

scholarly journals Non-potable Water Quality Assessment Methodology for Water Conservation in Arid Climates

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 215-234
Author(s):  
Geraldine Seguela ◽  
J. R. Littlewood ◽  
G. Karani
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Medical Facility ◽  
Assessment Methodology ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soil Infiltration Rate

Abstract This paper documents a non-potable water (NPW) quality assessment methodology for a decentralized non-potable water system in Abu Dhabi (AD), capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is dominated by sandy and salty soil, high temperature, and humidity. The context is a medical facility case study (MFCS) in AD, which includes a landscape 50% as large as its building footprint. The project identified the need to investigate the impact of air handling unit (AHU) air conditioning (A/C) condensate water (CW) quality on soil health and building hydraulic systems. The aim of the research was to measure the impact of using recycled on-site NPW sources in a MFCS in AD, to alleviate the use of desalinated potable water and reduce associated energy consumption, operation cost, and greenhouse gas emissions for landscape irrigation (LI) and water feature (WF) use. CW has been tested in 2016 and in 2017 and analysed against local authority’s parameter limits to establish suitability for LI and WF use. The findings are that in AD CW classification and characterization is a gap in knowledge whereby salinity and toxicity concentration limits should be addressed by the local authority because CW has an impact on soil infiltration rate due its low dissolved salt content as evidenced by the water test results. The recommendations for this paper are to develop a sustainable water conservation and reuse (SWC) strategy forming the basis for a water protocol by the competent authority for regional medical facility including a methodology for assessing on-site NPW quality for outdoor reuse to reduce soil infiltration problems and consequently conserve water and associated energy. The next steps are to confirm if the MFCS soil infiltration rate is affected by the CW or other factors, and to test additional NPW types.

The climatic influence on sustainable refurbishments and life cycle investing in Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-35
Author(s):  
Chris Heywood ◽  
Eckhart Hertzsch ◽  
Mirek Piechowski
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Asset Management ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Capital Expenditure ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report an investigation of the effect of location on refurbishment strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using the temperate and sub-tropical urban locations in Australia. This occurred within a larger research project that investigated methods for sustainable refurbishments to office buildings and their optimized timing from an investment perspective. Design/methodology/approach – An office building in Melbourne was used to develop seven sets of improvements using an integrated approach to upgrade mechanical services and the building envelope. Using asset management trigger points the impact on net present value and internal rate of return were calculated, taking into account the capital expenditure required, the energy savings due to the refurbishment, as well as a possible rental increase due to the upgrade and lesser operational energy bills for the tenants. To investigate the importance of the location attribute the upgraded building’s performance was modelled in a different climate by using a Brisbane weather file. Findings – A number of unexpected results were found, including that the same sets of improvements had similar reductions in GHG emissions in the two locations, they had similar impacts on the investment criteria and when using the National Australian Building Energy Rating System it was shown that it was easier and cheaper to get an uplift in stars in Melbourne than Brisbane. Research limitations/implications – This location-specific analysis is the result of using a more sophisticated and holistic methodology to analyse sustainable refurbishments that more closely resembles the complexity of the decision making required to make buildings more sustainable. Practical implications – This paper provides a basis for property investors to make decisions about sustainable investments when location is important. This can occur when a portfolio is distributed across various climate zones. Originality/value – The research project that the paper reports addresses the complexity of building attributes, possible sets of improvements to reduce GHG emissions and their investment decisions, within a life cycle view of assets. It is rare that this complexity is addressed as a whole, and rarer that locational climatic differences are examined.

Fluorescence monitoring for cross-connection detection in water reuse systems: Australian case studies

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Hambly ◽  
R. K. Henderson ◽  
A. Baker ◽  
R. M. Stuetz ◽  
S. J. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Monitoring Tool ◽  
Recycled Water ◽  
Fluorescence Excitation ◽  
Dual Distribution ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Australian Case

A rapid, highly sensitive method for detection of cross-connections between recycled and potable water in dual reticulation systems is required. The aim of this research was to determine the potential of fluorescence spectroscopy as a monitoring tool at three Australian dual distribution (drinking and recycled water) systems. Weekly grab samples of recycled and potable water were obtained over 12 weeks at each site and analysed for fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) spectroscopy, UV254, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), electrical conductivity and pH. Fluorescence EEM spectroscopy was able to differentiate between recycled and potable water at each site by monitoring the protein-like fluorescence at peak T—an excitation-emission wavelength pair of λex/em = 300/350 nm. While electrical conductivity was also able to distinguish between recycled and potable water, the differentiation was greatest when using fluorescence. For example, the peak T fluorescence in recycled water was up to 10 times that of potable water in comparison with electrical conductivity that had a maximum 5 times differentiation. Furthermore, by comparing the protein-like fluorescence at peak T and humic-like fluorescence at peak A (λex/em = 235/426 nm), the three different recycled water systems were able to be differentiated. Overall, fluorescence shows promise as a monitoring tool for detecting cross-connections.

The Regeneration Water Research Based on the Characteristics of Jiangnan Water in the Green Ecological Building Area

2012 ◽  
Vol 209-211 ◽  
pp. 492-495
Author(s):  
Dong Ying Xu ◽  
Si Yuan Luo ◽  
Meng Jie Jiang ◽  
Xu Zhi Fang
Keyword(s):  
Potable Water ◽  
Biological Membrane ◽  
Reclaimed Water ◽  
Water System ◽  
Membrane System ◽  
Raw Water ◽  
Recycled Water ◽  
Building Area ◽  
The Village ◽  
Ecological Building

The recycled water is the important way to solve the shortage of water resources. In China the recycled water use in the jiangnan region is still in start level, rare setting up reclaimed water system inside the village . According to designing water system in jiangnan area, using the high quality miscellaneous drainage for raw water, filtering the all sizes of particle in water, and adopting the biological membrane system decompose the organic therein, the water after disinfection can be as the non potable water. This water system is simple in technology, not occupying the land, four years of recyclable cost and the operation maintenance costs are low.

The impact of water resource planning on water issues in Beijing, China

Water Policy ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 612-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Fu ◽  
Dihua Li
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Resource ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Water System ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Water Diversion ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Water Resource Planning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Water Issues

Water has become a critically important resource in Beijing. In this study, a systematic analysis of changes in conditions related to water resources in Beijing since 1949 was performed. These include changes in water quantity and quality, water disasters, as well as an analysis of the evolution of water resource planning in Beijing over this period of time. Also, past approaches to urbanization have been looked at to see whether they exacerbated Beijing's water issues. The aggravating water issues were found to be associated with water resource planning in five ways. Water supply and flood protection projects have failed to control the complex water system and have exacerbated water shortages. Excessive project-oriented water diversion efforts and a lack of resource-oriented water conservation have allowed aquatic environments to deteriorate. Water supply planning has been based on demand that has intensified a lowering of the groundwater table. Improper measures that allowed wastewater to be used for irrigation of agricultural soils have aggravated water pollution. In general, water resource planning has not necessarily been conducive to solving water problems; it has even exacerbated Beijing's water crisis. The results and recommendations of this study may serve as a reference for future water resource planning in Beijing.

The 2020 emissions reduction impact of urban water conservation in California

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Haley ◽  
Jean-Baptiste Gallo ◽  
Abigail Kehr ◽  
Michael Perry ◽  
David Siao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Emissions Reduction ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
End Use ◽  
Year 2000 ◽  
The Impact

This paper assesses the potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction impacts of urban water conservation. Using California as a case study, it estimates this co-benefit of California's statewide urban water conservation goal of 20% per capita reduction by 2020 (relative to a year 2000 baseline). We developed a model of a water supply system to assess the impact of reduced urban water demand on emissions. Embedded energy and emissions were established for each stage of the water supply cycle: supply and conveyance, treatment, distribution, end use and wastewater treatment. We conclude that water conservation, in addition to being an important strategy for adaptation to climate change, represents a significant opportunity for mitigation. Under policies that prioritize savings of water that is heated, the most energy-intensive process in the supply cycle, water conservation offers the potential to conserve 3.5 Mt CO2e in 2020. This result suggests that water conservation could be an important mitigation strategy in other states, even those that are not water-constrained and do not have highly energy intensive supply sources.

scholarly journals Performance assessment of water reuse strategies using integrated framework of urban water metabolism and water-energy-pollution nexus

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 4582-4597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oriana Landa-Cansigno ◽  
Kourosh Behzadian ◽  
Diego I. Davila-Cano ◽  
Luiza C. Campos
Keyword(s):  
Performance Assessment ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Water Reuse ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Planning Horizon ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Metabolism

Abstract This paper evaluates the metabolism-based performance of a number of centralised and decentralised water reuse strategies and their impact on integrated urban water systems (UWS) based on the nexus of water-energy-pollution. The performance assessment is based on a comprehensive and quantitative framework of urban water metabolism developed for integrated UWS over a long-term planning horizon. UWS performance is quantified based on the tracking down of mass balance flows/fluxes of water, energy, materials, costs, pollutants, and other environmental impacts using the WaterMet2 tool. The assessment framework is defined as a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) within the context of the water-energy-pollution nexus. The strategies comprise six decentralised water reuse configurations (greywater or domestic wastewater) and three centralised ones, all within three proportions of adoption by domestic users (i.e. 20, 50, and 100%). This methodology was demonstrated in the real-world case study of San Francisco del Rincon and Purisima del Rincon cities in Mexico. The results indicate that decentralised water reuse strategies using domestic wastewater can provide the best performance in the UWS with respect to water conservation, green house gas (GHG) emissions, and eutrophication indicators, while energy saving is almost negligible. On the other hand, centralised strategies can achieve the best performance for energy saving among the water reuse strategies. The results also show metabolism performance assessment in a complex system such as integrated UWS can reveal the magnitude of the interactions between the nexus elements (i.e. water, energy, and pollution). In addition, it can also reveal any unexpected influences of these elements that might exist between the UWS components and overall system.

scholarly journals Blackwater Event: Water Management and Remediation at a Major Medical Center

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s140-s140
Author(s):  
Priya Sampathkumar ◽  
Debra Apenhorst ◽  
Al Kubly ◽  
Mark Keller ◽  
Alan Wright
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Potable Water ◽  
Water System ◽  
Bottled Water ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Water Testing ◽  
Municipal Water ◽  
The Impact

Background: The CMS and the CDC recommend that all healthcare facilities have an effective water management program (WMP). Our WMP has been in place since 2010; it includes members from facilities operations, infection prevention and control, environmental services, and industrial hygiene. The team meets regularly to discuss current water issues, reviews validation data and water testing reports. Description of event: In April 2018, we suddenly experienced discolored water and sediment at multiple water fixtures throughout the 3.3 million square-foot hospital campus. The hospital incident command structure (HICS) was activated to assist in investigating and managing the situation. Immediate response: Water was deemed unsafe while the cause was being investigated. Bottled water was distributed to 950 hospital patients, and >8,000 staff and visitors. The impact included alternative methods for hand hygiene, the use of bottled water for food preparation and drinking, and the elimination of showers for patients and staff. The dialysis unit used an independent water supply that was not affected. Investigation and remediation: The hospital had 2 sources of domestic cold water: municipal water and a private well that had been in use since 1912. An investigation revealed that the well pump had malfunctioned, drawing gravel into the potable water supply. This overwhelmed the plumbing, blocked toilets and likely dislodged biofilm from the pipes. Early testing showed high levels of corrosion byproducts (ie, iron, copper, and lead) and bacterial contamination in the water, including presence of Legionella. Remediation involved isolating the well, switching to municipal water as the sole source of potable water, flushing the system, and retesting. Overall, 105 technicians flushed the water system including 6,000 water fixtures, 125 drinking fountains, and 95 emergency showers and eyewashes; they sanitized and cleaned 130 ice machines and tested 240 backflow preventers. We retested 437 water samples after remediation; all parameters had returned to the normal range. The existing water process flow diagrams were used to guide sampling for water testing. Conclusions: The hospital’s water system was brought back on line in 78 hours after the first report of “black water.” An active, mature WMP with multiple facilities technicians trained in water sampling enabled a quick response. Coordination through the HICS structure streamlined the response and enabled clear communication throughout the process.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Water Stagnation and Flow Obstruction Reduces the Quality of Potable Water and Increases the Risk of Legionelloses

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Atif Nisar ◽  
Kirstin E. Ross ◽  
Melissa H. Brown ◽  
Richard Bentham ◽  
Harriet Whiley
Keyword(s):  
Potable Water ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Water System ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Water Systems ◽  
Water Safety ◽  
Stagnation Points ◽  
Plumbing Systems ◽  
The Impact

Legionella is an opportunistic waterborne pathogen associated with Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever. Despite improved public awareness, the incidence of Legionella associated infections has been increasing. Aerosols generated from engineered potable water systems are a demonstrated cause of both nosocomial and community-acquired legionellosis. The ecology of Legionella in these systems is complex with multiple factors impacting their colonization and persistence. Flow dynamics has been identified as an important factor and stagnation in cooling towers is an accepted risk for increased Legionella growth; however, less is known about the impact of flow dynamic on Legionella in potable water systems. This is especially complex due to the inherent intermittent and variable usage observed within outlets of a potable water system. This systematic literature review examines the role of fluid dynamics and stagnation on the colonization and growth of Legionella in potable water systems. Twenty two of 24 identified studies show a positive association between stagnation zones and increased colonization of Legionella. These zones included dead legs, dead ends, storage tanks, and obstructed water flow (such as intermittent usage or flow restriction). Prolonged stagnation in building plumbing systems also deteriorates the quality of thermally or chemically treated potable water. This stimulates the colonization of Legionella established biofilms. Such biofilms are intrinsically resistant to disinfection procedures and accelerate the rate of decay of chemical disinfectants. Sub-lethal doses of disinfectants and the presence of protozoan hosts in stationary water promote generation of viable but non-culturable Legionella cells. This results in false negatives in surveillance methods that use culture methodology. In conclusion, elimination of temporal and permanent stagnation points can improve the quality of potable water, efficacy of disinfectants, and reduce the risk of legionellosis. Current guidelines and water safety plans recognize the risks associated with permanent stagnation point (dead ends and dead legs); however, there is a need for greater emphasis on controlling temporal stagnation arising from intermittent usage.

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