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Seattle, WA (1/20/10) -  McKinstry strives daily to live up to its reputation as a national model for how a business can integrate sustainability into every aspect of its operations.

From LEED Gold facilities to providing important thought-leadership on creating jobs for the burgeoning clean energy economy, McKinstry has been on the cutting edge of the sustainability revolution.
 
Certified Green Plumbers

Now, the service arm of this Seattle company is taking it one step further, arming its plumbers and pipefitters with GreenPlumbers Accreditation. To become certified GreenPlumbers, candidates must undergo 32-hours of training in such subjects as climate and water care, solar hot water, water efficient technologies, and more.
 
In this challenging economy, homeowners are looking for innovative, cost effective ways to save energy and protect their assets. GreenPlumbers certification represents one more avenue for McKinstry to deliver the quality of service that saves clients energy and money, while earning their continued loyalty and satisfaction.
 
"The GreenPlumbers training provides our plumbers with the necessary tools and resources to present multiple solutions to help our clients save water, energy and money," states Bob Frey, McKinstry's VP of Service.
 
The GreenPlumbers program is a partner of the EPA WaterSense program, Alliance for Water Efficiency, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, the California Urban Water Conservation Council, as well as other industry leaders that share its mission of bringing environmental training to plumbers. More information about GreenPlumbers can be found at www.greenplumbersusa.com.
 

December 2, 2009 --  New home water heater efficiency standards proposed by the Obama Administration will save energy and money for U.S. households and reduce global warming and other harmful emissions; but they fall short of their potential according to a broad coalition of energy-efficiency, consumer and environmental organizations. 

"This proposal captures significant and cost-effective energy savings from conventional water heater technologies, but it does little to advance new technologies which can provide much larger energy and economic savings,"  according to Steven Nadel, Executive Director, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The new standards will affect the nine million new residential water heaters sold every year, which account for an estimated 20 percent of the typical home's energy use. 

DOE's analysis shows that the proposed new standards can be met with modest changes such as adding more insulation to today's conventional tank style water heaters.

The technology is here...where's the will?

But by failing to require even a partial transition to next-generation technologies - condensing gas water heaters and electric heat pump water heaters - the proposed standards leave huge potential energy savings on the table.

"Big energy savings sometimes requires big changes in technology," said Andrew deLaski, Executive Director, Appliance Standards Awareness Project.  "We're disappointed that the Obama Administration has shied away from making even a modest first step to transition America to the most efficient types of water heaters."

Proposed Water Heater Standards

DOE estimates that the proposed standards would save 2.6 quads of energy over 30 years (for comparison, a quad is enough energy to meet the total needs of about 5 million typical U.S. households for one year). 

Over the same period, consumers would save about $15.6 billion and carbon dioxide emissions would be cut by 154 million metric tons. 

But a standard that required the more energy-efficient condensing gas and electric heat pump water heaters would increase savings more than 6X, to nearly 17 quads, save consumers $48 billion and reduce CO2 emissions by 965 million metric tons. 

But DOE concludes that such a shift, which would require complete retooling by the water heater industry and entail big increases in upfront costs for some consumers, would be too disruptive.  A middle ground standard would require the use of the newer, more efficient advanced technologies for only water heaters larger than 55 gallons, which represent 4 percent and 11 percent of the gas and electric water heater markets, respectively.

That middle ground standard would save 3.7 quads, save consumers $22 billion and reduce CO2 emissions by 217 million metric tons.     

"We agree that it's too early to mandate next generation technologies for the entire water heater market," said Nadel.

"But if DOE required this shift for the very biggest water heaters, the energy, economic, and CO2 savings would increase by about 40 percent compared to the department's proposal. That would also pave the way for a longer term transition to the best, advanced technologies, which is where the biggest savings can be found."

Next Generation: Condensing and heat pump technologies

Condensing and heat pump technologies are common in space heating but have only a toehold so far in the water heater market.

About one-third of U.S. furnace sales are of condensing products, and about 8 percent of U.S homes are warmed with heat pumps.

Major water heater companies are working to bring condensing and heat pump technologies to the water heater market.

"Consumers need to be able to buy the most efficient appliances that save them money over the long run," according to Mel Hall-Crawford, Energy Projects Director for the Consumer Federation of America.

Water heaters represent a big portion of the energy costs for a typical home and last between 10 and 15 years.

The energy consuming characteristics of buildings will take on greater importance in determining their market value in the years ahead. It's really important for the department to issue a standard that gives consumers as much savings as possible on this product that plays such a large part in determining household energy bills and has such a long life span.  The DOE needs to do better than the proposed rule."

"People don't usually think of the costs of taking a hot shower, but options already exist to save on energy and water," said Lane Burt, Manager of Building Energy Policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Unfortunately, this proposed standard fails to maximize consumer savings.

Water heating is responsible for a fifth of all household energy use

"The proposed water heater standards pass up the chance to move technology forward," said Tim Ballo, attorney with Earthjustice. "Water heating is responsible for a fifth of all household energy use, and there are technologies available today that are vastly more efficient than the levels DOE proposed. We're sure that DOE can do better, and we'll be urging the department to reconsider these standards."

"With President Obama about to go to Copenhagen, one of the best ways to show American leadership would be for his administration to embrace new, energy-saving technologies that will create jobs and reduce CO2 emissions," said Callahan. "The United States could be the international leader in advanced water heater technology, and improved standards can help foster that transition."

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection. ACEEE was involved in the legislation establishing federal efficiency standards, and has been active in all rulemakings since then.    www.aceee.org.

The Appliance Standards Awareness Project is dedicated to increasing awareness of and support for cost-effective appliance and equipment efficiency standards.   See standardsASAP.org.

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy and national security.   www.ase.org

The Consumer Federation of America is a nonprofit association of over 280 pro-consumer groups founded in 1968 to advance consumers' interests through research, advocacy and education.  www.cfa.org

Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment.   www.earthjustice.org

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. www.nrdc.org

Septic tanks helped give birth to the city of Malibu just 18 years ago. Now, regional water officials will vote on whether to prohibit septic systems. Regulators blame septic tanks for poor water quality along the coast, at surf spots and in Malibu Lagoon, according to Brown and Baldwell's California Water News.

The Los Angeles Times reported on the controversial new policy and traced the history of water and sewer wars in this Pacific beach town.  In many ways, the septic tanks played a large role in Malibu becoming a city. It incorporated and formed its own government in 1991 to stave off Los Angeles County's efforts to install a sewer system in the area. Residents at the time feared sewers would unleash a wave of development that would turn Malibu into Miami Beach West.

But sewer has also become the undoing of the community.  Malibu septic tanks, leach pits and the ubiquitous stench known as the "Malibu smell" are not so elegant, but frequent topics. Officials often post signs on Surfrider Beach after rainstorms urging swimmers and surfers to stay away because of health dangers. Surfrider Beach often gets failing grades on Heal the Bay's annual beach water-quality report cards.

Joe Melchione, chairman of the Malibu Surfing Assn.'s environmental committee, spoke out against the beach contamination at a 10-hour meeting Thursday at the Metropolitan Water District headquarters. Another member of the surfing group exhibited the scar on his chest, where a pacemaker was implanted  because of the viral myocarditis he contracted after paddling through raw sewage at Surfrider Beach in the summer of 1997.

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board agreed to ban septic systems in central and eastern Malibu, a move that would end years of fierce debate over the wastewater devices still commonly used in one of Southern California's most picturesque and exclusive coastal communities.

New septic systems will not be permitted in Malibu and owners of existing systems will have to halt wastewater discharges within a decade.

The shift to a sewer system comes at considerable expense. Residents in affected areas would be required to pay about $500 a month to cover the cost of hooking into a central sewage system, according to the city's projections. And businesses would face payments of up to $20,000 a month.

This community battle resulted in the city being sued both FOR and FOR NOT providing specific sewer solutions.  This battle is indicative of the battles to come as more communities grapple with water quality issues that have to be woven into complex community infrastructure and natural ecosystem challenges.

New York City residents use 1.1 billion gallons of water every single day--enough to fill the Empire State Building with water five times!

That's a lot of water, and a lot of potential water savings.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) has joined EPA's WaterSense program because efficiency matters. 

Leaking toilets and running faucets are among the greatest water-efficiency challenges in New York City.

The city benefits when people use WaterSense labeled toilets and lavatory sinks because they use less water and perform better. Conserving water will not only help New Yorkers save money, but it helps to conserve the supply we all depend on.

As a promotional partner, NYC DEP will help EPA educate consumers about the value of water, water efficiency, and the WaterSense label. 

Public Restrooms in Times Square

WaterSense already made its Broadway debut in 2007 and 2008 with the Charmin Holiday Restrooms in Times Square.

The restrooms featured WaterSense labeled Kohler brand toilets and faucets and spelled relief for both tourists and locals in need of a public restroom during the holiday shopping season and on New Year's Eve.

Since joining the program early this year, NYC DEP has already begun spreading the news about WaterSense to its approximately 9 million customers through its Web site and at public outreach events. Thanks to this partnership and the prospect of better water efficiency, the Big Apple could earn a new nickname: the city that never leaks.

California regulators have opened the floodgates for using "gray water" by issuing an emergency decision that allows residents to create simple water-reuse systems without a construction permit.

The California Building Standards Commission had expected an overhaul of gray-water rules to take effect in 2011. But on Thursday, it adopted the regulations on an emergency basis due to the deepening drought. Local health agencies may adopt stricter conditions than the state's after they hold public hearings.

Gray water includes wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, laundry tubs and washing machines, but not from toilets, kitchen sinks or dishwashers.

Homeowners still must follow state guidelines for installation and use. The rules require minimal contact between people and the gray water, for instance by covering the water-release point with at least 2 inches of rock, mulch or other material.

'GRAY WATER' FACTS

New state rules provide permit exemptions for some residential gray-water systems, but people still have to follow several requirements. They include:

 The system must allow users to direct water to an irrigation field or the sewer.

 Ponding and gray-water runoff are prohibited.

 Gray water can be released above ground, but the discharge point must be covered by at least 2 inches of mulch, rock or other material that minimizes human contact.

 Water used to wash diapers or other soiled garments must be sent to the sewer.

 Gray water shouldn't be used on root vegetables.

Online: For more information about California's new standards for gray-water systems, go to uniontrib.com/more/gray.

Roughly 1.7 million gray-water systems are installed statewide. Most are illegal because homeowners almost always avoid permits and the associated fees. Do-it-yourselfers can build a gray-water system for $200 or less, but permitting-process costs can more than double the expense.

A standard home generates about 160 gallons of gray water per day, or nearly 60,000 gallons per year, state officials said. A family of four could reuse 22,000 gallons a year by tapping the rinse water from its washing machine.

Faucets
WaterSense labeled faucets and faucet accessories (such as aerators) are high-performing, water-efficient fixtures. If every household in America installed a WaterSense labeled faucet or aerator, we could save more than 60 billion gallons of water annually. A WaterSense labeled bathroom sink faucet or aerator will help you reduce water use in your home and save money on water bills.

Showerheads
Showering represents approximately 17 percent of residential indoor water use in the United States--more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water consumed each year.  Key performance characteristics include:

• Pressure compensation
• Spray pattern (water distribution)
• Effectiveness (showerhead force and wetting capabilities).

EPA's WaterSense program is currently evaluating showerhead criteria and products.  They should have guidelines and certified products listed on their website in 2009.

Urinals
Nearly 80% of the urinals in use today--approximately 9.6 million fixtures--exceed the maximum allowable flush volume set by federal standards.  High-efficiency flushing urinals can save between 1.0 and 4.5 gallons per flush, without sacrificing performance.

Look for the WaterSense label on flushing urinals later this year. A WaterSense labeled flushing urinal will help you reduce water use in your facility and save money on water bills. Please review the high-efficiency flushing urinals fact sheet for more information.