By George Garcia
Founder of G.C. Garcia, Inc.
www.gcgarciainc.com
Evaporative cooling is a highly effect method in the desert climate to cool a building. This cooling method uses water as the means to cost effectively bring temperatures down. Due to its cost efficiency, it is used in nearly all industrial warehouses. Cooling towers used for large buildings such as a casino or hospital also employ a version of this cooling approach.
This is contrasted with mechanical cooling as most homes typically use. Mechanical cooling allows for lower cooling temperatures but comes at using substantial electrical power. Just look at a home power bill for the summer to understand how electrical demand and costs go up significantly.
Evaporative cooling works by drawing hot dry air from outside through water-soaked cooling pads. As the air is pushed through the pads, the water evaporates and the latent heat in the air is absorbed, which lowers the air temperature. A fan is then used to push the cool air throughout the building using a network of ducts. This method works particularly well in dry climates such as we have here in Nevada.
Currently the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) is urging dramatic changes to this water using source. The SNWA is creating new policies to save water; one of which is regulating this cooling method. At the most extreme end the policy could lead to regulations that eliminate the evaporative cooling option for new buildings. The consequence, if this occurs, is to dramatically increase the cost of building and operating industrial warehouses and certain larger commercial and institutional users.
The backdrop for this is the worst drought in 1,200 years is affecting the western states. As a result, every use of water needs to be examined on how to efficiently use water in order to stretch this vital natural resource. The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) is the regional agency charged with overseeing the Las Vegas Valley’s water supply. This includes the Colorado River, wells and then into water banking and more creative solutions such as the new water reclamation infrastructure being developed in Southern California that will allow more water to stay in Lake Mead. The local public water utilities then treat the water that is pumped to the customer/ consumer.
The collective efforts of the SNWA and its member jurisdictions is to manage the water supply, treatment of water, and the treatment of wastewater to not only deliver water but to also do this in a way that extends the supply of water to Southern Nevada that is otherwise limited by a multi-state contract controlling the amount of water that each state can withdraw from the Colorado River.
After years of effectively managing the water supply, the severe drought has put pressure on finding additional ways to further conserve this precious resource. As many have seen water restrictions, limits on grass and the like have made the Valley very resilient and a leader in water conservation. At some point thought the challenges of water consumption bump into lifestyles and doing business.
Currently NAIOP (National Association of Industrial and Office Parks) is at the forefront of this new challenge to the community and businesses. GC Garcia Inc is a long term active NAIOP member and a participant in addressing this and other issues affecting the non-residential growth and development of the Valley. NAIOP and other stakeholders are working rapidly to gather information to help public officials make good policy decisions that balance the need to wisely use water while still helping to have a strong diversified local economy with good paying jobs and a strong tax base. This includes modeling and calculating the actual use of water by evaporative cooling as well as the economic consequences for Valley businesses and residents. Once this is known informed policy discussion could follow to see if evaporative cooling remains as is or is modified versus being eliminated. The outcome of these efforts will determine how severe the regulatory impacts will be or whether a successful balance can be achieved.