Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports (2016) / Chapter Skim
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Water Efficiency Management Program Guidebook P a r t 1
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3 Secure and dependable water resources are essential to the successful operation of any airport. Water is needed for maintaining food and hospitality concessions within the airport complex, operating cooling towers and basic amenities within the terminal area, cleaning and maintaining aircraft and rental cars, and maintaining grassed areas and landscapes.
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4 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports water it uses to provide its service.) Implementing water efficiency practices can reduce costs and achieve a lower water footprint.
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Introduction 5 • Central heating plants • Airline, aircraft, and cargo facilities For example, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport uses approximately 40,000 gallons of water per day. Exhibit 2 shows how the water use is distributed among facilities and end uses.
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6 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports These motivations are influenced by factors that airports consistently consider, including resource abundance or scarcity, budget, management priorities, and stakeholder support. Many airports in water-stressed regions have implemented water efficiency measures in response to local or state ordinances to reduce water consumption.
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Introduction 7 • Resource Abundance or Scarcity. Airports seeking to implement water efficiency strategies or measures must understand the current condition of their water source.
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8 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Supplemental Information Throughout the guidebook, case studies, informational sidebars, toolbox icons, and sections on specific challenges provide supplemental information: • Case studies are set apart in shaded boxes and provide specific examples and lessons learned. • Sidebars provide additional information and suggestions on a topic.
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Introduction 9 There are two parking facilities each with about 3,000 square feet of turf landscaping that are watered three times a week. No vehicle washing occurs at these facilities.
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10 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Meter # Locaon Classificaon GPD 1 Main terminal 40,000 2 Main terminal 80,000 3 Main terminal 5,000 4 Main terminal Cooling 75,000 5 Main terminal Irrigaon 5,000 6 Main terminal Irrigaon 2,000 7 Main terminal Irrigaon 3,000 8 Internaonal terminal 20,000 9 Internaonal terminal 10,000 10 Internaonal terminal Cooling 40,000 11 Internaonal terminal Irrigaon 2,000 12 Internaonal terminal Irrigaon 1,000 13 Execuve lounge 1,200 14 East parking 500 15 West parking 500 16 Shule facility 5,000 17 Rental car center 7,000 18 Rental car center Irrigaon 200 19 Rental car center Irrigaon 100 20 Rental car center 3,000 21 Hangar 1 1,500 22 Hangar 1 500 23 Hangar 2 500 24 Hangar 2 500 25 Corporate hangars 500 26 Deicing pad 3,000 27 Food services 3,000 28 Food services 2,000 29 Food services 1,000 30 ARFF 1,000 31 Airport office 800 32 FAA office 200 33 FAA tower 100 34 Cargo services 900 35 Cargo services 100 Total 316,100 Exhibit 3. Annual average metered water use.
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11 Water is essential to everyday life. Water is used every day for many different reasons, including drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene.
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12 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports WaterSense at Work highlights some of the benefits of water efficiency for commercial and institutional facilities. The following information may be useful when explaining the reasons why water efficiency at airports should be a high priority: • Achieve cost savings.
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Why Should an Airport Reduce Its Water Usage? 13 make a facility more water and energy efficient helps an organization earn recognition from local green building programs, the U.S.
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14 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Evaluation of an Airport's Water Efficiency A water efficiency program should reduce water use by employing three methods: • Fixing leaks and reducing water loss • Replacing high water use fixtures, equipment, and systems with more water-efficient options • Educating employees and occupants about water efficiency to encourage water-saving behaviors All three methods require a thorough understanding of water use. The first step in determining the design of an airport's water efficiency program is to determine where the airport's water is going.
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15 This chapter will help airports generate a water footprint baseline. In doing so, it will use the End Use Water Audit Tool that was developed as part of this guidance development effort.
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16 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Maintenance staff should be able to identify the meter locations and which buildings (facilities) are served by each meter.
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Generating a Water Footprint Baseline 17 The level of detail shown in Exhibit 5 may be as far as the estimate of the footprint of water use can go based upon water meter data. The next step in developing the baseline water footprint goes inside the facilities in an effort to understand in more detail how water is used beyond the meter.
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18 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports • Food service and flight kitchens – Kitchen faucets – Ice machines – Pre-rinse spray valves – Dishwashers – Dipper wells • Landscaping – Outdoor irrigation • Hotel guestrooms – Toilets – Showers – Faucets • Break rooms – Faucets • Maintenance – Cooling – Boiler – Vehicle washing – Laundry – Pavement cleaning/runway rubber removal – Training – Snow removal • Airline/aircraft/cargo – Onboard aircraft water – Deicing – Fire suppression • Other – Other Notes for Understanding Water Use The End Use Water Audit Tool contains a series of scratch sheet templates that can be used to gather data on water use at the airport. The purpose of the tool is to aid in understanding the water usage at airports.
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Generating a Water Footprint Baseline 19 For each of the end uses listed in the Water End Uses section, there is an associated unit of measure that determines the frequency of use and thus the daily volume of water used. For example, water use in restrooms in terminals is associated with the number of passengers, while water use in office and maintenance restrooms is associated with the number of employees.
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20 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports or the water use records. The airport authority may have information on the volume of metered water entering the facility but no information on how water is used within the facility or how efficiently it is being used.
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21 This chapter explains how to identify potential targets for water efficiency improvements. It assumes that the airport manager has already developed the baseline water use assessment as described in Chapter 2 and thus has information on where and how water is being used across the airport campus.
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22 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Exhibit 6. Example of airport water use footprint by facility group, water use area, and end use.
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Defining Targets 23 current water use are based upon a review of water use fixtures and the proportion of existing fixtures among the three levels of efficiency for each end use in each facility: • Older, less efficient technology • Standard efficiency • The best available technology The total estimated water use as shown in Exhibit 6 is within 159 GPD of the actual water use total showed previously in Exhibit 5. The calibration of the tool to the actual water use is described in Part 2, Tool 1.
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24 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports (i.e., better efficiency of use) , the re-allocation of water volumes to classified uses, or possibly the identification of leakage in these facilities.
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Defining Targets 25 According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency website a few standard practices for maintaining and using in-ground irrigation system are as follows: • Irrigate hydrozones based upon the plants' water needs • Install weather-based SMART irrigation controllers • Regularly inspect the sprinkler heads to make sure they are not damaged or malfunctioning in any way • Adjust sprinklers so they are not spraying water on paved surfaces • Install and maintain rain sensors, either wireless or wired, on the irrigation controller if sensors are not built-in • Have an irrigation professional design, install, and maintain the irrigation system • Specify in professional services contracts and check regularly that landscaping maintenance employees/contractors follow landscape industry best management practices Cooling Towers In many locations, one of the critical water end uses at airports is cooling tower make-up water. By definition, evaporative cooling towers must replace the water lost to evaporation during the thermal exchange process.
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26 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports The quality of the potable water can provide an upper limit to the cycles of concentration as highly mineralized water tends to precipitate and coat the media in the cooling tower as it is recirculated through the system prior to being removed via blowdown. For example, at airports that have potable water with high mineral content, the cycles of concentration may be limited to 2 to 3 cycles.
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Defining Targets 27 systems that can recover vapor and reduce blowdown. This study paper can be used to show decision makers how to modify the use and maintenance of the cooling towers to help reduce the water use at their airport.
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28 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Airports should contact their state programs or consult the state regulations on water use/reuse before making any decisions about, or making changes to, the discharge of water from their facility. In some cases, a state may require a facility to obtain a water quality/reclaimed water/ water reuse permit.
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29 Implement Water Efficiency Measures This chapter discusses how to choose which water efficiency measures to implement and how to develop an implementation strategy. This chapter assumes a baseline water footprint has already been established, as described in Chapter 2, and the potential targets for water use efficiency improvements have been identified, as described in Chapter 3.
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30 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports alternative measures and when those costs are likely to be incurred. The benefit of the measures can be valued by the cost of the water saved, or the amount the airport would have spent on water under its baseline.
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Evaluating and Choosing Water Efficiency Measures and Strategies 31 available; airports may have existing programs that can be adapted, as well. Spreadsheet programs can be used to conduct the analysis.
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32 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports 5. Analyze the sensitivity of the results to the assumptions made by the analysis.
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Evaluating and Choosing Water Efficiency Measures and Strategies 33 Evaluating the Effect of Water Efficiency Programs on the Bottom Line The present value of the program is the most robust estimate of the value of the program. The program with the highest net present value will always be the program that provides the highest value to the airport.
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34 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports provides more visibility and improved public relations may be preferred over a measure with a lower unit cost. Such trade-offs should be discussed among the stakeholders, and decisions should be driven by achieving the agreed-upon goals.
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Evaluating and Choosing Water Efficiency Measures and Strategies 35 Challenge: Water Use Related to Safety Airports use a significant volume of water for practices related to safety. For example, testing fire suppression systems is a critical practice that can consume thousands of gallons of water each day.
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36 Not all water efficiency programs are the same, but the basic concepts of designing a water efficiency program are similar to those of other environmental or sustainability programs at airports. For any program to be successful, it must involve management, the employees, and all interested stakeholders early and often.
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How to Design a Program 37 Prepare an Action Plan Using the goals developed by the water efficiency management team, the team should develop a flexible plan that can meet changes in demand, limitations on water availability (especially for airports facing drought conditions) , and airport needs.
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38 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports include free product distribution, partial rebates on purchases of water- and energy-efficient products, financial incentives based on total gallons of water saved from implementing largescale projects, and billing offsets based on submetered water use that can account for water that is not being sent to the sewer (e.g., metering cooling tower make-up water and blowdown water to account for evaporation)
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How to Design a Program 39 Conservation Implementation Task Force's Best Management Practices for Industrial Water Users and can serve as guidelines for effectively enlisting employees' and tenants' support, keeping them informed about the program, and seeking their participation on an ongoing basis: • Establish an employee water use education program. The education program should communicate information about – The importance of and need for maintaining a water efficiency program at the airport – The importance of each individual's contribution to the success of the program and the community – How specific water-saving measures by individuals can reduce overall consumption – How specific water-saving measures by employees working together as a team can result in major water use reductions – Any new procedures or equipment that should be implemented • Use a wide variety of communication media to help keep the message current and to reinforce the importance of the airport's water efficiency efforts.
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40 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports experiences of airports with successful water efficiency efforts vary so widely. Solution: Developing an airport-specific water efficiency management plan can avoid the trap of a one-size-fits-all approach.
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41 Design a Successful Strategy A carefully crafted and targeted implementation strategy can increase the success of the program and can help airports achieve their water efficiency management goals. Each airport will have a unique implementation strategy.
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42 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports may be available to assist in implementation, such as other employees, utility and government programs, interns, or engineering students. By the time airports implement their programs, they will have already assessed their financial needs, established budgets, determined available resources, and begun to secure these resources.
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Implementing the Water Efficiency Program 43 The purpose of the training is to provide employees, with the support of the standard operating procedures, a unified and comprehensive understanding of the program. The training should focus specifically on employees' roles and responsibilities in the program, including best practices and the resources available to staff to help them to carry out the actions (for example, a hotline to report leaks or other wastes of water to facility managers and other maintenance personnel)
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44 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports airports should follow and can help facility managers evaluate whether maintenance personnel understand the practices. When developing the training, airports should consider involving their water utility (drinking water or wastewater)
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Implementing the Water Efficiency Program 45 foundation for the program, allowing stakeholders to more easily discuss the program, its vision, and goals. The development of the mission statement may include a subset of the team; typically, three to six people are a good size for a writing team.
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46 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports Communication plans may include the following steps: 1. Summarize the program's goals and objectives (established in the action plan)
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Implementing the Water Efficiency Program 47 Step 5. Craft the Messaging Developing a clear, simple, but robust message that appeals to the broad range of stakeholders and can be used when updating the websites, press releases, brochures, and other promotional material can help make the water efficiency management program consistent and memorable.
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48 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports water-efficient practices are important. The following is a list of basic means of communication that airports may use to reach their audience: • Social media post • Logos with a slogan • Water conservation display highlighting different aspects of water use affected by the program (e.g., landscaping, high-efficiency plumbing products)
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49 The water efficiency management team should periodically conduct a formal review of water end use data and the action plan and determine if the program is achieving the established goals. This review will allow the airport to evaluate progress, set new goals, and continually improve.
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50 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports 8. Life-cycle costing is the key to evaluating water conservation options.
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51 A critical component of an airport's development of a water efficiency program is an evaluation of the program's economic feasibility. As explained in Chapter 4, cost-benefit analyses can help airports compare alternative water efficiency measures and choose those that have the highest value for the airport.
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52 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports sit-down restaurants, and four coffee shops. The terminal has a cooling tower and has about 50,000 square feet of turf landscaping that is watered three times a week.
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An Example Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Efficiency Measures 53 in Part 1, Chapter 2, and an example is provided in Part 2, Tool 1.) Exhibit A2 summarizes water use and potential savings by water use area, while Exhibit A3 breaks water use down by end uses.
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54 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports The End Use Water Audit Tool analysis shows that the airport can save a significant amount of water by upgrading the fixtures in its restrooms. While the fixtures are relatively efficient, restrooms use almost 89,000 gallons of water per day so even small improvements can save substantial amounts of water.
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An Example Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Efficiency Measures 55 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Restroom Retrofit The airport is exploring replacing toilets, urinals, and faucets in the domestic and international terminals. (A fixed base operator manages the executive terminal and is responsible for its water use.)
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56 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports the water savings. The next column shows the net benefit each year (i.e., the difference between costs and benefits)
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An Example Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Efficiency Measures 57 The unit cost per thousand gallons, or the cost-effectiveness ratio, is the absolute value of the sum of the discounted costs in column 8 ($96,941) divided by the sum of the discounted water saved in column 9 (103,849,000 gallons)
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58 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports with a lower drift rate) and operates at a higher number of cycles per concentration.
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An Example Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Efficiency Measures 59 Cost-Benefit Analysis of Landscape Modifications As indicated in the description of the example airport, there are a number of facilities with irrigated landscape. As discussed in the Tool 1 illustration of the End Use Water Audit Tool using this example airport, those facilities at which irrigation water use is separately metered indicate a very poor level of irrigation efficiency.
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60 Water Efficiency Management Strategies for Airports for some of the facilities to better reflect actual (metered) irrigation water use.
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An Example Cost-Benefit Analysis of Water Efficiency Measures 61 The second proposal to replace all landscaping and have a contractor provide annual maintenance is more cost effective than maintaining the current landscaping and improving the irrigation efficiency with airport staff. Summary of Cost-Benefit Analysis Exhibit A13 shows the bottom line of the analyses of upgrading fixtures, cooling towers, and landscape irrigation.
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