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OpenAire Builds Sustainability

As we all now know – times have changed. A building today is not the same as one built 50 years ago – let alone 2 years ago.

The impact of the construction industry both directly and indirectly on the environment, PLUS the new air quality standards brought about by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have changed new construction forever.

So can you build a new waterpark and still be sustainable, environmentally friendly and conserve water through the type of structure you select?

The short answer is yes. Here is why.

Buildings have changed. Tightly sealed, mechanically ventilated, opaque boxes with waterparks in them are not only NOT appealing to consumers, but do not promote productive/healthy staff, good air quality, daylight, and ultimately do become an operational nightmare. Consider that an indoor waterpark in a conventionally constructed space “typically” has to replace their roof every 8-10 years! That is very expensive maintenance!

Owners need a space that has no maintenance, has excellent ventilation, provides a large volume of daylight, minimizes the carbon emissions, is easy to clean and reduces the impact of the structure on the surrounding environment. They also need to be spaces guests want to visit and spend their hard earned dollars. It IS possible to build a space that does all this and more.

Key Sustainable Principles

Whether going for LEED accreditation or not, sustainable building design, construction and operation is constantly evolving, but there are six fundamental principles that nearly everyone agrees on.

  • Optimize Site Potential — Creating sustainable buildings starts with proper site selection, and the location, orientation, and landscaping of a building affect the local ecosystems, transportation methods and energy use.
    • OpenAire structures allow for airflow from all sides through opening walls and roof and in coordination with a Projects’ Architect of Record we can orient structures to maximize wind, sun, building orientation etc. OpenAire structures help with points for LEED Credit on Site Development, Maximizing open space, by truly opening up to the area around them.
    • Our naturally ventilated spaces allow buildings to be “turned off” when the roof is open and incorporate a tonne of day light, both of these contribute to reduced energy use.
  • Optimize Energy Use — A sustainable building should rely on efficiency and passive design measures rather than fossil fuels for its operation. It should meet or exceed applicable energy performance standards.
    • OpenAire structures meet global energy code goals to reduce energy use, when the roof and walls are open you “turn off or turn down” the building’s mechanical systems. Various third party studies on OpenAire structures show savings of 20-30% on yearly energy costs vs a conventional building based on analysis of both reduced electricity use and reduced reliance on natural gas resources. Reducing the use of natural gas consumption improves the resilience of natural gas supply, while reducing power loads reduces peak electricity load and resilience of the electric supply.
    • If OpenAire roofs are integrated with renewable energy systems such as building integrated photovoltaic arrays, additional LEED credits towards on site renewable energy can be obtained.
  • Protect and Conserve Water — In many parts of the country, fresh water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource. A sustainable building seeks to reduce, control, and/or treat site runoff, use water efficiently, and reuse or recycle water for on-site use when feasible.
    • The OpenAire structures thermal breaks, use of appropriate climate driven materials (ie low e-coated wall glazing or opaque panels in warmer climates) plus integrated shading, shade canopies and other additions can help control evaporation loads and can be retracted when solar ambient heat gain is beneficial for heating. Operable motorized windows are positioned high on walls in large waterparks to move the largest volumes of air up and out of the space while not impacting the water surface and evaporation rates.
    • The roofs of OpenAire’s structures can collect rainwater through a series of integrated gutter systems. The style of structure (aluminum) and roof materials (polycarbonate) means that unlike conventional roof construction our roofs shed and collect almost all possible rainwater. Typical uses of rainwater include landscape irrigation, wash applications, ornamental pond and fountain filling, cooling tower make-up water, and toilet and urinal flushing. With additional filtration and disinfection, harvested rainwater can also be treated to potable standards to supplement municipal potable water supplies to facilities. In addition OpenAire structures can collect water for easy integration into stormwater management systems. This allows structures to comply with LEED Credits for water efficient landscaping, & stormwater design.
  • Use Greener Materials — A sustainable building should be constructed of materials that minimize life-cycle environmental impacts such as global warming, resource depletion, and human toxicity. Life-cycle raw materials acquisition, product manufacturing, packaging, transportation, installation, use, and reuse/recycling/disposal should all be taken into account.
    • OpenAire has several LEED projects in our portfolio due to our use of Aluminum and low-emitting materials including adhesives, sealants, paints and coating.
    • OpenAire also uses some materials that contain recycled content and can source come components that are within 500miles of a project location. In this area OpenAire Structures contribute to LEED Credits for Low Emitting Materials, Recycled Content and Regional Materials.
  • Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) — The indoor environmental quality of a building has a significant impact on occupant health, comfort, and productivity. Among other attributes a sustainable building should maximize daylighting, provide appropriate ventilation and moisture control, and avoid the use of materials that are high in VOC emissions.
    • OpenAire’s use of low emitting materials are compliant with LEED VOC limits, in action our buildings provide full daylight and views along with natural ventilation.
    • Indoor pools are guided by the guidelines set out by ASHRAE 62.1, but per the CDC report titled the “Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark“, these standards are not enough in a large voluminous space where water is splashed and spread differently than in a more typical pool.
    • A naturally ventilated space provides for improved productivity, maximizes natural light, while increasing ventilation rates/volume can remove/dilute airborne pathogens.
    • Using outdoor air as a dehumidifying source when it is cost-effective, rather than using a mechanical dehumidification system, can greatly reduce total operating costs, provide better indoor air quality, and improve system reliability.4
  • Optimize Operational and Maintenance Practices — Incorporating operations and maintenance considerations into the design of a facility will greatly contribute to improved work environments, higher productivity, and reduced energy and resource costs. Designers are encouraged to specify materials and systems that simplify and reduce maintenance requirements; require less water, energy, and toxic chemicals and cleaners to maintain; and are cost-effective and reduce life-cycle costs.
    • Global public health strategies now include frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects that are touched by multiple people is important to reduce the spread of infection. Easily cleanable materials are recommended. Parks built with non-corrosive materials like aluminum have a significant advantage both from a strength and durability perspective, plus from a cleanliness one. A bright, open space that ventilates naturally, and one that isn’t corroded makes these parks not only seem cleaner, but they will also be cleaner if proper procedures are implemented.

Waterparks of the Future.

The concepts of what constitutes good indoor water parks are now different, and they won’t default back to what was once acceptable. Our changing climate and this recent pandemic highlights that parks who have already seen these trends are in fact, ahead of the curve.

Parks that opt for these choices use less energy and are cheaper to operate and maintain every year. And now, it turns out these parks may in fact be safer for guests!

New studies demonstrate the correlation between the transmission of COVID-19 in closed environments vs. open air circulation. In a recent Japan study, the odds of a primary case transmitting COVID-19 in a closed environment was 18.7x greater compared to an open-air environment.6

Parks that shifted to modern principles early on have long been reaping the benefits of daylight, fresh air, and a clean structure, while sharing these benefits with their staff and guests. These parks are not only ahead of the curve, but they’ll have the privilege of opening with more ease amidst “new normal” demands from this global pandemic.

OpenAire has had the pleasure of building waterparks around the globe, challenging the stereotypes of traditional indoor parks. Our mutual goal is always to help them lead the way in creating enjoyable, practical and beautiful spaces, making custom solutions to suit their exact spaces and needs. From the northern border to the deep south, OpenAire supports clients in creating water parks for all seasons that are bound to “wow.” This includes:

Footnotes:

  1. Sustainability Of The Building Envelope, Rob Bolin, PE, Syska Hennessy Group, 11-08-2016, https://www.wbdg.org/resources/sustainability-building-envelope
  2. Water-Efficient Technology Opportunity: Rainwater Harvesting Systems, Federal Energy Management Program, https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/water-efficient-technology-opportunity-rainwater-harvesting-systems
  3. CDC Workplace Safety and Health; Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark, Lilia Chen MS, Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 2007-0163-3062, Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio, June 2008
  4. Energy efficiency in indoor aquatic facilities. Thoughtful choices yield significant energy savings, by Gary Lochner, Unison Comfort Technologies, innoventair.com
  5. CDC Workplace Safety and Health; Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark, Lilia Chen MS, Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 2007-0163-3062, Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio, June 2008.
  6. Closed environments facilitate secondary transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Hiroshi Nishiura, Hitoshi Oshitani, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Tomoya Saito, Tomimasa Sunagawa, Tamano Matsui, Takaji Wakita, MHLW COVID-19 Response Team, Motoi Suzuki, medRxiv 2020.02.28.20029272; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.28.20029272