Case Studies

Case Studies of Technical Innovation at Metro Vancouver

Meeting the elements of the Sustainability Framework requires new ways of thinking and acting. The sustainability principles of conserving and developing natural, economic, and social capital drive decision-making at Metro Vancouver – both in terms of what we do and how we do it. They led to new organizational objectives such as: recapturing materials and energy from liquid and solid waste streams; addressing corporate contributions to climate change; capitalizing on opportunities to partner with business and benefit the economy, particularly ‘green’ economy; engaging the community in ways that would increase people’s sense of civic engagement and responsibility. And meeting these objectives requires innovation, including technological innovation to achieve them.

A paper titled “Encouraging and Managing Innovation: the Example of Metro Vancouver, Canada” introduces three ways in which technological innovation is introduced at Metro Vancouver:

A. The Purpose Driven Enquiry: this is by far the most common process. A particular issue is identified and assigned to a particular group, or several individuals or a small group may see the opportunity to address such an issue in their area of responsibility.

B. Technology Driven Enquiry: this occurs when new technology is made available to staff and they explore its potential. The new technologies are always installed for some specific purpose and it is often in that context that other possibilities are discovered.

C. External Initiatives: private firms and academic institutions approach Metro Vancouver with ideas they suggest might meet a need we are facing, realize an opportunity we should be interested in, or is simply inherently intriguing.

Short case studies of each type of innovation are listed below.

Expand All | Collapse All

A. The Purpose Driven Enquiry:

SEE-Gen Power Project at Burnaby’s Waste to Energy Facility

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

Metro Vancouver's Waste-to-Energy Facility (WTEF) in Burnaby was built in 1988 and processes approximately 20% of the region’s solid waste. Today, over 250,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste are handled at the WTEF each year. Built to meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability, it was the second facility of its kind in North America to qualify for the rigorous ISO 14001 environmental standard. In July 2003, the facility began producing electricity as well.

For several years steam from the WTEF facility had been sold to the adjacent Norampac paper recycling mill, but not all of the steam could be utilized by the mill. The facility operators at Montenay Inc., and Metro Vancouver engineers saw this as a great opportunity. Utilizing the excess steam by generating electricity and selling it to BC Hydro could provide social, economic and environmental benefits.

The project began in 2001 and utilized the best available technology. The resulting facility meeting the social, economic and environmental aspect of sustainability and was dubbed the SEE-Gen project, taken from the initial letters of the three sustainability legs.

Some of the benefits of this project include the creation of four new full-time jobs; the generation and sale of electricity to BC Hydro, generating gross revenues of $5-6 million a year for Metro Vancouver, providing an economic benefit for the region’s residents and reducing the need to generate power elsewhere.

The 15 megawatts of electricity produced annually by the SEE-Gen project is sufficient to power 15,000 homes. The next opportunity to develop is to use the residual heat from the turbo-generator as a heat source for nearby residential and industrial development.

This project received an Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) Sustainability award in 2003.

Resources:
PDF icon

Waste-to-Energy Facility achieves LEED © Platinum certification

Cloverdale Sanitary Sewer Overflow Storage Facility

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

This project arose from the search to apply sustainability principles to a sanitary sewer overflow problem. The SSO facility in Cloverdale captures and stores sanitary sewer overflows that would otherwise spill into streets, ditches, agricultural lands, and the environment in the southern portion of the Fraser Sewerage Area (FSA). This unique storage system applies sustainability principles in its design to divert overflow to a 6700 cubic metre tank which stores the flow until the storm has passed then returns it to the regular collection system. Operational since September 2007, the facility has been used a number of times to capture sanitary sewer overflows which would otherwise have discharged into the natural environment.

Sustainable features of this system include the use of gravity for most drainage, reducing the need for energy to run pumps; an innovative flushing system using a small amount of retained wastewater to avoid pumping fresh water for tank cleaning; automated controls allow centralized monitoring and control, reducing the need for staff to travel to the site; the use of natural and wetland grasses for landscaping, reducing surface run off; the re-use of excavated soils to reduce the need for imported fill; the use of EcoSmart™ (high volume fly ash) concrete to reduce CO2 emissions from concrete manufacturing; the construction of a utility road to resolve local farmland access problems.

This project received an Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC) Sustainability award in 2003.

Coquitlam UV Disinfection Project

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

Starting construction in 2011, the Coquitlam UV Disinfection project, when complete will treat up to 1.2 billion litres of water per day, from the Coquitlam source providing clean and safe drinking water. The Coquitlam watershed provides approximately one third of the total water supply delivered to the area. In order to comply with the new Cryptosporidium removal requirements under the Health Canada Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, a new Coquitlam water treatment facility is being constructed. In addition to meeting the Cryptosporidium inactivation requirements MV has set targets for controlling the disinfection bi-products Trihalomethane (THM) and Haloacetic Acid (HAA5). Improvements to the facility include the installation of a new Ultra Violet Disinfection (UVD) Facility, an upgrade to the existing on-site Ozonation Generation Facility and a new multi-purpose operations and maintenance centre.

Metro Vancouver is pursuing a minimum of LEED© Silver certification for the combined building complex. Using sustainable technologies and practices, and with collaboration and facilitation of the Kwikwetlem First Nation, construction of the site will ensure the protection and conservation of sensitive habitat and natural resources and ensure minimal disruption to the surrounding community.

During construction, truck traffic will be reduced by approximately 5,000 trips through the onsite management of soils and as a part of the restoration process, a storm water management system will be constructed as part of a salmon habitat restoration project. The use of EcoSmart™ (high volume fly ash) concrete in the construction will reduce the production of greenhouse gas emissions related to the production of cement.

Innovative technologies that will be utilized in this project include an Hydronic heating and cooling system for the complex as well as a state-of-the-art lamp technology for UV disinfection.

Using a reversible heat pump, the Hydronic system utilizes the existing water main to extract or dissipate heat for either heating or cooling the facility. This system will realize a 50% - 60% reduction in energy use and related costs as well as reducing green house gas emissions.

The compact and highly energy efficient UV Lamp Technology was uniquely developed for application at the CUV facility. This technology was used for the first time at Metro Vancouver’s facility and will be available for application at other plant sites. The innovative vertical design of the UV piping configuration accommodates the small footprint of the facility further reducing the impact on the area.

Co-digestion Pilot at Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

Operated by Metro Vancouver, the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant (AIWWTP) services Burnaby, New Westminster, Port Moody and many other townships in the region. The plant is the largest secondary treatment plant in the Metro Vancouver area, servicing approximately 1,000,000 people.

A Co-digestion Facility is being planned at Annacis as a full scale pilot facility which will allow Metro Vancouver to receive and test a variety of organic wastes, monitor the feed rates and measure the effects of these feed stocks on the performance of the digesters.

Co-digestion technology involves the direct feeding of high strength organic wastes such as food processing wastes, fat, oil and grease to municipal wastewater anaerobic digesters. Co-digestion is a relatively new technology developed in Europe and has only been recently applied at some wastewater treatment plants in North America. The Annacis Island Co-digester plant will be the first industrial scale project build in BC wastewater treatment facilities.

Co-digestion of organic waste offers many benefits, such as the production of biogas, which can be used for power generation or gas export; another option for organic waste disposal apart from landfill and incineration, and the reduction of green-house gas (GHG) emissions.

The potential environmental and economic benefits are dramatic. Estimates include: the reduction of 1,500 tonnes CO2e / year in Green House Gas emission; the production of 2.6 million m3/year in additional biogas production, which translates to $168,000/year in electricity costs savings or $490,000/year in revenue through gas sales.

Currently under construction, this project is expected to be operational in 2011.

Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

Operational as of January 2010, the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant filters up to 1.8 billion litres of water per day, from both the Seymour and Capilano sources, providing clean, safe drinking water to the Metro Vancouver region. The filtration plant together with the adjacent clearwells (underground water storage reservoirs), an overflow pond and two storm water ponds, encompasses a space of approximately nine hectares.

This project used sustainable technologies and practices to protect and conserve sensitive habitat, conserve natural resources and minimize disruption on the surrounding community, while meeting the technical requirements of the federal drinking water guidelines. This includes the pursuit of LEED© Gold for an Operations and Maintenance Centre (OMC).

During construction, truck traffic was reduced by over 75,000 trips through the reuse of excavated gravel from a nearby pit, along with on-site batching of concrete, which minimized impacts on North Vancouver roads. The use of EcoSmart™ (high volume fly ash) concrete reduced the production of greenhouse gas emissions related to the production of cement. The facility design took advantage of natural processes by using natural lighting and ventilation systems and geothermal installation as a ground source sink to heat and cool the facility. Clearwells for water storage adjacent to the filtration plant stores treated water for distribution at peak times.

Storm water management techniques such as permeable pavement, swales, storm water ponds and rainwater capture and re-use systems mitigate runoff at the site. Two large storm water ponds collect rainwater to control stream flow preventing downstream erosion. The ponds also provide habitat for aquatic organisms and vegetation. The use of green roof technologies for the roof of the clearwells and for the Filtration Plant Operations and Maintenance Centre also helps manage storm water drainage while offering habitat for native flora and fauna.

All construction sites were fully restored and replanted with native species to protect and enhance sensitive habitat. Plants and stumps salvaged during construction were used in the restoration process. Habitat was also enhanced by the development of a wetland via the new storm water collection ponds. The development of hiking trails and interpretive signs has created additional opportunities for public recreation and education, making this project a wonderful community asset.

Water Reclamation Pilot at Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

Exploring grey water reuse opportunities within industrial applications is important for resource conservation in the Metro Vancouver region. In order to minimize water use in our operations, Metro Vancouver commissioned a study to look at the feasibility of reclaiming and reusing wastewater effluent within our wastewater treatment facilities. After consideration of several options, Membrane Filtration Technology was chosen for a pilot study at the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant (AIWWTP).

Over the past 10 years, membrane filtration for wastewater treatment has gained wider acceptance in the industry because of its small footprint and high quality effluent, but the technology and its long-term operability have yet to be tested and applied in Metro Vancouver’s wastewater facilities.

This compact technology makes it a potential candidate for a plant with limited space, such as the future North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant. The high quality effluent produced by membrane filtration further expands the water re-use and recycling opportunities, which is in line with our integrated resource recovery philosophy.

The system capacity of this pilot plant (500m3/day) would be adequate to meet the current demand for reclaimed water at the AIWWTP. There will be a two-year intensive evaluation of system performance (2013/14), followed by continuous operation of the pilot plant for long-term process evaluation.

The Surrey Waste Transfer Station

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images :

The Surrey Transfer Station (STS) was a necessary upgrade to the Metro Vancouver solid waste system and staff took the opportunity to apply sustainability principles through green building design. Completed in 2004, the Transfer Station was the first building of its kind in North America to achieve LEED© (Silver) Certification. In 2005, STS received the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Bronze in Transfer Station design. The innovative design of the Transfer Station addressed not only the sustainability of the building, but also of the site. Incorporating high-recycled content materials in its construction, the building utilizes natural light and has been fitted with features to reduce energy and water use. Greater use of natural light decreases the amount of electricity and heating required and water flow control fixtures reduces the water required by 30 per cent. The facility also purchases green power for its energy needs.

Located on a remediated industrial site, the use of native and drought resistant plants in the landscape design eliminates the need for irrigation, and the diversion of storm water through a bioswale reduces pollutants through runoff.

In addition, options for alternative transportation were fully integrated into the design of the transfer station, bicycle storage and changing rooms for staff, minimal parking capacity, as well as an innovative traffic management design to reduce emission pollution from vehicles waiting to use the facility.

In 2010, the Surrey Transfer Station received approximately 230,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste. The disposal rate has remained fairly constant over the last four years. The material collected at the facility is efficiently separated and recycled or disposed of safely.

Resources:

Surrey Transfer Station

B. Technology Driven Enquiry:

Annacis Island and Iona Island WWTP’s Co-generation project

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

By working together, Metro Vancouver staff at the Annacis and Iona Wastewater Treatment Plants developed an innovative, award winning plan to simultaneously save money and protect the environment. Staff from the Operations and Maintenance department devised a way to reduce natural gas consumption and cut the flaring of digester gas produced in the wastewater treatment process.

While some digester gas produced by the treatment facility was already being recycled to fuel boilers and co-digestion engines for electricity, much was still being flared. This environmental concern coupled with the rising cost of energy to fuel the plant prompted staff to design a new system. Utilizing a computerized data acquisition and control (CDAC) system, new computer logic was developed and initiated to optimize and balance gas feeds to the plant’s hot water boilers and co-generation units. The system allowed the process to be incrementally ‘tweaked’ until dramatic results were obtained. Electrical imports were reduced by 43%, saving $560,000 annually. Natural gas consumption of 4,300 m 3 was eliminated, saving $360,000 annually. Wasted (flared) digester gas was reduced by 73% saving $600,000 annually. The $1,520,000 annual financial benefit, the environmental benefits associated with reduced external energy use and reduced greenhouse gases and the social benefits of the pride of a self-starting workforce earned this project the 2002 Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainability Community Award.

C. External Initiatives:

Struvite Recovery

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images:

Struvite (phosphorous) precipitates in liquid waste stream pipes and is difficult to remove causing loss of capacity and the eventual need for pipe replacement. Staff discussed with University of British Columbia (UBC) professors who took an interest from the perspective of recovering phosphorous in response to worldwide declines in the supply of this irreplaceable and critical-to-life element. (‘Peak phosphorous’ is anticipated in around 2035). UBC led the design and development of a system to capture struvite from the liquid waste stream and convert it to a valuable fertilizer (‘Crystal Green’). This project has won many awards including the prestigious Synergy Award for Innovation from Canada’s Natural Science and Engineering Research Council. Interestingly, the project then failed to pass the threshold to go into commercial scale operation because the business case conservatively calculated benefits to Metro Vancouver only as avoided maintenance costs. Given the soaring price of phosphorous and the possibility of new regulations requiring its recovery, this business case is being revisited!

Resources:
link

UBC RESEARCH PAPER

Resources

Content Editor Web Part ‭[11]‬

Encouraging and Managing Innovation: The Example of Metro Vancouver, Canada

	Solid Waste & Recycling Planning
	Wastewater Collection & Treatment Planning
	Water Treatment & Supply Planning

Spinning sewage sludge into fertilizer gold

Fast Facts

The 15 megawatts of electricity produced annually by the SEE-Gen project at the Burnaby Waste to Energy Facility is sufficient to power 15,000 homes
Green roofs planted on the clearwells and the Operations and Maintenance Centre at the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant helps to manage storm water drainage while offering habitat for native flora and fauna
At the current rate of use, global phosphate reserves are expected to ‘peak’ around 2035
During construction of the Seymour-Capilano Filtration Plant, truck traffic was reduced by over 75,000 trips through the reuse of excavated gravel from a nearby pit in the LSCR, minimizing impacts to the area.