Process Improvement Plan

20

A Capstone Project

Entitled

The Green Ice Project

By

LaKesha ONeal, Benjamin Wright & Brent Webb

We hereby certify that this Capstone Project submitted by LaKesha ONeal, Benjamin Wright & Brent Webb-- conforms to acceptable standards, and as such is fully adequate in scope and quality. It is therefore approved as the fulfillment of the Capstone Project requirement for the degree of Bachelors of Applied Science in Sustainability Management.

Approval:

Dr. Lynn Grinnell

Capstone Project ChairDate

Dr. Greg Nenstiel

Dean of Business

Date

St. Petersburg College

College of Business

Certification Statement

I hereby certify that this project constitutes my own product, that where the language of others is set forth, quotation marks so indicate, and that appropriate credit is given where I have used the language, ideas, expressions or writings of others.

Student Name: LaKesha ONeal, Benjamin Wright & Brent Webb

Date: 12/05/2014 St. Petersburg College

College of Business

Certificate for authorization for use

This is to certify the Capstone project of

LaKesha ONeal, Benjamin Wright & Brent Webb

Is authorized for exhibition, publication, and video recording by the

College of BusinessSustainability Management Plan for Clearwater Ice Arena

LaKesha ONeal, Benjamin Wright & Brent Webb

St. Petersburg College

12/05/2014

Table of Contents

2I. Executive Summary

3II. Introduction

12III. Stakeholders

17IV. Comprehensive Audit

35V. Best Practices

44VI. Recommendations for Improvement

60VII. Implementation Plan and Change Management

71VIII. Measuring Results

83IX. Standardization and Compliance

89X. Conclusion

92XI. Appendix A

95XII. References

I. Executive SummaryThe Green Ice Project was conducted by R3, Inc. (the sustainability team). They researched into the background, trends and history of the Clearwater Ice Arena (CIA). They found out that the building was constructed 29 years ago as a temporary ice arena. They conducted a SWOT analysis identify CIAs strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Products and services sold to customers of CIA were also identified. The primary stakeholders were prioritized by level of influence and the sustainability team gained insight from them. The sustainability issues identified in the stakeholder meetings guided the sustainability team throughout the project. Meetings concluded that CIAS inefficient operations have a direct effect on the ice rinks water and energy usage. A LCA (life cycle analysis of refrigeration/cooling system) water and energy audit were conducted to see what processes were most inefficient and could be improved. The audits revealed that the facility had old outdated technology, excessive water consumption and loose building envelope and lighting methods. CIA audits uncovered that the facility uses over one million gallons of water per year and on average, 15 thousand dollar monthly electric bill. Best practices in the industry included new heating recovery methods, rainwater harvesting systems, electric Zambonis and energy management systems. Based on the best practices and water audit revealed recommended improvements that could be implemented. Several recommendations were put forth, which included a new heating recovery system, piping redesign, more efficient lavatory fixtures, and rainwater system with integration of Zamboni process, new insulation, and LED lighting. Several recommendations revealed substantial savings and considerable payback periods. Water recommendations can yield a total savings of over $20,000 dollars and a six year payback period. The conducted energy audit revealed savings totaling about $7,000.00 dollars. The savings can be directly linked to the LCA of the ice rink with a temporary design and upgrades of new equipment. Implementing these recommendations can drive the cost of CIA operation and processes down. Savings can be calculated over time and used to renovate the newly proposed ice rink. The sustainability team learned that there are many innovative ways of combating ice arena issues. Water and energy are a main topic of priority when discussing ice rink efficiency.

II. Introduction

As much as people love ice-skating and playing hockey outside, sometimes it's too hot for an outdoor rink. According to the National Hockey League 2014 Sustainability Report, Perhaps more than any other sport, hockey is impacted by environmental issues, particularly climate change and freshwater scarcity. This affects opportunities for hockey players of all ages to learn and play the game outdoors. Fortunately there are indoor alternatives. Indoor ice arenas are uniquely designed and their operations differ in many ways from standard buildings. They rely on freshwater to make ice and on energy to fuel their operations. Understandably, the daily operation of an indoor ice arena can consume excessive amounts of water and energy.

Water is the foundation of any ice arena. The annual water consumption for a standard rink is on average 660,430 US gallons per year (Vaahterus, 2001).The Clearwater Ice Arena (CIA) located in Clearwater, Florida uses more than twice that amount, 1,072,000 million gallons per year. An efficient refrigeration system, normally run by electricity, can consume up to 50% of the total electricity use of an ice rink facility. CIA uses an antiquated glycol based refrigeration system. Their electric bill is on average $15,000 a month. Climate Change will only increase CIAs use of these essential resources. After the sustainability team (R3) met with stakeholders, it was evident that CIAs growing operating costs and excessive use of water and energy would be the focus of this 2014 Capstone titled The Green Ice Project. While CIAs stakeholders have taken steps to reduce operating cost, they have not identified any long-term sustainable solutions or initiatives to implement.

When deciding between implementing a sustainability initiative and the bottom-line, many small businesses like CIA feel they have to make a choice between the two. In most cases, the decision seems overwhelming because the stakeholders do not understand the true benefits of eco-efficiency or sustainable development. According to the Helsinki University of technology, the challenges indoor arenas face can be overcome using new technological advancements, to reduce consumption thus decreasing their operating costs (Vaahterus, 2001). The Green Ice Project will assist CIA with realizing the benefits of using Sustainable Development and technology to reduce their consumption. Furthermore, this project will illustrate how CIA can meet the present needs of their business without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Company BackgroundThe Clearwater Ice Arena (CIA) was founded in 1985 (see Figure 1). It is located in the Icot Industrial Park, in a unique building rarely seen in Florida, an ice arena. According to CIAs maintenance supervisor, the rink was proposed as a temporary location when constructed. Twenty-nine years later, the facility provides service to 800 to 1000 customers of all ages weekly. CIA offers customers a range of ice-related activities, including figure skating, hockey and basic ice skating. The arena currently employs 17 staff members and six subcontractors.

Figure 1: Clearwater Ice Arena, located in Clearwater, Florida (Google Earth Images, 2014)

Two years ago, the arena had a serious public relations issue. The former owner allowed the building to reach a state of disrepair that ended with, elevated levels of carbon monoxide forcing the evacuation of the facility and sending four children to area hospitals (Sabatinelli, 2011). A year later, the ice rink was privately purchased by Tampa Bay Lighting Radiologist, Dr. Manuel Rose. The new owner was quoted telling Tampa Bay Times writer Waveney Moore, There was a risk of the rink closing. I believe that with my business experience and insight, I could turn the rink around," Rose said of the facility he described as the oldest hockey rink in the Tampa Bay area (Moore, 2012).

There are less than 20 ice arenas operating in the State of Florida (Rinktime.com). CIA has one indirect competitor and three direct competitors. One of the direct competitors located less than 15 miles away is the upscale Tampa Bay Skating Academy Ice Arena in Westfield Countryside Mall. The ice arena industry in Florida can be a difficult industry to track because many of the arenas are privately owned. Refer to Figure 2 for the results of the SWOT analysis completed to identify CIAs strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Figure 2: SWOT Analysis of CIA illustrates their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Created by Microsoft Templates, 2014. Using Figure 3 the Sustainability Team (R3) found inefficiencies due to the age of the arena. After analyzing the companys resources (strengths and weaknesses), the results pointed to extremely excessive operating costs. The rising cost of resources and climate change will continue to increase CIAs operating costs. Through innovation and technology CIAs operating costs can reduce resource consumption. Recently, the new owner repaired and renovated key areas the arena. Dr. Rose stated that he expects to spend about $700,000 more repairing the arena. With the purchase of the lot adjacent to CIA circled in Figure 3, Dr. Rose is planning build an additional rink. CIA will be the only ice arena in Pinellas County with two fully operating, industry sized rinks, under one roof. Competition is very limited. The nearest ice arena is over 13 miles away.

Figure 3: Photo of CIA building and surrounding land. Location of new rink in red circle (Google Earth, 2008).

Industry TrendsIn the United States, there are 1,898 indoor ice arenas currently in operation and 85 internationally located (Vaahterus, 2001). On February 12, 1879, the first indoor ice rink, in North America, opened within Madison Square Garden in New York City (Schneider, 2014). According to the IBIS Worlds (2014) Ice Rinks Market Research Report each year, the US ice arena collectively generate more than $419 million dollars of revenue and provide $114 million dollars of payrolls for 11,500 Americans. The ice arena industry is mature. The expected continued growth of these businesses is expected to mirror the general population growth plus the rate of inflation (SDFSC, 2012). According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, ice hockey is the second-fastest-growing sport in the country since 2008 (Klein, 2011). However, through the decades, trends in ice arena industry have shifted due to advancements in technology and engineering.

The new trend is currently seen today in malls, diverse recreational facilities and hotels. Its a trend thats not confined to cold-weather climates (Preer, 2011). The Dubai Mall, one of the largest in the world, has a giant skating rink, and there are rinks at malls in such states as Florida, California, and Nevada (2011).Indoor ice arenas serve a wide array of customers both on and off the ice. Frozen arena surface the ability to transform into a solid floor, making it a good choice for a variety of occasions. Future ice rink facilities not only will give customers a frozen sheet of ice to enjoy winter sports activities but will also provide communities with a family based recreational super center. Super centers are going to have very little impact on smaller arenas because their main focus is not ice and ice programming but on family entertainment through the rides, games, and food service business (SDFSC, 2012).

Products and Services

The ice arenas primary service provided for customers is direct use of the facilitys ice rink. Many arenas provide a secondary form of recreation that include arcade machines, small fitness centers, billiard tables and even table tennis to accommodate the entertainment nature of the rink (Powell, 2014). Figure 4 displays the different products and services CIA provides for customers of all ages. To provide customers ice-related activities, ranging from recreation to competition, CIA uses a lot of water and energy to ensure that their customers can enjoy their time on or off the ice.

Figure 4: Products and Services Provided by CIA. Created by Brent Webb using MS Smart Art. Sustainability IssuesIce arenas require a lot of fresh water, energy and daily maintenance to operate. According to the International Hockey Federations Technical Guidelines, all ice rinks usually have the same sustainability concerns; water and energy usage, operating costs and indoor air quality (Vaahterus, 2001). The National Hockey League just released its first sustainability report, responding to 'major environmental challenges' posed by climate change and water scarcity (NHL, 2014). The generation and use of energy to power NHL arenas and offices produce approximately 80% of annual greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the League; electricity use alone represents 75% of their carbon footprint (NHL, 2014). Due to inefficiency and maintenance issues, CIA uses excessive amounts of energy and thousands of gallons of fresh water per month. It takes approximately 13,250 gallons of water to make a 1 1/4 inch sheet of ice on an industry size rink (see Figure 5). When melted thats almost enough water to fill a small swimming pool five feet deep. CIAs ice floor, if melted, would produce at least 30% more water.

Figure 5: Displays amount of water to make a 1 1/4 inch sheet of ice (Rink Magazine, 2014)

The Green Ice project directly addresses the aforementioned sustainability issues identified by CIA stakeholders:

Inefficiency (Operations)

Excessive Water Consumption

High Energy Use

Based on the input from stakeholders, the sustainability team chose the sustainable development model to assist with addressing identified concerns and to develop a long-term sustainability strategy. Sustainability Theory

In 1983, the United Nations Secretary-General invited Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland to chair a World Commission on Environment and Development. In 1987 the Brundtland Commission delivered its report Our Common Future also referred to as the Brundtland Report and the concept of 'sustainable development' was launched. Brundtland declared that only 'sustainable' development could unite the satisfaction of human needs with the protection of air, soil, water and all forms of life - from which, ultimately, global stability is inseparable (Ranaweera, 2010). The report defined sustainable development as, development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (1987). Clearly, sustainable development is the road-map or action plan for achieving sustainability in any activity that uses resources.

There is no 'one size fits all' approach to addressing sustainable development. There is no set format or template. Most businesses have to develop their own sustainable development strategies to implement the principles of sustainability as it applies to their activities. Today, more environmentally friendly practices can substantially increase revenues, significantly lower costs, and become a catalyst for innovation and business growth. Rising energy costs, the depletion of natural resources, changing global market requirements, and greater environmental awarenessamong customers and the general publichave merged to create a business climate in which green is good not just for your companys reputation, but for the very success of a business.Figure 6 illustrates the three main elements to sustainability - social (or community), the environment and the economy. These issues are not mutually exclusive. Only the integration of and balance between these areas will result in sustainability. CIA will have to embrace all these areas if it is to secure sustainability within its staff, operations, and stakeholders. Additionally, adopting sustainable solutions will help to ensure that CIA is aware of and take steps to comply with all relevant laws and regulations.

Figure 6: Sustainable Development model for CIA illustrates sustainability elements may be adopted. Retrieved from ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA Report (Ranaweera, 2010).Compliance Issues

There is an emerging tension surrounding climate change. This suggests an increasing level of involvement through legislation and regulation. Clearly this will begin to eat into our 'consumption culture' and, gradually require higher levels of environmental responsibility on the part of individuals, communities and organizations alongside national and international initiatives. Currently, environmental compliance in the ice skating industry is not a unified enforcement throughout the United States.

In 2010, high levels of carbon monoxide and/or nitrogen dioxide altering the quality of air in CIA ice arena made employees and customers sick (Moore, 2012). Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Rhode Island are the only states with regulations in place for their indoor ice arenas. The maximum exposure of Carbon Monoxide is 30 parts per million while Nitrogen Dioxide is 0.5 parts per million in the three states currently enforcing regulations, which is controlled by their local health departments (Theiler, 2011). Currently, there are no federal or state regulations in Florida for indoor air quality specific to indoor ice rinks regarding carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide exposure.

The Environmental Protection Agency has mandated in 2010 the elimination of coolant R-22 in new arenas. A complete ban on coolant R-22 either by import or manufacture will start in the year 2020. In preparation, the agency has proposed a phase-out schedule; reducing the amount that can be manufactured from 30 million pounds in 2015 to 6 million in 2019 and zero in 2020 (EPA Facts Team, 2014).

All personnel who currently work in CIAs facilities are protected under the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA, 2014). Employees and workers have the right to a safe environment and the Occupational Health and Safety Act is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance (OSHA, 2014). Some of CIAs current issues are poor air quality control, excessive use of essential resources, exhaustive maintenance procedures and inadequate operation processes. What does a company do when you are faced with so many challenges?Choosing to be sustainable, can be a tough decision for a small business like the Clearwater Ice Arena (CIA). To assist CIA with becoming a sustainable business, the sustainability team researched CIAs background, trends and the history of the ice arena industry, performed a SWOT analysis to understand CIA strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and examined the services CIA provides for their customers. Based on their research and input from stakeholders, the sustainability team identified the sustainable development model to address the companys sustainability concerns and develop a long-term sustainability strategy.

III. Stakeholders

Once approval to implement the Green Ice Project was obtained, the sustainability team scheduled a stakeholder meeting to ensure the needed commitment and buy-in needed to complete the project. Since many CIA stakeholders work various shift hours, a traditional meeting with everyone could not be scheduled. The sustainability team decided the best approach was to meet with each group individually.

During the initial discussions, the sustainability team met separately with the assistant manager and the maintenance team supervisor. To identify the various stakeholders affected by the companys decision, several probing questions were asked. The assistant manager agreed to provide the sustainability team with items needed to conduct research or audits. In addition, the maintenance team supervisor expressed how interested he was to be part of the project.

Applying R. Edward Freemans Stakeholder Theory or the idea that each stakeholder group is important to the success of any business or project, the sustainability team conducted a thorough stakeholder identification assessment. In Figure 7, the team identified all stakeholder groups possibly affected by the project, utilizing an internal/external stakeholder analysis model.

Figure 7: Stakeholder Internal/External Stakeholder Analysis. Created by sustainability team. Model illustrates stakeholder level of influence and those affected by project.Using identification and prioritization model in Figure 8, the sustainability team identified the primary and secondary stakeholders by level of priority in the project. More importantly, the sustainability team was able to identify and communicate with the primary stakeholders utilizing the stakeholder identification and assessment tools above.

Figure 8: Stakeholder Identification and Prioritization Matrix. Adapted from Lean Six Sigma and Business Performance tool.Below are brief descriptions of each stakeholder:

Owner

Dr. Manuel S. Rose, the owner of Rose Radiology is currently the sole owner of the Clearwater Ice Arena. He will not directly participate in the Green Ice Project. Although, Dr. Rose will be presented with the sustainable solutions recommended to management and will make the final determination regarding the implementation of the solutions. Management Team

The Management Team made up of two individuals, the General Manager and Assistant Manager, will be directly affected by the results of the project. The assistant manager will be the contact person for this project.

Maintenance teamThe maintenance team consists of five employees that currently work on the ice and the surrounding property. These stakeholders will be directly impacted by this project. Insight from the maintenance team was essential to the project.

R3, Inc. (Core Team/ Sustainability Team)

The sustainability team will be directly affected by the implementation and the results of this project. The team is responsible for conducting thorough audits and carefully documenting observations that lead to realistic solutions to concerns identified by main stakeholders. The success of the Green ice Project will impact the teams ability to graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Sustainability Management. Employees and Sub-Contractors

The employees of the arena will not be directly impacted by this project. The employees are broken up into different departments, which include the front desk, management and maintenance teams and those running the shop.Customers

Customers are always stakeholders because they support the income necessary to keep the business afloat. Vendors

The vendors that work with the arena are Cisco, Coca Cola, Budweiser, Hungry Howies, Pro guard, and Florida Gas Lift. These vendors have a minimal effect on the sustainability teams overall improvement project. Coaches

The coaches are stakeholders on a different level than the employees. They have minimal input regarding project, although they will benefit from an environment that is safe and more efficient. Affiliated Youth Sports TeamPAL (Police Athletic League) and other community sports groups will not have any input regarding project but will benefit from a safer and more efficient environment. Community

The immediate community surrounding the Clearwater Ice Arena consists of the ICOT Business Park. The Business Park comprised of both small and large scaled businesses and organizations will not be directly affected by this project. However, will benefit from a safer and more efficient environment.EnvironmentThe environment is always present in the background will always benefit from more efficient usage of resources that GHGs and usage of essential resources (water and energy).

The purpose of this section was to identify all stakeholders and determine their concerns as they relate to CIAs operations and activities. The information obtained from the stakeholders and initial research on the organization, aided the sustainability team with selecting which comprehensive sustainability audits should be conducted, including both data collection methodology and data analysis.

IV. Comprehensive AuditDuring the initial data collection phase the stakeholders explained the problems they were most concerned about. The majority of stakeholders indicated that CIAs current operation processes and use of resources were inefficient. After analyzing the stakeholders concerns, the sustainability team determined that CIAs inefficiency was causing exhaustive maintenance of their refrigeration system and the excessive use of water and energy. To measure CIAs current condition the sustainability team, with input from stakeholders, selected which assessments needed to be conducted to address identified concerns. The group decided the best assessments to conduct were a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the refrigeration system (as defined by ISO 14000), a water audit and an energy audit. The objective of the audits were to document the specific activities that establish the existing conditions to be improved, allowing for a common understanding across process owners and stakeholders.Life Cycle Analysis Air-cooled Chiller

A processed based LCA was performed on the arenas air-cooled liquid chillers cooling process, shown in Figure 9, which keeps the ice rink floor frozen.

Figure 9. CIAs air-cooled liquid chiller refrigeration system that uses glycol (Manchi, 2000).The sustainability team itemized the inputs (materials and energy resources) and the outputs (emissions and wastes to the environment) for the air cooled liquid chillers cooling process that produces the ice sheet for the rink as seen in Figure 10.

Figure 10. Inputs (materials and energy resources) and the outputs (emissions and wastes to the environment) for the air cooled liquid chillers cooling process. Created using Microsoft Smart Art, 2013.

Chillers are refrigeration systems used to cool fluids or dehumidify air in both commercial and industrial facilities. Chilled water has a variety of applications from space cooling to process uses (like keeping an ice rink floor frozen). This systematic overview will address the environmental aspects and impacts of the air-cooled liquid chiller in Figure 11 between individual processes (see Figure 10). The goal of this LCA is to identify concerns in operation of CIAs current refrigeration system including performance, efficiency, maintenance, and overall environmental impact.CIA currently uses is a 2010 York air-cooled liquid chiller manufactured by Johnson Controls (see Figure 11). The chiller removes heat from glycol (R13a) refrigerant via a vapor-compression or absorption refrigeration cycle.

Figure 11. CIA currently uses 2010 York air-cooled liquid chiller manufactured by Johnson Controls. Photo taken by Benjamin Wright (2014).

The typical life span of CIAs chiller is generally 15 to 20 years however, thats based on the chillers location in varying exterior conditions. In Florida the lifespan for this type of chiller is about 12 years (Rajecki, 2009). The almost 200-ton chiller operates at 0.84 kW/ton. It uses about 43% of total energy consumption in ice rink, which can be explained by a high demand for freezing and maintaining a quite large ice surface area up to 2000m2 at around -40C. Other energy demands are heating with 26%, lighting 10%, ventilation and dehumidification (see Figure 12).

Figure 12. Typical energy demands for ice arena. Adapted from information retrieved from IIHF Technical Guidelines (Vaahterus, 2001).This chiller is efficient and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) compliant. It is a Direct Liquid System that uses glycol, which has zero Ozone Depletion, to keep floor frozen. However, it produces about 1300 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and does not have an internal heat recovery system. On average 26% of the energy CIA consumes is used for space and water heating (see Figure 12).

CIAs current rink floor requires extensive daily maintenance and upkeep just to perform tolerably. There are visible irregularities caused by leaks that developed several years ago in the rink floor piping. Furthermore, the ongoing corrosion of the piping will likely result in more frequent and more significant leakage in the future if improvements are not made.

The ice rink must be able to operate sustainably in its current environment and also when the new rink expansion is complete. CIAs current refrigeration system must be more durable and eco-efficient so operational expenses are kept at a minimum during its life cycle. Internal microprocessor controls have evolved over the years to monitor and tweak every aspect of the refrigerant-cycle process. Even a kink in an oil line can throw a chiller into alarm and cause troubleshooting headaches for days.Utilizing LCA to pinpoint the hotspots in the CIA refrigeration-cycle system, the arenas system can be eco-designed during renovation stage, help CIA achieve cost savings by reducing energy usage through heat recovery. Avoiding hot spots can help CIA reduce energy use. Using results of their LCA sustainability team help generate solutions that could increase the viability of CIAs ice rink if implemented. Additionally this will assist with reducing overall operating cost including energy and water.Water Audit

The water audit revealed several issues related to the water usage in the ice arena. The water audit is separated into four categories: public lobby lavatory facilities, locker room lavatory facilities, fitness center lavatory facilities and the Zamboni ice resurfacing process for the ice rink. The water audit includes the water bearing fixtures (showers, sinks, and urinals) located in the different lavatories within the facility. It incorporates the number of gallons used for each fixture and the number of flushes for each urinal. Figure 13 below shows the water audit measuring locations of CIAs lavatory facilities, ice rink and the Zamboni.

Figure 13. Water audit measuring locations of CIAs lavatory facilities, ice rink and the Zamboni.Table 1

Mens and Womens Total Lavatory Fixture Count/ Water Usage, Circle A, Figure 13

Types of Fixtures/ Count Men & WomenGallons Per Flush (GPF)/ Gallons Per Minute(GPM)

Four Toilets1.6 GPF

Four Sinks1.5 GPM

Three Urinals1.0 GPF

Note. Fixture criteria and GPF/ GPM related to what was found from water auditTable 2

Locker Room Total Fixture Count/ Water Usage, Located in Circle B, Figure 13

Types of FixturesGallons Per Flush (GPF)/Gallons Per Minute(GPM)

Two Toilets1.6 GPF

Four Showers2.5 GPM

Four Sinks1.5 GPM

Note. Fixture criteria and GPF/ GPM related to what was found from water auditTable 3

Fitness Center Total Fixture Count/ Water Usage, Circle C, Figure 13

Types of FixturesGallons per Flush (GPF)/Gallons Per Minute(GPM)

Two toilets1.4 GPF/ 1.28 GPF

Two Urinals1.0 GPF

Three Sinks1.5 GPM

Three Showers2.5 GPM

Note. Fixture criteria and GPF/ GPM related to what was found from water audit. Showers were audited in the fitness center.

Table 4

Clearwater Ice Arena Average Zamboni Process Ice Dumps and fills per day/year, Circle D, Figure 13Ice DumpsWater Fill-Ups

Times dumped/ Filled Per Day7 times7 times

Gallons dumped/Per day622 gallons (each time)300 gal. Initial/ 175 gal. after

Total Per Day4,354 gallons1350 gallons

Total Per Year1,589,210 gallons492,750 gallons

Note. Zamboni dumps approximately 622 gallons of water every day. The biggest waste uncovered is the value per year of 1,589,000 gallons. Can refill the Zamboni each time. Lobby Lavatories. The lobby lavatories provide separate men and women facilities and are the most utilized of the lavatory facilities at CIA. The mens lavatories contains one toilet, three urinals and two sinks. The three urinals were both Kohler and Briggs products. Both brands use 1.0 gallons per flush. The toilet was an American Standard 1.6 gallons per flush and two Aqua source sinks. The womens lavatory contained three toilets and two sinks as opposed to the mens lavatory. All toilets in the women facility were American Standard 1.6 gallons per flush and had Aqua source sinks. The sustainability team observed running faucets and experienced difficulty when trying to turn the sink nozzle off. The lobby lavatory toilets and sinks were timeworn. Locker Room. There are four locker rooms arranged in pairs with a sink in each one. The locker rooms have a conjoined rooms that contains one toilet and two showers for each pair. This accounts for a total of four showers, two toilets, and four sinks. The toilet brand was American Standard with 1.6 gallons per flush, the showerheads were Moen and the sinks were Aquasource. The locker rooms are used regularly.Fitness Center. The fitness center built more recently and has the newest equipment when compared to the rest of the facility. The mens lavatories contain Symmons and Moen shower- heads at 2.5 gallons per minute, and Kohler toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush. The urinals are Kohler brand at 1.0 gallon per flush and the sinks are Aquasource. The womens lavatory has 1.4 gallons per flush Kohler toilets, Symmons 2.5 gallons per minute showerhead and an automatic on/off sensor sink by Sloan. The lavatories are located in the fitness center and contain low usage fixtures but both areas are rarely used. The Zamboni. The process of resurfacing the ice rink is a task utilizing extensive amounts of water. CIA has two Zambonis available for use at the facility. Although one is not in operating order, therefore leaving only one to prepare the ice for daily scheduled tournaments and customer utilization. For this water audit, only one Zamboni will be used for analysis in the process of laying down the ice and refilling the tank. The Zamboni was created by Frank J. Zamboni & Company, model number 500 and the serial number is 3007. Introduced in 1978, the Zamboni model number 500 series uses propane as its primary fuel source. The large snow capacity and tank design allows all areas of the snow tank to be completely filled, even to the top and rear corners (Zamboni, 2014). The average Zamboni resurfacing takes about 12 minutes per resurfacing and is completed 9.7 times a day for a total allotted time of 116.40 minutes (Zamboni, 2014). Sustainability team member conducted an interview with the CIA maintenance team which clarified the rink is resurfaced 7-12 times a day depending on specific ice tournaments and events scheduled that day. The tank is filled with 300 gallons initially for the first resurface and then 150 -175 gallons for each additional time (seven times approximately) accounting for an estimated usage of 1300 to 1600 gallons of water a day. Figure 14 is a detailed picture can be seen in Figure 14 below on how ice resurfacing works using a Zamboni.

Figure 14. Picture illustration of current Zamboni process used by CIA. Adapted from How the Zamboni Works (Zamboni, 2014)

The ice shavings collected off the ice rink during the resurfacing process is stored in the Zamboni. The shaving collected in the Zambonis snow tank equal about 622 gallons of water or 2500 lbs. of wet snow (waste-ice) per 125 cubic feet of space when at full capacity. The amount of ice-waste collected from dumping varies according to the customers activity on the ice, which can result in ice pits, cavities and scrapes. When the resurfacing is complete the ice-waste is dumped behind building. This Zamboni water dumping process consumes the most water in CIA.

Additional issues observed within the ice rink was the accumulation of more ice than expected in a certain areas and the seepage of water outside the ice rink barriers. The maintenance team staff stated, on average, the ice sheet should be about one to two inches thick but in some spots it is accumulating to as deep as 7 inches due to glycol leaks underneath the ice. The deeper ice pits require additional overuse of water to smooth the ice sheet out. Water seepage outside the ice rink is a common problem because the facility was designed a temporary location (see Figure 15). The barriers are old and water seeps through the connection of the ice sheet and rink barriers, putting water out into the surrounding staging areas. The staging areas are elevated with wood, so a precise measurement cannot be audited.

Figure 15. Illustrates the water leaking outside the ice rink barrier. Photo taken by Benjamin Wright (2014).

Below the three informational charts in Figures 16, 17, and 18 present the data collected from CIAs water utility bills. The bills represent the water used in a bi monthly billing cycle. Graph in Figure 16 displays the arenas average number of gallons used per day. The second graph in Figure 17 compares the total consumption of water used during the previous years billing period to the current years billing cycle. The third graph in Figure 18 represents the overall cost of each monthly billing cycle. The total cost of water usage and disposal from 08/17/2013 to 08/15/2014 is $15,603.27 and the total water consumption for that same billing period is 1,072,000 gallons of water.

Figure 16. Average gallons used per day in each bimonthly billing cycle. Created utilizing information obtained from CIA water

Figure 18. Clearwater Ice Arena average bimonthly water bill costs. Adapted from information retrieved from CIA energy bill. Created utilizing information obtained from CIA water bill.The water analysis conducted raises many water consumption concerns. The older water fixtures are low hanging fruit and the ice resurfacing process indicate priority. Overall, the water utility invoices show tremendous amount of water usage in each bi-monthly cycle. By implementing water conservation practices will decrease water usage and cut energy costs.Energy Audit

In conjunction with the LCA and water audit the sustainability team also conducted an energy use assessment. This revealed that the Clearwater Ice Arena (CIA) faces many challenges when it comes to being energy efficient. Utilizing the location analysis map below in Figure 19, the sustainability team pinpointed areas of concern. Each being major contributors to CIAs high energy consumption. They found inadequate insulation surrounding the ice rink, there were air leaks in the building envelope and multiple dehumidifying and HVAC machines working simultaneously. Much of the artificial lighting throughout the building is outdated and there are several poorly managed electrical devices. This energy assessment analysis along with thermal imaging will highlight the three main areas of concern. The structural breakdown will begin with the most energy consuming area of concern to the least consuming.

1. The main lobby due to poor insulation between the ice rink and the lobby.

2. The entire roof above the rink is insulated poorly. Exposed vent left unsealed.

3. Three dehumidifiers and a chiller are located around the building.

Figure 19. The gray areas equal most important sources of energy loss and energy usage. Adapted from system theory tool created by Heinz-Werner Engel, founder of eco mapping.

Figure 20. Illustrates the inadequate insulation between the ice rink and the lobby. There is not enough insulation to assist with temperature management in surrounding areas. Taken by Benjamin Wright (2014).

Air leaks contribute to energy loss. Multiple exit channels were found in the building envelope. There was a hole in the wall with noticeable sunlight entering through it. The ceiling has continuous temperature exchange because pieces of missing reflective insulation. The exterior doors located behind staff offices were without adequate weather stripping, resulting in condensation on door exterior as seen in Figure 21.

Figure 21. Shows inadequate insulation in ceiling above the ice rink and exposed vent left unsealed in the wall and exterior door with inefficient weather stripping. Photos taken by Brent Webb (2014).

There is a total of three dehumidifier machines; the one on the left in Figure 22 was purchased in recent years and the aged Bry-Air dehumidifier is for backup. However, summer months require it to be used more frequently. Three Advantix DuCool HVAC systems, used to heat and cool the common areas of the building, use approximately 87,662 watts per month.

Figure 22. A picture of all three dehumidifier machines. Photo taken by Benjamin Wright (2014).

The lighting contributes to at least 32% of all CIAs energy usage. On a monthly average lighting account for approximately 54,237 watts. There are only a few areas where automatic light switches control usage when people arent in those specific rooms. Only about 50 out of 600 of the lights are not being used at all times during operation. There is a combination of:

T12 40 watt

T8 30 watt

13 volt halogens

10 exterior halogen

In various parts of the building there are several electrical devices left on all day such as computers, exterior light fixtures, workout machines, cable boxes, modems, a water heater, stereo equipment and microwaves.

3/10 exterior lights

6 televisions

3 cable boxes

2 refrigerators

Fax machine

5 computers

Toaster oven, popcorn machine, pizza warmer (not always used)

CIAs hours of operation are from 5:30 AM to 10:30 PM. Customers and employees are constantly coming in and out of the building, allowing for more air exchange in addition to the leaks. The constant air leaks discovered result in the dehumidifiers along with the A/C unit and the glycol chiller to run at peak hours. CIAs monthly electric bill is on average $15,000 a month (see Figure 23).

Figure 23. CIA electric bill that illustrates kilowatts per day and average monthly bill.

Energy loss is a huge contributor to CIAs energy consumption. Defective insulation, loss of temperature, excessive condensation and air exchange were all recognized with the thermal imaging data.

The illustration below in Figure 24 represents the failing of the insulation above the ice rink. The darkest spots on the pictures show that some parts are 25 degrees Fahrenheit and the holes are 66 degrees. The temperature at the top left of every pic represents the exact temperature measured on the crosshairs. On the right side of every pic there is a sliding scale of the highest temperature to the lowest temperature in that general area around the crosshair measure. The hole the cross hairs are aimed at show a significant change in temperature. This is the area where the air exchange is occurring. There were multiple places on the ceiling that had inadequate insulation.

Figure 24. Thermal image of the failing insulation on ceiling above the ice rink. A drastic difference of temperature can be seen just a few feet away due to insufficient insulation. Photo taken by Brent Webb (2014).

Below in Figure 25 using thermal imaging the sustainability team found a significant difference in temperature around the door frame and where doors meet. There was excessive air exchange creating large amounts of condensation. The exterior door of this door was dripping with condensation and mold was beginning to form around the bottom of the doorway. The thermal image on the right shows the temperature of the air coming out was less than 70 degrees. The image also shows the temperature of door itself was approximately between 73 and 85 degrees than around the frame because of the escaping air. This resulted in condensation developing on the exterior of the door as illustrated in Figure 25 on the right. Figure 25. Thermal image comparison of emergency exit door behind staff offices. A lot of cool air is escaping via the back door at Clearwater Ice Arena. Photo taken by Brent Webb (2014).

Ice rink is one of the industry that consumes a huge amount of energy every year. According to a statistic of Sweden in 2011, average energy usage of an ice rink is around 1000MWh per year (Rogstam 2011). The energy analysis uncovered many difficulties that have developed over the years due to the age of the building and outdated system processes. If CIA wants to become more efficient they can use this information to decide what areas they want to fix.

V. Best PracticesAnalyzing best practices can help to ensure quality and efficiency are planned when purchasing of resources used to create the product and processes needed during and thereafter. In order to be successful and meet their objectives the sustainability team researched the best practices for improving CIAs refrigeration process and reducing water and energy. They found several eco-friendly solutions other organizations already implemented and outlined how those best practices could improve CIAs sustainability efforts and reduce the current amount of resources used to keep their arena operations.

It takes lots of energy and water to keep CIAs rink floor frozen. The cycle begins in the evaporator where a liquid refrigerant flows over the evaporator tube and evaporates, absorbing heat from the chilled water circulating through the piping cooling the water until frozen (see Figure 26). This system is running 24 hours a day and cooling up 7-8 inches of water collected in areas of affected by glycol leaks in the rink piping.

Figure 26. Simple demonstration of cooling process. Image adapted from (Cooling and Heating Hire, 2014)CIAs rink is sand based as illustrated in Figure 27. According case study conducted rinkspecialist.com, it is advisable to maintain 1 3/4" to 2 1/2" of ice on a sand floor to reduce the chance of puncturing pipe during ice events (Rinkspecialist, 2014). With a sand floor added attention must be taken to ensure that no pipes are punctured while edging or re-surfacing. The operation and maintenance of CIAs refrigeration systems cooling process is very costly and inefficient systems are consuming excessive energy.

Figure 27. Image of ice floor built using sand base direct liquid system. Adapted from (Rinkspecialist, 2014).The sustainability team researched what solutions had other organizations implemented that could help CIA use their resources better. These solutions can help resolve the fact that CIA has tons of heat waste yearly they could reuse and damaged cooling pipes running beneath the ice surface that need to be replaced. Below are listed several best practices the sustainability team identified: The Pettit National Ice Center had high-energy bills with approximately $23,000 spent on electricity each month and heating costs reaching $9,000 a month (Lechtenberg, 2002). In addition to the large heating bills, a substantial amount of waste heat from ice making equipment is rejected to the environment. Different methods of heat recovery were examined to determine which are feasible with the PNIC system. A shell and tube heat exchanger capable of transferring 2 million Btu/h of heat from the refrigeration system to the heated water system and a small auxiliary boiler is designed. The payback period for this project was 13 months, after which the PNIC would experience savings of approximately $90, 000 yearly in fuel costs. In 2000 Maysa Arena Ice Rink installed heat recovery system to help conserve natural resources while saving money in the Minot Park District. Heating from ice production was captured and the glycol routed through pipes in the arenas ceiling and floors. The heating system is which cycles the glycol from ice production also heats the concession area, banquet room. Domestic water is also preheated before going to the hot water heater, which saves energy. About $1000 per month has been saved in natural gas consumption

The rink piping system is one of the most important factors in a high quality ice sheet. Ice Rink Events redesigned their rink floor piping system, whose classic makeup consists of a chiller connected to a header manifold from which smaller diameter pipes extend to cover the surface of the rink. An exceptional sheet of ice depends largely on the ability of the rink piping to remove heat in a uniform and efficient manner. The prefabricated, 16-mile long tubing system is made up of a series of 25-modular units, or mats, configured to be unrolled and re-rolled as needed, with each mat custom-made by CALMAC Manufacturing Corporation of Fair Lawn, NJ. the CALMAC IceMatII system is that it provides a high flow-rate of the refrigerant solution, and close spacing of each tube. These features not only cause the ice to freeze faster, but also to enable it to remain frozen even when temperatures reach 90 100 F (32 38 C). Traditional 1-inch polyethylene piping is spaced farther apart and therefore cant provide effective heat transfer for projects like this, Clayton says.There are several low-cost/no-cost efficiency improvements that CIA could also implement to target improved control and facility operational adjustments: Increase ice temperatures during unoccupied periods, free skating, and figure skating.

Reduce ice sheet thickness.

Program night setbacks on space heating and ventilation.

Reduce coolant flow rate according to schedule and occupancy.Water Best Practices

An ice arenas smooth surface rink is contingent upon water usage and therefore the expense of water is most important. Water conservation methods and practices must be implemented, especially in certain parts of the ice arena, to balance the high water bills associated with keeping up with the ice rink. New practices in the arena that do not essentially focus on the ice can be incorporated and involve the water bearing fixtures customers and employees use as well as the lavatory facilities. Building upgrades, such as water-efficient fixtures, flow restrictors on existing fixtures, and electronic sensors all contribute to decreasing water use (NHL, 2014). Water audits assist in evaluating and implementing water-efficiency measures and are effective water-use-reduction strategies. It is distinctly clear the ice rinks mandatory resurfacing process requires the greatest water usage but by installing certain upgrades water gallon usage will reduce therefore resulting in lower water bills keeping down capital outlays.Potential best practices used for arena lavatory facilities:

Low flow aerators or spring loaded faucets that automatically shut off

Shower heads that flow at no more than 2.5 gallons per minute

Install 1.6 gallons per flush toilets or lower

1.0 gallons per flush urinals or better yet waterless urinals

The National Hockey League presented in the NHL 2014 Sustainability Report completed findings of a major water restoration project.

Through the NHL Water Restoration Project, the 2011 Stanley Cup Final became the first championship series in League history to track total water used from restroom faucets to ice surfaces. An equivalent amount of water was then restored to western North American rivers through Bonneville Environmental Foundations water restoration certificates. This commitment was renewed for both the 2012 and 2013 Stanley Cup Final. We have continued our work in water restoration through our Gallons for Goals program. Since 2011, for every goal scored during the regular season, we have pledged to restore 1,000 gallons of water to a critically dewatered river. At the end of the campaigns inaugural season, the Gallons for Goals initiative restored more than 6.7 million gallons of water. (NHL, 2014)

Case studies documented in 2014 NHL Sustainability Report:

In 2009 The Staples Center replaced all 178 conventional urinals with waterless urinals, for total annual savings of more than 7 million gallons of water. In the 2011-12 season the Los Angeles Kings restored an additional 50,000 gallons of water as part of the Leagues Gallons for Goals initiative (NHL, 2014).

At the Bb&t Center, the Florida Panthers substantially reduced water consumption by retrofitting more than 400 hand sinks in public restrooms. By installing a water-conserving insert in each restroom sink, the BB&T Center decreased restroom-sink water consumption by close to 75% from baseline consumption (NHL, 2014).

Rainwater Harvesting System. A rainwater harvesting system is used for many purposes both internal and external. Reusing rainwater for irrigation purposes is the most traditional and obvious benefit but it can also be used for the lavatory fixture facilities and even for the Zamboni resurfacing process on the ice. This harvesting system has the added benefit of decreasing municipal water usage as it conserves energy, and ultimately reduces the water utility bill. The Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (AESC) is the first professional grade indoor ice arena to use rainwater. Rainwater is a natural phenomenon and is potentially perfect for making quality ice for an arena. Table 5 below shows the potential monetary savings for the Abbotsford arena that installed a rainwater harvesting system.Table 5

Payback Period and Cost Savings from the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (AESC)

Monetary Savings

Water and sewer cost savings$1,226.74/ year

Energy cost savings$1,960.17/ year

Total savings$3,186.91/ year

Rainwater system cost$27,000 installed

Payback period8 years

Note. Information adapted from (AESC, 2014)Ice Resurfacing. Methods of combatting ice resurfacing can be broken into the filling of the water tank or the initial flood volume. The lowest amount of water should be used to fill the Zambonis water resurfacing tank. Usually the water is fully emptied when the next ice resurface begins because it is tepid if left in the tank. Filling up the Zamboni tank requires significant amounts of hot water to be laid on the ice. If the current practice is to just fill the tanks, this may be both wasteful and detrimental to the ice quality because freezing will be incomplete forming puddles on the rink that effect ice skating ability (Sask Power, 2014). Best practices for filling the water tank is provided in Table 6 below. Table 6

Zamboni Water Filling Best Practices

Water Flow Meter Accurate/ expensive

Timing FillLittle accuracy but helps reduce water

Zamboni Equipment used (if applicable)Equipped with tank gauge, most efficient and economical

Note. Zamboni equipped with a gauge and measuring device is the most economical. Information adapted by (Sask Power, 2014)

It is crucial and economical to fill the Zamboni with water at a specific temperature to insure immediate freezing. Many operators currently produce hot water at a temperature at 140-150 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the typical factory setting on most domestic hot water heaters (Sask Power, 2014). The degree of ice quality for the customers on the ice rink is directly influenced by how quickly the water freezes when resurfacing. Since all ice rinks are different, experimenting with the maintenance timing method will improve the water volume and heating for the Zamboni resurfacing process. Figure 28 below shows the recommended best practices associated with ideal domestic hot water heating flood temperatures. Figure 28. Domestic hot water (DHW) heating ideal Zamboni flood temperatures. Adapted by (Sask Power, 2014). Zamboni and IAQ (Indoor Air Quality). Indoor air quality is directly affected by the use of the Zamboni on the ice rink. Zambonis that are propane or gas filled emit harmful gases in high percentages, which include nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. The levels of harmful gases endanger the health of the public with consequences severe enough to be hospitalized. Electric Zambonis are now readily available on the market and are best practices proving to be the better choice over the traditional propane or gas Zamboni. The electric Zamboni, although more expensive, is the green choice emitting many major benefits. The benefits include little or no emissions released into the air as well as the elimination of maintenance related to the engine (spark plugs, fuel filter etc.) Another alternative to the propane/gas filled Zamboni is a natural gas option. Natural Gas machines reduce emissions/energy cost in comparison to propane models, however, while natural gas reduces emissions, they are still not zero, so building ventilation is necessary (Yang, 2008). Emission tests should continue to be conducted on fossil fuel machines for carbon monoxide, hydro fluoro carbons and nitrogen dioxide. Gasoline and propane machines can be transformed into natural gas machines and catalytic converters are a way to go if an improvement is not economical. Indoor air quality should be measured by several carbon monoxide monitors placed around the facility to check for indoor pollutant concentration. Levels should be maintained and recorded and a logbook created. Adequate ventilation should be built to cycle the air and prevent the buildup of toxic levels of Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Dioxide. Automatic ventilation is the advanced approach when certain levels of toxicity have been reached.

A case study was conducted by Purdue engineering on 10 ice rink arenas in the Greater Boston area, Halifax, and Novia Scotia looking at the arenas ventilation and its effect on indoor air quality. The case studies purpose was to find an effective ventilation method that would prove to be most efficient. The concentration level within an ice rink facility depends highly on the fuel type of the ice resurfacer, the frequency of resurfacing, and the degree of ventilation (Pennamen, 1998). In most cases a propane resurfacer emits more nitrogen dioxide than a gasoline fueled resurfacer, although gasoline resurfaces usually emit more carbon monoxide, hydro fluoro carbons and particles. Five of the surveyed arenas used electric resurfaces, four used resurfacers fueled by propane or gasoline without a catalytic converter and three arenas used propane or gasoline powered resurfacers with some type of catalytic converters (Yang, 2008). An adequate ventilation flow rate is necessary to reach an acceptable IAQ level for ice rinks that use propane or gasoline fueled resurfacers (Yang, 2008). The case study results indicate a lower exhaust air outlet location in the arena reduces contamination levels in the athlete/customer zone area. Energy Best Practices

The applications listed below are ways for Clearwater Ice Arena to implement a new process of energy usage. The cooling and air quality equipment will run at better efficiency if upgrades are applied and managed. The recommendations range from easiest cost and implementation to biggest bang for buck to re-do specific areas and enhance the building envelope making Clearwater Ice Arena more energy efficient.Green Power Partnership. The National Hockey League is using clean, green power electricity derived from renewable resources like wind, solar and biomass for 100% of its annual New York headquarters operations as well as for the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs. The NHL is the first major professional sports league to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Green Power Partnership, a national, voluntary program that currently includes more than 1,500 businesses, institutions, non-profits, and agencies, all using green power for some or all of their electricity needs. Close to two-thirds of these organizations are using 100% green power. Today, more than 1,500 Green Power Partners are collectively using more than 28 billion kilowatt-hours of green power annually, equal to avoiding the annual carbon pollution from the electricity use of more than three million average American homes. And today, green power is available to every single business, institution and electricity consumer in the United States.

Saving Energy. One of the first tasks that SEDAC performs when analyzing a building, is to benchmark (or compare) the buildings energy usage intensity (EIU) to other buildings of similar use, to assess how well the particular facility is operating. Reducing radiative heat gains to the ice by making adjustments to the building envelope greatly reduces the load on the refrigeration system. A very common and effective solution is to install a low-emissivity radiant ceiling barrier. This highly reflective barrier is usually a polished aluminum surface laminated to a vinyl, polypropylene, or fiberglass backing. The barrier shields the ice surface from being exposed to the warm ceiling surface, thus reducing radiative heat gains.Efficient light. Alian Gauthier, the owner of the Montreal Canadians replaced the Bell Centres lights with LEDs. This will save the arena approximately $125,000 a year in electricity. While other sports locations use LEDs to light scoreboards, concession stands and the like, the Bell Centre is the only major league sports site in North America to use only LEDs to light its playing surface (Belson, 2013).Insulation upgrade. In 2009, Houghton County Ice Arena changed the insulation from aluminum to spray. Existing ice arena with drastic condensation issues on 8,500 square feet of roof deck (Super Polymer, 2013). This was due to the fiberglass insulation failing to stop the warm inside air from reaching the metal components of the roof system in the winter. Removed existing fiberglass insulation from underside of roof deck. Applied 6" of open cell spray foam directly against underside of roof sheet metal.The sustainability team worked with the CIA to define the current condition of the arena, documented best practice standards and defined how CIAs could apply them in order to become a more efficient and more environmentally conscience organization. Several recommended suggestions and documentation may become part of CIAs project plan and will be used to transition CIAs operations toward sustainability. Each recommendation will be reviewed to determine the cost versus benefit of implementing the improvement and how the recommended improvement will impact the overall operations process. VI. Recommendations for ImprovementFor many years CIA has faced operational challenges that staff and management struggle with daily. The Arena was constructed in 1984 and many of the ice and mechanical systems constructed at that time are still in use. The normal lifespan of the current equipment being used is 25 to 30 years, which has been exceeded. The sustainability team determined that the replacement or renovation of many components is required at this time. To assist with improving the conditions of their ice system, reducing the cost of the energy and water used to operate daily, the sustainability team provided CIA the following recommendations.

Refrigeration System Recommendations

Improving the conditions of the refrigeration system will reduce CIAs substantial operational costs, improve the quality of the ice rink and eliminate some potential compliance issues. The sustainability team recommends a replacement of the current air-cooled chiller with new modern, reliable system and components that will operate efficiently, with minimal need for maintenance. According to the International Ice Hockey Federation, the refrigeration plant is fundamental to any ice-rink facility (Vaahterus, 2001). New technologies are emerging rapidly that make it possible to use new materials and technical solutions that are more energy efficient. The emerging technologies can help optimize construction and improvement costs. The sustainability team discovered that there are several sustainable alternatives that CIA could benefit from utilizing.

The proposed recommendations for the ice rink and mechanical systems focus on improvements that include:

Option 1- Heating Recovery Ventilation. Improve the efficiency of existing system for refrigeration to reduce waste heat. Heat recovery ventilation (HRV - also known as a heat exchanger, air exchanger or air-to-air exchanger) is a ventilation system that employs a heat exchanger between the inbound and outbound air flow. HRV provide fresh air and improved climate control, while also saving energy by reducing the heating and cooling requirements. If a complete upgrade cannot be achieved, incremental improvements can be made by making small alterations and conducting simple maintenance practices. This recommendation will recover useful amounts of waste heat that can be used to heat other parts of building or melt snow in the proposed ice pit. The costs of a new refrigeration system can sometimes quickly be recovered in energy savings over an old system.

Option 2- Piping Redesign. A structural redesign of CIA is current cooling pipes that run beneath the ice floor. When considering the construction of a new indoor ice rink to be located adjacent to the current site. The decided course of action on this project could influence the scope of work that is performed and structural design for the new rink. Ice rink floors consists of several layers below the ice (see Figure 28). According to the 2014 IIHF, the most common surfacing materials used to freeze the ice on are concrete and sand. A sand surface is the cheapest but has a shorter life span than concrete and can cost more to maintain in the long-term even though initial cost is much lower. CIAs existing ice rink system (rink floor and refrigeration plant) is a Direct Liquid Refrigeration (DLR) system, which circulates cold Glycol refrigerant directly through metal pipes in the sand based sub-surface of the rink floor. As illustrated in Figure 29, it takes nearly 10 miles of piping (laid down below a sands surface) to freeze the ice rink. Glycol (anti-freeze) is chilled by compressors and flows continuously through the pipes 24 hours a day to keep the temperature of the ice surface at a cool 16 degrees. In Table 7 the sustainability team recommended replacing piping under sand. This will provide a more energy efficient flow of glycol to pipes, heat transfer and stop glycol leakage underneath ice surface.

Figure 29. Concrete Ice Rink Floor Cross Section. Adapted from (Pace Industrial, 2014)Table 7

Options identified for improvements to the ice rink refrigeration/cooling system.

All options are for an NHL regulation size 85-0 width by 200-0 length, with 28-0 rounded corners. All options also provide for mounting of the dasher boards on the rink perimeter slab rather than directly onto the refrigerated rink surface (see Figure 29). Additionally, mounting of the dasher boards on the rink floor would provide better ice quality on the edges of the rink, but would require major demolition and reconstruction of the sand floor and bleachers outside the rink. All options also include a subsoil heating system consisting of 1 polyethylene piping at 18 spacing, located within a 6 depth sand layer below the rink floor insulation layer. The costs estimated for all options include removal and disposal of the existing rink floor and all installation costs.

Table 8.Payback Period for Heat Recovery System Upgrade

Heat Recovery System CostSimple Payback PeriodLife Expectancy

$5,000 - $8,0002 to 5 years15 years

Currently, CIA does not have a heat recovery system. It fairly inexpensive to add to existing system. The current chiller is about 5 years old and will not need to be replaced for at least another ten years.Water Management

Option 1- CIA lavatories. The water processes used and the water bearing fixtures installed in the Clearwater Ice Arena lavatories use an extensive amount of water. Several recommendations are recommended to decrease the arenas water usage, which will lower the overall utility water bill in the long run. There is several water bearing alternatives to consider that can replace the current lavatory fixtures. To maintain low water usage in the fixtures, the water sense label is recommended. Table 9 below provides CIA with alternative urinal fixture options, related costs and their benefits. Included in Tables 9, 10, 11 below are current and optional alternatives for urinals, toilets, and sinks based on Kohler and American Standard brands. The alternative showers listed are based on Symmons and Moen brands.

CIAs current lavatory urinals are standard using 1.0 gallon per flush. The maximum flush volume for these fixture combinations is 0.5 gallons (1.9 liters) as called for in the approved WaterSense Final Specification for Flushing Urinalsreleased in 2009.

Table 9 Cost/ Benefit Analysis of Recommended Urinal Alternatives

Alternative Cost/ Benefits

0.5 GPFCost - $230 - $1000

Automatic and timed urinal types vary the cost

Most are Watersense certified

High Efficiency 0.5 GPF urinal system saves 50% of water usage when compared to standard 1.0 GPF urinal (Watersense, 2014).

0.125 GPFCost -$400 - $1050

Automatic and timed urinal types vary the cost

Most are Watersense certified

Ultra High Efficiency 0.125 GPF urinal system saves 87% of water usage when compared to standard 1.0 GPF urinal (Watersense, 2014)

WaterlessCost - $400 - $850

No water used, Most efficient

Note. Waterless is the most economical option because of no water usage. The low flow are WaterSense certified.

The current toilets in the CIAs lavatory facilities vary, ranging from 1.6 gallons per flush, to 1.4 and 1.28. Although the facility currently has a few low flow toilets installed, there is room for additional improvements. The toilet flushing volume, WaterSense label, is 1.28 gallons per toilet fixture. Table 10 below shows the alternatives for toilets in the CIA lavatories

Table 10Cost/ Benefit Analysis of Recommended Toilet Alternatives

AlternativesCosts/ Benefits

Dual FlushCost - $250 - $650

Solids 1.6 1.28 GPF/ liquids use 0.8 GPF

High efficiency (1.28 GPF)Cost -$230 - $820

Automatic and timed vary within the price.

WaterSense toilets meet strict EPA flushing guidelines, including using at least 20 percent less water than 1.6-gallon toilets (Watersense, 2014).

Most Efficient (1.0 GPF)Cost -$550 - $1000

Automatic and timed vary within the price

1.0-gallon flush setting reduces your water use by more than 30percent over 1.6-gallon toilets, adding up to water savings of more than 5,000 gallons per toilet, per year (Watersense, 2014).

Note. Water savings accumulates as efficiency increases. CIAs sink faucets are the manual turn nozzle type. Table 11 below provides alternative sink faucets.

Table 11Cost/ Benefit Analysis of Recommended Faucet Alternatives

Types of Alternative Faucets Cost/ Benefits

Low-Flow AeratorsCost - $5 - $20

Inexpensive

Water conservation and reduction in energy costs

Gives pressure while preserving water

Automatic (0.5 gpm)Cost - $25 - $825

Sensor based to turn on/off when being used

Wont be left running

Some CIA showers are equipped with standard showerheads (2.5 gallons per minute) while others are not. For WaterSense eligibility, the showerheads must use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute. Some recommended shower head alternatives are less GPM compared to the current 2.5 shower heads used now. 2.0/ 1.5 GPM ones are currently on the market and can be purchased anywhere between 40 to 100 dollars. More efficient water usage can result from the added fixtures.Table 10 below shows the estimated water usage (gallons) for the current and recommended replacement fixtures annually. Water usage results collected from the lavatory fixtures surveyed 85 people using the facilities at CIA (see Appendix A). Table 12 shows the savings that accumulates if all the lavatories were renovated with new WaterSense toilets, urinals, and faucet fixtures. The showers were not included in the potential water savings but by installing lower flow showerheads an increased efficiency rate would result.Table 12

Current FixturesReplacement FixturesTotal Savings

Mens Public Lavatory593825933345

Womens Public Lavatory743656681768

Locker room743656681768

Mens fitness lavatoryNo changeNo changeNo change

Womens fitness lavatory61885668520

7401 Gallons saved

Current and Replacement Fixture Water Comparison Savings

Note. Gallons saved per year if all fixtures were replaced

The Pinellas County Utilities water rate is $4.78 per 1000 gallons. A total monetary savings of about 35 dollars would accumulate. These are estimated numbers since showerheads faucet use, waterless urinals and arena popularity change. The higher number of people exhibit more savings.

Option 2- Rainwater Harvesting System. Collecting water in storage tanks is optimal for CIA during the rainy summer months aiding in ice production and non-potable water use. All arenas are different and system costs would be dependent on the labor needs/ installation (roof construction, storage tanks, plumbing, pumps, and pressure tanks). A picture of a simple rainwater harvesting system is seen below in Figure 30.

Figure 30. - Simple Rainwater Harvesting system displaying how a system works. Adapted by (Rain, Wind, Sun, 2014).The rainwater harvesting system benefits from the Zamboni used ice. The design of the storage tank harvesting system enables the Zamboni to dump its excess water into the tank. Through the entire process, the collected rainwater and resurfacing water scraped off by the Zamboni and lavatory fixtures is reused. By utilizing the right filtration methods, the harvesting system process eliminates most waste. When the rainwater harvesting storage tank becomes low, the alternate water choice is the municipal water supply. Figure 31 below shows the initial cost of a large rainwater cistern tank depending on materials.

Figure 31.Comparison of materials used for rainwater harvesting cisterns. Adapted from (Kowalsky, 2011)The initial investment would pertain to the cistern size CIA decides on and whether its above or below the ground. The pump will also be factored in along with piping and gutters. A steel reinforced or concrete cistern holds the most water especially if the Zamboni dumping occurs in the cistern. On the cost effective side waterproof corrugated metal cistern would probably be the better choice.

Seen in Figure 32 a 25,000 gallon water storage tank is suggested which can accumulate up to 757,954 gallons of water a year! The water per year is based on the average number of roof square footage and average of 54 inches of rainfall yearly in Pinellas County. Some other investments include hot water boilers for the Zamboni hot water and filtration. The payback period can be seen in Table 13 below.

Figure 32. Underground waterproof corrugated rainwater storage tank. Adapted from (CE News, 2014)

Table 13Payback Period of Rainwater Harvesting System

Approximate Gallons SavedInitial Investment (approx.)SavingsPayback Period Months

Rainwater Harvesting System757,954$65,000.00$14,098.0055 (4.5 years)

Note. CIA can achieve a big savings and payback just over four years.Option 3- Zamboni process. The current Zamboni resurface machine used in the CIA ice rink is powered by propane. This type of equipment will heighten the level of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide in the air. Whereas an electric powered Zamboni would eliminate emissions in the air, thus improving the air quality environment for the customers. The electric Zamboni, although costing more, is the better green alternative regarding indoor air quality compared to the fuel powered choice. Manufactured by Zamboni Company, the electric model 560AC and 552 are expensive. Quoted by the Zamboni website, the Model 100 (a small tractor pulled unit) will be in the neighborhood of $10,000.00 or more and the 500 Series machines and Model 700 (which is used for large surfaces, such as speed skating rinks) can be up to or in the low six figures (Zamboni, 2014). The company provides specific quotes for facilities interested in purchasing the electric type models. The benefits include zero emissions, reduced fuel costs, new durable performance and healthier indoor air quality. The rainwater harvest system benefits from the accumulated ice scraped off in the Zamboni. The initial dumping of the snow tank ice can yield up to 622 gallons of extra water with the use of proper filtration and heating methods. The water is then fed back into the rainwater harvesting system and used for non-potable sources such as flushing toilets, urinals, and Zamboni fill ups. Table 14 below shows the amount of water saved over an annual period for CIAs ice resurfacing process.

Table 14Zamboni Water waste and Fill up process with Average water bill savings

ZamboniAverage Zamboni ice dumpsAverage Zamboni ice fill ups

Times dumped/ filled per day7 times7 times

Gallons dumped/ filled per day622 gallons (each time)300 gal. Initial/ 175 gal. after

Total per day4,354 gallons1350 gallons

Total per year1,589,210 gallons492,750 gallons

Gallons used per year1,072,000 gallons1,072,000 gallons

Total Formula/ Savings492,750/ 1,072,000 =46% percentage savings

46% x 1,072,000 =

$7177.00 water bill savings

Note. Total water bill savings equals about half of the water bill yearly ($15,000)Zamboni benefits from its own wash water and reuses the ice scrapings to lay new water down on the ice rink. As long as a heating system is used for the water it can deduct the savings by as much as half of the water usage and bill. With an approximate 492,750 gallons of water used for Zamboni fill ups, the gallons per year is 1,072,000 gallons. A 46% reduction of water and a savings of $7177 dollars come from the reuse of Zamboni wash water. The excess water is recycled through for non-potable water use if a system is designed with it in mind. More savings can be achieved through a water recycling system design and proper filtration for the wash water.

An integrated system for the Zamboni ice recycling process and rainwater harvesting system can be seen in Table 15 below.

Table 15Rainwater Harvesting and Zamboni Integrated System Total Investment and Payback Period

Payback PeriodApproximate Gallons SavedInitial Investment (approx.)SavingsPayback Period Months

Rainwater Harvesting System757,954$65,000.00$14,098.0055 (4.5 years)

Zamboni Ice Pit Water Recycling Process492,750$10,000.00$7177.0016 (1.3 years)

Total1,250,704$75,000.00$21,275.0071 (5.9 years)

Note. Payback period is significantly low compared if integrated together with substantial savings

A decision matrix is seen below in Table 16 for recommendations put forth in the current section. The table uses a 1 to 10 point system in each of the categories listed. One being the least and 10 being the most when it comes to the criteria point system.

Table 16

Initial investmentWater SavingsRequired maintenance

Option 1 Fixture replacements442

Option 2 Rainwater harvesting system888

Option 3 Zamboni Resurfacing Process896

Decision matrix in Water Recommendations

Note. Decision Matrix classifies which recommendation would be most feasible based on the above criteria

Energy Management Improvements

The applications listed below are ways for Clearwater Ice Arena to implement a new process of energy usage. The cooling and air quality equipment will run at better efficiency if upgrades are applied and managed. The recommendations range from easiest cost and implementation to biggest bang for buck to re-do specific areas and enhance the building envelope making Clearwater Ice Arena more energy efficient.

Option 1- Insulation. Replace the current low E-Ceiling and replace it with 3 inch closed cell sprayed foam. Closed cell means a more dense application making the area waterproof and offers complete vapor barrier. The cost reaches over $100,000 because the area has to be properly cleaned after old insulation is removed.Table 17 Cost/Benefit Analysis of Recommended Insulation

InsulationCost/ benefits

3 inches of closed cell foam. R-19.

Provided by Daniel InsulationCost- $88,290

Makes roof stronger

100% vapor barrier

Waterproof

White thermal finish paint

Official BASF

E-Ceiling removalCost - $16,750

Complete removal and cleaning to make sure spray foam has proper surface to stick to

Note. Benefits outweigh, although cost is high

Most ice rinks use low-e ceilings because they traps the cold air closer to where the ice surface. If there isnt sufficient insulation above that low-e then there can be huge amounts of condensation can build up above the low-e ceiling. This condensation occurs at CIA often due to insufficient dehumidification process that results in rain or drippings from the ceiling.

After conducting research on an airtight ceiling, spray foam would work very well with a new low-e ceiling because according to a case study, Bulk insulations do not increase the R-Value; they reduce convection currents. R-Value is only a measurement of the resistant to heat flow in the conductive mode (GSR, 2012). Refer to Appendix B for Insulation R values and where CIA is represented. Table 18

Total cost of Recommended Energy Improvements

InsulationCost

3 Inches of Closed Cell Foam. R-19. (Daniel Insulation, 2014)$88,290

RemovalCost

E-Ceiling$16,750

Fluorescent Lighting ReplacementCost

600 LED Replacement(LED Radiant, 2014)$15,058

Note. LED lighting exhibits an instant savings. Insulation will cost the most, heavily needed.

Option 2- LED. The approximate annual spending cost of lighting is $59,499. With an LED replacement, it is not such a tremendous cost as to upgrading the insulation, but it has very steep rewards. The approximate annual spending using LED lighting will be $8,975, bringing a payback period of about 4 months. LED Radiant provided the estimate and does offer financing if the upfront cost is not manageable. The replacement does not have to be of the light fixture, just the bulb because they are designed to fit old fixtures if they work properly.Table 19Cost/ Benefit Analysis of LED bulb Recommendation

Fluorescent lighting replacementCost/ benefits

600 LED replacement

Provided by LED RadiantCost- $15,058

Completely exchange 48 inch fluorescent bulbs with LED

Saves $50,524 per year in light cost

Safer for environment, no mercury

Very cost effective

Note. Significant savings of over $50,000 per yearTable 20 LED Phase-out Total CostFluorescent Lighting ReplacementCost

600 LED Replacement(LED Radiant, 2014)$15,058

Note. Cost of LED bulbs

Figure 33. Impact and cost of Insulation and LED bulbs. Total savings of just over $6,000.00 Created by Brent Webb (2014)VII. Implementation Plan and Change ManagementThis section elaborates on the project recommendations selected by the key stakeholders. It illustrates, in detail, the methodology, process, and approach CIA should utilize when executing their plan to improve the quality of the ice arena floor, reduce daily water consumption and decrease energy usage. This guide or map will help the project staff be proactive rather than reactive when advancing their project(s) and identifying any challenges along the way. The sustainability teams implementation plan allows any person working on the project(s), regardless of his or her level of involvement, to fully understand the goals of the project(s) and how they are to be accomplished. To achieve the recommended changes the sustainability team developed implementation and change management plans for CIA to renovate their ice floor, install low-flow lavatory fixtures and LED lighting throughout the arena.The Refrigeration System/Cooling Upgrade Ice arenas have substantial refrigeration and heating loads, making them prime candidates for waste heat recovery from the refrigeration process. Waste heat can be used to heat sub-slab brine, control the temperature and humidity of the interior climate, heat resurfacing hot water, or melt ice scraped off by the resurfacer. Heat recovery on exhaust air to preheat incoming outdoor air should also be considered. The right piping running underneath the ice can assist with heat recovery and will stop glycol leaks. Usinng alternative construction materials that are durable, eco-friendly and efficient. Ice rinks are a unique environment calling for some unconventional application of materials and design according to Ice Rink Construction Consultants (IIRC, 2011). To assist CIA with achieving their goal of renovating their ice floor, the sustainability team developed a detailed plan to get the project completed successfully. The plan includes a description of the major tasks and timeline involved in the implementation, all resources needed to support the implementation effort (such as money, materials, staff), and a change management plan.

Timeline and Tasks. The timeline is used to plan for when tasks will be accomplished and is important for keeping all team members from getting of task and allowing scope creep to occur during their project. This project is slated to begin March 2014. It should take no more than three months to accomplish all of the tasks listed in Figure 34. Figure 34. Timeline adapted from Microsoft Templates 2013 This implementation plan, will help CIAs project team to have a customized project plan that will guide their activities through established timeline to completion of implementation. All tasks that need to be completed are identified below in Figure 35. Figure 35. Diagram was adapted from Microsoft Smart Art

When executing a project and changes within an organization occur that will affect the project tasks must be examined and managed to ensure that they are communicated to all stakeholders if they are approved. This called change management or the process for submitting, reviewing, and approving changes must also be communicated to all stakeholders in order to properly set expectations. If changes are allowed to be submitted or are implemented in and unorganized way, any project undertaken by an organization is sure to fail. Clearly, all projects must include a Change Management Plan as part of the overall project.

Change Management Plan

To implement these changes we will be using the Change Management approach. The Change Management approach for the project will ensure that all proposed changes are defined, reviewed, and agreed upon so they can be properly implemented and communicated to all stakeholders. This approach will also ensure that only changes within the scope of this project are approved and implemented. The Change Management approach consists of three areas:

1. Ensure changes are within scope and beneficial to the project

2. Determine how the change will be implemented

3. Manage the change as it is implemented

The Change Management process has been designed to make sure this approach is followed for all changes. By using this approach methodology, we will prevent any unnecessary change from occurring and focus its resources only on beneficial changes within the project scope.

The completed water management implementation plan is for the CIA lavatory fixtures. The scope of the plan proposes the renovations to be completed at the same time and is limited to one area where there are three toilets, urinals, and faucets. The implementation plans for the lavatory improvements are shown below. The improvement start point time is January 1st 2015.

Figure 36. Duration (in days) of implementation of lavatory fixturesThe improvement plan has different start and end times sufficient for renovating the restrooms with new fixtures. The product look up will identify the best toilets, urinals and faucets for the existing restrooms and will include the management team and the owner along with the assistance of the sustainability project team. A sit down session is a basic brainstorming session involving negotiations, quotes and various third party contractor bids that include labor and a final price to complete the job. The demolition work will incorporate both long and short renovation periods. The rest