Carollo Engineers is an environmental engineering firm specializing in the planning, design, and construction of water and wastewater facilities. Our reputation is based upon client service and a continual commitment to quality. Carollo has undertaken a strategic sustainability initiative in order to:
Establish a vision to guide us toward a more sustainable future, and•
Align and engage our employees to work toward achieving that •vision.
Sustainability is about meeting human needs within the limits of nature. It is about employing technologies that ‘fit’ into nature’s ecosystems, which provide the services and resources upon which all life depends.
The Bad News - Currently, a great deal of human activity is unintentionally jeopardizing the health and stability of ecosystems, people, and societies. The scale of our economy has surpassed nature’s limits to both provide resources and absorb wastes. Resource depletion, toxicity, climate change, pollution, poverty - all these issues are evidence that we must change the way we use energy, water, and materials if we want a planet that supports future generations.
The Good News - Organizations everywhere are creating value by putting more sustainable solutions into practice... and they are saving money, improving environmental performance, sparking innovation, and cultivating loyalty by unleashing passionate, creative energy in their employees.
“Sustainable human communities meet their current needs without compromising
other species and future generations.”
- International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
HUMANITY’S ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT, 1961-2005
World biocapacity
19600
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
1970
Num
ber o
f pla
net E
arth
s
1980 1990 2000 05
Carollo SUSTAINABILITY PLAN 2009 Annual Report
I am proud to share our first annual Sustainability Report. We have chosen the spiral - the shape of growth in nature - to symbolize our efforts. As we listen to and work with our clients, our determination and goals continue to grow and evolve, but our vision - to improve the world’s water - remains the same. Water is the unifying fluid of life. Clean water supports healthy
people, ecosystems, and economies. The water sector, in which we all work, directly supports a sustainable future.
We devoted a significant amount of research and creative, collaborative energy to develop and implement our sustain-ability plan. We began by mapping Carollo’s impacts and areas of influence. Cross-linking this information with the science-based Natural Step Framework1, teams of employees then developed a unified vision for our company as expressed in our 2025 Sustainability Objectives. We then set shorter-term goals and identified ‘quick wins’ to start us on the path. Summarized herein, this concentrated planning effort provides the framework for the many actions that will realize this vision in the coming years.
Aggressive pursuit of sustainability goals will make Carollo a stronger company by better meeting the needs of our clients; strengthening our ability to attract and retain smart, talented employees; improving the bottom line through more efficient use of resources; and by enhancing
the services we offer clients. Moreover, it is the right thing to do.
I invite you to join us in building the future we all want to live in.
Gary C. Deis Chief Executive Officer
The Ecological Footprint is a sustainability metric that
measures how much nature we use compared to how much
nature there is.
Ecological overshoot describes a problem where resources
are used faster than they can regenerate, and wastes,
such as CO2 emissions, are created faster than they can be
absorbed. In 2005, humanity used 31% more resources than
nature could regenerate; the rate of overshoot is expected
to increase over time.
– The World Wildlife Fund “Living Planet Report
2008” and www.footprintnetwork.org
Carollo has embarked on a journey toward sustainability because:
Our clients expect it. •
Our employees want it.•
It improves our bottom •line.
It’s the right thing to do.•
The path to sustainability begins with how we make decisions. Carollo is expanding its decision-making framework to consider a more comprehensive range of social, environmental, and economic impacts over longer timeframes.
LIFEWATER
PR
OS
PE
RIT
Y
CREATES
IMPACTS IMPACTS
FUELS
Fresh water is the substance
of life and the world’s most
vital resource. Perhaps more
than anything else, water
connects us with the world
around us.
1The Natural Step Framework is used by thousands of organizations around the world to guide sustainability efforts. Visit www.naturalstep.org for more info.
The journey begins . . .
1 2
Appraise
Engage
Align
Evolve
SUSTAINABILITY is not new to Carollo1990s – Several offices began recycling.•
1993 – 1st Waste Reduction Award received from the California •Integrated Waste Management Board; we have earned this award for fifteen years.
2001 – Sustainability Coordinator position created.•
2001 – Facilities staff began specifying more sustainable flooring, •paint, furniture, and appliances for office remodels.
2003 – First LEED Accredited professional in the firm.•
2003 – Administrative Committee passed an Environmental Policy •that pledged to reduce our ecological footprint by reducing solid waste and energy use, and promoting environmentally friendly practices among our employees, suppliers, and clients.
2004 – Walnut Creek, CA office certified as a Green Business.•
2005 – Validated biomimicry-inspired PAX Water Mixer. •
2006 – Developed greenhouse gas emissions model for use on •client projects.
2007 – Gave several presentations on sustainability at •professional conferences in the U.S. and chaired the Program Committee for the Pacific Northwest Clean Water Association’s first ever Sustainability Conference.
2008 – Carollo Board of Directors passed a companywide •Sustainability Policy.
Carollo’s SuStainability PolicyCarollo Engineers is committed
to demonstrating leadership in:
Protecting and restoring a •
healthy environment.
Promoting fair and equitable •
quality of life for current and
future generations.
Increasing value for our •
clients, shareholders, and
employees.
We will strive to incorporate
environmental, social, and
economic considerations into
decision-making processes for
both client projects and internal
business operations.
We will monitor, measure, and
report on our performance.
Carollo’s Board of Directors adopted
a triple bottom line Sustainability
Policy in January 2008.
Policy 2025 Objectives
Planet - Protect and Restore a Healthy Planet
Be climate neutral
Send zero waste to landfill
Honor local hydrology cycles
Purchase environmentally preferable products
People - Secure Quality of Life for Current and Future Generations
Attract and retain smart, talented professionals
Contribute to long-term workforce sustainability in our industry
Make a positive contribution to the sustainability of communities in which we work
Prosperity - Increase Value for Our Clients, Shareholders and Employees
Deliver sustainable services
Be profitable
Carollo used Interface carpet tiles
in the 2001 remodel of the Walnut
Creek, CA office. Carpet tiles reduce
material use by producing less
waste during installation and
providing the ability to replace
small sections of worn carpet in
future years. The pattern mimics
the flow of a stream.
Photo credit: Lisa Onizuka, cleanwebdesign.com
Our approach is simple:
Align. Align our employees around a shared vision and goals. We seek to tap the power of our employees’ creativity and passion to achieve our goals, rather than focusing on checklists and rules.
Engage. Engage employees as partners in achieving our vision, so it becomes part of the daily lens through which they approach their work. We engage our staff through communications, training, opportunities to get involved, and incentives to apply their ingenuity and expertise in their own areas of influence. We also engage by celebrating and sharing successes and best practices across our offices.
Appraise. We will measure our progress through a comprehensive set of sustainability performance metrics. Some metrics are described in the following pages and others will be developed in the coming year. Accountability for progress resides within our regular management channels - office managers and department heads.
Evolve. Adapt our goals and programs based on appraisal of our progress and other new information. On an annual basis, we will present a formal review of our progress and recommendations for change to our Board of Directors.
The SUSTAINABILITY PlanWe have developed a Sustainability Plan to guide our efforts in becoming a sustainable organization. Our success depends on participation by all of our employees… it is a shift in our culture that we are aiming for, one mind at a time. Our strategic sustainability framework includes a triple bottom line Company Policy and nine 2025 Sustainability Objectives. The Objectives are the vision toward which we are working. Near-term targets developed to help achieve the long-term objectives are described in following pages.
Carollo Strategic SUSTAINABILITY Framework
Our long-term
vision is to weave
sustainability into
the very fabric of
Carollo… so that it
becomes a regular
part of everyone’s
job description
3
Read on to learn more about our first steps toward
meeting our 2025 Sustainability Objectives.
4
PLANETCarollo’s approach to becoming climate neutral is to first reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, then evaluate opportunities to purchase renewable energy, and finally, invest in carbon offset projects to balance remaining GHG emissions. We performed a GHG baseline emissions inventory based on EPA’s Climate Leaders GHG Inventory Protocol to measure the impact of our operations. Carollo operations, including business travel and employee commuting, emitted 8,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) in 2006.
O�ce Energy36%
Employee Commute22%
Business Travel - Air
26%
Business Travel - Car
8%
Waste2% Fleet
6%
Recent AchievementsCarollo offers a commuter tax benefit to encourage the use of mass transit. Several •offices offer additional incentives to use alternative modes of transportation (AMT):
Several offices coordinate participation in Bike to Work Day. –
Phoenix pays trip home for bus/light rail when used to get to work, holds a –monthly prize drawing for AMT employees who enter, and gives $100 gift card to employees who use AMT 26 or more times in a calendar year.
Walnut Creek makes fleet cars available for carpooling between the office –and a mass transit station.
Several offices have on-site shower and bicycle parking facilities. –
Carollo signed its first “green lease” for new office space in Phoenix, AZ. In •2010 employees will move to a location on the new light rail system. In addition to choosing a location that will facilitate employee commutes via mass transit, the new Phoenix lease contains provisions requiring the landlord to employ sustainable practices, including applying for Green Globes certification, implementation of a comprehensive recycling and waste reduction program for the building, and use of green janitorial products.
Carollo has developed green leasing criteria and is •testing it on our Portland, OR office search.
Corporate Real Estate has evaluated current office •space utilization and made a recommendation to the Board to reduce the square foot/seat as offices renew or enter into new lease agreements.
Video-conferencing equipment installed in most offices •is frequently used, reducing business travel and related GHG emissions.
2025 Objective: Be climate neutral
Near-Term Targets By When? Metric1Status
2006/20082
Goal: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Carollo operations by 10% over 2006 baseline
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Carollo operations by 10% over 2006 baseline
2010 Total CO2e emissions (metric tons/year)
8,100
Commute CO2e emissions/employee (metric tons/year)
2.72
Average roundtrip commute/ employee (miles/day)
292
% single occupancy vehicle/total miles commuted
91.4%2
Reduce office energy use 5% over 2006 baseline
2010 Office energy use/employee (kWh/year)
7,800
Reduce business travel 10% over 2006 baseline
2010 Air travel/employee (miles/year) 18,000
Business car travel3/employee (miles/year)
3,000
Increase ‘green’ office features
Over time, as leases
renew
Number of ENERGY STAR certified offices
3 of 22 offices
Reduce shipping 20% over 2008 baseline
2010 Shipping $/million annual revenue
$2,3002
1. GHG emissions are expressed in metric tons of CO2e emitted. Per employee metrics based on number of full-time equivalent employees. CO2e is the unit of measurement used to compare the relative climate impact of the different greenhouse gases. The CO2e quantity of any greenhouse gas is the amount of carbon dioxide that would produce the equivalent global warming potential.
2. Carollo completed a GHG emissions inventory of operations using 2006 as a baseline; however, an employee commute survey was done in May 2008. Footnoted data is 2008 data; all other data is for 2006.
3. Includes travel by fleet vehicles, rental cars, and personal cars for business use.
2006 Baseline GHG Inventory
Be climate neutral
Strategize and put into place reduction measures for •office energy use, business travel, and shipping
Prepare GHG emissions inventory for 2009•
Define green office metrics and baseline data•
Pass sustainable office leasing policy•
Next Steps
Some employees commute
to the office using their
own “people power” - one
Portlander even kayaks to
work on occasion!
In May 2008, 70% of Carollo
employees responded to an
electronic survey on commute
habits that helped us calculate
our company carbon footprint.
Results were reported to employees
via this flyer that was distributed
electronically.
Carollo added its first hybrid car
to its fleet in 2002. We currently
own 8 hybrids, as well as several
other ultra low emissions vehicles.
The scientific community
has observed an increase
in the concentration
of greenhouse gases,
which is contributing
to increases in average
atmospheric and oceanic
temperatures. Among
a wide range of climate
responses are changes
in habitat, precipitation
patterns, and sea level rise.
Reducing greenhouse gas
emissions from Carollo’s
operations, travel, and the
facilities we plan and design
can help the environment and
mitigate future climate change.
5 6
There is no waste in nature;
all nutrients are continuously
recycled. Achieving zero waste
will help reduce our ecological
footprint by reducing the
quantity of raw materials extracted
from nature and eliminating waste.
It will also reduce costs.
Environmentally preferable
purchasing means buying
items that have lower lifecycle
impacts on human health and
the environment as compared
to competing goods and
services serving the same
purpose. Environmentally
preferable products are long
lasting, high-quality, less toxic,
reusable, easy to recycle, and
use less materials, water and
energy, minimizing harmful
environmental and health
impacts.
Recent AchievementsCarollo recently received its 15th California Waste Reduction Award. This award •recognizes achievements in waste reduction and recycling.
Our Accounting Department is going paperless! We have been steadily making •progress toward going paperless for timekeeping and payroll, accounts payable, client invoicing, monthly reporting, and document storage. Annual savings estimated in 2007 were $97,000, consisting of avoided labor, paper, envelopes, and toner costs... and they now need a mere 4 filing cabinets where they used to need 25.
The Phoenix, AZ office switched from single serving packaged coffee containers •to thermos coffee brewers, reducing the amount of plastic waste generated and saving approximately $19,000 annually.
Revised our procedures to modify specifications to facilitate paperless editing. •Estimated annual paper savings of 945 reams are dwarfed by the estimated
savings in labor.
Walnut Creek, CA (WCO) office has dedicated one printer to reuse •paper (i.e., paper already printed on one side).
Perform waste audit to develop baseline data for metrics•
Increase the use of paperless construction document •review processes
Modify Carollo standard document templates to optimize •paper use
Configure all computers to default to duplex printing•
Offer Carollo publications electronically as well as via paper•
Next Steps
Recent AchievementsCarollo has practiced EPP in select areas for years, purchasing •Energy Star compliant equipment, fuel-efficient vehicles, recycled paper, and ‘green’ materials for office buildouts.
Carollo’s office improvement projects incorporate •sustainable materials, including low/no VOC paints and adhesives; recycled-content carpet; naturally-based products such as rubber wall base, straw/wheatboard panels and linoleum flooring; Energy Star appliances; and Steelcase Leap chairs, a Cradle-to-Cradle certified product.
In 2009 Carollo standardized on a minimum of 30 percent •post-consumer recycled content for copier paper.
We are transitioning to more sustainable conference •giveaways (e.g., notebooks made from recycled paper, reusable water bottles, music downloads).
Print all publications and proposals on 100% •recycled, 50% post-consumer waste paper
Conduct a companywide purchasing audit to •identify additional opportunities
Next Steps
2025 Objective: Purchase environmentally preferable productsNear-Term Targets By When? Metric Status 2008
Use a minimum of 30% post consumer recycled content paper in all copiers
2009 % of 30% recycled content paper purchases/total paper purchases
60%
Use a minimum of 50% post consumer recycled content paper in all copiers
2011 % of 50% recycled content paper purchases/total paper purchases
0%
Improve mpg of fleet As vehicles are
replaced
Average mpg of Carollo fleet 21.3
% of (S)ULEVs1/total number of vehicles in fleet
8.3% (2006)
Use green janitorial products 2011 Number of offices using green janitorial products
1 of 28 offices
1. Ultra Low Emission and Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle.
2025 Objective: Zero waste to landfillNear-Term Targets By When? Metric Status 2008
Reduce waste to landfill by 10% and increase recycling rate by 25% over 2008 baseline
2010 Materials to landfill (tons/year) N/A1
Materials recycled (tons/year) 59,000
Number of offices that recycle 18 of 28 offices
Reduce paper use per person by 25% over 2008 baseline
2010 Annual number of sheets of copy paper used per employee
12,700 (2007)
1. Not Available.
Zero waste to landfill Purchase environmentally preferable products
Carollo’s approach to achieving the goal of zero waste to landfill focuses on the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… and adds a fourth - Rethink!
Carollo’s approach to environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP) is to first focus on paper and then develop a strategy based on a purchasing audit.
Steve Kessler loads paper in a printer
that WCO has converted to print on
one-side-used paper.
In 2009 Carollo
began printing
Research Solutions
Newsletter on
100% recycled,
50% post-consumer
recycled content,
FSC-certified paper.
Carollo uses
Steelcase Leap
chairs, a Cradle to
Cradle Certified
Silver product.
REDUCE
RECYCLE REUSE
7 8
PEOPLE
Identify employee recruitment and retention metrics and •baseline data
Include sustainability information in new-hire orientation •materials
Offer employee training through Northwest Earth •Institute (NWEI) discussion course
Next Steps
Carollo will continue companywide support of Water for People and other local non-profit organizations. We will also continue to support and foster employee engagement in outreach activities, both to improve the lives of others and to help ensure long-term workforce sustainability in our industry.
Our approach to attract and retain talented staff is two-fold. We will continue to offer competitive benefits as well as work to engage employees in sustainability activities and improve communications about our successes.
Recent AchievementsEstablished Green Teams (GTs) in four offices. Initial •GT activities include: measuring and reducing paper use, reducing waste and increasing recycling rates, reducing office energy use, and encouraging eco-friendly employee commute strategies.
Set up a sustainability blog in December 2008 •to create an in-house forum for sustainability discussions.
Launched a quarterly sustainability e-newsletter, • The Ripple, on Earth Day 2009 to share information on sustainable activities at Carollo.
Incorporated sustainability language into key documents.•
Recent AchievementsConducted a survey and featured employee outreach •and service efforts in the October 2009 edition of Carollo’s employee newsletter.
Employee Lyn Gomes published an article in the •August 2009 AWWA Journal entitled “Bridging the Industry Workforce Gap through Community Outreach,” which outlined strategies for encouraging today’s youth to consider careers in the water and wastewater fields.
Develop outreach plan targeting primary/•secondary school levels
Contribute to long-term workforce sustainability in our industry
Attract and retain smart, talented professionals
Next Step
2025 Objective: Attract and retain smart, talented professionalsNear-Term Targets By When? Metric Status 2009
Goal: Engage employees in sustainability efforts
Establish four green teams
2009 Number of GTs/number of GT participants
4/67
Implement sustainable actions
Annual Number of sustainability ideas generated/number implemented per year
73/34
Annual savings from sustainable actions
$480,000
Number of projects completed by green teams
9
Annual savings from projects implemented by green teams
$20,000
Establish a sustainability blog
2009 Average distinct users per month 20
Minimum 20% of staff participate in NWEI “Sustainable Systems at Work” discussion course
2010 Number of employees completing discussion course
0
2025 Objective: Contribute to long-term workforce sustainability in our industry
Near-Term Targets By When? Metric Status: 2008
Goal: Encourage young people to enter technical fields
Increase number of students contacted through outreach efforts by 5% per year
Annual Number of students contacted through Carollo outreach
1,100
Minimum of two employees per office participating in local outreach programs
2015 Number of employees per office engaged in outreach efforts
1.4 (40 people in
28 offices)
Our people are our most important
asset. We know that many of our
employees value sustainability, and
Carollo aims to provide opportuni-
ties for the ‘best and brightest’ to
apply their creativity to solving
the sustainability challenges we
face in meeting our mission of
providing clean water.
The social aspect of sustain-
ability is about meeting
human needs worldwide.
Carollo provides meaning-
ful employment and good
wages and benefits, as
well as a long history of
community service.
Our industry is anticipating a
future shortage of qualified
water industry professionals.
Carollo is committed to engaging
students and sustaining their
interest in engineering and water
quality related fields to help
improve future prospects.
Encouraging and supporting
employee involvement in
such outreach activities also
offers opportunities for our
employees to contribute in
meaningful ways.
For the last four years, Carollo’s Walnut
Creek, CA office has hosted girls from local
junior and high schools for ‘Introduce a Girl
to Engineering Day.’ In this photo, Lyn Gomes
leads an activity in water filter design.Keli Callahan and Lisa Freestone from
Carollo’s Las Vegas, NV office assist the FIRST
(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science
and Technology) program. FIRST engages
primary through high school students
with competitions that challenge them to
generate creative solutions to specific real
world problems.
34: Number of
sustainable ideas
implemented
across the
company in 2009
9 10
Carollo has been engaged in delivering sustainable services for a number of years. Clients are increasingly including sustainability in their requests for proposals (RFPs) and our objective for the future is that all projects will incorporate sustainability... that it will just be the way we do business.
Sustainability40%
Energy Conservationand Renewables
28%
WaterConservation
17%
ClimateChange
9%
LEED5%
LID1%
Sustainability begins with how we make decisions. Carollo has integrated sustainability into alternative analyses for several projects, using life cycle thinking and criteria based on the Triple Bottom Line, the Ecological Footprint, and the Natural Step.
City of Petaluma, California, Water Recycling Facility
Carollo first incorporated sustainability into decision-making for the City of Petaluma, California. In 2000 we undertook a wastewater treatment plant study for the City. Carollo pioneered the use of the Ecological Footprint as an evaluation criterion for project alternatives, developed a technical memorandum of sustainable elements to consider, and designed polishing wetlands and many green building features into the project.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Modeling
Using a model developed in-house, Carollo estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for alternatives on several projects to improve alternatives selection.
Develop metrics and •baseline data to track project sustainability implementation progress
Develop comprehensive •sustainability evaluation criteria, guidance and tools
Promote use of sustainability •checklists on projects
Roll out goals and process to •“green” specifications
Assess client needs, business •opportunities, and risks associated with potential new practice areas
Next Steps
cccsd808g1.ai
Met
ric T
ons
CO
2e
Existing Baseline Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Alt 4
5.0E+04
4.0E+04
3.0E+04
2.0E+04
1.0E+04
0.0E+00
-1.0E+04
Natural Gas Production EmissionsChemical Production Emissions
Electricity Emissions including T&D Loss
Solar Power*Transportation Emissions
*The offset is small relative to the other emission sources.
Carollo calculated and evaluated the carbon dioxide equivalent
(CO2e) emissions related to treatment operations and collection
system pumping for each project alternative developed for the
San Francisco Public Utility Commission’s 30-year Wastewater
Master Plan.
2025 Objective: Deliver sustainable servicesNear-Term Targets By When? Metric Status 2008
Goal: Build capacity and expertise to deliver sustainable services
100% of projects include sustainability (sustainable services is standard practice)
2025 % of projects that implement sustainable elements (based on annual revenues)
N/A1
Develop comprehensive sustainability evaluation criteria, guidance, and tools
2010
Green specifications 2012 Number of existing sections edited to be more sustainable
0
Number of sustainable sections added
1
Train professionals in sustainable design
Ongoing Number of LEED Accredited professionals on staff
15
Goal: Be a recognized leader in sustainability
Help lead the industry by sharing what we learn
Ongoing Number of technical papers published/presented on sustainable topics
9
1. Not Available.
Carollo’s largest impacts are from the
facilities we plan and design. What if
our water systems:
Maintained the hydrological •and biological functions of the watersheds in which they are embedded?
Used 100 percent renewable •energy?
Used only safe materials?•
Eliminated unwanted •byproducts?
Returned nutrients back to •the soil?
Created habitat? •
These are the questions we
are asking. From expanding
decision criteria that consider
a more comprehensive range
of impacts, to creating ‘closed
loop’ systems that eliminate
the concept of ‘waste’ — we
are growing our portfolio of
sustainable solutions.
PROSPERITY Deliver sustainable services
Sustainability-related
RFP’s received 2003-08,
categorized by topic.
Recent AchievementsDelivered sustainable services on many projects; some are •described on the following pages.
Developed and maintains a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Model used •for regulatory compliance and decision-making purposes.
Developed sustainability checklists for project management, •planning, design, and construction management through a comprehensive effort by many offices.
Developed a plan to ‘green’ standard specifications.•
Petaluma polishing
wetlands provide
wildlife habitat
and hiking trails.
The green roof on Petaluma’s
Operations, Lab, Maintenance and
Administration Building conserves
energy by increasing the roof’s
insulation value.
Carollo’s GHG emissions
model produces GHG
emission inventories for
all stages of a facility’s
life cycle and is kept up
to date with the latest
information.
11 12
ENERGY Efficiency and Renewables
In addition to sustainability evaluation tools and green building techniques, Carollo plans and designs facilities and processes to enhance energy efficiency and produce clean energy. As we develop energy programs, we evaluate ways to conserve energy, more effectively utilize/enhance digester gas, and utilize other power generation technologies, such as solar, wind, fuel cells, and hydroelectric power. Carollo strives to apply
the most cost-effective
and ecologically restorative
methodologies to improve the
world’s water. Not only have
we completed many projects
using a variety of sustainable
technologies; we have also
invented or validated new, more
sustainable technologies.
Carollo worked with PAX Scientific to validate
the bio-inspired PAX Water Mixer for use in
maintaining water quality through low-energy
mixing in drinking water tanks and reservoirs.
The mixer is a very small, efficient impeller that
emulates nature’s spiral flow geometry and can
move the entire volume of a 7 million gallon
tank using only 300 watts of power.
Carollo assisted the City of Tulare, California, with
the procurement of a 900-kW fuel cell facility.
By implementing
system optimization
recommendations for
pump operations, the City
of Olathe, Kansas, realized
significant power savings.
INNOVATION toward more sustainable technologies
Limits drive innovation. Recognizing and working within nature’s limits is what sustainability is all about. Carollo develops more sustainable water treatment technologies that do more using fewer resources. We also help others validate new technologies to meet sustainability objectives.
Inventing more sustainable processes
BIOBROx
Carollo invented one such process called BIOBROx (U.S. Patent No. 7,318,895) that treats challenging waste streams from drinking water treatment plants. Using minimal energy, a small footprint, and no chemicals, BIOBROx converts multiple contaminants in these waste streams to harmless by-products, consequently producing water that can be used for reuse applications.
IMANS®
IMANS® (integrated membrane anaerobic stabilization) is a simple and innovative approach to treating wastewater that eliminates aerobic treatment. Instead, an anaerobic process is used that significantly reduces energy use and biosolids production, while increasing methane production… all in a small footprint.
Validating more sustainable technologies
Carollo validates new technologies for use in the water industry. Recently, we certified pasteurization to disinfect reclaimed water. Pasteurization is a chemical free, low energy method of disinfection. Key advantages include: no chemicals, no moving parts, no DBPs, robust pathogen disinfection… and a small footprint.
PAX Water
Biomimicry is an old practice and an emerging discipline that emulates nature’s best ideas to solve human challenges; it is gaining momentum and driving sustainable innovation in a variety of sectors. Our exploration of how to apply biomimicry in our industry led us to collaborate with PAX Water to help them bring their first biomimicry-inspired product to market in our industry.
Carollo recently completed
design, construction, and start-up
of a 3.8-mgd biological facility
in Magna, Utah, that removes
perchlorate and nitrate from
membrane concentrate; this is
the first facility of its type in the
world.
The IMANS® approach has
a lower cost and smaller
footprint.
Carollo is a leader in energy recovery in wastewater treatment plants through co-generation and fuel cell systems. In fact, Carollo has planned or designed 11 of the 17 U.S. fuel cell projects currently operating or being planned, designed, or
constructed at wastewater treatment facilities.
Carollo is also leading the industry in enhancing anaerobic digestion with high-strength organic materials to increase and improve the production of digester gas. We are currently working with over a dozen utilities to identify, coordinate, and incorporate these materials into the digestion process. The result is increased production of a clean, renewable energy source (methane) for heating or electricity production.
Carollo designed facilities for the City of Waco,
Texas, to accept high-strength organic wastes
from local industries directly into their digesters
to increase gas production. The City is also
encouraging residents to recycle their used
cooking oil!
Photo credit: PAX Scientific, Inc. with all rights reserved.
Slud
ge P
rodu
ctio
n an
d Tr
eatm
ent C
ost
Foot Print
IMANS System®
Conventional Treatment Approach
0Jan
Flow = 317 MG Flow = 293 MG Flow = 314 MG Flow = 316 MG Flow = 367 MG Flow = 462 MG Flow = 517 MG Flow = 569 MG
Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug
50
100
150
200
250
300
Act
ual C
ost p
er M
G (
$)
Month
Olathe Power Cost Use
Implemented High Service PumpStation Functionality (1/2 month in April)
No pump optimizationPump optimization
13 14
carollo.com