UNDERSTANDING

STRUCTURED
PLUMBING
How to Use Demand
Control Systems
ACT, Inc. D’MAND® Systems
GAC15B | 1 AIA LU/HSW CE Hour 3176 Pullman St.
Suite 119
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
0920011469 | 1 GBCI CE Hour P: (800) 200 - 1956
for LEED Professionals www.gothotwater.com

© GreenCE, Inc. 2016

AN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
(AIA) CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

GreenCE, Inc. is a registered provider with the American Institute of Architects Continuing
Education System. Credit earned upon completion of this program will be reported to CES
Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion are available for all course participants
upon completion of the course conclusion quiz with +80%.

This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such,
it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or
endorsement by the AIA or GreenCE, Inc. of any material of construction or any method or
manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AN AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS
(AIA) CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM

C O U R S E F O R M AT
This is a structured, web based, self study course with a final exam
COURSE CREDIT
1 AIA LU/Health Safety & Welfare (HSW) CE Hour, 1 GBCI CE Hour for
LEED Professionals
C O M P L E T I O N C E R T I F I CAT E
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COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course you will learn about Structured Plumbing, the differences between commercial
and residential design and why it’s the most efficient water distribution system.

You’ll learn some major ways we’ve been using up precious energy.

You’ll discover how the distribution of hot water directly impacts energy use, water consumption,
and waste.

While also learning how demand recirculation pumps improve water and energy efficiency and
overall sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By completing this course, the design professional will be able to:

Define and explain Structured Plumbing in domestic systems and its relation to water and energy
efficiency

Compare and contrast the different options for designing a hot water distribution system and the
impact of such choices

List the water and energy efficiency benefits of on-demand pump controls over other hot water
distribution strategies

Describe residential and commercial/multifamily application of on-demand pump technology

Discuss the water and energy savings generated by using an on-demand circulation pump
DID YOU KNOW?

It takes more energy to heat water than

any other substance* on the planet?

*Except liquid ammonia

Everyone on the planet uses hot

water

That’s a lot of energy…

DID YOU KNOW?

Energy End Use

Water heating accounts for 31% of energy
use in the home Appliances
14%

- The 2nd largest energy user

Misc
- A critical consideraion for Water
7%
sustainable design Heating
Lighting 31%
3%

AC
45%
DID YOU KNOW?

FACT: Unless you have already structured

your plumbing, you’re wasting 10 gallons of
water every day!

The average homeowner wastes between

7-12 gallons of water per person per day in
the wait for hot water
SO IF WE USE THAT MUCH WATER AND ENERGY...

It would be GAME-CHANGING to find a way to

distribute hot water so as to:
- get hot water faster
- use less energy
- save money

But is there a real solution?

YES
INTRODUCTION
hot water distribution and
sustainability
WHAT IS HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION?

The means of moving hot water from the point at which

it is heated to the desired fixture (faucet, shower, etc.)

Distribution is NOT the process of heating the water

HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION SUSTAINABILITY

The water heater, tank-less water heater, or boiler is

the point at which water is heated and energy is
consumed

A poor hot water distribution design generally involves: Tank

- long waits for hot water (which results in water waste)
- heat loss (due to inefficient layout of piping and pumps)
- heater turns on more frequently to heat or reheat
water for use (energy waste)

Tank-less
WATER + ENERGY CONSUMPTION:
IMPORTANCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
A hot water distribution design impacts 3 major uses of resources:
water energy electricity

01 02 03

- Annual cost adds up!

- Heat loss in the pipes contributes and creates wear/tear on pipes/water heaters
- Hot water has 20x the embedded energy as cold water
- Costs can reach hundreds of dollars per year
HOW DO HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS USE
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF RESOURCES?

A closer look…

- Slow distribution means users will waste

water while waiting for hot water to arrive

- Poor design (inefficient piping, etc.) translates

to heat loss and additional water waste
HOW DO HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS USE
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF RESOURCES?

A closer look…

- all water has embedded energy

- distribution makes up part of that embedded energy

Distribution methods often involve electrical equipment

(more energy consumption)

Improper plumbing design = excessive heat losses

- perpetuates recirculation/reheating and contributes to
excessive energy consumption infrared image showing:
- hot water line (red)
- cold water line (blue)
- return line (yellow)
HOW DO HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS USE
SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF RESOURCES?

A closer look… Water is Energy

F A C T : 10 gallons of potable water = 1 kilowatt-hour of energy

Therefore – Double waste!

Impact – According to the EPA, production and consumption of electricity is directly linked to air quality
and carbon footprint

Statistics – On average, every kilowatt-hour of electricity emits:

- 1.5 pounds of carbon dioxide
- 5.8 grams of sulfur dioxide
- 2.5 grams of nitrogen oxides
IMPACTS ON COSTS AND RESOURCES

Inefficient piping design results in extra material costs and

wasted resources

Unnecessary wear and tear on pipes and water heaters

lead to unnecessary repair costs and replacement materials
IMPACTS ON COSTS AND RESOURCES

A little waste in one household leads to a lot of

waste across society

Luckily, a little improvement makes a big impact

SOLUTION:
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN WITH DEMAND CONTROL SYSTEMS

How much money can potentially be

saved in single family homes by using
demand pumps?
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN MEETING OUR NEEDS

How we use hot water…

- cleaning clothes
- cleaning your hands
- cleaning dishes
- cleaning your body
- relaxation

Advances in sustainable
distribution design, save our
resources and meet our needs
DOES OUR EXPECTATION OF HOT WATER
ALIGN WITH SUSTAINABILITY?

What do we expect from hot water systems?

- safety
- reliability
- convenience

A demand controlled pump system provides:

• Proper water temperature (prevents energy waste, preserves
health/safety)
• More reliability (less maintenance/repair costs)
• Convenience (shorter wait for hot water)
EVOLUTION +
PERFORMANCE
hot water distribution methods
HISTORY OF RECIRCULATION PUMPS AND
THEIR SUSTAINABLE IMPACT
1970 – today
- Median US home size increased from 1,600 to 2,400 square feet
- Distance to the furthest fixture from the hot water heater increased from 30 to 80 feet
- Number of hot water fixtures increased from 6 to 12

The result
- Takes 18 times as long to get hot water as pre-1970s
- Pipe area increased by 3x, velocity reduced by 3x
- Fixture flow rate reduced by 3, velocity reduced by 3
- Distance increased by at least 2, time increased by 2

Water waste went up

The recirculation pump became convenient and diminished waste

Heat losses and electrical consumption of the pump still created higher energy consumption
WHO NEEDS RECIRCULATION?

No recirculation is only recommended if all the fixtures are

within 20 feet of the hot water fixture

- in most cases this is not possible

Recirculation saves about 12,000 gallons of water per year

Commercial/multi-family buildings require recirculation

(wait time without recirculation can be 10+ minutes …some tenants may
never even get hot water!)
LOOKING CLOSER AT THE LONG WAIT:
NON-RECIRCULATED DISTRIBUTION

With common non-recirculated hot water plumbing:

- No return line
- No recirculation pump
- Not effectively sustainable
LOOKING CLOSER AT THE LONG WAIT:
DISTRIBUTION WITH CONTINUOUS RECIRCULATION

Advantages/Disadvantages

PRO
- Continuous recirculation solves the problem of having to drain large
amounts of water or waiting an unacceptable time to get hot water

CONS
- Uses extra energy! A pump needs to keep running, which consumes
electricity
- The heat loss from these constantly hot pipes contributes to even more
energy loss
- A continuous movement of hot water wears away at the pipes and
water heater
CONTINUOUS RECIRCULATION: HOW IT WASTES ENERGY

Heat is lost in the pipes (>25% of total hot water energy)

Primarily due to excessive pump run time

- There is no need to keep the pump running if there’s
already hot water at the point of use!
CONTINUOUS RECIRCULATION: HOW IT WASTES HEAT ENERGY
California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research:
70% of all energy input into the hot water distribution system is lost from continuous recirculation

All Energy into

Central Water 30%
Heating System

End-use Energy

30%
40% Recirculation
Loop Losses

Water Heater Losses

FIXING HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION:
CONTROLLED RECIRCULATION

Pump controls may provide a solution

This is the most sustainable way to design the hot

water distribution system

BUT some control methods are more efficient than

others…
TIMER CONTROLLED RECIRCULATION

The timer turns the pump on and off according to an estimated

time schedule
- no superfluous pumping during the “off” period

Wastes water and energy because hot water needs to be available

as needed and is too difficult to “time”

Not an adequate control solution

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED BY AQUASTAT

Using a sensor on a return line: this system automatically turns a

pump on and off based on temperature. Typically between 110° – 120°

Advantages
- Saves water

Disadvantages
- Not energy efficient

Q: How is it one but not the other?

A: Although the pump uses less electricity, it keeps the distribution

loop hot to maintain the 120° temperature even when there is no
demand, creating the same heat losses as a continuous running pump
ELECTRONICS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION

In residential homes - activator controls recirculation according to

real time user demand

In a commercial setting - hot water is managed automatically at

the point of the heat source

How it saves:
Demand system returns ambient temperature water to the
boiler/heater through the cold water line or designated return line
SAVING WATER

Thermal sensor makes pump use efficient SAVING ENERGY

Result:
Hot is hot, cold is cold, no water down the drain
A CLOSER LOOK: THE SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS

What makes demand control recirculation the most sustainable hot

water delivery method?

- No utility is used more than it needs to be with on-demand controls

- The pump only runs when the user requires hot water
- Greatly reduces overall energy use
- Conserves significant amounts of water
- Reduces wear and tear on entire water heating system

The U.S. Department of Energy

“Hot Water Waste Prevention System”
 OVERALL:
ANALYZING ALL OUR METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTING HOT WATER

Distribution Method Impact on Water Impact on Energy

Non-Recirculated Wasteful Less Efficient (if works)

Continuous Recirculation Efficient Very Wasteful

Timer Controlled Recirculation Wasteful/Efficient Depending on the Wasteful/Efficient Depending

time on the time

Temperature Controlled Recirculation (Aquastat) Less Efficient Wasteful

Demand Control Recirculation Efficient Efficient

 STRUCTURED
PLUMBING WITH
DEMAND CONTROLS
a comprehensive solution put into practice
STRUCTURED PLUMBING

Part of a comprehensive plumbing system

Facilitates receiving hot water anywhere in seconds

KEY ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURED PLUMBING

Involves a water Incorporates existing Requires electronic controlled

heating system or new piping pumping system
KEY ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURED PLUMBING

Residential and Commercial plumbing systems are different and need electronic controllers
unique to each application

Commercial System Residential Systems

“Efficiency Control Motor “Efficiency Control Motor
(ECM) Pump Technology” (ECM) Pump Technology
STRUCTURED
PLUMBING IN
RESIDENTIAL HOMES
RESIDENTIAL HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION

Typically

Most residential dwellings are without recirculation

pump

This results in excessive hot water wait time

Piping extends from the water heater to each of the

fixtures and dead-ends at the furthest fixture from the
hot water source
TRADITIONAL PLUMBING LAYOUT:
SINGLE TRUNK, BRANCH + TWIG

Longer Pipes = greater volume of water between the water heater and the fixture
(must be drained before the user gets hot water…hence a wait time! (and water waste)

Minimizing the length of Branch and Twig pipes reduces heat/energy loss and wait time

Think about your

plumbing as a tree
water has to climb the trunk,
then the branches, then the
twigs, then finally hits the
fixtures
STRUCTURED PLUMBING
Structured Plumbing using the Cold Water Line as a Temporary Returnline
Pump, Controls and Thermo-sensor
under sink in hot water location
furthest from the water heater

@ @

Locate activation mechanisms in hot

water locations - @
SOLUTION
Structured Plumbing with a Dedicated Return Line

@ @

Locate activation mechanisms in hot

water locations - @
EXAMPLE OF A DEMAND CONTROL SYSTEM
ACTIVATION METHODS
Wireless Hard Wired
LED switch

Hardwired
Motion
Sensors

Wireless
remote

Wireless
motion LED push
Bluetooth sensor button
TECHNOLOGY THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE

20 gallons of water saved per day in each home

7,300 gallons per year
730,000,000 gallons for 100,000 homes

For every 100,000 electric water heaters with a demand system:

• 120 million Kilowatt-Hours saved
• 113 thousand tons of carbon dioxide prevented
• 6,600 hundred tons of nitrogen oxides prevented

For every 100,000 gas water heaters with a demand system:

• 5 million therms saved
• 81 thousand tons of carbon dioxide prevented
• 1,300 tons of nitrogen oxides prevented

Quick water delivery

Treats the issue of water wasting
RESIDENTIAL CONCLUSIONS

Save Water, Energy, Time and Money

Increases the life of your water heater by up to 25%

Life expectancy of 20 years

Costs less than $1 a year to operate

Reduces sewage processing (less water waste)

Reduces the carbon footprint (less and energy consumption)

STRUCTURED
PLUMBING IN
COMMERCIAL / MULTI
FAMILY BUILDINGS
DHW SYSTEM ENERGY FLOW

Mechanical Room

Hot water return

Hot water supply

Cold water
Branch
supply

Distribution Losses in Commercial Buildings 30%

29%
end-use
energy
Water Heater Recirculation Branch
30%
Losses Loop Losses Losses
45% Heat Loss 25% Heat Loss 1% Heat Loss
HOW MUCH ENERGY SAVINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED?

ELECTRICITY GAS
80-90% 10-30%

10-30% reduction in natural gas usage above baseline conditions

80-90% reduction in electricity used for pumping

Cost payback (ROI) is a year or less

3RD PARTY SUMMARY RESULTS
SoCal Gas – ODE Program
Averages are based on 300 installed sites
Gas Technology Institute --
Gas Savings Electricity Project Material
CCF Savings kW and Install Cost Savings
Pump/Yr Pump/Yr per Pump Life of per Life
($.84/CCF) ($.076/kW, Controller Payback Measure Measure
159watts/pump)

1,484 1,230 $900 8 mo 15 yrs $20,100

$1,247 $93.31 < 1 yr

Oklahoma Natural Gas - ONG On Demand Pump Controls Program

Heatherstone Apartments – Measurement and Verification Plan 2016
Averages are based on 8 installations
Payback includes incentive
Gas Savings Project Rebate Paid Life of Gas Savings
CCF Material and CCF Per Payback Measure per Life
Pump/Yr Install Cost per Pump (years) Measure
($1.009/CCF) Pump Controller
1,235 $750 $.95/ccf <.4> 15 yrs $18,705
$1,247 $1,173 < 1 yr
COMMERCIAL / MULTIFAMILY HOT WATER DISTRIBUTION

Fact 1
Recirculation pumps are essential components to central hot
water systems in commercial structures

Fact 2
Recirculation is running on a continuous basis

Creates Exorbitant Heat Loss & Energy Consumption!

Fact 3
Recirculation pumps are only sustainable if operated with
commercial control systems
CASE STUDY – PINHOLE LEAKS
Background
2009 - Kevin Bennett researches pinhole leak problems.
Family Tree Apartment complexes in Santa Clara, California.

Problem
The continuous operation of the domestic hot water pump combined
with hard mineral content of the water causing pinholes.
Mineral content on the site was at a staggering 370 ppm
4x the average “acceptable” range of between 15 and 100 ppm

Solution
On demand pump system reduced the damaging effects of continuous
hot water circulation and repairs
CASE STUDY - ARCHSTONE

Archstone Tunlaw Gardens in Washington, DC

Had tracking equipment that installed into 2 of their multi-unit buildings

Data was collected over 2 months…

Records showed a 15% reduction in gas used by the water heater and a 98% savings in electricity
used by the circulation pump

Billing terms - annual savings of $1,083 per building or more than $16,000 over the life of the pump

Most importantly, these savings were achieved without incurring any customer complaints
DEMAND CONTROLLED PUMPS
FOR COMMERCIAL/MULTIFAMILY

Commercial use employs the same sequence of operation…

it will only run when there is a simultaneous sensed

demand for hot water AND an indicator that water in the
pipes is not sufficiently heated

…the most sustainable delivery of hot water!

Some key differences for larger scale distribution

SAVE ENERGY BY
REDUCING HEAT LOSS IN THE RECIRCULATION LOOP

Demand control pump - only method that allows the pipes to cool during down-time ONLY, which
minimizes heat losses

This is why it is the most efficient system to distribute hot water and the highest grade of
sustainable design!
COMMERCIAL/MULTIFAMILY – MORE IS BETTER

Multi-unit dwellings may have individual water heaters or a centralized hot water system

While a distributed system solves some of the heat loss issues, it creates a big sustainability
issue: exorbitant material waste!

Instead of one water heater used for 50 units, you have 50 water heaters. Meaning:

- 50x the water heating materials that are manufactured and transported
- 50x the maintenance/labor and materials for repair
- 50x the possibility that it leaks and destroys other parts of the building

“Commercial" applications - those buildings that have central domestic hot water systems
(not individual per unit)
USING CONTROL SYSTEMS AT THE END OF A BRANCH +
ON DISTRIBUTION LOOP

Multiple demand units can be used in large

buildings where pipe branches are too long

A control pump system is added to each

one of the long branch lines

This is the most sustainable retrofit method

for large buildings with long branches that
won’t be served by the main recirculation
loop or trunk

Use demand controls

Use demand controls on the at the end of each to
existing recirculation loop to create new vertical
increase efficiency of the loops to reduce the
trunk line wait time for hot water
ADDITIONAL
RESEARCH +
CASE STUDIES
of structured plumbing in commercial
settings
RESEARCH ON DEMAND CONTROLS RECIRCULATION

State of California funding research of energy savings potential of demand

controlled recirculation pumps since 2005

Buildings are monitored using a refined methodology for showing

decreased gas usage by the water heater

Here are some of the cases…

California
Energy Commission
ORIGINAL CASE STUDY:
FUNDED BY THE CA ENERGY COMMISSION
Site #2 – SF, CA
Savings

Savings
Demand Control

Timer Control
Temperature
Modulation

Gas Consumption Reduction normalized Recirculation Loop Losses Reduction

by gallon of water normalized by gallon of water
CASE STUDY: OKLAHOMA GAS

Multi-Family Gas

Background
Oklahoma Gas and CLEAResults to institute Hot Water Pump Control program to reduce gas usage

Action Taken
A test was conducted at the Heatherstone Apartments, Oklahoma City, OK.
There are 8 Commercial Domestic Hot Water on-demand control systems and 8 boilers.

Results
9,879 CCF’s savings per year
$8,019 cost savings per year with a ROI of only 4 months per boiler.

CCF = 100 cubic feet (measurement of gas usage)

CASE STUDY: WELK RESORTS

Multi-Family Electric

Problem
Welk Resorts needed a solution to their high hot water bills
projected savings of 7688 kWh per
Response year without any interruption or
compromise of service to its guests
A 2-month test was run employing a demand pump system
at their timeshare luxury resorts in Escondido, CA
• Over the 2-month period, none of the guests were
asked to alter their normal water consumption behavior

Result
Demand control systems were able to reduce water heater
electricity usage by 18%

Circulation pump electricity usage was reduced by more

than 97%
CASE STUDY: SOCAL GAS MARRIOTT RESORT

Multi-Family Gas

Background
2008 - SoCal Gas Company tested efficiency of demand
control pumping systems to promote On Demand Efficiency
rebate programs

Action Taken
Monitoring hot water on-demand in a central heating system,
the pump is able to shut itself down when it is not in use

Results
10-30% reduction in gas usage by the water heater

The pump ran an average of just 2 hours per day

ON DEMAND EFFICIENCY (ODE) CASE STUDY

Benningfield Group and SoCal Gas tested the efficiency of a demand pumping system in
order to promote an On Demand Efficiency rebate program

A total of 39 sites were tested

The results showed a 10-30% reduction in gas usage by the water heater

The pump ran an average of just 2 hours per day vs. 24 hours in a continuous pump

Electricity savings = 1,300 kWh (or an 84% reduction)

The total energy saved based on this study (if extended to 300 units) would be more
than 450,000 therms of gas and 390,000 kWh of electricity/yr
COMMERCIAL CONCLUSIONS FOR DEMAND CONTROL SYSTEMS

20% - 30% in water heater gas/electric savings

Reduced pump run time over 90%

Extends the life of your plumbing system

Reduces the carbon footprint

COURSE
SUMMARY
KEY POINTS

Without recirculation, the wait for hot water is long and gallons of water must
be drained/wasted for hot water to reach the tap

Demand control systems deliver hot water only by user request

Demand control recirculation is the most water and energy efficient

recirculation option available

The user of on demand recirculation pumps saves water, energy, and money
by diminishing sewage costs in reducing the amount of water running down the
drain

These on demand systems can contribute significantly toward making any

building or project more sustainable
COURSE REVIEW

By now the design professional will be able to:

Define and explain Structured Plumbing in domestic systems and its relation to water and
energy efficiency

Compare and contrast the different options for designing a hot water distribution system and
the impact of such choices

List the water and energy efficiency benefits of on-demand pump controls over other hot water
distribution strategies

Describe residential and commercial/multifamily application of on-demand pump technology

Discuss the water and energy savings generated by using an on-demand circulation pump
UNDERSTANDING
STRUCTURED
PLUMBING
How to Use Demand
Control Systems
ACT, Inc. D’MAND® Systems
GAC15B | 1 AIA LU/HSW CE Hour 3176 Pullman St.
Suite 119
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
0920011469 | 1 GBCI CE Hour P: (800) 200 - 1956
for LEED Professionals www.gothotwater.com

© GreenCE, Inc. 2016

 This course is sponsored by:

ACT, Inc. D’MAND Kontrols® Systems

www.gothotwater.com

3176 Pullman St
Suite 119
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

P: (800) 200-1956
F: (714) 668-1927
 MADE
IN
AMERICA
since 1992

Structuring
Your Plumbing to ACT
®
D’MAND Kontrols
System
Recirculation pumps, again, reduce
the wait for hot water

Dedicated
Many times, the recirculation pump is Return
left running continuously, so that hot Line
water is always at every tap without
any wait time whatsoever

They can be installed in both new

and existing construction, either at
the furthest fixture where the hot and
cold water pipes dead end or on a
Retrofit
dedicated return line Demand
Pumping