Table Of ContentGreening Our Aquarium
Barbara Long
John Rouse
Spring 2008
Aquarium Today
• Located in Long Beach, CA
• 501c3 operating city-owned facility
• 1.5 million 2008 attendance and growing
– 260,000 school children each year
– Six consecutive years of attendance increase
– www.AquariumofPacific.org
• Economic impact report annual benefits well over $170
million for region
• Opened in June, 1998
Benefits of Green Practices
Environmental Benefits
• Reduce the impacts of natural resource consumption
Economic Benefits
• Reduce operating costs
• Optimize life-cycle economic performance
• Improve occupant performance
• Improve the bottom line
Employee and Guests Benefits
• Enhance occupant comfort and health
• Participation – aligned with vision/mission
Community Benefits
• Education and outreach – “Talk the Walk”
• Demonstration project
• Minimize strain on local infrastructures and improve quality of life
Green Team
Staff-led group with representatives from all departments
Mission: To set a standard of environmental stewardship among staff and community by providing them
with the means and motivation to practice earth-friendly habits
– Street & beach clean-ups – 340 volunteers
– Earth Day
• Partnerships with NGOs
• E-waste
• Low-flow showerheads give-away – LBWD
• CFL give-away – SCE
• Eco-waste for guests and staff
– Endangered Species Habitat Restoration
– Operating practices ideas
– Green tours for VIPs and other museums
– Rideshare program
– Quarterly award to “green champion” staff person
Community Impact
• Community forum with mayor, elected officials, city leaders,
and community groups to discuss opportunity for greening City
of Long Beach—part of ASTC national program
• Represented on City’s Green Ribbon Committee to develop green
building policy for private sector projects
• Represented on City’s Energy Efficiency Task Force
• Public forums, lectures and teacher education programs (CEU
credit) on energy, water, global climate change, and
sustainability
• Aquatic Academy multi-week
evening course
– CA & Global Climate Chg
– CA & Sustainability
Initial Baseline Usage Studies
• Environmental analysis
– Keen Engineering (2003)
– Identified “base line” resource usage
– Analyzed existing water, natural gas, and electricity energy consumption
• Based on results of study, the Aquarium developed the following
sustainability goals:
– Goal 1 – Minimize use resources—Zero increase in energy and water
consumption
– Goal 2 – LEED Gold certified standard for new additions
• Implementation steps: Energy first
– Retro-commissioning study—
GRG Consulting Engineers (2004)
– Energy provider & usage analysis—
IRG/NexTep (2006/2007)
– LEED AP professionals—
design & construction teams
Energy Initiatives
• 1% solutions
– Insulating Life Support Systems (LSS)
– Old pumps changed to high efficiency pool pumps
• Cogeneration
– Efficient energy production
– Use natural gas plus steam/waste heat to create electricity
• Balancing energy sources
– SCE pricing study & PUC approved price decrease
– Increase natural gas costs & excess demand charges
– Result—primary reliance on grid with co-gen during peak demand
• Results
– Nov 2007 the Aquarium assumed ownership and operation
– No net increase of kwh usage since 2002
Energy to Carbon Footprint
California Climate Action Registry
• Registry created by the California legislature to help
organizations track, publicly report, and reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).
• Results are verified by independent third-parties to ensure
compliance with Registry protocols
• Aquarium certified its CO2 inventory – first museum in the
US to earn the status of a Climate Action LeaderTM
• Aquarium summer intern managed process
• In 2006, Aquarium produced approx. 5,500 metric tons of
CO equivalent
2
• Each year will register more GHG’s
Energy focus transitioning to Carbon
• Carbon footprint information in Passport
• Registered with national The Climate Registry
Water Initiatives
• Fresh Water
– Largest water use for single Long Beach building
– Goal: zero increase in usage
– Waterless urinals & dual-flush toilets—
Savings 960,000 gallons annually
– Native landscaping
– Fresh water used for back washes—RO efficiency study
Savings 2 million gallons annually
• Salt Water
– Salt water delivered in diesel trucks—
high cost and emissions
– On-site well drilled (2005) not successful
– Future plans to pipe in from adjacent harbor
– Funding for study secured
• Education and Outreach
– Public forums - experts, activists, educators
Operating Initiatives
Operating practices
• Recycling program
• GREEN SEAL compliant sanitary paper supplies
• Natural gas and electric powered vehicles
• E-payroll
• Purchasing policy in progress
• FSC paper
• $100,000 annual budget for “greening” capital projects
• Uniform shirts made of organic cotton
• Insurance with LEED Silver replacement policy
Eco-friendly materials
• Plastic “lumber” and sustainable materials for cabinetry
• Bamboo flooring
• “Cradle to cradle” carpeting & window shades
• Picnic tables from plastic bottle caps
• Retail store selling “green” products
Description:Aquarium Today. • Located in Long Beach, CA. • 501c3 operating city-owned facility. • 1.5 million 2008 attendance and growing. – 260,000 school
