Vacuum Plumbing and a Sustainable Future by AcornVac

© GreenCE, Inc. 2011

Ruth AkinsAcornVac, Inc.

Vacuum Plumbing Systems13818 Oaks Avenue

Chino, CA 91710800-591-9920909-902-1141

[email protected] or [email protected]

Approved Promotional Statement:

• InfoSpec, Inc. is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.

• This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA or InfoSpec, Inc. of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

• Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

• Course Format: This is a structured, live, instructor-led course.• Course Credit: 1 Health Safety & Welfare (HSW), Sustainable

Design (SD) Learning Unit (LU)• Completion Certificate: A copy is sent to you by email upon request.

When you fill out the Course Attendance, please indicate if you need one. Also please ensure the information you provide is legible. Send email requests to [email protected]

Design professionals: Certificates of Completion are sent to your email address

USGBC CE Program

Approved for 1 GBCI CE Hour for LEED Professionals

Vacuum Plumbing and a Sustainable FutureUSGBC Course ID: 009000xxxx

InfoSpec, Inc.

Protect and Conserve Water

If 1 gallon represents all of the water in the world, about 1 teaspoon represents all of the fresh water we have for

everything we need.

• Buildings are one of the single largest consumers of raw materials, energy, and water.

• Buildings produce huge amounts of waste, emit CO2 gases, and literally change the environment around them (producing heat and spilling large amounts of rainwater into streets and sewers).

• Federal sector alone: Water and sewer from buildings run between $0.5 billion and $1 billion annually.

Example: Typical Office - 20 people

• Reducing water consumption and protecting water quality are key objectives of sustainable design.

• Water consumption in many areas exceeds aquifer’s ability to replenish itself.

• To the maximum extent feasible, facilities should reduce potable water consumption

Sources: Whole Building Design Guide; www.wbdg.org/index.php and U.S. Department of Energy; Federal Energy Management Program

A typical employee in a typical facility uses approximately 15 gallons of water per day (gpd). Based on that usage, a typical Federal office building of approx. 200 employees uses about 3,000 gpd.

• 1,230 gpd for domestic needs.• 810 gpd for cooling and heating needs.• 600 gpd for landscape needs.• 360 gpd for other water needs.

To protect and conserve water, it is important to:•Reduce, control, and treat surface runoff. •Use low or ultra-low flow fixtures, vacuum plumbing, eliminate leaks, water conserving cooling towers, etc. •Improve water quality•Harvest/recover rainwater•Establish waste treatment and recycling centers.•Apply Best Management Practices

Water conservation must also be a key consideration in the reuse or renovation of an existing building. There is more waste water generated and dispersed today than at any other time in the history of our planet, contributing to energy costs and pollution.

Meeting the Water Needs in Buildings• Specify water efficiency

• Use low or ultra-low water-efficient plumbing fixtures

• Meter water usage

• Install water-conserving cooling towers designed with delimiters to reduce drift and evaporation.

• Design landscaping for water efficiency (native plants)

• Schedule irrigation at dawn and dusk; use rainwater for irrigation.

• Eliminate leaks

• Commission water and sewer systems as part of the project quality assurance process

• New technologies have emerged to specifically address water efficiency. Vacuum plumbing…the next step in the evolution of modern plumbing.

• Reduces annual water, sewage, and maintenance costs• Minimizes spread of bacteria• Maximizes flexibility in space planning and design.• The biggest water saving impact can be made in restrooms • Vacuum plumbing takes it to the next level

Employing water-conserving systems, such as vacuum plumbing systems, and practicing water conservation not only reduces demand on municipal water supply, but also reduces energy use and cost associated with treating and distributing water.

Saving water and energy saves money!

• Simple and practical alternatives to gravity drainage.

• Uses combined energies of vacuum pressure and gravity for collection, conveyance, and disposal of waste through a piping network that can be routed above ground.

• Majority of drainage system under continuous vacuum.

• Hundreds in operation around the world in homes, restaurants, hospitals, retail stores, etc.

Vacuum vs. Standard

It’s the Environmental Choice!

• Vacuum toilet can reduce potable water consumption by 68%

• Requires only a ½ gallon of water.

• Water savings can be thousands of dollars and millions of gallons/year for larger applications.

Certifications and Listings

• IPC/UPC - A viable drainage solution

• Local/State codes - Approved alternative for a variety of waste – condensate – graywater – sanitary waste – grease waste.

• The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Shield = complies with BOTH the product’s performance standard AND the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).

• Relies on gravity to move waste to sewer mains.

• Requires digging, trenching for underground piping and drains for continuous downward sloping

• Standard toilet = 1.6 gpf

• HETs = 1.28 gpf.

• EPA - toilets consume the largest amount of water of all indoor fixtures and appliances.

• That is, 27%.

Sources: Whole Building Design Guide; www.wbdg.org/index.php and U.S. Department of Energy; Federal Energy Management Program

• When flushed, water forces waste out of the bowl.

• A significant amount of water is necessary to carry waste out, clean the bowl, and refill for the next use.

• These toilets, of course, can also often develop leaks, which contribute to water consumption and waste.

• Gravity plumbing system = drain, waste stack, and vent system.

• The waste stack carries waste to sewage system.

• Vent runs to exterior of building– Allows gas/bacteria to escape

– Equalizes pressure in pipes.

• Should a vent become clogged, gas cannot escape and air cannot push water through the pipes, so dangerous waste, gas, and bacteria can back up into the drains and fixtures.

Vacuum plumbing systems and toilets are significantly more water efficient than their low-flush, gravity plumbing counterparts.

Low Flush

High Efficiency

Flush

• Not dictated by gravity or slope

• Closed piping network located in the building instead of buried underground

• Reduces design costs, minimizes/eliminates the need for trenching/foundation penetration

• Self-venting

• No waste stacks/vents protruding from exterior of the building

• Virtually eliminates clogged piping

• Not affected by debris as in gravity plumbing

• Above grade access makes maintenance/repairs easier and less costly because they are easier to get to.

What happens if the vacuum piping network develops a leak?

vacuum pulls air in, not water out

Interface Valves and Collection Points

• Sanitary/graywater collection points include toilets, sinks, showers, urinals, and drinking fountains.

• Condensate collection points consist of refrigeration coils, service coolers and freezers as well as frozen and refrigerated food display cases.

• Interface introduces waste to vacuum piping network and transports to the vac center.

• Interface components include a normally closed Extraction Valve (separates from atmospheric pressure) and Controller (operates extraction valve).

Conveyance System

Storage/Disposal Components

Flexible piping transports waste to vac station

Waste water routes to storage tanks for discharge to sewer system

Institutional Construction

Commercial Construction

Educational Buildings Grocery Stores

Public Buildings Airports

Prisons Sport Venues

Healthcare Facilities Hotels

Detention Centers Office Buildings

• Low-cost alternative to vacuum valve operation and control .

• Used to operate interface valve.

• Non-networked, powered by pressure

• No electrical service.

Pneumatic Valve Control

Toilet Flush Button

Accumulator Sensor Port

Extraction Valve

Lift StationController

Accumulator

Electronic Valve Control

• Control and monitoring through dedicated server and software.

• All valves controlled via a 12-port valve controller.

• Can be tied to a local area network (allows for remote monitoring and control of valve activity). 

Vacuum Toilet

• Fully networked

• Complete visibility and control of individually addressed valves

• Control and communication with individual valves is facilitated through system Zone Control Panels for valves servicing up to 12 individual vacuum lifts.

• Designed to accommodate a maximum of 23 Zone Control Panels, or 276 individually addressed vacuum valves and 92 ancillary valves.

• Includes local area network communication with all valves (remote monitoring).

Zone Valve Control

The Large Trap Demonstrates

Flow Only

Normally Closed Extraction Valve

Pipe Accumulator

Graywater Collection Point

Commercial Office Building – 500 people, WC Water use with gravity low flush fixtures

• Total water demand with gravity system:– Approx. 3.6 gallons per person per day

– 1,781 gallons per day

– 445,250 gallons per year

• Total water demand with vacuum system:– Approx. 1.5 gallons per person per day

– 750 gallons per day

– 187,500 gallons per year

• Estimated water and sewage process savings approximately 257,750 gallons per year or 58% annual requirement

Department Store, Approximately 100,000 shoppers per week• Using gravity low flush drainage fixtures:

– Projected annual water supply and sewage output = 1,341,600 gallons

• Using vacuum flush water closets and gravity urinals:– Projected annual water and sewage process savings approximately

598,000 gallons per year

Restaurant, Average 5,000 guests per week (does not include staff)• Using gravity low flush drainage fixtures:

– Projected annual water supply and sewage output = 206,180 gallons

• Using vacuum flush water closets and gravity urinals:– Projected annual water and sewage process savings approximately

91,052 gallons per year

• Water savings = environmental benefits– Gallon for gallon, directly decreases impact on sewer and

treatment systems– Saves materials– Eliminates ground leaks and contamination

• Can contribute toward a project becoming LEED certified

A closer look at vacuum plumbing green attributes

Some Terms You Should Know:

Potable water – water that is safe for drinking and cooking.

Non-potable water – water that is unsafe or unpalatable to drink because it contains pollutants, contaminants, minerals, or infective agents.

Graywater – domestic wastewater composed of wash water from kitchen, bathroom, and laundry sinks, tubs, and washers.

epa.gov

• Because of the current water shortage, it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the demand on our water supply.

• Vacuum plumbing has extreme water conservation advantages!

WATER USAGE

• Promising alternatives for supplying water in the face of increasing water scarcity

• The pressures on traditional fresh water sources constrained

• Rainwater harvesting = self-reliance/sustainability = conservation of precious resources.

Commercial Tank Residential Tank

• Water efficiency translates to energy savings. Energy savings translates to a reduction of environmental impacts associated with energy use.

• USGBC notes that water efficiency reduces the amount of energy needed to heat, cool, treat, and distribute water—not only saving energy, but also resulting in cost savings.

• No waste line trenching = no issues associated with concrete dust or asbestos abatement = a healthier, safer environment

• No “plume” – vacuum pulls air into the toilet and eliminates splash during the flush cycle.

• This minimizes the spread of bacteria and contributes to better indoor air quality.

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainability and reducing the impacts of construction and buildings on the environment.

• The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) program six main categories:– Sustainable Sites– Water Efficiency– Energy and Atmosphere– Materials and Resources– Indoor Environmental Quality– Innovation and Design

Applicable Categories:

•Water Efficiency– Water Use Reduction– Innovative Wastewater Technologies

•Materials and Resources– Building Reuse

•Innovation in Design

• Water Use Reduction = increase water efficiency within buildings to reduce the burden on municipal water supply and wastewater systems.

• A typical vacuum system can reduce potable water consumption for toilets by 68% with a highly efficient vacuum flush toilet, conserving energy and reducing associated costs.

LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction

• Wastewater Technologies = reduce wastewater generation and potable water demand while increasing the local aquifer recharge.

• Water and waste treatment savings are one of the most important features of this technology

• A graywater recycling system and/or rainwater harvesting system incorporated into the vacuum system = the ultimate in water efficiency.

• Building Reuse = extend the life cycle of existing building stock, conserve resources, retain cultural resources, reduce waste, and reduce environmental impacts…

• Design flexibility means the existing building slab can stay intact, conserving resources, reducing waste, extending the life of the building, and limiting associated environmental impacts.

• Innovation in Design = provide design teams and projects the opportunity to achieve exceptional performance above requirements and/or innovative performance in Green Building categories not addressed by the LEED System.

• Applies innovative strategies, comprehensive approach and achieves quantifiable environmental and/or health benefits

• As part of an integrated approach, possibilities for innovation credit and reducing environmental impacts are even greater

wvths.wolu.guidegoods.net

In order to maintain high-quality learning experiences, please access the evaluation for this course by logging into CES Discovery and clicking on the Course Evaluation link on the left side of the page.

© GreenCE, Inc. 2011

Ruth AkinsAcornVac, Inc.

Vacuum Plumbing Systems13818 Oaks Avenue

Chino, CA 91710800-591-9920909-902-1141

[email protected] or [email protected]