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Triple bottom line assessment of rooftop catchment system

University of British Columbia. Sustainability Office

The University of British Columbia (UBC) plans to implement a rainwater harvesting system atop the roof of the new student union building (SUB). An investigation into the rooftop design and potential catchment materials was carried out to determine the associated economic, environmental and social impacts. A material analysis for the water supply and drainage piping is also considered. A low sloping roof design is chosen for its ability to prevent excessive loading due to factors such as ponding of rainwater. The four potential roofing types studied for a low slope roof design were asphalt, concrete, green roof, and aluminum. Overall, concrete roofing was deemed most appropriate due to its superior economic and environmental implications. Although green roof is seen as the more socially viable option, its adverse economic and environmental implications are too great to base the roof design solely on appearance. Cast iron piping for the drainage system appeared most advantageous when compared with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) for its long design life and recyclability. It is also considered more economically and environmentally sound over the lifetime of the SUB building. Polypropylene pipes are recommended for the water supply piping as they are most cost effective, and strongly support Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) initiatives. Lastly, the optimal material for the gutter system, an intermediary of the rooftop and piping systems, is galvanized steel. This is proposed as a result of its long life span and ability to resist corrosion. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Text

University of British Columbia. APSC 261; UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0108625

Applied Science, Faculty of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/