Meat and poultry processors who build a new system or want to build an additional system or convert an existing system are faced with today's challenge not only to meet the code regulations, but also to contribute their part to protect the environment in which we all live.
The construction and existing processing facilities offer property committees to design systems, technical and build that make the industry more sustainable. Owners of institutions and construction, planning and engineering teams have many options in the construction process, and some no longer have to hit.
“The first is that you have to understand the expectations of the owner and the intention of your project that are associated with sustainability,” said Forrest McNabb, President of Big-D Construction with headquarters in Ogden, Utah. “The project can maintain, can maintain, can maintain.”
Nowadays, sustainability is closer to the environment and the “green” construction compared to processing systems.
“The bar has changed for us during the development of time,” said McNabb.
Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a widespread green building rating system, which was developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and offers a frame for designing, building and operating sustainable buildings. The LEED system often plays a major role in the construction of processing systems, and within this system there are different certification stages from certification via silver, gold and platinum. The degree of certification is based on a point system and the number of points achieved in the project determined which level the project reaches.
“But No. 1 is to understand the thoughts and priorities of the owners for the sustainability associated with their project,” said McNab. “Look for LEED certification? Search for best practices? Are you looking for certain types of sustainability like zero waste? Do you think of solar? Remember to use water or take water as part of the process that is bound to landscape construction and land application?”
Solar modules on the roof offer clean and sustainable energy in the entire production facilities. (Source: Big-D construction)planning
Most of the knowledge of what the owner in terms of sustainability and mediation corresponds to what he makes available to give a building contractor the opportunity to convey in the early planning phases. Reduction of CO2 footprint, the minimization of waste and the stay of the schedule are included in the plan before someone appears on site.
“There you don't have a number of additional overlaps or wasted steel there on the building and the associated time and the devices that are needed to do this building,” said Zach Pops, project manager and senior mechanical engineer, ahead -Orthie and does Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Mo.
“Many of our customers use the term design build or EPC (engineer, procurement and construct), in which the traditional design, the bid, the tree method is not quite suitable for so far advanced thoughts,” said Dan Blake, project manager and account manager, protein manufacturing at Burns & McDonnell. “When we talk about Design -Build methods, it is really possible to sustainability, since sustainability is created by the correct planning.
“Will we build things or can we try to prepare things that are part of this process on site? [prefabrication] speaks for a real increase in productivity by the schedule and for dollars that have been saved on things that may be directed to a landfill, so that sustainable materials are obtained from the start, with construction methods being used to minimize construction waste. “
Design building companies plan projects with built-in sustainability with more strength and efficiency if they have the necessary experts in the house. Burns & McDonnell embeds its sustainability experts from the start into a project. This enables some owners who could introduce themselves before certain costs to achieve the full scope of the sustainability return, increase the likelihood of implementing it into the project and reducing the effects on the environment.
“Sustainability through Design Build or EPC is honestly more efficient and keeps our project up to date with both a schedule and budget,” said Blake. “And it usually agrees with the company tasks of a company, the goals of decarbonization and other sustainability obligations.”
Due to the changes to the construction code in recent years, a certain level of environmental protection has been implemented in all projects, but the owners want to continue to contribute to protecting the environment. This is often done in the form of LEED certifications. The different Leed levels range from certified level to platinum level, and the costs between them are also far-reaching.
BIG-D Construction is approaching the LEED certification for the earliest planning phase of the design for your projects and offers the owners the cost of certification. The LEED certification is based on the provision of points during a project. The degree of certification increases when the project reaches certain amounts of points.
“It's as simple as a concrete patch that is white and reflective compared to black asphalt,” said McNabb. “It's something like solar? Would you use solar? It is site reporting, it is landscaping, all of these things that create a sustainable project.”
BIG-D first deals with the owners with these problems to ensure that the projects run smoothly and that the cost level in the budget of an owner and the work on schedule are completed. For this purpose, the LEED certification specialist employs in its employees.
“We delivered 91 Leed projects that range from a certified level to Platinian level, and have 50 Leed -accredited experts in our organization,” said McNab.
Water, water everywhere
Water, in particular water protection and cause less waste water, is a fundamental part of meat and poultry processing systems that reduce their effects on the environment. One thing that Burns & McDonnell has done is new processes to replace the traditional possibilities, to do things that may remove additional washing cycles.
“A bacon process can use a certain type of bacon comb that requires a separate washing cycle,” said Blake. “We can actually completely replace this comb by laser cutting the product, and we have completely changed the process and we have removed a washing cycle and preserved all the water associated with it. This is the key, only to see the change of the actual process itself.”
The design company is also looking for ways to grasp otherwise unused water from possible sources. As two possible sources, Poss gave examples of rainwater and condensate from air -handed coils.
As soon as the water is collected, designers and engineers find the best and most useful place to send it on the basis of the minimal treatment and the way. Water that is not used for a direct food process can be sent to a cooling tower in order to reject the heat by evaporation for sources with less quality. Water that is reclaimed from condensation on coils is cleaner. The furnishings can recapture, treat and send them to a kettle to compensate for the steam generation.
“So we have many different options for how we can use this water as soon as it is reclaimed. It is just a balancing act between what it will cost to win back this water and how much is it? How much value does that offer? And where can we then send it and use it effectively.”
Ownership has determined that water extraction depends heavily on the location. The eastern United States have more access to waterways and receive more precipitation than the southwest, where the preservation will be more critical.
“But our customers will often give a value for the initiative and place a dollar amount to ensure that they build up in an inherent value for this environmental responsibility.”
Water also has a challenge for builders, while the work is still under construction before the construction begins.
“The first thing we have to do before we start building is to offer a SWPPP (rainwater pollution plan),” said McNabb. “Usually the plan is approved by the state for every job via an acre site. We enter this document with the civil engineers and sometimes we have help from third-party providers. We will not pursue mud from the website, we will not contaminate the streets.
Project expansion projects maximize efficiency and minimize the effects on the environment. (Source: Burns & McDonnell)Energy saving
Energy efficiency lowers operating costs, and clean energy lowers the influence on the environment and reduces a profit for processors and sustainability. There are currently more options than ever so that the builders can save energy and use cleaner methods to reduce Energy CO2 footprint.
The solutions range from LED lighting to the consolidation of heat and cold sources, steam catches to produce heat, and much more.
“Heating and cooling programs for facilities of this size are often generated centrally in a boiler room or in a cold room and then distributed until use, in contrast to several units in the entire facility,” said Pos. “It reduces the maintenance costs for someone who has to maintain all of these different parts of the device, and puts everything into a really high efficiency, which may have the size of half damage. Processors have the opportunity to use technologies that are more effective on a scale. ”
The consistent heating and cooling load of processing systems that start every day at the same time and do the same every day enable the collection of more precise data and make it easier to determine solutions for achieving sustainability goals.
The regulation of use by control persons can be implemented anywhere. If water washing hot, precise setpoints and exact temperature settings can prevent overheating and reduce waste.
“We can use the planning in logic and programming to actually heat the water if you need it to wash. Then we can modulate these systems from the peak times when the energyats are higher and we can reduce the costs there,” said Blake. “In terms of cooling systems, we can go through and update them. This is a large initiative that we currently see in the trend in the industry. And we really only try to improve energy efficiency by optimizing our compressors through Smart Compressor Control.”
Poss added: “When we talk about the latest trends and sustainable processing on the pension side, decarbonization is currently the name of the game or the hot word in many industries. Who knows how this will look like the change in the administration. The statutory legislation that is obtained will dictate the actual requirements for decarbonization.