Green Plumbing and
Mechanical Code Supplement
Doug Kirk
IAPMO Director of
Green Plumbing Curriculum
[email protected]
• Uniform Codes - developed with critical
eye on sustainability
• 2007- IAPMO Board calls for a reduction in
energy and water consumption in the
Uniform Plumbing and Mechanical Codes.
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IAPMO Green
• IAPMO Board creates two committees to
accomplish goals
– Committee for the Awareness and
Understanding of a Sustainable Environment (CAUSE)
• Buildings profound impact on environment, economy, health, and productivity.
– In the United States alone, buildings account for: • 65% of electricity consumption,
• 36% of energy use, • 30% of waste output,
• 12% of potable water consumption.
• Water constraints – Drought – Infrastructure – Shortage 4
Driving Forces
SD MO NE KS AL SC NC MI WI KY VT NH MD DENJ CTRI MA TX WY CA MT NM IL IA CO OR NY LA PA ND UT MN ID OH AZ NV OK WA GA FL AR MS TN VA IN ME WV Statewide (2) Regional (16) Local (18) None (9) No response or uncertain (5) AK HI
• Anticipated Water Shortages - US EPA estimates that 38 States will experience non-drought related water shortages by the year 2015
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Green Technical Committee
(GTC)
Comprised of a diverse, 25 member group
of experts in Green plumbing and
mechanical fields
• Inspectors, plumbers, mechanics, contractors, engineers, manufacturers, trade associations and energy and water conservation
authorities.
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Green Technical Committee
(GTC)
• 8 task groups (85 people in total)
– Plumbing Fixtures and Fittings – HVACR
– Hot Water Systems – Water Pipe Sizing*
– Alternate Water Sources – Nonpotable – Potable Rainwater Catchment Systems
Green Technical Committee
(GTC)
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GTC Objectives
• Develop Green Plumbing and
Mechanical Code Supplement
• Identify opportunities to make
Green Plumbing and
GPMCS Having Immediate
Impact
• Serves as the basis of:
– City of Los Angeles water conservation ordinance
– Georgia Senate Bill 370, a comprehensive water conservation law
– Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
(CMAP) Model Water Conservation Ordinance – City of Houston Plumbing Code
What is the Green
Supplement?
• Turnkey document
– IAPMO philosophy – Covers all aspects of
sustainability related to:
– Residential and commercial sustainable plumbing and mechanical systems
What is the Green
Supplement?
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• Regulatory framework written in code language
– elevate sustainable construction practices
– maintain IAPMO’s high standards for protecting public health, safety and welfare.
• Minimum baseline for sustainability
• Repository for provisions that can be integrated into ANY code.
What is the Green
Supplement?
• Most comprehensive document ever created regarding residential and commercial
sustainable plumbing and mechanical systems.
•
• Designed to work with (or supplement) any and all plumbing and mechanical codes in use today • Designed with green building rating schemes in
mind
What is the Green
Supplement?
Why the Need?
Why the Need?
• Nothing focusing solely on plumbing and
mechanical systems.
• Nothing covering all aspects of sustainable
construction for
RESIDENTIAL
and
COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS
.
• Key stakeholders never brought together to
properly vet sustainable plumbing and
What It Covers
What it Covers?
• Water and energy efficiency
• Alternate water source use
• Indoor environmental quality
• Installer qualifications
Water Efficiency and Conservation
• 20% + more efficient than UPC
• Coverage areas:
– High efficiency plumbing fittings, fixtures and appliances.
– Water softening equipment – Boiler makeup water
– Occupancy specific provision in restaurants and medical facilities
– Cooling towers and evaporative coolers
• Reliance on EPA WaterSense
Specifications
– Products must be 3rd party certified
High Efficiency Plumbing
Fixtures and Fittings
Consistent with several State
Green initiatives
• Texas, California, Georgia
• 1.28 gpf toilets except for flushometer
valves
• 0.5 gpf urinals
• Effective dates:
Vary state to state but some are in force
now and others are in transition. All by
2014
• 1.28 gpf max toilets
– Gravity – Pressure assist – Dual flush• 1.6 gpf max flushometer
valve
High Efficiency Plumbing
Fixtures and Fittings
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High Efficiency Plumbing
Fixtures and Fittings
• 0.5 gpf or less urinals (HEU’s)
– Nonwater using urinals
• Supply line rough-in at minimum
height for backflow prevention device
• Shut off to isolate dead end
• 1 water-supplied fixture upstream (on drain).
Lavatory faucets
• Residential -1.5 gpm
• Commercial –
– 0.5 gpm
– 0.25 gallons per
High Efficiency Plumbing
Fixtures and Fittings
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High Efficiency Plumbing
Fixtures and Fittings
• 2.0 gpm max
showerheads
• Auto compensating
valve rated at flow
rate of showerhead
• Tub diverter leakage
Multiple Showerheads in a
Compartment
• 2.0 gpm max per
1,800 sq. in.
• No limit on number of
outlets
Pre-Rinse Spray Valves
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• Maximum flow rate of 1.6
gpm
• Auto shut off
• Typical valves-
– consume 2/3 of water used in a restaurant – exceed 3.0 gpm
Submeters
• Required in commercial applications
– Landscape irrigation systems – High water-using processes – Tenant spaces
– Makeup water to cooling towers,
evaporative condensers, large boiler – Means of communicating data to
Maximum Water Pressure
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• 60 psi maximum
• Less water loss due to leakage
• Less consumption
• Less wear and tear on mechanical
components
Water Softeners and Water
Treatment Systems
• Timer regeneration prohibited
– Demand initiation regeneration
• Auto shut off for RO discharge
Alternate Water Sources
• Comprehensive provisions addressing
– Rainwater harvesting (nonpotable and potable)
–
– Reclaimed/Recycled water
–
– Gray water
– On-site treated nonpotable water systems.
It is a complex world of changing habits,
regulations and expectations. For some,
green thinking constitutes an unwelcome
distraction, an intrusion into the normal
course of business, but they couldn’t be
more wrong. Increasingly, “business as
usual” means green business.
Companies that embrace sustainable
practices are finding that green business is
not just a better way of doing business, it is a
gateway to new opportunities that could help
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Business Opportunities
Conservation minded customers
New technologies create repeat business
Water Audits (rebates from utilities?)
Opportunities with hospitals and hotels/
motels if shown ROI
Calculating Water Savings
Toilet Water Use
Number of Persons x Flushes per Day x GPF x Days per Year 3 People x 6 Flushes per Day x 5 GPF x 365 = 32,850 Gallons
3 People x 6 Flushes per Day x 19 Lpf x 365 = 124,350 Liters
3 People x 6 Flushes per Day x 1.28 GPF x 365 = 8,410 Gallons
3 People x 6 Flushes per Day x 4.8 Lpf x 365 = 31,835 Liters
40 Shower Water Use
Number of persons x min per day x GPM x days per year 3 People x 10 min per day x 4 GPM x 365 = 43,800 gallons
3 People x 10 min per day x 15 Lpm x 365 = 165,800 Liters
3 People x 10 min per day x 1.6 GPM x 365 =17,520 gallons
3 People x 10 min per day x 4.8 Lpm x 365 = 66,320 Liters
Savings achieved by with a high-efficiency
showerhead = 26,280 gallons (99,480Liters) per year!
Washing Machine Use
Number of loads per year x 2.77 cu ft x 13.3 gallons per cu ft 392 loads x 2.77 cu ft x 13.3 gallons per cu ft = 14,442 gallons
392 loads x .078M3 x 50 liters per .078 M3 = 54,670 liters
392 loads x 2.77 cu ft x 4.5 gallons per cu ft = 4,886 gallons 392 loads x .078M3 x 17 liters per .078 M3 = 18,495 liters
Savings achieved by with a high-efficiency washing
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Calculating Water & Sewer Savings
Sewer Rate = $7.75 per CCF (1 CCF = 748.052) Gallons Water Rate = $3.36 per CCF
Combined Water & Sewer = $11.11 / ccf
24,440 saving from water closets 26,280 saving from showers
9,556 saving from washing machine
60,276 gallons saved/ 748.052 = 80.58 ccf
Calculating Energy Savings
(Natural Gas)
26,280 gal saved from showers
4,778 gal saved from washing machine (9556 gals / 2) 31,058 gallons heated water saved
31,058 x 8.35 lbs = 259,334 lb
259,334 lbs x 55°f =14,263,386 btu
14,263,386 btu /100,000 =142.63 therms 142.63 therms x 1.27 / therm = $181.14
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26,280 gal saved from showers
4,778 gal saved from washing machine (9556 gals / 2) 31,058 gallons heated water saved
31,058 x 8.35 lbs = 259,334 lb
259,334 lbs x 55°f =14,263,386 btu 14,263,386 / 3412 = 4,180.36 kWh 4,180.36 x .079 / kWh = $ 333.25
$333.25 / .9 (heater efficiency) = $366.94
Calculating Energy Savings
(Electricity)
Calculating Water, Sewer
& Energy Savings (NG)
60,276 gallons saved/ 748.052 = 80.58 ccf
80.58 ccf x 11.11 / ccf = $895.24 saved
142.63 therms x 1.27 / therm = $181.04 176.86 / .56 (heater efficiency) = $323.46
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Calculating Water, Sewer
& Energy Savings (elect.)
60,276 gallons saved/ 748.052 = 80.58 ccf
80.58 ccf x 11.11 / ccf = $895.24 saved
4,180.36 x .079 / kWh = $ 330.25
$330.25 / .9 (heater efficiency) = $366.94
