2. Got Sustainability?
“…development that fulfills
the needs of the present Graphic – broad concept
Environmental
generation without efficient resource use
compromising the abilities of adaptation to climate change
minimization of waste
future generations to meet preservation of biodiversity
their own needs.”(1)
Focus on long‐term
performance Economic
Social
full‐cost pricing of water
public health
Environmental, Social and reinvestment in
reliability & level of
infrastructure
Economic performance – service
ability to attract capital
employees
Triple Bottom Line (2) affordability of service
community goals &
priorities economic development
2
3. Sustainability and the Water Industry
The water industry is naturally
concerned with sustainability
public health
protection of natural
resources
long asset lives requiring long
term view
EPA Four Pillars (3)
“Sustainable water resource systems
Utility Management
are those designed and managed to
Full Cost Pricing
fully contribute to the objectives of
Efficient Water Use society, now and in the future, while
Watershed Approaches to maintaining their ecological,
Source Protection environmental, and hydrological
integrity” (4)
3
4. What Does Sustainability Mean
to People?
In a practical sense ‐ is it
immediately clear to people
how sustainability relates to
their own work?
How many different perspectives are there in your utility
organization?
Operations, Engineering, Water Quality, Finance, Human
Resources…….
What does it mean to different stakeholders?
Customers, Employees, Regulators, Investors, Taxpayers, NGO’s,
Other Users of Water Resources…….
4
5. Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design (LEED)
Leading measure of
sustainability in construction
Water
Developed and administered by
Efficiency
5
US Green Building Council (5)
Energy &
Atmosphere
Adopted by 31 states, 12 fed
17
agencies, 172 localities (6)
Sustainable
LEED‐NC for new construction
Sites
14 Materials &
Resources
LEED‐NC designed primarily
13
for office buildings, but applied
Indoor
to manufacturing, schools
Environmental
Quality
Multiple levels ‐ Certified,
15
Innovation &
Silver, Gold, Platinum
Design Process
5
6. Bringing Sustainability Into Focus
American Water – A Case Study
In late 2005, American Water embarked on an
initiative to pursue LEED certification for four new
water treatment facilities to be built in Illinois and
Indiana.
Structured framework and goals of LEED provided
playing field for wrestling with concepts of
sustainability
Sustainability into Focus
Connection of sustainability to their jobs
Existing sustainable practices were “discovered”
Search for new opportunities began
6
7. Initiating the Initiative
American Water – A Case Study
Recognized that many existing practices already
contributing to sustainability
Water loss reduction through leak detection and obsolete
main replacement
Meter replacement
Preventative maintenance
Full‐cost water rates, re‐investment in infrastructure
LEED Certification appeared feasible without changes to
budget or schedule of project
7
8. Initiating the Initiative
American Water – A Case Study
Good fit with American Water expertise and
processes
Design‐Build project delivery model facilitates
collaborative design and construction effort necessary
for achieving goal
Life cycle cost analysis standard approach for evaluating
alternatives
Expertise in full life cycle of facilities ‐ planning,
engineering, construction, operation enables thorough
evaluation of constructability, cost, and operability
8
9. Initiating the Initiative
American Water – A Case Study
Achieving Commitment
Benefits
demonstrate environmental
leadership
motivating development
opportunity for employees
Risks to be Mitigated
Public utility commission support
Schedule & Cost
Implementation Plan
Pilot projects
Clear expectations and constraints
Evaluation
9
10. LEED and the Water Utility
American Water – A Case Study
Moving Forward with Appropriate
Constraints
Maintain focus on function, cost‐effectiveness,
value to rate paying customers.
Decision making unchanged – alternatives
appropriately subjected to life cycle cost analysis
Minimize risk by targeting lowest certification
level
Budget & schedule trump certification
Communicate externally after feasibility assured
10
11. Implementation
American Water – A Case Study
LEED certification goal was identified in Requests for
Qualifications and Proposals for design build services
Plans for achieving LEED certification were integral to the
proposals received from prospective design‐build teams
Internal presentations at management and functional
group meetings
Project team orientation – intent, concepts, goals,
constraints
Project delivery unchanged
11
12. Initial Challenges
American Water – A Case Study
Skepticism of real value, viewed as an “extra” thing, a distraction
Common assumption that it would increase costs, could present risk to
recovery of investment in rates
Required stretching beyond familiar designs
LEED‐NC was not designed for water treatment facilities, many
measures are not practical
Challenges overcome when:
It was clear that decision making would not be distorted by
certification goal
It was appreciated that sustainability goals are well aligned with
fundamental priorities and not a change of direction
Enthusiasm of project team members made stretching beyond
familiar approaches fun
12
15. Champaign County Operations, Illinois
Champaign County Water Treatment Facility
Sustainable Sites
reduce storm water runoff, pervious pavement
maintain & restore vegetation
dark‐sky lighting
reduce heat island – reflective roofing and pavement
Water Efficiency
water efficient fixtures
eliminate potable water for irrigation ‐ native landscaping
Energy & Atmosphere
geothermal heating & cooling – raw groundwater supply utilized for energy
optimize building energy performance
Materials & Resources
75% construction waste diverted from landfill
20% recycled content, 20% regional materials
15
16. Champaign County Operations, Illinois
Champaign County Water Treatment Facility
Indoor Environmental Quality
low‐VOC paint and adhesives
90% day‐lighting, lighting and climate controls
Innovation & Design Process (and other features)
Agricultural reuse of lime residuals – 237,500 cubic feet of residual solids
diverted annually from landfills
Recycling of process water ‐ 95 million gallons of water per year recycled,
reducing groundwater withdrawals
Establish native prairie and pheasant habitat
On‐site generation of chlorine, eliminating risk of handling chlorine gas
Variable speed pump drives to optimize operational control and energy use
Exceeded requirements for modeling of regional effects of groundwater
withdrawals. Proactive mitigation of residential well impacts.
Anticipated LEED Certification level – Certified, possible Silver
16
17. West Lafayette, Indiana
Happy Hollow and Davis Ferry WTF’s
Happy Hollow Water Treatment
Facility (WTF) – iron &
manganese filtration plant
3 mgd
Davis Ferry WTF – 4 wells, iron &
manganese filtration plant,
transmission mains.
9 mgd, expandable to 12 mgd
$35 million, Operational June 2009
18. West Lafayette, Indiana
Happy Hollow and Davis Ferry WTF’s
Sustainable Sites
reduce storm water runoff, pervious pavement
maintain & restore vegetation
dark‐sky lighting
reduce heat island – reflective roofing and pavement
Water Efficiency
water efficient fixtures
eliminate potable water for irrigation ‐ native landscaping
Energy & Atmosphere
optimize building energy performance
Materials & Resources
75% construction waste diverted from landfill
20% recycled content, 20% regional materials
18
19. West Lafayette, Indiana
Happy Hollow and Davis Ferry WTF’s
Indoor Environmental Quality
low‐VOC paint and adhesives
lighting and climate controls, 75% day lighting
Innovation & Design Process (and other features)
recycling of process water, reducing load to sanitary sewer and groundwater
withdrawals
establish native prairie habitat, accessible to nature trail
on‐site generation of chlorine, eliminating risk of handling chlorine gas
variable speed pump drives to optimize operational control and energy use
adaptation to climate change uncertainty ‐ well platforms constructed
above the 500‐year flood level
proactive mitigation of residential well impacts
Anticipated LEED Certification level – Certified, possible Silver
19
21. Johnson County Operations, Indiana
London Road Water Treatment Facility
Sustainable Sites
reduce storm water runoff, pervious pavement
maintain & restore vegetation
dark‐sky lighting
reduce heat island – reflective roofing and pavement
Water Efficiency
water efficient fixtures
eliminate potable water for irrigation, native landscaping
Energy & Atmosphere
optimize building energy performance
Materials & Resources
75% construction waste diverted from landfill
20% recycled content, 20% regional materials
21
22. Johnson County Operations, Indiana
London Road Water Treatment Facility
Indoor Environmental Quality
low‐VOC paint and adhesives
lighting and climate controls, 75% day lighting
Innovation & Design Process (and other features)
establish native prairie habitat
on‐site generation of chlorine, eliminating risk of handling chlorine gas
variable speed pump drives to optimize operational control and energy use
adaptation to climate change uncertainty ‐ well platforms constructed
above the 500‐year flood level
proactive mitigation of residential well impacts
provides interconnection of two water systems, increasing reliability of
supply
Anticipated LEED Certification level – Certified, possible Silver
22
23. What was learned about LEED?
American Water – A Case Study
Design‐build project delivery
method is well suited to LEED
No significant additional capital
cost at lower levels of LEED
certification
Employees enthusiastic,
communities positive
Established, structured program
helpful
recognition of LEED “brand”
process for project team to follow
23
24. What was learned about LEED?
American Water – A Case Study
Process “discovered” good
existing practices, new approach
stretched team to implement
others
Practices broadly applicable to all
construction
variable speed drives to optimize
pumping
native vegetation
energy efficient building materials
site selection
concrete specification – fly ash & slag
recycle construction waste
24
27. Sustainability is
integral to the core Operations
business of the Maintenance Water Quality
utility and involves
everyone Utility
Management Engineering
Human Rates &
Resources Finance
27
28. Conclusion ‐ Benefits of
Implementing LEED
Structured program is useful for
building awareness of issues of
sustainability affecting the business
Demonstrate the environmental
leadership that our customers
expect
Independent Recognition &
Publicity
Energy efficiency and reduction in
greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity
28
30. Bibliography
WCED. 1987. The Brundtland Report. World Commission for Environment
1.
and Development.
AwwaRF. 2007. Triple Bottom Line Reporting of Sustainable Water Utility
2.
Performance. American Water Works Association Research Foundation.
http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/
3.
ASCE. 1998. Sustainability Criteria for Water Resources Systems. American
4.
Society of Civil Engineers, UNESCO/PHI IV Project M‐4.3, Reston, Virginia,
253 p.
www.usgbc.org
5.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1852
6.
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/
7.
http://www.epa.gov/climateleaders/
8.
30
31. Contact: Dan Haddock, P.E. *
Senior Project Manager
Wittman Hydro, a Division of Layne
317-696-6980
dan@wittmanhydro.com
* Prior to July 2008 – Engineering Manager, American Water –
Central Region
Dave Elmer, P.E. Brent O’Neill, P.E.
Engineering Manager – Project Delivery Engineering Manager – Project Delivery
Indiana American Water Illinois American Water
david.elmer@amwater.com brent.oneill@amwater.com
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