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THE SUSTAINABILITY SCENE ACUHO-I SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2013 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 10 CONSERVATION CONCEPTS Here are some great concepts for conserving energy through the winter season on campus and for using innovative technologies to recycle wastewater on campus. Sustainability Committee Leadership SUSTAINING MOMENTUM THROUGH THE WINTER SEASON By Jeff Pickett, ohnson Wales University Johnson&and Wales University The idea of going green when the trees are turning brown and the ground develops a thick blanket of white snow can be a tough proposition. You crave to use more power for your electric blanket and want to let your car run for twenty minutes in the morning with the heater blasting for the drive to work. The goal is to maintain a sustainable awareness for the entire year and lead by example. The following are some tips to keep sustainability on your life and campus on track during the colder months. Joshua Belice, University of Maryland Baltimore County: Committee Chair Jill Ramirez, University of Arizona: Committee Chair-Elect Shannon Staten, University of Louisville: Executive Board Liaison Harriet Green-Sappington, University of Missouri: Membership • Double check and make sure windows are closed for breaks • Make sure that thermostats are set to a lower temp 62-65 degrees (No need to have rooms at 80 degrees if nobody is there!) • Unplug appliances that are not needed for the break • Close blinds/curtains to keep heat in. • Scrape dirty dishes before you put them in the dishwasher • Fill the sink with soapy water, if you don’t have a dishwasher. • Use nontoxic de-icing substances for your car and walkways between buildings. • Recycle all bulletin board postings and flyers before break, don’t just trash it! Stephen Hood, Ph.D., University of Alabama: ACE Workgroup Chair Many of these tips seem like no brainers and that everybody should know them, but without a solid reinforcing message, sustainability during the fall/winter can fall on deaf ears. Clear the advertising clutter through new messages on dry erase walls/blackboards and by all electronic means necessary to ensure your institution is green on the inside, even if it is gray on the outside. If you are interested in learning more about more ways to be sustainable during your holiday parties and for more information winter heating safety, visit the following link Trisha Wells, Capstone on Campus: Webinars http://www.epa.gov/epahome/hi-winter.htm#saveenergy Carla Iansiti, Sustainability Officer at Michigan State University Michael Merritt, Redship LLC: Newsletter Contributor Jeff Pickett, Johnson & Wales University: Newsletter Contributor Have an idea for a story or want to learn about a certain topic? E-mail Mike at [email protected] or Jeff at [email protected] to get the most from The Sustainability Scene. HOT TOPICS! TURNING CAMPUS WASTEWATER INTO A RESOURCE Sustainability Facilities Committee Leadership By Eric Lohan, General Manager of Living Machine Systems and Frances Lengowski, AIA, LEED AP, BD+C of VMDO Architects James Bridgeforth, Chair Water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource, made even more valuable by rising rates, drought and infrastructure issues, costing us billions of dollars over the next 20 years. Lauren Gulsby, Secretary With innovative, proven technologies, such as ecological wastewater treatment, campuses today can safeguard themselves against these increasingly volatile constraints. By reclaiming and reusing wastewater on-site, Universities save money, energy and water. Beyond that, campuses protect themselves from risks associated with these service interruptions, all while helping local communities maintain their sources of freshwater and lower their carbon footprint. Owen Gates, Communications & Technology Frances Lengowski, Newsletter Contributor & Liaison Typically, 40% of water used on the average college campus is for non-potable (non-drinking) purposes. This non-potable water can safely and efficiently be replaced with recycled water, which is treated right on campus. Water recycled on-campus can be reused for utility water makeup, irrigation, or toilet flushing. Frank Barlett, LEED Thryrone Henderson, Building Integrated Education How it Works. Following the principles of wetland ecology, an ecological wastewater treatment system, such as the Living Machine® system, can recycle from several thousand to hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per day. Wastewater from the University flows into the primary treatment tank before moving to the Living Machine System. From there, the water moves into a series of wetland cells, or basins, filled with gravel that promotes the development of micro-ecosystems. These flexible cells may be integrated into exterior landscaping or built into a building atria or greenhouse. As water moves through the system, the cells are alternately flooded and drained to create multiple ‘tidal’ cycles each day, much like natural coastal wetlands. The tidal cycles are analogous to breathing – as water leaves a cell, air is passively drawn in providing oxygen for the bacteria and other microrganisms. After the microbial communities efficiently remove nutrients and solids, the water flows into the polishing stage, for final filtration and disinfection, before leaving the system for non-potable reuse. Because all treatment occurs below the surface, it is more than just a wastewater treatment plant: it’s an attractive, highly innovative landscape or building feature, as well as a living-learning laboratory—perfect for a University campus. Case Study: Furman University’s Charles H. Townes Center for Science. When Furman University built its new science building, it had two goals: to demonstrate innovative technology and to provide meaningful research opportunities for students and faculty. With a number of LEED buildings already on-campus, Furman University chose to go beyond LEED standards for the building’s water treatment and supply. The University installed a Living Machine system, which treats 5,000 gallons of wastewater per day, and reuses it for toilet flushing and cage washing in science labs. In conjunction with its treatment goals, the facility provides a first-rate educational experience for the students, while underlining Furman University’s commitment to environmental stewardship. Hank Colker, Sustainable Resources Water Use by Type at a Typical University ͵ͷΨ ͷͷΨ ͳͲΨ ȋǡǡ ǡǡ Ȍ Students in earth and environmental sciences, biology, and chemistry use the system as an on-campus model for the study of biogeochemical processes. Courses on public and environmental health have contrasted the use of different methods for wastewater treatment using the system as an example, and in communications, students have documented the work of the faculty, staff, and students who maintain the system and engage in research with it. The Living Machine has become an integral part of Furman University: a true living-learning laboratory. On-site water reclamation is being utilized throughout the country, in a broad spectrum of sectors, including business, education, hospitality, municipal and military. Even with today’s stringent safety standards, efficient, proven ecological wastewater treatment strategies have become increasingly utilized for non-potable purposes. The Furman University Living Machine system is housed entirely within a Greenhouse right on-campus. Components of a typical Living Machine installation. Foliage grows within the Living Machine treatment cells inside the facility.
