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Mary Ann Casas
DCP4290
Spring 2016
Bahar Armaghani

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Table of Contents
I. Introduction
a. Building Description
b. Problem statement
c. Project Proposal
d. Goals
II. Initial Interests
III. What is LEED?
a. LEED categories chosen for Capstone project
IV. Water Efficiency (WE)
a. LEED Prerequisites
b. Water/ Wastewater map
i. Chart 1: Kappa Delta Water Consumption (GRU/UF PPD)
ii. Chart 2: Water Payments (GRU)
iii. GRU Water Service Invoice (Dec. 2014)
iv. UF Physical Plant Division Utility Invoice (Dec. 2014)
v. Chart 3: Comparison of PPD and GRU Water/Wastewater Bills
c. Proposal: High efficiency shower heads
i. Indoor water use calculator
1. Chart 1: Baseline vs. Design Consumption
ii. Return on Investment
d. Future WE Retrofits
V. Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
a. Energy Star: Portfolio Manager
i. Energy Star Score
b. Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
c. In-House Lighting Audit
d. LED Lighting Retrofit
i. Chart 1: KD Electircal Payments in Dollars
ii. Return on Investment
e. Furue EA Retrofits
VI. Indoor Environmental Air Quality (IEQ)
a. Green Cleaning Products
VII. Education and well-being
a. Greening Your Greek House
VIII. Conclusion

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I. Introduction
a. Building Description
Kappa Delta national sorority was established in the year 1897, and the
University of Florida chapter affiliate was established in the year 1948. (Fast Facts)
Initial construction of the sorority house at the University of Florida began in 1956
with an initial member count of eight women. Since then, the chapter has continued
to grow in numbers, now reaching two hundred and fifty members. Major
rennovations of the house took place in 1990 with the construction of a side
apartment-styled suite for the house director, and then again in 2014 with the
expansion of the dining and chapter room and construction of three additional
bedrooms. The Kappa Delta sorority house is a hub for daily activities, including:
eating meals, meeting with other members and students, and gathering to relax and
do homework.
Located at 1122 East Panhellenic Drive, Gainesville Florida, Kappa Delta
stands at 16,844 square feet and houses forty members plus a housing director.
The house contains twenty rooms that are shared by two people, an apartment style
suite for incoming guests, and a side apartment-styled suite for the house director.
The two story house also includes two living rooms, one large dining room, two half
bathrooms, a conference room, two hall bathrooms with four showers, water closets,
and faucets in each, a full professional kitchen, half kitchen, and an attic.

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Kappa Delta sorority house 1957
Kappa Delta sorority house 2015

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b. Problem Statement
The way that we choose to live our daily lives has a direct impact on the
way we will choose to live the rest of our lives. The consumption patterns of
people today are extremely wasteful and are beginning to put tremendous strains
on the natural resources that remain. The lifestyle of living in a sorority house is
luxurious to say the least. Monthly dues are constant and go straight towards the
funding for the house and general membership to the organization. This sort of
payment method leaves members oblivious to the cost and consumption patterns
of the house itself. Lights are left on throughout the day, mini fridges are in
almost every room, and shower habits continue to drive up the water bills. The
women who live in and visit the Kappa Delta sorority house are unaware of the
effects that their daily habits make on their consumption patterns in terms of
electricity and water usage in the house. The rate at which energy and water are
consumed throughout the year is unsustainable and costly.
c. Project Proposal
Using LEED guidelines, Kappa Delta can implement low cost, high return
retrofits inside of the house that will assist in lowering the electrical utility costs,
water and wastewater costs, and natural gas costs. Throughout the process,
there will be educational tutorials on what steps residents and members can
assist in, in order to reduce consumption patterns and increase awareness on
how it affects our pockets and the environment around us.
In creating the project goal, it was important to “reflect organizational
values and operational realities as well as sustainability targets.” (LEED O+M)

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Through aligning the project goals with the owners’ and tenants’ organizational
values, the team can select particular green operation strategies that can build a
strong business case for implementing sustainable retrofits. (LEED O+M) One of
the mottos of Kappa Delta sorority is to “strive for that which is honorable,
beautiful, and highest.” (Fast Facts) The organization as a whole works to
inspire women to reach their full potential through community service, active
leadership and responsible citizenship. (Fast Facts) Kappa Delta sorority creates
opportunities for “lifetime involvement through innovative and responsive
programs and strategic collaborations and partnerships.” (Fast Facts) Because
these are the values of the members of of the sorority, it is essential that these
values extend to the physical aspects of the members daily lives through the
home that they gather and live in.
d. Goal
Implement low cost, high return retrofits inside of the house that will create
a more efficient, productive and enjoyable environment for residents,
visitors, and staff.
e. Necessary Steps for Success
1. Create a Plan: The first step towards implementing any sort of change is
recognizing a problem and figuring out a practical solution to that problem. After
the problem has been established, a plan should be created to mitigate and
relieve the effects of the problem. Identifying a baseline for improvement is
essential to creating the plan. Finding the “existing policies, practices,
equipment, contracts, and budgets,” helps the team to see what is already in

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existence in terms of the plan, and move forward from there. (LEED USGBC)
Through the creation of a plan, the team can keep track of progress and work
towards the end goal.
2. Make a Team: It helps when everyone is on board. In order to implement the
plan for a more sustainable house, the housing coordinator and director must be
in the loop. Also, having the house contractors on board was essential to having
assistance with the physical labor that was necessary to implement the high
efficiency fixtures in the house. The team works together to generate more ideas
and delegate tasks to accomplish the goal of the project. “An integrated team can
develop project goals that lay a strong foundation for acheivement.” (LEED O+M)
II. Initial Interests
Classes such as Sustainable Solutions and the LEED Lab course inspired
my initial interests in retrofiting the Kappa Delta sorority house. These classes
encouraged change through bold action to fix problems that we see in our
communities. Looking at my own life, I thought of ways that I could make my
home more sustainable. Because it is somewhat of a dormitory and on UF’s
campus, I believed that it should reflect the green building values that UF is
striving to achieve. We spend most of our time in our homes and workplaces,
and they should reflect who we are and what we represent. Having a mind
geared towards conservation, efficiency, and productivity led me to see the
Kappa Delta house as a project and opportunity to educate people on how our
home can be more efficient and enjoyable to live in and visit.

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In January of 2015, I began speaking with the house director about small
projects that we could implement to encourage conservation of waste, energy,
and water and educate members about ways they can partake in a more
environmentally friendly lifestyle. The first step was taken in August of 2015 to
add a bike rack to the back of the house. This encouraged more members to
bike instead of riding motorscooters to the house.
Recycling inside the house was the next project that we implemented.
This was a larger-scale project because it required presenting the idea to all of
the members and educating them on what it means to recycle, why it helps
economically and environmentally, and the regulations that must be followed in
order to recycle responsibly and correctly. This project was implemented in
September of 2015 and was consistently adapted until January 2016 to work out
kinks and get everyone on the same page. The largest hurdle that we faced in
implementing the recycling program was cross contamination with non-recyclable
items. Non-recyclables were mixed with recyclables constantly because
members and visitor were unaware of the practice of recycling. In order to
overcome this hurdle, we increased signage and spoke in weekly meeting about
proper practices for recycleing and seperating waste. We differentiated between
paper and plastic recycling and created designated areas for the two different
forms of recycling.
In January of 2016, I implemented a new late plate policy. For the past
decade, if one could not make it to dinner, one would pick up a styrofoam late
plate after dinner. Not only is styrofoam bad for the environment because it does

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not decompose, but it cannot be microwaved and the boxes are very flimsy and
hard to trasport. By getting rid of the styrofoam late plates and using reusable
plastic late plates, Kappa Delta is saving money from not having to replenish the
stryofoam and Kappa Delta is decreasing the amount of waste that is produced
everyday from styrofoam late plates bring thrown away. From there, we decided
to also stop buying plastic coffee K-cups for the Keurig machine because they
were not recyclable and added to the amount of waste we produced everyday.
Instead, we now use reusable coffee k-cups for the Keurig machine. They can
be used, rinsed, and then reused.
In order to get the members on board with sustainable practices, it was
important to present to them the effects we have on the environment, things that
we do that may harm the environment, and then ways that we can minimize our
harmful impacts that we contribute to everyday. Once people realize that
sustainable practices are easy, efficient, and cost-saving, people warm up to the
transformations quickly. It also helped to have a team that put into action the
vision that we had for being a sustainable home.
III. What is LEED?
LEED stands for Leadership is Energy and Environmental Design and was
devised by the United States Green Building Coucil (USGBC). It is a green building
certification that is recognized nationally and internationally for its “design, operation,
and construction of high performing green buildings.” (LEED USGBC) Buildings of
any sort, from homes to corporate headquarters, can be certified through LEED at
any phase in the development process. (LEED USGBC) Points are earned across

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several topics including “sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere,
materials and resouces, indoor environmental air quality, innovation, and regional
priority.” (LEED O+M) Depending on how many points are earned throughout all of
the categories, a building can recienve one of four LEED rating levels: “Certified,
Silver, Gold, and Platinum.” (LEED USGBC) LEED is used as a guideline for
buildings to become more “resouce efficient.” (LEED USGBC) As a result, buildings
use less energy and water and are able to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
and save money in utility costs.
LEED v4 is the newest version of LEED that I will be using for the guidelines
towards transforming the Kappa Delta sorority house. It is a flexible, well-developed
system that is used to improve the overall function of the house. The Operations and
Mainenance rating system is most applicable to this project because it is for an
existing building and “the greenest building is the one that is already built.” (LEED
O+M) Through tweeking the operations and maintenance systems in the Kappa
Delta house, there can be massive saving through electricity, water, and natural gas
usage. The LEED v4 O+M rating system provides guidelines to assist in making
buildings efficient and certified as a green building.
a. LEED categories chosen for Capstone project
Water efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, and Indoor Environmental
Air Quality are the topics that I chose to apply towards transforming the
Kappa Delta sorority house because they provide the most opportunity for
change within the house itself. Location and Transportation, Sustainable
sites, Materials and Resources, Innovation, and Regional Priority are all

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important topics in the development of a LEED building. But I solely chose
which topics could affect Kappa Delta in a short period of time and have
lasting effects. These are also the topics that I chose because I had
previously worked closely with these categories in the LEED Lab course at
UF. Water, energy, and indoor air quality all affect the occupants directly and
have visible and tangible affects on the quality of life of the people in the
house and on the quality and maintenance of the building.
IV. Water Efficiency (WE)
This section addresses the use of water through indoor use, outdoor use,
and metering. Water efficiency refers to the apporach of conserving as much
water as possible through efficient fixtures and reducing the need for potable
water use in and around buildings and developments. The reason why water
efficiency in buildings is so important is because only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh
water, and of that, two-thirds of it is trapped in glaciers. (LEED WE) As
groundwater in Florida is being used faster than it is replenished, it is imperative
that buildings act now to conserve, reuse, and minimize what potable water we
have left. Potable water use and wastewater management also requires large
amounts of energy to transport and treat water. The affect of water on electricity
will be shown in the following section on Energy and Atmosphere. There are
simple ways to regulate and decrease the amount of water that is used in
buildings today through “installing water efficient fixtures, and reusing wastewater
for non-potable water needs.” (LEED WE) When water efficient practices are
implemented, buildings can see a response in cost saving, quality of life of

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residents and staff, and a dramatic decrease in the amount of water that is
consumed per year.
a. LEED Prerequisites
i. Indoor water use reduction
Indoor water use reduction can be achieved through applying
fixtures that use 20% to 50% less water than code-required levels, and
these fixtures are widely available and moderately priced. The
WaterSense label was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency in order to make known which fixtures are highly efficient and
certified for LEED performing buildings. (LEED WE) Some low-hanging,
accessible fixtures that can be retrofitted include flushing valves,
bathroom and public faucets, and shower heads. Water use can be
reduced through maintaning these fixtures as well. Fixtures should be
operating properly, and if not, they must be repaired in order to bring
them to “good working order,” or else the nonfunctioning units should be
permantely cut off from the water supply. (LEED WE) A fixture and fitting
replacement and retrofit policy would specify that all newly installed
fixtures are eligible for WaterSense labeling so that fixtures remain up to
date and as efficient as possible.

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b. Water/ Wasterwater Map
Pictured from left to right: Gainesville Regional Utility, Kappa Delta sorority
house, UF Water Reclamation Facility. Potable water is purchased from GRU,
used in Kappa Delta sorority house, and then sent to the UF Water Reclamation
Facility as waste water. (Google Maps) Gainesville Regional Utility is a city
department therefore charges customers a tax on their consumption of water.
Because the University of Florida is a private entitiy, it is tax free. Kappa Delta
sends wastewater to the UF facility because they charge a lower rate than GRU
would charge and then the water is used to maintain UF’s campus. This is the
most efficient and productive water system for Kappa Delta because it is cost
effective and efficient.

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i. Chart 1
The chart above represents the amount of water consumed in kilo-gallons between
January 2014 through December 2015. There are natural fluctuations throughout the
year that correlate with when students are in school and living in the sorority house.
The peak in April of 2014 is due to the start of major rennovations of the Kappa Delta
sorority house. These rennovations included a dining room extension, chapter room
extension, and the addition of three bedrooms. The peak in September 2015 is due to
the start of the school year and therfore an increase in the amount of residents and
visitors to the house. The data above is representative of both the Gainesville Regional
Utility water consumption patterns and the UF Physical Plant Division wastewater
consumption patterns. Notice that only four out of twelve of the 2015 months represent
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Water Consumption in kGals
Months
Kappa Delta Water Consumption in KGals
2014
2015

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higher water consumption. This is due to the installment of a few high efficiency fixtures
in the house at the end of 2014 throughout the ear 2015.
ii. Chart 2
The chart above represents the payments for water to Gainesville Regional Utility
(GRU) between January 2014 through December 2015. Since July 2015, the utility
invoice and payment has consistently been lower between comparable months. This is
because GRU changed the rate for dollar per kilo-gallon consumed from a tier system to
a one rate system in September of 2015. Throughout 2014 into mid 2015, GRU
charged water consumption based on the amount of kGals consumed, raising the rate
while consumption raised. In September 2015, GRU began solely charging on single
rate system. This will be further explained in the sections below.
$0.00
$100.00
$200.00
$300.00
$400.00
$500.00
$600.00
$700.00
$800.00
$900.00
$1,000.00
Water Payments in Dollars
Months
Kappa Delta Water Payments in Dollars (GRU)
2014
2015

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iii. GRU Water Service Details (Dec. 2014)
The GRU utility invoice above is an example of what the monthly water utility bill
may look like for sorority and fraternity houses on UF’s campus. The bill provides all of
the necessary data to understand how you are paying your bill and how the total
amount due is generated. The total amount of water consumed in this month
(December 2014), was 86 kilo-gallons. The usage box highlighted above breaks down
that consumption into tiers that have different cost rates depending on how many kilo-
gallons are consumed. The Tier system was used throughout 2014 and up until
September 2015. During the Tier system, the price per kilo-gallon rate increased as
more water was consumed in order to discourage a higher amount of consumption.
Water coming from GRU was charged at a rate of $2.35 in Tier 1, when consumption
was between 1 and 6 kGals. Tier 2 had a higher price per kGal rate at $3.75. This was
the rate for consumption between 7 kGals and 20 kGals. Tier 3’s rate was $6 for every
kGal that was consumed over 20 kGals. You can see in the usage above that the
Kappa Delta house mostly consumed at the Tier 3 level with the majority of our water

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consumption being charged at a rate of $6 per kGal. This tier system represents how
much was consumed and the rate charged at different amounts of consumption.
In September 2015, GRU changed from the tier system to a one rate system. The
change can also be recognized in Chart 2 by the drastic decrease in GRU payments.
Although consumption did not change drastically, the cost per kGal did, therefore Chart
2 appears to have a more exaggerated representation of Kappa Delta’s decrease in
water usage.
The bar graph represents the current months consumption in relation to the rest of
the year. You will notice that in comparison to December 2014, December 2015 had a
decrease in water consumption and therefore utility payments as well. The difference in
the two months can also be seen in Chart 2 by a decrease in consumption of 47 kGals.
You will also notice that there is a “Gainesville Water Utility Tax” charged by GRU. This
is because GRU is a publicly held by the City of Gainesville. (About GRU)
iv. University of Florida Physical Plant Division (UF PPD) Utility Invoice
(Dec. 2014)

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In comparison to the GRU invoice above, the UF PPD utility invoice is representative
of the wastewater payments incurred by the Kappa Delta house. The waste water is
sent to the UF Reclamation Facility to be treated and then reused on UF’s campus for
maintenance. The consumption for water in the GRU invoice and for wastewater in the
UF PPD invoice are the same (86 kGals) because we send out the exact amount of
water that we take in. The rate at which Kappa Delta pays the UF PPD to take the
wastewater is $4.47 per KGal. It is important to note that the rate had minor
fluctuations: January 2014 through June 2014 had a rate of $3.92/kGal, July 2014
through June 2015 had a rate of $4.47/kGal, and July 2015 through December 2015
had a rate of $4.92/kGal. This is a good deal for Kappa Delta because they are
charging for wastewater at a discounted rate. If we were to send our water back to
GRU on the otherhand, they would charge the house $6.05 plus tax to recapture the
wastewater and treat it at their own facility. (Residential Rates) The water and
wastewater system that is in place provides the most efficient and practical system to
recieve and remove water from the Kappa Delta House.

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v. Chart 3: Comparison of PPD and GRU Water/ Wastewater Bills
The chart above demonstrates the fluctuation of water payments throughout 2014
and 2015 to UF PPD and GRU. The solid lines represent the PPD payments, while the
dotted lines represent the GRU payments. Blue symolizes 2014, while orange
symbolizes 2015. Looking at 2014 alone, you will notice a consistent pattern between
the PPD and GRU payments. Although GRU charges at a higher rate for water than
PPD charges for wastewater, the two lines on the chart signify that the consumption and
disposal of water is consistent. The year 2015 on the other tells a different story. At first,
the two lines representing PPD and GRU appear to be following the same comsumption
$0.00
$100.00
$200.00
$300.00
$400.00
$500.00
$600.00
$700.00
$800.00
$900.00
$1,000.00
Water Payments in Dollars
Months
Comparison of PPD and GRU Water/Wastewater
Bills
PPD 2014
GRU 2014
PPD 2015
GRU 2015

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pattern, but then in September 2015, the two lines cross for the first time in twenty-one
months of water consumption payments. This analysis then begs to question why and
how GRU cut their water costs to be so low, and why PPD did not follow in lowering
their own rate and cost of wastewater.
c. Proposal: High Efficiency Shower Heads
Kappa Delta has ten showerheads throughout the house, in the upstairs
hall bathrooms, the guest bathroom, and the house director’s suite bathroom. The
current showerheads consume 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). I propose that
Kappa Delta invest in higher efficiency showerheads that will save water, energy,
and money after an initial payback period. The showerheads that I propose Kappa
Delta invest in are the 1.8 gpm High Sierra WaterSense Certified High Efficiency
Low-flow showerheads. WaterSense was created by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency as a certification process that facilitates LEED design and
development through labeling high efficiency products that can and should be
implemented into buildings. This rating system for high efficiency products began
in June of 2006. The total cost of purchasing the High Seirra showerheads would
be around $355, with a cost of $35 per showerhead and a $5 shipping cost from
Amazon. The estimated labor cost would be estimated at around $300.
Therefore, the total cost of materials and labor for the showerhead retrofit would
be $655. I propose that this retrofit take place during the summer of 2016.
i. Indoor Water Use Calculator
The Indoor Water Use Calculator provided by the USGBC is used to
“determine the building’s water-use baseline.” (LEED WE) The calculator is used

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as a tool to determine how much savings there are between a baseline water
consumption in comparison to the design water consumption. For the Kappa Delta
water efficiency analysis, we used the current (2015) “baseline” water consumption
patterns for the 2.5 gpm flow showerhead and then used the 1.8 gmp flow
showerhead for the design, or future retrofit, water consumption patterns.
When inputing the data into the Indoor Water Use calculator, I only applied
the anaysis towards showerhead water consumption. Leaving all other water
consumption labels constant allowed me to solely see a difference in water
consumption depending on the showerhead retrofit of a 1.8 gpm showerhead. The
baseline water consumption of Kappa Delta 2.5 gpm showerheads yeilded a
consumption of 666,332 gallons per year. If Kappa Delta were to implement the
1.8 gpm showerheads, Kappa Delta would have a design consumption of 588,268
gallons per year. With a decrease in water consumption by 78,064 gallons per
year, Kappa Delta would experience a 41.14% decrease in water consumption
compared to past consumption. This percentage is based on the full time
equivalent of 41 occupants as opposed to the number of fixtures being used in the
house. Therefore, the drastic decrease in water consumption is representative of
full time usage of the showerheads as opposed to an estimate of usage of each
fixture throughout the year.

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1. Chart 1: Baseline vs. Design Consumption
The image above is a screenshot taken from the Indoor Water Use Calculator
consumption analysis. The annual baseline water consumption is determined by the
2.5 gmp showerhead fixtures, while the annual design water consumption is determined
by the 1.8 gpm retrofit with the High Sierra fixtures.
i. Return on Investment
Return on investment is a profitability ratio that shows how much savings
there are in response to a change in investment. Using the information above
on the baseline consumption in comparison to the design water consumption,
I found a return on investment. Through a three step process, I was able to
determine the payback period of investing in High Sierra showerheads and
from there deduct how much money we would save from the paypack period
on.

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Step 1: Savings in Kilogallons per year
Baseline consumption (gal/yr) – Design consumption (gal/yr) = savings (gal/yr)
(666,332 (gal/yr)) – (588,268 (gal/yr)) = 78,064 gal/yr à 78.064 kgal/yr
[The baseline consumption reflects the 2.5 gpm showerheads, the design consumption
reflects the 1.8 gpm showerheads. I converted from gallons to kilogallons because the
Kappa Delta sorority house is billed based on the amount of kilogallons consumed each
month.]
Step 2: Savings in Dollars per year
GRU savings: (78.064 kGal/yr) X ($3.45/kGal) = $269/year
PPD savings: (78.064 kGal/yr) X ($4.47/kGal) = $349/year
Total Savings: ($269) + ($349) = $618/year
[By taking the total savings from Step 1, and multiplying it by the water and wastewater
rates from GRU and PPD respectively, I found the amount of dollar saving per year due
to the amount of saving in kilogallons per year. The rates used are representative of the
most recent rate change for GRU billing and the average of the rates charged by UF
PPD.]
Step 3: Payback Period and Dollar Savings per year
Total saving per year – total one-time cost for showerheads
($618/yr) – ($655) = - $37
[The -$37 dollars represents that it will take a little over one year to pay back the shower
heads with the amount of water they will be saving per year. Because we will be saving

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$618 per year, it should only take one more month to pay off the initial cost, therefore
the payback period is thirteen months, and thereafter Kappa Delta will be seeing a total
saving of $618 per year.]
The amount of savings per year may not seem very substantial, but this is solely
from the retrofit of ten fixtures around the 16,844 sq.ft. house. This tangible amount of
savings can drastically increase with the retrofit of other water efficient fixtures
throughout the house. Retofitting the showerheads to high efficiency showerheads can
help save money and electricity throughout the year, without having any effect on the
occupancy comfort. Many times people associate low-flow fixtures with lower quality
products that provide less water pressure. This is not the case. Low-flow fixtures are
able to sustain the same pressure as high-flow fixtures with less water. Because of
their product design, low-flow fixtures save water and money while sustaining the quality
of life for the occupants. A fixture retrofit is a great way to educated occupants on high
efficiency savings because they can realize that saving doesn’t have to mean losing. In
a society where everything is becoming more efficient and productive, By consuming
less, we save more.
d. Future WE Retrofits
LEED Water Efficiency provides countless ways for buildings to save
money through water efficient practices. Although indoor water use reduction is a
prerequisite, therefore necessary, for certification, there are other ways that
buildings can save. Some other example of LEED prerequisites and credits that
can be used to pursue maximum water efficiency in a building include having
building-level water metering outdoor water use reduction. Kappa Delta can

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implement multiple policies and retrofits that can continue the trend of saving
money, water, and energy. Through the implementation of water use reduction
policies, maintenance plans, and occupancy awareness, Kappa Delta can benefit
immensely in savings.
Retrofits that should be considered for future implementation include
rainwater harvesting tanks, xeriscaping, high efficiency aerators, and dual-flush
toilet systems. These retrofits will drastically lower the amount of water that the
Kappa Delta house consumes and they are also great conversation pieces on
making occupants and visitors aware of simple ways to save. Rainwater harvesting
tanks are great for Florida Residents! Because of the frequent rain storms
throughout the year, rainwater harvesting is a productive way to collect rainwater
and then use it for non-potable water usage in the house. This method has been
used around the world, and is an innovative way to use a plentiful resource in
Florida as a benefit to lower water consumption in homes.
Xeriscpaing is also a great way to take advantage of what the Florida
weather offers us so freely. Xeriscaping is the practice of landscpaing to reduce the
“need for supplemental water from irrigation.” (Xeriscaping) Sorority house take
pride in there aesthetic appeal, consequentally spending a lot of time and money on
landscpaing. Xeriscaping would allow Kappa Delta to preserve aesthetic appeal
while also lowering the need for watering and irrigation.
Going back to indoor water use reduction, aerators and dual-flush toilet
systems enhance fixture efficiencies in the bathrooms by lowering the amount of
gallons per minute consumed by fixtures and used by occupants. Faucet aerators

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are low cost, and high return because they are used frequently throughout the day.
While dual-flush toilet installations are more invasive and have a higher cost
associated with them, they increase awareness of water-closet water consumption
and save a substantial amount of water and money in the long run with high returns
on investment.
When buildings save water, they also save energy. Energy is consumed
in the heating and cooling of water and in the process of pumping water to the
reclmation facility. In October of 2014, Kappa Delta implemented two sets of front-
load washers and dryers in the laundry room that decreased the amount of water
usage by 3,000 gallons per year and also contributed to a $40 per year savings on
the electricity used in the house. This is just one example of how water and energy
are connected in buildings.
V. Energy and Atmosphere (EA)
LEED’s Energy and Atmosphere category “appraoches energy from a
holsitic perspective, addressing energy use reduction, energy-efficient design
strategies, and renewable energy sources.” (LEED EA) The current energy
situation around the world is destructive and disfunctional. The world’s reliance
on oil, coal, and natural gas is greatly contributing to the amount of greenhouse
gases that are emitted into our atmosphere, and consequentially damaging
human health, environmental resources, and economic stability. Buildings have a
big impact on energy consumption in America, using about 40% of the total
energy consumed yearly. (LEED EA) Nonrenewable energy sources are being
depleted at unsustainable rates, but through implementing enegy efficient

27. 27
fixtures, and energy saving policies and mainetenance plans, buildings can begin
saving as opposed to spending. In this category, there are many no and low-cost
changes that can be made to a building to generate savings and efficiencies
“without significant capital investment.” (LEED EA) For the Kappa Delta house
project, I focused on low-hanging fruit that was easy to implement and incurred a
low cost in order to show that there are cost saving in energy efficient fixtures. “A
well-run facility is not only more energy efficient but also more healthful and
comfortable for its occupants.” (LEED EA) Once a building implements energy
concious fixtures, occupants can learn why they are important and see that
saving money and energy is simple, affordable, and better for our health and the
health of the building.
The LEED Energy and Atmosphere requirements reference energy
efficient best management practices, creating a minimum energy performance,
usings building-level water metering, and refridgerant management. The extra
credits on the other hand relate to an entire array of energy saving possibilities.
When the credits are accomplished projects are rewarded more points for going
beyond the requirements. These credits include comissioning implementation
and analysis, optimization of energy performance, advanced energy metering,
demand response, renewable energy usage, and enhanced refrigerant
management. While these topics are all very important towards minimizing
energy waste consumption, they are all more high-cost projects to tackle that
require a substantial amount of investment.

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a. Energy Star Portfolio Manager-Environmental Protection Agency
Energy Star is an online tool created by the EPA to be used to measure
and compare one building to similar buildings around the country with similar
size, occupancy, and character. (Use Portfolio) Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager
allows users to implement information into an online database that tracks
consumption of the building and analyzes performance patterns. Anyone can
use Portfolio Manager to manage and track energy and water consumption, and
it is a useful tool to determine energy saving and cost savings. Energy Star uses
benchmarking as a way to create transparency and accountability on a project.
“Benchmarking is the process of comparing your energy performance to
something similar.” (Use Portfolio) Benchmarking can be used to track progress
as building implements changes and retrofits geared towards decreasing
consumption. One can think of benchmarking as a point of relection to see
where you have been and where you can move forward. It is a process of taking
steps towards improving and setting new goals. For the Kappa Delta house
project we benchmarked water, energy, and natural gas consumption between
2014 and 2015. In order to determine the change in the building between those
years, I implemented the consumption and cost data for the three categories and
the database calculated a score to represent the changes that took place
throughout the two years and also to put our building in perspective to others like
it.

29. 29
i. Energy Star Score
The image above demonstrates the Kappa Delta sorority house as an Energy
Star, Portfolio Manager project. The data for 2014 is represented as the baseline score
highlighted above, and the data for 2015 is represtented as the current score. An
Energy Star score is given based on a scale between one and one hundred. (How) A
score of fifty represents a median energy performance, while everything under a score
of fifty is below avergae. (How) In order for a building to be Energy Star certified, the
building must be awarded a score of seventy-five as a top performing building. (How)
Our baseline score of 2014 was twenty-nine while our current score at the end of 2015
rose thirteen points to a total score of forty-two. The drastic increase in score was due

30. 30
to a simple energy-saving retrofit of LED bulbs throughout twenty percent of the lighting
in the house.
After the score is calculated, it can be used to compare to other buildings. The
Kappa Delta house is registered as a dormitory/ residence hall because it is most
similar to that structure and building use. Therefore, the score that Kappa Delta
received is compared to other dormitories/ residence halls of similar stature around the
county. The Commercial Buiilding Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) is done by the
Energy Information Administration (EIA) and is perfomed every four years to keep
scores up-to-date and relevant. CBECS is a “national-level source of data” review that
groups buildings and ratings together, which allows Energy Star projects to be
compared to other Energy Star projects. (How)
b. Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
The energy use intensity of a building is used to express a “building’s energy use
as a function of its size or other characteristics.” (Energy) The EUI is calculated by
dividing total consumption by sqare footage of the building. One aspect to notice is that
energy consumption per year is measured in kBtu (kilo British thermal units) as opposed
to the kilo-gallons that the Kappa Delta house is used to interacting with through billing
invoices and meter readings. The conversion of moving from kilo-gallons to kilo British
thermal units is 1kgal to 3.142 kBtu. Energy Star converts the energy consumption to
kBtu to have all buildings be in common measurements in order to compare them
consistantly.
EUI = Total Energy Consumed (kBtu)
Total Gross Floor Area

31. 31
The lower the EUI, the better the energy performance. In 2014, the Kappa Delta
house consumed 919,349 kBtu, while in 2015, the Kappa Delta house consumed
830,650 kBtu. This translates into a 2014 EUI rate of 55 kBtu/sq.ft. and a 2015 EUI
rate of 49 kBtu/ sq.ft. There was a decrease in the EUI rate between the two years
which represents a decrease in energy consumption, which correlates with the increase
in Energy Star score representing a decrease in energy consumption as well. The EUI
percentage decrease can also be seen in Energy Star image above as an
approximately 6% site EUI decrease. The site EUI is solely the representation of the
“amount of heat and electricity consumed by a building.” (Energy)
c. In-House Lighting Audit
The Kappa Delta house is a well lit building. There are multiple types of
lights in every room. The four types of lights that can be found in the house
include floodlights, chandelier bulbs, flourescent T-8 bulbs, and incandescent
bulbs. The lights are all equipped with multiple on/off switches and are usually
left on throughout the day. There are approximately 146 floodlights throughout
the house in the public dining rooms, formal living room, hallways, kitchen, guest
and resident bathrooms, conference room, and meeting room. The remainder of
the bulbs include approximately 129 chandelier bulbs located throughout the
house, flourescent T-8 bulbs in the living room, hallways, and bedrooms, and
incandescent bulbs that are located in bathrooms and bedrooms.
d. LED Lighting Retrofit
In the Spring of 2015, I had recommended to the house director and
contractors that Kappa Delta should implement LED bulbs throughout the house.

32. 32
I noticed bulb replacements were frequent in the public rooms that were
constantly used with lights on about 24 hours of the day. A simple solution to the
required maintenance for incandescent bulbs was to replace them with high
efficiency, longer lasting, LED bulbs. On June 24/25 of 2015, all of the floodlight
bulbs around the house were replaced with LED bulbs. The total cost for
implementing LED lighting for 20% of the lighting in the house was $2,260. The
materials cost $1,835, which included 165 LED bulbs at about $11 a bulb. The
total labor cost to replace the floodlights was $825.
The lights were replaced with the hopes of lower the energy consumption
of the house and also lowering the electricity bill. But LED lightbulbs have more
benefits than people know. Besides cost savings, LED lightbulbs reduce the
amount of harm to the environment and people who use them. As opposed to
incandescent lights, LED lights to not contain Mercury. Mercury is a harmful
substance that can have drastic negative effects of sick people, pregnant
women, and children. The other benefit of implementing LED bulbs is the
longevity of the bulbs. Instead of requiring constant maintenance, like the
incandescents require, LED bulbs that are used about 24 hours a day can last up
to 10 years. The incandescents that were used prior would be used up within six
months. This change alone is decreasing the amount of maintenance required
by the contractors, therefore decreasing a constant expensence that we were
once reliant on.

33. 33
i. Chart 1: KD Electrical Payments in Dollars
The chart above visualizes the payment patterns for electricity for the Kappa
Delta house between 2014 and 2015. This chart is also reflective of the electrical
consumption patterns that took place in 2014 and 2015. As you can see above, the
LED retrofit for 20% of the lighting in the Kappa Delta house took place in June of 2015.
From then on, there is a drastic decrease in the amount of energy consumed and paid
for. This data used in this chart is from the UF Physical Palnt Department, therefore
there was a very minimal fluctuation in the rate fro electricity. The pattern that you see
above also visualizes the UF school schedule. You can recognize the peaks and
valleys of when school is in session, when there are holiday breaks, and when summer
begins. It is important to notice the dramatic decrease in electricity payments, because
there was close to no change in prior years, but once the LED bulbs were implemented,
Kappa Delta experienced a huge drop in electrical payments.
$0.00
$500.00
$1,000.00
$1,500.00
$2,000.00
$2,500.00
$3,000.00
$3,500.00
$4,000.00
Electical Payments in Dollars
Months
KD Electrical Payments in Dollars (UF PPD)
2014
2015
LED
Floodlights
installed June
2015

34. 34
ii. Return on Investment
From the 20% lighting retrofit that Kappa Delta invested in in June
of 2015, we were able to see an incredible return on investment. In order
to conduct the return on investment, I compared the months of July to
December of 2014 to the months of July to December in 2015. This was
done in order to have comparable months of data that would reflect a
change in energy consumption after the LED retrofit in June of 2015.
July - December 2014= $16,790
July - December 2015= $14,620
$2,171 SAVINGS (6 months)
The savings between 2014 and 2015 after the LED retrofit shows a
$2,171 savings in just six months. Therefore, the payback period for the
bulbs that originally cost $2,660 would be seven months. Thereafter,
Kappa Delta has been and will continue to see an estimated $4,342 in
saving per year due to the 20% lighting retrofit to LED bulbs. These
savings are tangible and reflective of the retrofit. The upfront cost of
implementing the retrofit seemed high at first, but from the change we
experienced a quick return on investment and substantial savings.
The LED retrofit is a an incredible example of how low-hanging
retrofits around the house can turn out to save a lot of money in the long

35. 35
run. A good idea to keep in mind when planning and implementing any
retrofits around the house is to put the savings in an account that can be
used for other sustainable retrofits in the future. While there is a long list
of other energy efficient retrofits that can be implemented, they come at a
cost. The savings that are made from beginning projects can be used for
future projects.
e. Future EA Retrofits
The Energy and Atmosphere LEED category is extensive and covers a
multitude of house maintenance and operating systems. There are other simple
retrofits that Kappa Delta can make to save more and consume less. LED
lighting should be implemented throughout the house. Warm incandescent lights
heat the rooms, bathrooms, and halls, which in turn consumes more energy to
have to cool down the house. When the rest of the lights are converted to LED,
Kappa Delta will require less lighting mainetenance and a healthier environment
for occupants because of the low-heat and lack of mercury.
Along with lighting fixtures, Kappa Delta should also implement occupancy
sensors throughout the house. Because lights are left on the majority of the day,
occupancy sensors would drastically cut our energy consumption because lights
would only be used when the room is occupied. “Smart” power strips are another
great tool to reduce energy consumption. “Smart” power strips utilize time and
usage. Certain parts of the strip are turned off when devices are turned off,
some parts have timers, and there are parts that remian on constantly. Instead

36. 36
of having power constantly surging through an entire power strip, “Smart” power
strips allow energy to be used conservatively and more efficiently.
VI. Indoor Environmental Air Quality (IAQ)
The intent of LEED’s Indoor Environmental Air Quality category is to
“reduce levels of chemical, biological, and particulate contaminants that can
compromise air quality, human health, building finishes, building systems, and
the environment.” (LEED IEQ) Indoor environmental quality affects people as
much as it affects the physical building. “In worst cases, prolonged and
improper handling of cleaning chemicals can lead to sick building syndrome
or create unhealthful working environments.” (LEED IEQ) People spend up to
ninety percent of their days inside of buildings, therefore, it is important that
buildings provide safe environments for people to live and work. The Green
Cleaning credit is what I focused on in terms of the Kappa Delta house
project.
For the past 2 years that I have been living in the house, residents
have been plagued with the smells and irritation of harmful chemicals. Clorox
was the main cleaning solution that was used in the dining room and
bathrooms. Not only does the smell of Clorox irritate residents, but it is also a
harmful chemical to be used by the staff. Many times, the Clorox used to
clean around the house was not mixed with water, creating very hazardous
conditions to be exposed to throughout the day.

37. 37
a. Green Cleaning Products
In February of 2016, Kappa Delta ceased the use of Clorox and other
harmful chemicals around the house and switched to using Simple Green
cleaning products. The harsh chemicals used prior to Febrary were making
the staff and occupants feel uncomfortable and was highly complained about.
After switching to the Simple Green cleaning products, there has been no
complaints or irritations. The Simple Green line of cleaning products meets
the Green Seal Standards GS-37 and reduces the exposure of human and
environmental toxicity. The Green Seal Standards GS-37 referenced to by
the LEED guidelines for Indoor Environtal Qualtiy refers to the use of
Industrial and Institutional Cleaners. (Green) A Green Seal certification is
useful in the pursuance of LEED certification. The standard is that the
products used are “biologically-active cleaning products” and that they
perform with “environmental and health considerations for vulnerable
populations.” (Green) The Simple Green All-Purpose cleaner is used
throughout the house and leaves no unpleasant odors or residue.
VII. Education and well-being
Education is the first step towards change. Without education, people are
unaware of the effects that they have on the environment and community
around them. Throughout my education in Sustainbility and the Built
Environment, I have gained the necessary tools and practices to influence

38. 38
others and express the importance of living mindfully and conciously in
regards to environmental awareness.
Kappa Delta chapter education programs began in August of 2015 with a
presentation on implementing recycling bins inside of the house. The
presentation brought to light the effects of pollution and landfills on the
environment, and alsp provided the solution to those problems as being
recycling. After the presentation was given to the two hundred plus members
in attendance, two blue recycling bins were placed in the dining room, one for
plastics, and one for paper. Implementing education and awareness turned
out to be the most difficult aspect of this project. Although we had standard
recycling bins educated the members on what could and could not be
recycled, guidelines were not followed, and the bins were constantly cross-
contaminated. The recylcing program at Kappa Delta is a work in progress,
but education must continue in order to make the members more aware of
their actions and effects on the environment around them.
The next presentation that was given was regarding a new Late Plate
Policy. In the past, Kappa Delta had been using styrofoam containers to store
food when members would miss dinner because of class or work. Thousands
of styrofoam boxes were used each month for this purpose. In January of
2015, I, along with the house director decided to get rid of the styrofoam and
begin using reusable plastic containers for food storage. Ceasing the use of
styrofoam for this purpose greatly reduced the amount of waste that Kappa

39. 39
Delta produced everyday and also cut costs in the purchase of food storage
containers. There was an upfront cost for the purchase of the reusable
container, but their benefits greatly exeed the cost. The reusable containers
hold food better, are microwavable, and easily transportable.
Apart from member education, I was able to learn about the house that I
have lived in for the past two years. The LEED Lab course and other
sustainability courses prepared me to question my findings and look further
into why things work the way they work, and how we can improve. I was able
to learn about water, energy, and natural gas meters, along with the current
fixtures in the house. Working with a team allowed me to practice
interpersonnal and communication skills, along with asking for help when
needed. This project allowed me to push beyong my own boundaries and
learn more than I could have expected. I know feel confident to perform other
house retrofits and encourage other to as well.
a. Greening Your Greek House Event (April 19, 2016)
The Greening your Greek House event was inspired at a Green
Building Collaborative meeting that was put on by the Design,
Construction, and Planning College Board of Directors. During a
conversation with a representative from Skanska Construction, I was
encouraged to continue my project by presenting it to others that it
would effect. Other Greek Houses have the opportunity to make an
incredible difference in our own Greek Communities, on UF’s campus,

40. 40
and in our Gainesville Community. Through the simple retrofits that
Kappa Delta was able to implement, we experienced cost savings,
occupancy comfort, learning initiatives, and a higher quality of life. At
the event, other house directors were able to hear of the
accomplishments of Kappa Delta and were encouraged to pursue
savings of their own. This project is just getting started, and it is
important to stoke the fire for sustainable development and green
transformations in our homes. The sorority and fraternity community at
UF has an incredible impact on the community already, and by
encouraging the Greek houses to be green as well, we can make great
strides towards environmental awareness.

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VIII. Conclusion
The Kappa Delta sorority house on UF’s campus is making strides
towards being a LEED certified building. Through simple water and energy
retrofits there are estimated savings of over $5,000 from a proposed
showerhead retrofit and a completed LED lighting retrofit. If Kappa Delta
sorority continues to pursue sustainable development, I am confident that we
can obtain a LEED certification in the next five years. In order to keep the
project going, I am passing on my research and passion on to Sustainability
and the Build Environment sophmore, Austen Dole. She is also a Kappa
Delta member and is pasisonate about green building and our Kappa Delta
chapter.
Throughout the process of “greening” Kappa Delta, there were
complications and miscommunications. I ran into problems meeting with
contractors and housing directors, getting the necessary info for data
analysis, and discovering inconsistencies in information. Although there were
unforseen problems, they were met with solutions and support that made the
whole process worth the hard work.
This project connects to the triple bottom line of sustainability. It integrates
people, planet, and profit into a project that strives to create a better
environment through lowering consumption patterns, creating a higher quality
of life, and creating cost saving initiatives. This project is just the bigging for

42. 42
so much more to come. One can change a few, few can change many, and
many can change the world.

43. 43
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