Aspiring to Net Zero Waste in Dining Facilities

ASPIRING TO NET ZERO WASTE IN DINING FACILITIES Best Practices in planning for and designing net-zero waste facilities

ASPIRING TO NET ZERO WASTE IN DINING FACILITIES Best Practices in planning for and designing net-zero waste facilities Katie Cavazos, Malte Weiland, Ryan Yaden, Heather Holdridge

2018

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on waste diversion strategies implemented at Georgia Institute of Technology’s recently built West Village Dining Commons to identify lessons learned and design considerations for architects.

IMPACT OF FOOD WASTE Universities are prioritizing the elimination of waste in campus dining halls. “According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Loss Project, [Americans] throw away more than 25 percent – some 25.9 million tons – of all the food we produce for domestic sale and consumption” (1). To understand the effects of university food waste, a study by Recycling Works estimates that students who live on campus on average discard 141.75lbs of food per year to landfill (2).

Food waste has significant effects on the environment. Food production and agriculture require tremendous amounts of energy, water, and chemicals. A 2013 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations found that uneaten food across the globe produces about 3.3 billion tons of carbon equivalent each year (3). Consequently, food that is wasted has a tremendous, avoidable carbon footprint.

Further exacerbating the problem, landfills do not provide

Georgia Tech West Village Dining Hall

an aerobic environment for organic material to properly decompose, resulting in by-product of methane and other gasses. Alternatively, if food waste is composted, energy and nutrients can be recovered and returned to the soil.

NET ZERO WASTE EPA defines net zero waste as “reducing, reusing, and recovering waste streams to convert them to valuable resources with zero solid waste sent to landfills over the course of the year” (4). Some universities in the United States are tackling this problem head-on: The Georgia Institute of Technology, for example, is aspiring by 2030 to divert 95% of campus waste including pre-consumer, post-consumer and construction waste.

INTEGRATED DESIGN WORKSHOP After being engaged to design the West Village Dining Commons along with architect of record Cooper Carry, Lake Flato led an integrated design workshop focused on setting holistic sustainable goals across three categories: Site+ Community, Resources, Health + Wellness. Workshops such as these are integral to the design process at Lake|Flato, as they allow the design team and client to establish goals and prioritize strategies believed to offer the most significant benefits to building users and to the environment at large.

For this project, the complete design team, client user and facilities groups, professors on campus, and sustainability experts all participated in this exercise of identifying and prioritizing goals.

”It is important for the team to collectively set and commit to aspirational goals early in the project.”

MALTE WEILAND, SENIOR SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT MANAGER, GEORGIA TECH

Designing a net zero waste facility was one of the targets established in the workshop. Additional goals for waste management included localizing campus composting and recovering 100 percent nitrogen and phosphorous from food waste. Once goals were established, the design team assigned metrics which defined tangible objectives. These measurements were reevaluated throughout the design phases and post occupancy, in an effort to maintain focus on the goals and provide learning opportunities to the client and design team.

PRE / POST CONSUMER WASTE Dining hall waste can be categorized into two major streams: pre-consumer and post-consumer. Pre-consumer waste (or kitchen waste) includes any waste that is generated by the kitchen staff, frequently the result of overproduction, spoilage, trim waste, etc. Post-consumer waste is waste generated by consumers due to behaviors, portion sizes, self-service, etc.

(4) The design team focused on strategies for reducing and recovering waste from both streams.

PRE-CONSUMER WASTE: PRODUCTION, QUALITY, HEALTH The kitchen is the location where waste initially occurs

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on campus. At Georgia Tech’s dining hall, a pulper and dehydrator were installed in the back of house to recover food waste from production. A pulper pulverizes food waste to a slurry byproduct and extracts water. A dehydrator then uses heat to sterilize and reduce odor of the resulting byproduct.

This equipment is used in conjunction with one another and has the potential to reduce the volume of waste by up to 95% according to the Foodservice Consultants Society International.

The kitchen also committed to reusable cookware to prevent the waste often generated by the use of disposables in similar dining facilities. The loading dock was designed to include space and utilities for bailing the cardboard generated by deliveries and composting collection.

Exit should have clearly identifiable waste collection; the bins are not visible in this photo.

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POST CONSUMER WASTE: PORTIONS, AWARENESS, DISPOSAL Successful waste diversion planning requires collaboration with campus facilities, campus dining, vendors, students, and the campus sustainability department. Georgia Tech West Village Dining Hall hosts Panera bread and Starbucks, plus five micro restaurants focusing on nutritious and quality meals. The dining hall adopted a point-of-sale model rather than using trays, which studies have found can lead to overserving and food waste (2). In addition, the restaurants committed to serving appropriate food portions to reduce food waste.

An opening event focused on sustainability raised awareness to the recycling and composting bins set up throughout the

Georgia Tech West Village Dining Hall

Georgia Tech West Village Dining Hall

facility. Student volunteers also helped educate fellow students in the first months of opening. They focused on issues like “stuffing,” when an individual indiscriminately places all unwanted items in a plastic bag and stuffs that bag into a single bin, often the compost. This causes contamination and is preventable. “Compost cards” were also distributed on campus to highlight the composting and recycling efforts being introduced.

The disposal infrastructure itself consisted of bins with specific categories of waste identified with consistent signage (Compost, Aluminum, Landfill, Plastic). Categories were chosen based on the recyclable waste produced in the facility.

For example, glass containers were not sold in the dining hall, so a glass category was not provided. Disposal bins were strategically placed throughout the space, including at all

Georgia Tech has a trayless food service, which reduces portion sizes and wasted food.

major exits where visibility is high and the disposal process could occur as part of a diner’s natural circulation. “As you are finishing your meal, you can plan your exit strategy with your waste.” says Malte Weiland, Senior Sustainability Project Manager, Georgia Tech.

Due to the concern of students walking off with reusable china, the dining hall decided to use disposable packaging. Working with vendors, the sustainability team was able to reduce the number of non-recyclables used in the packaging. They were also able to introduce disposables that are compostable.

POST OCCUPANCY WASTE AUDIT Achieving net zero waste requires a circular process assessment through audits, analysis of the numbers, and Isovist shown for a point within Travis Park, San Antonio, USA 7

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“As you are finishing your meal, you can plan your exit strategy with your waste.”

MALTE WEILAND, SENIOR SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT MANAGER, GEORGIA TECH

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flexibility to respond to the results. Multiple times a year, student volunteers and interns execute waste audits of the post- and pre- consumer waste produced by the Dining hall. Audits consist of taking sample bags of each type of waste to the front lawn to sort contents on large tarps.

The public nature of the event increases awareness and engages passersby. The trash is then weighed to determine the amount of potential diverted waste and to identify waste being placed in the wrong bin. Initial audits of the dining hall suggest a post-consumer waste diversion rate of 67%, 15% shy of pre-construction estimates.

Through these audits and post occupancy review, the team has identified lessons learned. These included that more recycling bins were needed for back of house areas, that color coded bags would facilitate tracking of waste, and that ecoplastics had been counterproductive in this case as they were not accepted by the compost vendor and were also confusing to consumers.

Through post occupancy evaluation of the building, the client has identified some of the complexities inherent in campus composting. Currently the dining hall sources the composting to a local vendor, with localized onsite composting still a goal for the future of the campus . Also, feedback regarding some of the specialized kitchen equipment indicated it was not used as much as intended due to kitchen staff not having the time/job description to manage the equipment.

ARCHITECT CONSIDERATIONS: PLANNING, VISIBILITY OF DISPOSAL, LOADING DOCK SPACE Even with much of the waste management falling on the

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shoulders of the client and behavior of the occupants, there are simple strategies architects can consider when designing a net zero waste building.

Early in the design process, architects should meet with necessary parties on the client’s side (i.e. facilities managers, sustainability champions, vendors, dining etc.) to identify waste management strategies that work for the client’s resources and operations, focusing on needs specific to the facility. For example, a conference room typically produces paper waste and empty coffee cups.

Post occupancy reports tell us that if that conference room is not equipped with an appropriate recycling bin then occupants or maintenance will add a trash bin on their own.

Recycling and composting bins should be visible. Post occupancy reports from the project revealed that when recycling bins were tucked away in built-in millwork . maintenance staff added trash bins. Bins should be designed specifically for different types of waste streams and be located where they are needed most, like major entrances and exits. Flexibility of bins should also be considered. Waste plans should be able to adjust based on post-occupancy audits, further strengthening the case against built- in waste millwork. Signage on bins should be consistent across the entire building (ideally the campus), and should prioritize graphic descriptions over verbal, as studies show the former are more likely to result in items being placed in the appropriate bins.

In considering pre-consumer waste streams, architects should allocate appropriate loading dock space for

specific dumpsters. Plastic and cans dumpster, landfill dumpster and paper compactor are a few typical waste diversion elements. Loading docks should also include space and utilities for cardboard bailing. These provisions can help reduce the number of steps in back of house recycling, making best waste practices more accessible and therefore more likely. Finally, if specific composting equipment is planned for a project, facilities should consider its operation and management in the project planning phase. In-house training and outsourcing equipment service could be explored as possible solutions.

CONCLUSION Architects can facilitate sustainable waste behaviors through early conversations and goal-setting with clients and building users, as well as through usable, convenient infrastructure. Though kitchen staff and diners may have positive feelings toward concepts like recycling and composting, minimizing the number of steps required to engage in best waste practices may also increase the chances of successfully meeting waste goals. Impacts of waste system design should be regularly evaluated after building occupancy to allow appropriate adjustments to the project’s operations and to contribute to the developing body of knowledge regarding sustainable waste practices. In this way, architects can help increase chances of successfully setting and meeting waste goals on future dining projects, ultimately resulting in diversion of waste from landfills and decrease in generation of greenhouse gases.

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Early in design, identify waste management strategies that work with client’s resources + operations All waste should be considered No extra steps - simplify waste diversion Built-in bins are not ideal - Bins should be visible, specific, and flexible to respond to waste streams Allocate appropriate loading dock space for specific dumpsters and waste management operations

CITATIONS [1] Waste Land: Does the Large Amount of Food Discarded in the U.S. Take a Toll on the Environment? (2010, March 3).

Scientific American. Retrieved May 29, 2020, from https:// www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talk-waste-land/ [2] RecyclingWorks in Mashachusettes. Food Waste Estimation Guide. Retrieved May 29, 2020, from https://recyclingworksma. com/about-recyclingworks/ [3] Food and Agriculture Organization. (2013). Food wastage footprint: Impacts on natural resources. United Nations. http:// www.fao.org/3/i3347e/i3347e.pdf [4] United States Environmental Protection Agency. Net Zero Concepts and Definitions. Retrieved May 29, 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/water-research/net-zero-conceptsand-definitions

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DISPOSAL BIN PROTOTYPE The prototype bins have been designed in response to lessons learned from the post occupancy waste audit at Georgia Tech’s West Village Dining Commons. They are intended to be standalone or grouped as needed, providing flexibility for the end users.

The colors and graphics are easily recognizable from afar using Recycle Across America’s standardized labels. At the top of the bin there is a space provided for customizable graphics, such as images of actual trash produced in the space. The design is ADA accessible, comes in two different widths, and allows for cart access when required.

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GRAPHICS

FRAME

SIGNAGE

Consistent,minimal text, Recycle Across America standardized labels

Standard sizes with interchangeable doors / back panels, wood

Customizable graphics that users can print and change as needed

34”

18”, 26”

2 5”

DOOR

INNER CONTAINER

Color / graphic / opening are specific to waste, powder-coated steel

Coordinate with facilities / vendor

OPTIONAL BASE

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Lake|Flato Architects 311 Third Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205 210.227.3335 www.lakeflato.com 14