Environmental Strategies
Gosford RSL set about developing environmental sustainable business practices as a part of its long term strategic plan. The Club recognized the importance of improving operational efficiencies through new capital investment and changing workplace practices. Water and energy management were two key areas of the business that needed to be addressed due to the natural high usage and dramatic cost increases.
The Club’s long term philosophy is to trade and live, within the limits that the environment can provide and reduce our corporate demand on the environment. Therefore, it is imperative that the current operations of the business demonstrates this and future expansion incorporate environmentally sustainable design.
Water Management Plan
Gosford RSL introduced a suite of water saving initiatives which will achieve measurable outcomes and benefit the environment and major stakeholders including club members, the Central Coast community and staff. The selective approach to projects, linked to a common premise of water saving initiatives, has enabled the Club to benefit from the NSW Government’s Climate Change Fund. The fund is administered by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) in support of long-term water savings.
The Club implemented six projects of which four were funded by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. The five main projects included;
Smart Water Meters – This is an advanced meter that identifies consumption in more detail than a conventional meter which communicates information via a network back to the local utility for monitoring and billing purposes
Smart water meters collect real time water usage information about where and when water is being used, therefore assisting the Club to manage water consumption and potential loss of water by leakage. A sudden spike or unexplained deviation could indicate early, ruptured or damaged internal reticulation. It’s anticipated that there will be about a 3 per cent saving on water consumption.
The installation of smart water meters will give the Club access to data which allow us to be more engaged and have access to consumption information which will lead to water being more efficiently utilised and to be actively involved in identifying leaks and a timely and cost efficient way.
This tool will assist the Club in short and long term water management
The smart meters (2) would be installed on the main supply line of the Motel and the Club. This would have a wireless link back to a pre determined computer which collects data and profiles water usage and times at the rate of one pulse per one hundred (100) litres for accuracy. A sudden spike or unexplained deviation could indicate early, ruptured or damaged internal reticulation.
A long term benefit is to enable the Club to build a long term profile of water usage to measure and manage deviations and wastage.
Case studies show that a 3% saving on water can be anticipated.
Water Storage Tanks – The Club has an average of 12,607,000 (calculated over 5 years) litres of water consumption for the Club and Motel each year.
Two 50,000 litre rainwater tanks were installed to harvest rainwater from the main club roof, whilst two 5000 litre tanks were also installed at the motel roof. These tanks have reduced reliance on mains water use resulting in savings in excess water charges. The stored water is now used for external washing of access pathways, club vehicles and irrigation for gardens and grounds and topping up the pool motel pool. To further manage external water usage and demand the existing automated irrigation system was decommissioned and water tolerant plants and natives were used in carpark landscaping.
Basin Sensor Taps - The installation of no-touch activated sensor taps in all club toilets ensures hygiene is maximized; contamination is minimized; and with built in flow control and automatic shut-off, extra water efficiencies and savings are achieved. The Club expects to reduce this usage by 33 per cent.
Waterless Urinals - The waterless urinal is designed with a built-in water lock or trap. A biodegradable and 100% fully refined vegetable oil which floats on top of the urine in the water lock. The oil forms a liquid seal, preventing urine smells from being released into the air. Unlike flushing urinals where the surface of the urinal is wet, the surface of the waterless urinal is dry. Water provides a breeding ground for bacteria; waterless urinals actually prevent the growth of bacteria. Therefore no flushing water means no bacteria and a more hygienic operation. The introduction of waterless urinals has the potential to save the club over 3 million litres of water annually.
Ozone Laundry System - The Ozone Laundry System is designed to reduce water, sewer, energy consumption, labour and extend the life of linen. The ozone gas injection technology enables the fail safe delivery of cold water to eliminate the need for hot water washing in the Motel Laundry.
A pre wash is eliminated as well as one rinse, saving 40-45 per cent of water, 10-15 per cent of electricity and 100% of water heating energy both in the hot water service and the boosting heating inside the washer reducing wash time by 20 per cent and maintaining or increasing the hygiene and cleaning standard by 40 per cent. The Club expects to save 850,000 litres of water in the motel laundry and can expect a positive ROI within 3 years.
In addition to these initiatives, there has been a complete replacement of all pipe work to showers, toilets and kitchens, eliminating leakage of old pipe work; the conversion of all motel showers to water saving shower heads; and the installation of automatic bacterial dosing of drainage and grease traps, reducing the Club’s pump out waste dramatically.
Energy Management Strategies
The Club has installed Sun Power Energy Conservation Technology, which included 3 distribution power board savers. Of particular importance was to manage airconditioning power consumption which carried at least 50% of the Club’s total power consumption load. Briefly the system objectives were to:
- Regulate the flow of electrical current and solve the problem of drops in destination voltage
- Reduce harmonics or waves hazardous to electrical appliances and improve power quality before it is supplied to electrical appliances so that they operate with increased efficiency
- Reduce costs, peak demand and power spikes from meter when applicances are switched on, helping to save on electricity costs
- Reduce maintenance costs for equipment, tools and electrical applicances; and
- Eliminate excess voltage which is hazardous to electrical applicances from external sources or lightning
Once installed the technology would generate annual power savings of between 7.5% and 15%. Which translated to a payback period of 10 months. The savings in energy consumption are equivalent to 400+ tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
In addition to this technology, the club has replaced all refrigeration units to more energy efficient models; removed of all old air conditioning plant and installation of more energy efficient units –to all 51 motel units and there has been the progressive changeover of existing lighting to long life low energy LED’s.
The Club’s most recent project has been the installation of a herb garden so our kitchen can be self-reliant on this produce. This will be followed up shortly with a recycling of kitchen waste through composting.
The Club’s is currently developing Stage 2 of its capital works that will see the use of environmentally sustainable design principles enabling maximum comfort for patrons whilst focusing on minimizing environmental impacts through natural lighting, agglomeration of key food production and service points, effective waste management and waste reduction programs, the use of energy efficient lighting, solar power and increasing our water management practices through additional rain water harvesting and recycling of grey water where appropriate. A carbon offset program will be implemented which includes appropriate indoor and outdoor planting.
