Sustainability & the OS&H Professional

1. Sustainability & the OS&H Professional Jim Morris Assistant Director, Environmental & Energy Management School Plant Services Virginia Beach City Public Schools Regional Vice President, ASSE Region VI

2. It IS Easy Being Green!

3. Google “Global Warming”

4. Politics, Activism, & Environment "Economics and politics are the governing powers of life today, and that's why everything is screwy."-Joseph Campbell, Author

5. Politics, Activism, & Environment “I love to utilize my celebrity status in a responsible and constructive and substantive manner. I like to get my hands dirty rather than a photo op. “-William Baldwin, Actor (sort of…)

6. Has it Helped or Hurt? • Polarization Effect (raised money, but…) • Streisand – “The Streisand Effect” • Crow • Gore • Pushback from Other Groups (follow the $$$?) • Cooler Heads Coalition • An “on-going coalition of market-oriented national and state-level policy and activist groups “ • Science & Environmental Policy Project • “sound, credible science must form the basis for health and environmental decisions that affect millions of people and cost tens of billions of dollars every year”

7. Realities • Scientific • Pollution • Warming • Cause and Solutions seem to be controversy • Economic • Fuel Prices • Energy Rates • Food Supply • <gasp> Bottled Water!

8. Cause and Effect • Paper Companies • Owned land to grow new trees for paper production • Recycled paper – reduced demand • Selling land formerly used for trees to developers • IP – Sold 218K acres for $300 M to Nature Conservancy • Ethanol in Gasoline • Effect on fertile lands to produce more corn • Use of fossil fuels to maintain crops • Ethanol plants use 4.5 gallons water for every gallon of ethanol produced • Consumer Reports: E85 provides fewer mpg than gasoline • Hybrid Vehicles – new studies

9. Sustainability • Definition: a process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely • “Going green” is good business • Less waste produced • Example VBCPS – recyclables (800 TONS last year!) • Lower Energy Costs • Energy Conservation • Reduced Maintenance • Happier Work Force • 4 10-Hour Day Discussion • PR Factor – setting an example

10. Small Steps to Start - Consumables • Paper • Disposables Versus Long-life Products • Pens • Cups & cutlery • Office supplies • “Waste Audits”

11. Small Steps to Start - Recycling • Setting up an aggressive program • Reduce waste – direct costs for many businesses • “Clean your Files Day” • US Council of Mayors • Toner Cartridges • Work with a provider • Computer & Other Equipment – e-cyling • Cell phones – often used as a fund-raiser

12. Small Steps to Start – Vehicles • Think function, not fashion for your fleet • Review the needs of the vehicle in regards to the work that will be done • Proper maintenance • Reduce Travel • Carpooling • Consolidating Trips • Teleconferencing • Preferred parking spots for carpoolers • Install bike racks! • Organize carpooling efforts to & from work

13. Small Steps to Start - Chemicals • Green cleaning chemicals • “Green Cleaning Pollution Prevention Calendar” (EPA) http://www.ofee.gov/janitor/buildinginfo.asp • Pesticides • Environmentally Preferable Purchasing • EPA: http://www.epa.gov/epp/index.htm

14. Small Steps to Start – Water • More efficient equipment • Industrial • Laundry • Restrooms • Faucets (e.g., aerators) • Power washing • Restrooms – low-flow, waterless, dual-flush • Look at usage with maintenance & cleaning • Landscaping – use rainwater & mulching • Water hoses do not have to be brooms! • Report leaks immediately!

15. Small Steps to Start - Energy • Lighting • TURN ‘EM OFF!!!!! • More efficient lighting • Energy Policy Act of 2005 • T-12 fixtures being phased out (2009) • Compact Florescent Bulbs • Actual life cycle costs! • Great, but disposal questions • Home Depot & Lowes recycling • Numerous Resources • Lighting changes save money!!! • Performance Contracting Example • Lighting & HVAC ~ 75% of energy usage

16. Small Steps to Start - Energy • HVAC • Equipment • Properly sized • Demand Control Ventilation • Variable Frequency Drives • Schedules • Controls

17. Small Steps to Start - Energy • Equipment • “Leakage” • Equipment that is plugged in, but not in use • Estimated to be 5% of energy usage • Mandatory shut-off • “Sleep” mode does not save as much as “Off” • Can set computers to automatically shut down • Energy Star Equipment • Data Centers • Summer Schedule Changes • VBCPS Example

18. Big Steps – New Construction • Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) • Payback estimated within 10 – 12 years • Occupancy rates, rental & sales rates higher • Innovative products • Recycled building materials • Ex: Pervious concrete • Look @ whole process • Demolition

19. Case Study – Renaissance Acad • Virginia Beach – Alt Ed Facility • “Green roof” (less runoff) • Cisterns (save >1 Million gallons/year) • Geothermal • Daylighting • Solar Panels – teaching tool http://www.vbschools.com/school_renovation/schools/renaissance_academy.asp

20. Other Tips • Every cause needs a champion, but you don’t have to do it alone (nor should you)! • Communication • Develop a team • Get buy-in from management • Share the results • Don’t bite off too much • One bad result can set everything back! • Get the children involved! • Poster contests, etc. • Buying “Green Energy”

21. Resources • Recycling • http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/onthego/program/index.htm • http://www.nngov.com/public-works/sw/recywork/?searchterm=recyclables • http://www.tfcrecycling.com/commercial.htm • http://www.usmayors.org/recycle/ • http://www.epa.gov/e-Cycling/basic.htm • http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/hardware/page5496.cfm • http://www.collectivegood.com/ • http://www.eco-cell.org/ • Waste Audits • http://www.tfcrecycling.com/wasteaudit.htm • http://envhonolulu.org/solid_waste/How_to_Conduct_a_Waste_Audit.html • http://solidwastedistrict.com/projects/waste_audit.htm

22. Resources • Green Cleaning • http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/products/cleaner.htm • Energy Conservation • Data Center Report to Congress: http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/downloads/EPA_Datacenter_Report_Congress_Final1.pdf • Energy Star: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.bus_index • http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/products/energy_smart.htm?cid=l120 • http://www.dom.com/customer/efficiency/bus/easysavers.jsp • http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf • New Construction • US Green Building Council: http://www.usgbc.org/