Print Email Facebook Twitter Flushing Toilets and Cooling Spaces with Seawater Improve Water-Energy Securities and Achieve Carbon Mitigations in Coastal Cities Title Flushing Toilets and Cooling Spaces with Seawater Improve Water-Energy Securities and Achieve Carbon Mitigations in Coastal Cities Author Zhang, Zi (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) Sato, Yugo (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) Dai, Ji (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) Chui, Ho kwong (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) Daigger, Glen (University of Michigan) van Loosdrecht, Mark C.M. (TU Delft BT/Environmental Biotechnology) Chen, Guanghao (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) Date 2023 Abstract Exploring alternative water sources and improving the efficiency of energy uses are crucial approaches to strengthening the water-energy securities and achieving carbon mitigations in sub(tropical) coastal cities. Seawater use for toilet flushing and district cooling systems is reportedly practical for achieving multiaspect benefits in Hong Kong. However, the currently followed practices are yet to be systematically evaluated for scale expansions and system adaptation in other coastal cities. The significance of using seawater to enhance local water-energy securities and carbon mitigations in urban areas remains unknown. Herein, we developed a high-resolution scheme to quantify the effects of the large-scale urban use of seawater on a city’s reliance on non-local and non-natural water and energy supplies and its carbon mitigation goals. We applied the developed scheme in Hong Kong, Jeddah, and Miami to assess diverse climates and urban characteristics. The annual water and energy saving potentials were found to be 16-28% and 3-11% of the annual freshwater and electricity consumption, respectively. Life cycle carbon mitigations were accomplished in the compact cities of Hong Kong and Miami (2.3 and 4.6% of the cities’ mitigation goals, respectively) but not in a sprawled city like Jeddah. Moreover, our results suggest that district-level decisions could result in optimal outcomes supporting seawater use in urban areas. Subject carbon mitigationclimate changecoastal citiesmunicipal servicesseawater To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:8887057c-f9ec-41c8-be17-687a6e9fecf6 DOI https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c07352 Embargo date 2023-09-09 ISSN 0013-936X Source Environmental Science & Technology (Washington), 57 (12), 5068-5078 Bibliographical note Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public. Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2023 Zi Zhang, Yugo Sato, Ji Dai, Ho kwong Chui, Glen Daigger, Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht, Guanghao Chen Files PDF acs.est.2c07352.pdf 5.34 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:8887057c-f9ec-41c8-be17-687a6e9fecf6/datastream/OBJ/view