October 2012
A-7
A.3 Hotel Installs Water-Efficient Sanitary Fixtures
SAWS used the efficiency and performance criteria from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense® tank-type toilet and lavatory faucet
specifications to select water-efficient, high-performing toilets and faucet aerators
for installation. At the time, WaterSense had not issued its specification for
showerheads, so the Holiday Inn selected its own showerheads; however, SAWS
specified that they must have a flow rate less than 1.75 gallons per minute (gpm).
Table A-1 summarizes the fixtures replaced at the Holiday Inn.
Table A-1. Holiday Inn’s Fixtures and Fittings Retrofits
Fixture/Fitting
Replaced
Original
Efficiency
Retrofit
Efficiency
Number of
Units Replaced
Toilets
3.5
gallons per flush
(
gpf )
1.1
gpf
297
Toilets
5.0
gpf
1.1
gpf
100
Faucet Aerators
2.2
gpm
1.5
gpm
397
Showerheads
2.5
gpm
1.75
gpm
397
Holiday Inn undertook additional water-saving measures, including reusing the
condensate that builds up from heating and cooling equipment to irrigate the
landscape and planting a rooftop herb garden. The hotel is also reusing backwash
water from the swimming pool and blowdown water from the cooling tower.
Savings Summary
Before the retrofit, the Holiday Inn used approximately 202 gallons of water per
occupied room per day. After installing the high-efficiency toilets, faucet aerators,
and showerheads in all of the guest rooms, water use dropped 35 percent to 132
gallons per occupied room per day. This resulted in savings of about 580,000 gallons
a month, or 7 million gallons of water each year. Figure A-3 illustrates the savings
achieved after the retrofits were completed in late 2007.
Figure A-3. Holiday Inn San Antonio International Airport MonthlyWater Use
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
Jan
2006
Water Use (gallons)
Month
2007
2010
Feb Mar Apr
May Jun Jul
Aug Sep Oct
Nov Dec
