Product Review from Environmental Building News
August 1, 2008
Energy-Efficient Water Coolers from Elkay and Halsey Taylor
For a cool drink of water that avoids the environmental costs of extracting, bottling, and distributing bottled water, the humble drinking fountain is getting a new look. Elkay, makers of drinking fountains and pressure water coolers (drinking fountains that refrigerate and store water before dispensing), is set to release a new pressure water cooler in the fall of 2008, the Elkay VRCGRN (it will also be sold by Halsey Taylor, a subsidiary of Elkay, as the HVRGRN).
Elkay hopes that the model will become a new standard-bearer for environmental responsibility. For durability and ease of cleaning Elkay is making the basins and cabinets from stainless steel and the frames from galvanized steel. But the substantive improvements will be found under the cabinet.
“We redesigned the refrigeration system to be as efficient as possible,”says Rod Magnuson, marketing manager at Elkay. The company purchased energy-efficient compressors that use non-ozone-depleting R-134a refrigerant, the industry standard, but Elkay fine-tuned these compressors, balancing the charge of the refrigerant under full-load conditions (using a continuous flow of water and warm ambient air) and no-load conditions (using different air temperatures and no water flow). The company then wrapped the cooling unit in EPS foam. The result is a unit that uses 7.7% less R-134 refrigerant than the industry average, according to the company, while improving the overall energy and water efficiency of the water cooler. “We couldn’t take the refrigerant level any lower without compromising [cooling] performance,” said Magnuson.
Elkay reduced water consumption as well through the use of a low-flow bubbler. (Manufacturers use the term “bubbler” to describe to the nozzle that dispenses the water, not the whole drinking fountain, as in some regions.) These low-flow bubblers do not use an aerator, like some low-flow faucets, which would create a poor flow for drinking. Instead, Elkay thinned the stream. Considering that up to 60% of the water dispensed from a standard bubbler goes down the drain, according to industry estimates, a low-flow bubbler should offer considerable water savings. Collecting the water in a cup or a bottle avoids this waste altogether, and the VRCGRN is available with an optional glass or bottle filler.
An optional water filter is also available, certified to ANSI Standards 42 and 53 for water treatment units, which improves tap water by reducing chlorine, particulates, taste and odor, and many contaminants. Though drinking water is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, local water quality can vary and contaminants can be introduced by piping during distribution. Each filter can process 1,500 gallons (5,700 l)—the equivalent of 12,000 16-ounce plastic bottles—with little to no pressure drop and should last anywhere from six months to a year, depending on use and incoming water quality. The filters cost around $85 each, about six cents per gallon (1¢/l). (Depending on its source, bottled water—which is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration—may contain more contaminants than local tap water.)
While the U.S. does not have an energy standard for drinking-water coolers, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) created one in 1999: C-815, Energy Performance of Drinking Water Coolers. CSA C-815 provides a table listing these standards (the “energy effective limit”), which are based on the maximum amount of energy (the “standard minimum energy factor”) a cooler uses to provide a specified number of gallons. The calculation is based on 10% “loaded” conditions (a steady flow of 80°F (27°C) water in, 50°F (10°C) water out, and 90°F (32°C) ambient air) and 90% no-loaded condition (the cooler cycles on and off with no water flow) that are meant to reflect water cooler use. A cooler that is rated for 8 gallons per hour would have a minimum energy factor of 124 gallons (470 l) per kWh per day. Using this standard, Elkay tested the VRCGRN along with five other models (three competitors and two of the company’s other models). The VRCGRN used 55% less energy than the industry average, based on a minimum energy factor of 127 gallons (481 l) per kWh per day. The company also found that the VRCGRN used 40% less water, though water consumption is not measured by C-815.
While the price hasn’t been set, Magnuson says the units will sell at a premium. If these pressure water coolers prove to be as efficient as the company claims, however, the energy savings and environmental benefits could make them an intriguing proposition, not only for institutional settings where they are more often required, but also in offices and other settings where bottled water has gained turf in recent decades.
– Brent Ehrlich
For more information:
Elkay Manufacturing Co.
Oak Brook, Illinois
630-572-3192
www.elkay.com
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IMAGE CREDITS:
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Photo: Elkay Manufacturing
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Source: Tests were conducted by Elkay’s UL-certified lab and not verified by a third party.
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