Harvesting & Beneficial Use of Condensate from Air Conditioning Systems, Summer 2011, IPRO 346: Final Report

In an age where sustainability and “going green” have reached an all time high in both the media, and in politics, new initiatives are being explored more than ever before. Many of these initiatives would require drastic changes both in the way corporations do business, and in the way average citizens live their lives. However, there are initiatives which require very little change in lifestyle and business practice, and potentially represent great savings to those who choose to implement them. Like its predecessors, IPRO 346 aims to raise public awareness of the recycling and reuse of condensate produced by air-conditioning systems. This condensate is a byproduct of all AC units, and is currently sent straight to the sewer. Studies conducted by previous IPROs have not only indicated great potential for this initiative, but have also shown a great deal of public interest. Unfortunately, they have also revealed government policies and city codes which greatly restrict the use of this abundant resource. The aim of IPRO 346 is to work towards a change in these policies through the demonstration of a viable system. Members of the team equipped with a model of the systems we propose will meet with public officials, and others interested in the system, demonstrating its potential in hopes of getting policies in place which would allow such a system to be implemented. The IPRO has two main objectives: the development of a prototype and model for demonstration, and the marketing of the idea through the use of both social networks, and presentations to anyone interested. It is the aim of this team, that the accomplishment of these goals will result in both public demand for AC condensate recycling systems, and public policies which allow their use.Harvesting & Beneficial Use of Condensate from Air Conditioning Systems, Summer 2011, 34