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Structured Plumbing: How To Use Demand Control Systems
Structured Plumbing: How To Use Demand Control Systems
STRUCTURED
PLUMBING
How to Use Demand
Control Systems
ACT, Inc. D’MAND® Systems
GAC15B | 1 AIA LU/HSW CE Hour 3176 Pullman St.
Suite 119
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
0920011469 | 1 GBCI CE Hour P: (800) 200 - 1956
for LEED Professionals www.gothotwater.com
GreenCE, Inc. is a registered provider with the American Institute of Architects Continuing
Education System. Credit earned upon completion of this program will be reported to CES
Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion are available for all course participants
upon completion of the course conclusion quiz with +80%.
This program is registered with the 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 GreenCE, Inc. of any material of construction or any method or
manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
(AIA) CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM
C O U R S E F O R M AT
This is a structured, web based, self study course with a final exam
COURSE CREDIT
1 AIA LU/Health Safety & Welfare (HSW) CE Hour, 1 GBCI CE Hour for
LEED Professionals
C O M P L E T I O N C E R T I F I CAT E
A copy is sent to you by email or you can print one upon successful completion of the
course. If you have any difficulties printing or receiving by email please send requests to
certificate@greence.com
In this course you will learn about Structured Plumbing, the differences between commercial
and residential design and why it’s the most efficient water distribution system.
You’ll learn some major ways we’ve been using up precious energy.
You’ll discover how the distribution of hot water directly impacts energy use, water consumption,
and waste.
While also learning how demand recirculation pumps improve water and energy efficiency and
overall sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Define and explain Structured Plumbing in domestic systems and its relation to water and energy
efficiency
Compare and contrast the different options for designing a hot water distribution system and the
impact of such choices
List the water and energy efficiency benefits of on-demand pump controls over other hot water
distribution strategies
Discuss the water and energy savings generated by using an on-demand circulation pump
DID YOU KNOW?
AC
45%
DID YOU KNOW?
Tank-less
WATER + ENERGY CONSUMPTION:
IMPORTANCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
A hot water distribution design impacts 3 major uses of resources:
water energy electricity
01 02 03
A closer look…
A closer look…
Impact – According to the EPA, production and consumption of electricity is directly linked to air quality
and carbon footprint
- cleaning clothes
- cleaning your hands
- cleaning dishes
- cleaning your body
- relaxation
Advances in sustainable
distribution design, save our
resources and meet our needs
DOES OUR EXPECTATION OF HOT WATER
ALIGN WITH SUSTAINABILITY?
The result
- Takes 18 times as long to get hot water as pre-1970s
- Pipe area increased by 3x, velocity reduced by 3x
- Fixture flow rate reduced by 3, velocity reduced by 3
- Distance increased by at least 2, time increased by 2
Heat losses and electrical consumption of the pump still created higher energy consumption
WHO NEEDS RECIRCULATION?
- No return line
- No recirculation pump
- Not effectively sustainable
LOOKING CLOSER AT THE LONG WAIT:
DISTRIBUTION WITH CONTINUOUS RECIRCULATION
Advantages/Disadvantages
PRO
- Continuous recirculation solves the problem of having to drain large
amounts of water or waiting an unacceptable time to get hot water
CONS
- Uses extra energy! A pump needs to keep running, which consumes
electricity
- The heat loss from these constantly hot pipes contributes to even more
energy loss
- A continuous movement of hot water wears away at the pipes and
water heater
CONTINUOUS RECIRCULATION: HOW IT WASTES ENERGY
End-use Energy
30%
40% Recirculation
Loop Losses
Advantages
- Saves water
Disadvantages
- Not energy efficient
How it saves:
Demand system returns ambient temperature water to the
boiler/heater through the cold water line or designated return line
SAVING WATER
Result:
Hot is hot, cold is cold, no water down the drain
A CLOSER LOOK: THE SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS
Residential and Commercial plumbing systems are different and need electronic controllers
unique to each application
Typically
Longer Pipes = greater volume of water between the water heater and the fixture
(must be drained before the user gets hot water…hence a wait time! (and water waste)
Minimizing the length of Branch and Twig pipes reduces heat/energy loss and wait time
@ @
@ @
Hardwired
Motion
Sensors
Wireless
remote
Wireless
motion LED push
Bluetooth sensor button
TECHNOLOGY THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE
Mechanical Room
Cold water
Branch
supply
ELECTRICITY GAS
80-90% 10-30%
Fact 1
Recirculation pumps are essential components to central hot
water systems in commercial structures
Fact 2
Recirculation is running on a continuous basis
Fact 3
Recirculation pumps are only sustainable if operated with
commercial control systems
CASE STUDY – PINHOLE LEAKS
Background
2009 - Kevin Bennett researches pinhole leak problems.
Family Tree Apartment complexes in Santa Clara, California.
Problem
The continuous operation of the domestic hot water pump combined
with hard mineral content of the water causing pinholes.
Mineral content on the site was at a staggering 370 ppm
4x the average “acceptable” range of between 15 and 100 ppm
Solution
On demand pump system reduced the damaging effects of continuous
hot water circulation and repairs
CASE STUDY - ARCHSTONE
Records showed a 15% reduction in gas used by the water heater and a 98% savings in electricity
used by the circulation pump
Billing terms - annual savings of $1,083 per building or more than $16,000 over the life of the pump
Most importantly, these savings were achieved without incurring any customer complaints
DEMAND CONTROLLED PUMPS
FOR COMMERCIAL/MULTIFAMILY
Demand control pump - only method that allows the pipes to cool during down-time ONLY, which
minimizes heat losses
This is why it is the most efficient system to distribute hot water and the highest grade of
sustainable design!
COMMERCIAL/MULTIFAMILY – MORE IS BETTER
Multi-unit dwellings may have individual water heaters or a centralized hot water system
While a distributed system solves some of the heat loss issues, it creates a big sustainability
issue: exorbitant material waste!
Instead of one water heater used for 50 units, you have 50 water heaters. Meaning:
- 50x the water heating materials that are manufactured and transported
- 50x the maintenance/labor and materials for repair
- 50x the possibility that it leaks and destroys other parts of the building
“Commercial" applications - those buildings that have central domestic hot water systems
(not individual per unit)
USING CONTROL SYSTEMS AT THE END OF A BRANCH +
ON DISTRIBUTION LOOP
Savings
Demand Control
Timer Control
Temperature
Modulation
Multi-Family Gas
Background
Oklahoma Gas and CLEAResults to institute Hot Water Pump Control program to reduce gas usage
Action Taken
A test was conducted at the Heatherstone Apartments, Oklahoma City, OK.
There are 8 Commercial Domestic Hot Water on-demand control systems and 8 boilers.
Results
9,879 CCF’s savings per year
$8,019 cost savings per year with a ROI of only 4 months per boiler.
Multi-Family Electric
Problem
Welk Resorts needed a solution to their high hot water bills
projected savings of 7688 kWh per
Response year without any interruption or
compromise of service to its guests
A 2-month test was run employing a demand pump system
at their timeshare luxury resorts in Escondido, CA
• Over the 2-month period, none of the guests were
asked to alter their normal water consumption behavior
Result
Demand control systems were able to reduce water heater
electricity usage by 18%
Multi-Family Gas
Background
2008 - SoCal Gas Company tested efficiency of demand
control pumping systems to promote On Demand Efficiency
rebate programs
Action Taken
Monitoring hot water on-demand in a central heating system,
the pump is able to shut itself down when it is not in use
Results
10-30% reduction in gas usage by the water heater
Benningfield Group and SoCal Gas tested the efficiency of a demand pumping system in
order to promote an On Demand Efficiency rebate program
The results showed a 10-30% reduction in gas usage by the water heater
The pump ran an average of just 2 hours per day vs. 24 hours in a continuous pump
The total energy saved based on this study (if extended to 300 units) would be more
than 450,000 therms of gas and 390,000 kWh of electricity/yr
COMMERCIAL CONCLUSIONS FOR DEMAND CONTROL SYSTEMS
Without recirculation, the wait for hot water is long and gallons of water must
be drained/wasted for hot water to reach the tap
The user of on demand recirculation pumps saves water, energy, and money
by diminishing sewage costs in reducing the amount of water running down the
drain
Define and explain Structured Plumbing in domestic systems and its relation to water and
energy efficiency
Compare and contrast the different options for designing a hot water distribution system and
the impact of such choices
List the water and energy efficiency benefits of on-demand pump controls over other hot water
distribution strategies
Discuss the water and energy savings generated by using an on-demand circulation pump
UNDERSTANDING
STRUCTURED
PLUMBING
How to Use Demand
Control Systems
ACT, Inc. D’MAND® Systems
GAC15B | 1 AIA LU/HSW CE Hour 3176 Pullman St.
Suite 119
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
0920011469 | 1 GBCI CE Hour P: (800) 200 - 1956
for LEED Professionals www.gothotwater.com
3176 Pullman St
Suite 119
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
P: (800) 200-1956
F: (714) 668-1927
MADE
IN
AMERICA
since 1992
Structuring
Your Plumbing to ACT
®
D’MAND Kontrols
System
Recirculation pumps, again, reduce
the wait for hot water
Dedicated
Many times, the recirculation pump is Return
left running continuously, so that hot Line
water is always at every tap without
any wait time whatsoever