Energy issues, environmental conservation, global warming, and “going green” are buzz words and budding concerns most business owners can’t escape these days. And private clubs are no exception. In fact, in recent years energy conservation has become a critical issue with most clubs.
In addition to saving considerable money, energy efficiency demonstrates the club’s sense of commitment in properly using and conserving valuable resources from the utilities in the communities.
Unfortunately, energy conservation may pose a greater challenge for private clubs. Club facilities house numerous amenities that require large amounts of energy usage and costs, such as heating and cooling for clubhouses, electrical power for kitchens and dining areas, and water used for swimming pools and irrigating golf courses.
But through best practices in conserving energy and using modern, innovative technology, many clubs can considerably decrease the energy consumption of these amenities, thereby reducing their expenses.
Golf Course Irrigation
One of the biggest energy conservation challenges currently confronting many private clubs is the use of water for golf course irrigation.
Irrigation usually requires inordinate amounts of water, and many clubs are plagued with the dilemma of trying to reduce the expenses of water to maintain their courses.
Private clubs also have become targets of criticism for what some feel is an “excessive” use of water to irrigate golf courses, particularly in periods when certain communities in which the clubs are located are drought-stricken.
However, clubs can efficiently conserve water for golf course irrigation through the use of modern irrigation technology and alternative water sources. New, state-of-the-art irrigation systems have been developed to reduce the use of water to maintain courses. And the application of modern equipment, such as computerized control and variable frequency drive systems, can significantly reduce energy consumption of golf course water.
The Landings Club in Savannah, Ga., upgraded its irrigation system several years ago and has experienced a significant reduction in water and energy costs. Mike Perham, the club’s director of golf course and grounds maintenance, maintains that replacing four of the courses six systems with state-of-the-art irrigation equipment has played an integral factor in conserving energy.
“Modern irrigation systems typically have more irrigation heads that throw water a shorter distance,” he states. “This allows us the ability to prescription water-specific areas of the golf course, without over-watering other areas. Electrical energy is conserved by not having to physically pump the water that is not needed.”
Perham, a recipient of the 2006 GCSAA/Golf Digest Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards, also contends that the installation of variable frequency pump (VFP) stations also has been instrumental in reducing energy when irrigating the course greens.
“This method of energy management conserves power consumption by operating the electric motors at the four golf course irrigation pump stations in an efficient manner,” he explains. “Prior to the installation of this technology, the motors ran at their rated capacity without regard to the demand for the water they were pumping. VFD’s enable the motor to run only at the capacity that is required to pump the amount of water needed, thus generating a savings in electricity consumption.”
According to Perham, the installation of new irrigation systems and more efficient pump stations has resulted in a savings of 12 to 15 percent in electrical costs.
The use of innovative methods in extracting alternative resources of water has also become an effective means of reducing water consumption.
Reverse osmosis, a process by which water containing a high degree of salt is passed through membrane filters to create clean water for irrigation and brackish water for waste disposal, is a cutting-edge method of attaining alternative water irrigation supplies and currently is being used by several private clubs in Florida.
The Jupiter Island Club of Hobe Sound, Fla., installed a reverse-osmosis desalination plant 10 years ago, which has become the largest component of the operation’s extensive water management system. In addition to irrigating the Har-Tru tennis courts—clay tennis courts that are maintained though subsurface irrigation systems—and the grasses on the grounds of the club facility, the desalination plant filters brackish water to facilitate irrigation of the club’s golf course.
“The principal reason that we built the system was to eliminate the use of drinking water to irrigate the course, tennis courts, and club grounds,” says Rob Kloska, the club’s golf course superintendent. “While we were using drinking water to irrigate, we were subject to being cut off during extended dry periods.”
Klosa states that when he first assumed duties as golf course superintendent of the Jupiter Island Club in 1995, he impressed upon club members that the reverse osmosis process could substantially improve irrigation of the golf course and also reduce water expenses.
“There were significant renovations that would have to be done to keep the golf course to the level that our members would expect,” he says. “Being able to irrigate and drain these renovations was my top priority, so I went to the members that were leading the buying of the club and explained the need for reverse osmosis.
“I showed them that in a calendar year we may need to buy as much as $250,000 in water,” he continues. “Also, there was the threat of not being able to buy from the utility during the dry times. After looking at all of this and conducting a feasibility study it came out to look like this: we could buy water at that time for about $1.90 per thousand gallons. We could make it through reverse osmosis for about $.78 per thousand gallons.”
The Jupiter Island Club commenced the reverse-osmosis project in 1997, and by 2005 the club was producing 600,000 gallons of irrigation water per day, according to Kloska. He contends that the present rate for drinking water, the substance formerly used by the club to irrigate their courses, is about $3.90 per thousand gallons.
Currently, the irrigation water the Jupiter Island Club produces through reverse osmosis averages about $.88 per thousand gallons. Through the use of the reverse-osmosis process, the club has decreased its irrigation costs by a substantial 77 percent.
The application of seashore paspalum turf on golf courses is another recent innovation in reducing irrigation costs. This form of saline-tolerant grass requires up to 50 percent less irrigation water than most grasses and 75 percent less nitrogen for fertilization.
Because the grass can withstand high levels of salt water, it can be irrigated with brackish water or other waters containing a high degree of salt content. In fact, some forms of the seashore paspalum turf can be irrigated with water emanating directly from oceans and low-quality substances, such as wastewater. The turf grass is rapidly gaining popularity and is becoming widely used on golf courses, particularly those in coastal states such as the Carolinas and Georgia.
The environmentally friendly turf also makes for richer greens for golf courses and some feel it actually improves the playing surface.
“I think the grass plays a big part in the overall quality of the golf course,” states Lou Conzelmann, an agronomist for WCI Communities, a Florida luxury golf course development company. “It’s not only a better-suited grass for the water we use for irrigation, but it turned out to be a great playing surface for the greens, tees and fairways.”
Energy Savings in the Kitchen
Energy conservation is also a critical aspect of reducing excessive costs for food and beverage service in private clubs. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, saving 20 percent on energy costs can increase profits for a food service establishment by as much as 30 percent.
Food preparation is estimated to account for the highest usage of energy in food service establishments at 36 percent, based on the findings of a study conducted by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Managers of private clubs can substantially reduce their energy costs in food preparation by properly maintaining their kitchen equipment and encouraging employees to refrain from wasting electrical energy in unnecessary situations.
For instance, energy conservation experts recommend that changing light bulbs and other fixtures in kitchens and dining rooms can significantly help with cost savings. In addition, the use of fluorescent bulbs over incandescent bulbs can result in decreased energy expenses, says Bill Prindle, acting-executive director for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
“If you’re running [lights] 12 hours a day, a single bulb can save you over 200 kilowatt hours a year… almost $20 a bulb,” Prindle states. “Florescent bulbs cost more… but can last up to two or three years.”
Also, using gas appliances in lieu of electrical kitchen appliances for cooking and hot-water heating and washing can reduce energy expenses, because gas–powered stoves are less expensive to operate than electrical stoves and provide far better temperature control. Tom Moskitis, director of marketing of the American Gas Association, asserts that gas power used for stoves costs less than half for stoves that use electricity.
“You may have more ventilation with an all-gas kitchen,” Moskitis says, “but its slight compared to the electricity you’re saving.”
Moskitis also points out that the use of gas as a substitute for electricity can also decrease food preparation costs in dishwashing, and using gas-booster water heaters in electric dishwashers lowers peak usage and demand, thereby reducing charges for electricity.
Energy experts suggest that managers of food service establishments, such as private clubs, properly maintain the equipment in their kitchens, in an effort to minimize costs. Many energy conservation authorities recommend that kitchen appliances such as stove burners, ovens and refrigeration apparatus—such as thermostats and condenser/evaporator coils—be serviced by professionals twice a year. In addition, kitchen ventilation and heating/air conditioning equipment should be cleaned and filters changed on a regular basis.
“Preventive maintenance is in every operator’s best interest,” says Steve Grover, former vice president of the National Restaurant Association. “It will help assure your equipment is working at peak efficiency and save you the big cost of downtime from an unexpected failure.”
Energy Savings for Swimming Pools
In addition to golf courses, recreational facilities such as swimming pools are private club amenities where energy efficiency measures should be taken into serious consideration.
For starters, using pool covers and reducing circulation of pool water can considerably enhance energy conservation. Many energy consultants strongly agree that the use of pool covers is the most critical aspect of energy-efficiency for swimming pools.
Covering a pool when the facility is not being used can effectively retain most of the pool’s water and heat, which could otherwise be lost through evaporation. The use of a pool cover can reduce water loss by 30 to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Pool covers can also reduce the pool’s chemical consumption by 35 to 60 percent and reduce cleaning time by preventing the accumulation of dirt and other debris.
Numerous energy conservation authorities contend that many pool owner/managers often run circulation pumps longer than necessary. Water circulation is essential in keeping chemicals mixed and preventing debris from entering into pool filters.
Although many pool managers circulate the water in their pools, on average, six to 12 hours each day, a study conducted by the Center for Energy Conservation at Florida Atlantic University revealed that circulating water for just three hours each day is sufficient and could decrease electric bills by more than 60 percent. However, because certain states have laws mandating a minimum hourly time period for pool circulation each day, club managers would be well-advised to check the specific regulations within their states regarding daily water circulation of swimming pools.
Another common mistake many pool operators make is installing over-sized circulation pumps, which use excessive energy by increasing pumping and maintenance costs. However, the same Florida study discovered that a pool owner can save as much as 75 percent by using smaller pumps in pools.
When making decisions to install circulation pumps for pools, energy-efficiency authorities strongly recommend that pool managers consult swimming pool contractors or pump manufacturers to ascertain the appropriate size needed for their swimming facilities.
The “Green Clubhouse”
The Snowmass Club near Aspen, Colo., is viewed by many as a model structure for an energy-efficient clubhouse facility. Coined the “Green Clubhouse,” it is arguably the most environmentally-friendly private club facility in the country, as virtually every aspect of the structure incorporates an environmentally sustainable concept.
To minimize energy usage, the club’s complete lighting system consists of fluorescent illumination, and exhaust fans in the club’s kitchen run on variable speed motors to minimize energy. The clubhouse structure, one of only four buildings in the state of Colorado to receive the prestigious Silver-Level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, is 100 percent wind-powered and surpasses the state’s local energy code by more than 40 percent.
One of the most interesting and innovative facets of the energy-efficient facility is its geothermal heating and cooling system, which heats and cools the clubhouse during winter and summer through a ground-source heat pump at a pond near the 18th hole of the golf course. The water source pumps of the geothermal system are said to be more energy efficient than conventional heating/cooling systems because of their “coefficient of performance (COP),” according to Auden Schendler, executive director of community and environmental responsibility at the Aspen Skiing Company.
COP is the ratio of heat delivered by the heat pump or other system to the electricity supplied to the compressor. Thus, the higher the number, the more efficient the system; heat pumps in this application have a COP of almost five, while a conventional system has a COP of less than one.
“Most conventional heating or cooling systems use a boiler or a compressor/evaporative cooler to heat and cool,” explains Schendler, who was instrumental in implementing environmental compliance design for the facility.
“The heat pumps capture the relative heat or ‘coolth’ in the pond water, magnify it using a compressor— the same device found in a refrigerator or AC unit—and heat and cool the building.”
Schendler also estimates that such a heating and cooling system can reduce energy costs for a building by as much as 12 to 66 percent, and that geothermal technology will save the Snowmass Club nearly $10,000 a year in energy expenses.
Going Green at Your Club
The use of innovative modern technology and proper maintenance methods can help private clubs across the country efficiently conserve energy usage at their facilities and significantly decrease energy costs.
Many private clubs are at an advantage because they possess natural resources on their landscapes to facilitate energy efficiency. As evidenced by the Snowmass Club and the Landing Club, certain clubs are prudently using the ponds and lakes on their properties to reduce considerably excessive energy expenses of regulating the indoor temperature of their clubhouses and irrigating golf courses and other grasses of their facilities.
By making good use of such natural resources and applying best practice methods in energy consumption, private clubs can effectively fulfill their environmental responsibility of efficiently using energy resources.
Larry Williamson is NCA’s assistant editor.
Tips for Clubhouse Energy Efficiency
“The highest usage of energy is the clubhouse and maintaining the preferences of the guests,” says Michael Quimby, corporate vice president of ClubCorp and an energy conservation specialist providing consultation to private clubs on best energy efficiency practices.
The following are Quimby’s critical pointers for club mangers looking to reduce energy costs at their club facilities.
General Clubhouse Management
- Turn lights off in unoccupied rooms.
- Use window-tinting films, which not only reduce glare, but also lower heating and cooling costs.
- Change all HVAC and PTAC filters on a regular schedule to provide more efficient cooling or heating in the room and clean coils quarterly to enhance performance and efficiency.
- Select Energy Star-rated or high-efficiency models when replacing electrical appliances, such as air-conditioning units or televisions.
- Caulk the window seals, and insulate doors around the frames and with skirts underneath.
- Use setback thermostats that automatically select the proper time to start heating and cooling for the most efficient temperature recovery possible for all back of the clubhouse areas and meeting spaces.
- Install motion sensors in offices, laundry rooms, housekeeping areas and public restrooms that shut lights off when no one is in the room.
- Make use of natural lighting in your lobby, hallways, breakfast bars or dining areas as much of the day as possible. Skylights are a great way to capitalize on natural, free lighting.
- Ensure housekeepers keep guestroom draperies closed in hot climes to maintain cool room temperatures.
- Ensure housekeepers open draperies with southern or southwestern exposures in colder climes to allow natural sunlight to help maintain the heat in the room.
- Adjust thermostats to save energy—a couple of degrees difference set higher when it’s hot or cooler when it’s cold can add up to big savings in energy consumption.
- Wash only full loads of laundry, not partial loads, to consolidate energy and water usage. Use cold water for laundry washing whenever possible or appropriate.
- Use photo sensors on exterior, parking lot and landscape lighting that turn lamps off at daybreak.
Food Service
- Thaw food in the refrigerator instead of under running water.
- Wash only full loads in dishwashers and operate only when needed.
- Don’t use running water to melt ice.
- Install timers that automatically control cooking time.
- Operate hood exhausts and make-up air systems only when needed and turn off hoods at closing of food preparation.
- Consolidate food items into one unit instead of having several refrigeration units partially loaded.
- Don’t set water heaters for general use above 120 degrees.
Employee Management
- Allow employees to report equipment or energy-wasting items directly to your maintenance or engineering staff or your designated energy manager.
- Remind workers to shut off lights and set back air conditioning units in unoccupied rooms and areas.
- Offer an incentive program to encourage your staff to participate in your energy reduction program and to look for ways to improve it.
- Have someone in charge of an energy management and reduction program, whether it’s the general manager, or an employee.