march10 2009-workshop-slides

Biomass, Water and Green Roof Workshop

Agenda

6:30 Introduction/Purpose………………………………5 min……...Alan Gibson

6:35 Biomass…………..…………….………………...35min……...Brad Leonard

7:10 Green Roof………………………………………. 35 Min……..Bardi Vorster

7:45 Greywater /Heat Recovery and Conservation..…35 min…….Michael Tiffe

8:25 Closing……………………………..5 min ………....Alan Gibson

8:30 -9:00 Networking

Workshop Purpose

To provide more indepth knowledge of biomass , greywater heat recovery and conservation and Green Roof technologies and the process to implement that will support participant home power project actions To provide points of contact and resource assistance to participants post workshop

Technical HOW TO Workshops -Outline-

Follow - up HOW TO workshops focused on :

Home Heating : March 5 from 6:30-8:30 at SLC – Rm 01040

Home Power : March 9 at SLC from 6:30-8:30 in Rm 01000

Biomass and Conservation : March 10 from 6:30- 8:30 in Rm 01040

You will be able to :decide which system(s) is best for your purposes

compare costs and understand more on grants

evaluate whether you want to do it yourself or

Interact one on one with qualified contractors and how to proceed with your project

Home Heating with Biomass

Brad LeonardRenewable Energy of Plum Hollow

Bio-Mass Outline

What is a Renewable Energy Resource?The two sides of what my company does• Hearth Industry - Alternative Energy• Focusing on the Hearth/Biomass side

As a company in the Kingston Community• What have we accomplished• Where are we going

Biomass

Definition • Plant matter grown for use as a fuel.

What is a Renewable Energy Resource?

Hydro-electricSolar powerWind powerBiomass energy

Item 2Item 2

Biomass can be a responsible choice if…

The heating system is installed safely (WETT Certified Professional)Fuel is harvested sustainablyThe fuel is burned efficiently with little or no visible smoke

Home Heating Appliances

Current Technologies: • Advanced Wood burning: Wood Stoves, Wood

Fireplaces, Wood Inserts and Wood Furnaces• Pellet Stoves, Pellet Fireplaces, Pellet Inserts and

Pellet Furnaces

Emerging Technologies• Biomass Burners

Firewood – good fuel is the secret to efficiency.

Advanced Wood Burning Technology

Advanced technologies offer several advantages, including:Much higher efficiencyMuch less smoke pollutionGreater safety because less creosote is formedBurn less wood for more heat. Five acres of wood can support a home forever

Convention wood stoves

Advanced Technology Wood Stoves

Two types of Advanced Combustion:

1. Catalytic• uses catalyst to clean up exhaust

2. Non-catalytic advanced• most common type in Canada

Inside a catalytic wood stove

Smoke passes through a catalytic honeycomb that lowers smoke ignition temperature

Inside a “non-cat” wood stove

1. Firebox insulation 2. A large baffle 3. Preheated combustion air

Compare old with new

Overall Efficiency40 – 50% 60 – 80%

Title

What are wood pellets?

Pellet Appliances

Inside a pellet stove

1. Auger feed2. Combustion air3. Convection air

Biomass stoveBased on the pellet engineBurn’s pellet-sized biomassCurrent Fuels include:• Corn• Wheat• Barley• Bark Pellets• Agri-Waste pellets• Switch Grass Pellets

Two acres of switch grass could heat a home for a year

The Future:

We are working with local farmers to grow local agri-cropsWe need to have local production of pelletized biomass

Fine Particulate Emissions

Case Study WoodNatural gas only 2003-05.Stove + natural gas 2005-07.5 residents.

Total cost for installation $4,700 - Savings per year $50

Carbon Savings 5 tons/year

If you heat with oil Savings per year $900

Case Study Pellet Stove Installation

Total installation costs $5,395.60Savings over Oil Heat $1,100/year

Carbon Savings 4 tons/year

Space Heating

Studies have shown that most families spend 80% of their time in a couple rooms of the home (20% of the house)By heating the space that we live, with a high efficiency product, in we can reduce our consumption by 28%

Carbon Emissions Savings

Solar Hot Water - 1 ton/year/2 panel system2 Kilowatts of Solar/Wind – 1 ton/yearSpace Heating 28%Biomass Heating - 2-5 tons/year

Where are we going?

With more focus on climate change, our community is becoming more aware of “Green Technologies”.We are expanding, hiring more people.Continue to introduce environmentally appropriate technologies to homeowners.Work with organizations to share our knowledge.To help with the “greening” of our community.

Conclusions

Burning wood and plant matter is “carbon neutral”.Using advanced combustion appliances a home can be heated with less than 5 acres of wood and less than 2 acres of switch grass.Locally grow and harvested fuel is how we will heat our homes in the future.Using biomass as a heating option has a fast payback and can save up to 5 tons of carbon per year.SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT.

GREEN ROOFS FOR HOMEOWNERS

Green Roofs - definition

A Green Roof is:

A rooftop with vegetationCan be on apartments, factories, offices or residential buildings

Can be flat or sloped roofNew building or retrofitted older buildingSocial, environmental and economic benefits

Individual Landscapes

Two Principal Types

Individual Landscapes

Intensive Extensive

Intensive Green Roof

Individual Landscapes

Typically used for recreationUses all kinds of landscape and building materialsWide variety of plant materials e.g. grass, flowers, shrubs and trees Heavier; may need structural reinforcingHigh maintenance & higher costs

Individual Landscapes

Individual Landscapes

Extensive Green Roof

Individual Landscapes

Not for recreational purposes and generally not accessible for regular useDifferent materials usedFewer varieties of plant materialGoal is least possible maintenancePotentially lower costMany social, environmental and economic benefits

Individual Landscapes

Extensive Green Roofs

Individual Landscapes

Three different systems available:

LayeredPre-vegetated matsPre-vegetated modules

Extensive Green Roofs -– Components For All Systems

Individual Landscapes

Why Green Roofs?

Individual Landscapes

Improves the view Insulates the roofExtends roof lifeYou love to grow things!

Environmental benefits

Individual Landscapes

Urban Heat Island mitigationNoise reductionFire preventionHabitat creationStorm water run-off reduction & quality improvementRadiation reduction

Economic benefits

Individual Landscapes

Energy conservation by insulating your roofReduced cost of mechanicalsExtension of roof lifeReduction of storm water runoff

Layered Systems

Individual Landscapes

StructureWaterproofingInsulationRoot barrierDrainage, filtration and irrigationGrowing medium or substrateSuitable plantsCost

Individual Landscapes Available at www.Soprema.ca

Blanket Systems

Individual Landscapes

Pre-grown Not Pre-grown

Available at elteasygreen.com

Modular System

Individual Landscapes

Pre-grown in trays

Engineered soil medium

Contact: LiveRoof@caradocgreenroofs.ca

Design Considerations

Individual Landscapes

StructureMicroclimateAccessTime ConstraintsVisibilityPlant type and selectionCost

Construction Considerations

Individual Landscapes

Safety RailsMaterial storage and deliveryIrrigationAccessTime ConstraintsSchedule

Maintenance Considerations

Individual Landscapes

Inspection and repair

Watering and weeding

Permitting Requirements

Individual Landscapes

• Any structural changes require a building permit

• All roofs should be assessed by a qualified engineer

RE: Retrofit projects:• Intensive roof gardens will likely require substantial structural

modification (more weight)

• Extensive roof systems could be minor structural changes depending on size and system

• Cost is $12/ thousand of construction value + $10.00 for final inspection

Cost ComparisonItem Comment DIY Blanket

Pre.vegModule Layer Total

Structuralanalysis

Min. $125.00/hr X X X X $250.00

Building Permit $12/1000 construction

X X X X $60.00

Waterproofing EPDM X 0 0 0

Drainage board/filtering

X 0 0 0

Growing medium

Mix your own or provided

X 0 0 2-20”

Plants Qty. depends on spacing

X 0 0 0

Contracted 0 x x x

$14 – $16/sf.

$13/sf min.

$15 - $30/sf.

Case Study - St. Lawrence College

Case Study - St. Lawrence College

Individual Landscapes

Case Study - St. Lawrence College

Individual Landscapes

Green Roofs

Good for people

Good for the environment

Good for the economy

ResourcesGreen Roofs for Healthy Cities / www.greenroofs.org

- a Canada/US organization promoting green rooftops their website links to many suppliers and products and much more

ELT Easy Green www.elteasygreen.com

-Supplier of green roof products (and living wall units) including pre- vegetated mats (blanket system) -has a great DIY section on the web and mail order

-LiveRoof@caradocgreenroofs.ca Contact Kees Govers the Canadian supplier of the LiveRoof modular system

-www.Soprema.ca A roofing company who has developed layered systems from 1/12” deep to 45”deep

Bardi Vorster /Landscape Architect bardivorster@sympatico.ca

Graywater / Rainwater WORKSHOP

Workshop outline

Introduction

Technology (available systems)

Installation Issues

Cost Calculations & Financial Projections

Getting Your Project Done

Case Study

Questions and Follow-up

Introduction

•Canada’s per capita daily water consumption is 65% above the world average!!!

•The average Canadian uses more than 335 litres of fresh water per day.

•10% of the home’s water usage is in the kitchen and for drinking water.

•½ to ¾ of summer municipal water usage is to irrigate the house’s lawn.

Definitions

•Graywater collection refers to waste water collected from bathroom sinks, bathtubs, showers, and clothes washers.•Kitchen sinks cannot discharge into a graywater system. Know as Blackwater.

•Rainwater collection refers to the harvesting of rainwater fall into storage units. This stored water maybe used for irrigation outdoors and flushing toilets, laundry and if filtered for drinking.

Benefits of Graywater Collection

•Reduces demand on groundwater or municipal water supplies.•Reduces demand on septic and municipal wastewater treatment systems.•Reduced sizing of septic system.•Reduces energy costs.•Increases lifespan of stressed septic systems.

Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting

•Reduces demand on groundwater or municipal water supplies.•Serves as a stormwater management alternative by reducing volume, velocity and peak flows of stormwater runoff.•As stormwater is controlled, flooding and streambank and channel erosion are reduced.•Less stormwater runs over hard surfaces, decreasing the impurities in the stormwater runoff.•Less buildup in your appliances.

•Upwards of 33% of a city’s electricity use is to pressurize the water delivery system.

Available Graywater Systems

• Whole Building Systems•BRAC Systems from Quebec http://www.bracsystems.com

•Single Function Systems•Water Saver Technologies of KY, USA produce the Aqus – a single flush toilet unit. http://www.watersavertech.com

Available Rainwater Systems

•First Flush Systems•Refers to the devices that divert the initial rainfall away from the storage system.

Available Rainwater Systems

•Rain Heads•Refers to the devices that divert the larger items, such as leafs, twigs and waste, from the storage system.

Available Rainwater Systems

•Storage/Containment•The storage system can come in a multitude of configurations from above ground, to below ground to modular.

Available Rainwater Systems

•Accessories•Various other components become part of a built-up rainwater harvesting system.

Installation Issues

System Sizing•Approx. 0.62 US gallons per square foot of collection area per inch of rainfall can be collected.•Losses occur due to first flush, evaporation, gutter overflow and overshoot along with any leakage. •Therefore system efficiencies are calculated at between 75% and 90%.•The collection area is calculated as the footprint of the roof regardless of roof slope or pitch. Area is roof length times width from eave to eave front to back.

Installation Issues

System Sizing – Storage•Simple method is to size storage to meet ¼ of required water demand.•Large storage capacities require additional expenses therefore water conservation becomes a larger factor.•Estimating demand – the normal water conservative household uses between 100 to 200 litres per person per day. Decide which services will use collected water.

Installation IssuesBuilding Code

•In the 2006 Ontario Building Code was amended to allow the usage of graywater to flush toilets and for irrigation. These measures where changed along with the Solar PV and Solar Thermal technologies.•Always check for additional requirements from local authority having jurisdiction. •Note all rainwater and/or graywater piping must be clearly indentified.

Installation Issues

Other Considerations•Storage tank should have potable water makeup supply hooked up. Pumps maybe damaged by running in a dry condition.•Consider if storage capacity is adequate for fire protection.

Cost Calculations

•Can be as simple as adding up costs for individual components and deciding what one and afford.•Largest single expense will be the price of the storage containment. Costs range from a low of $0.50 per gallon for fibreglass to $4.00 per gallon for welded steel containers. Generally as tank size increases the price per gallon decreases.•Filtration will range from $50.00 to $1000.00 dependent upon level of filtering required. (ie roof type, trees, water use).•Pump costs will run between $400.00 and $1200.00.

Getting Your Project Done

•Assessing Needs•What will you use the recovered water for?

•Specification of Equipment•Above ground or below ground?

•Acquiring Approvals•Check with local autohority

•Project Planning•Space available?

•Engaging Contractors•Experience? Product availability?

•Follow-ups & Maintenance•Water usage? Type? Level of purity? Filter style?

Case Study

•Kingston Police Station – LEED Gold•Reduced indoor water consumption by 71%•A 82% reduction in water used for sewage conveyance•Rainwater used to flush toilets.•Annual water savings of close to 2 million litres of potable water annually.

•Reid’s Heritage Homes – Guelph – LEED For Homes Program•Uses 1,500 gallon cistern for 100% storage of rainwater•Supplies toilets, dishwasher, laundry and underground sprinkler•Estimated 40% reduction in municipal water usage.

CONCLUDING REMARKS:

Greywater now supported for toilet flushing and irrigation. Need to check with local authorities.Need to implement water conservation.Water will become the new ‘oil’!!

Closing

Purpose /products reviewFeedback forms pleaseFurther resource support requirementsOur supportSpread the word!

Brought to you by:

SWITCH - The Sustainable Energy People

SWITCH thanks the Ontario Trillium Foundation for its Financial Support