Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - (Page 10) 10 • SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands Ralph Kisiel rkisiel@crain.com MARYSVILLE, Ohio — A large white egret stands motionless in several inches of water as cattails sway in the breeze and ripples race across the surface of the water. This is the scene that Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. was hoping for when it opened one end of a rainwater retention pond and created a wetland on its central Ohio property. This man-made wetland, next to the Honda R&D Americas Inc. complex, is the latest of several that Honda has developed on 8,200 acres of land, anchored by its Marysville auto plant. Adding wetlands is just one of several ways that Honda is managing rainwater runoff from its buildings and parking lots. The automaker also has tapped that runoff to replace water pumped from underground. The efforts have cut costs, reduced pollution and lessened the industrial site’s impact on its surrounding ecosystems. Honda’s Karen Heyob: “We need to be very careful how our activities impact the water quality of the Big Darby” Creek. tober, says Greg Morgan, staff engineer in Honda’s company facilities and environmental group. A pump house next to the pond transfers water to the plant’s cooling towers, where the water enters a closed-loop chiller system. After the water is used, it is discharged into the municipal wastewater treatment system. Before installing the pond, Honda pumped groundwater from an aquifer. Having the pond “allows Honda to reduce groundwater withdrawal by about 40 million gallons annually,” says Karen Heyob, who coordinates Honda’s Green Factory programs in North America. “It’s a huge reduction in water usage. Plus we’re saving energy by not having to pump it out of the ground.” Honda’s Green Factory and Green Buildings initiatives aim to boost energy efficiency, reduce waste and enhance recycling activities at its plants and other facilities. Honda uses its other retention ponds to manage how fast rainwater runoff flows into Big Darby Creek, a national and state scenic river, and its tributary, Flat Branch. “We are located at the headwaters to the Big Darby Creek, a very diverse waterway in Ohio,” Heyob says. “So we need to be very careful how our activities impact the water quality of the Big Darby. The main way we impact it is with our storm water.” The retention ponds release rainwater in a controlled manner into Flat Branch, which flows into Big Darby Creek. Above, engineer Greg Morgan checks wetland water quality. Inset, a pond on Honda’s Marysville, Ohio, plant site flows into wetlands. cently retrofitted eight of them with outlet control structures that control the amount of rainwater released. The largest is a seven-acre pond on the north side of the Marysville auto plant, which assembles the Honda Accord and Acura TL cars and Acura RDX crossover. The pond collects 20 million gallons of rainwater runoff from parking lots and roofs. It has a synthetic liner and is fenced to keep out wildlife. Floating aerators prevent algae buildup. Honda uses water from the pond to cool the plant from April through Oc- 20 million gallons Honda has 11 rainwater retention ponds on its property, designed to hold runoff for 24 hours. Honda re- Man-made alternative “That helps make sure that we don’t have high levels of sediment going into our release and also that we don’t stir up or scour the stream bottoms,” Heyob says. Honda has 830 acres of wetlands on its 8,200 acres of property. Of that 830, Honda developed wetlands on 172 acres. The rest is natural, Morgan says. At Honda R&D Americas, the automaker is adding buildings that would have required another retention pond. Instead, Honda opened one end of the existing pond to create a wetland. The egret landing in the middle of it is a sign that it is progressing, Morgan says. Filtered water eventually moves out of the wetland and into Flat Branch. Heyob says the wetlands “allows the water to be filtered through the plant life, which removes the sediment and acts as a nutrient uptake location. So if we have extra fertilizer running off the fields, it will take care of that, too, which greatly improves the quality of the discharge.” Honda leases 3,000 acres to farmers. The company already has begun working on its next wetland project, 11 acres on the north side of Ohio state Route 739. Morgan expects the new wetland to mature in three years. “We’re not under any kind of consent decree or anything like that,” says Morgan. “We’re just doing these things on our own.”c http://everycarlisted.com http://everycarlisted.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - September 1, 2008 Automotive News - September 1, 2008 'Mr. Big Volume' hit again Auto ad spending plummets American Axle to grow outside U.S. Nissan, Renault aim to share more parts Steven Ribet joins Automotive News in Shanghai Salaried workers face the ax Asbury to challenge verdict Lutz wants loan guarantees VW passes Ford as No. 3 global seller in 1st half Suzuki in disguise Dodge hopes smooth ride of coil springs will distinguish Ram Candidates split on union organizing bill Check in the mail? Toyota, Ford can tell 10 CTS stays true to concept GM shifts some vehicle design work to U.S. Infiniti may add cars, big and small BMW slashes production of big engines Toyota cuts sales forecast Chrysler: Viper lures suitors Honda hybrid plan bets big on small cars Ford starts L-M consolidation meetings Obama renews aid offer — industry wants it now Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands U.S. loans could make sense, but can't be a bailout Wanna buy a car? Wanna buy a brand? PPG story recalls Exner's Imperial Toyota goofed on Scion; is Prius next? Editor grows up; import vet pleased Field reps blamed for GM's problems Honda Insight engine isn't noiseless Trucks, Vette fine; rest of GM, blah Reynolds to dealers: Replace aging servers by year end Saddle up! Dem delegates honor slain Arkansas dealer Kia makes a mark of its own Koreans step up; Indians step cautiously; Chinese step back The next batch of new Hyundais: Smaller, more fuel efficient To give fuel economy a boost, Hyundai spends big on r&d U.S. plans fizzle for most Chinese vehicles Mahindra delays U.S. retail launch until 4th quarter of '09 Dealers Personnel Despite tough times, Galpin profits by pimping rides Web service leads grow Uh, I didn't mean to say you should retire Remembering Phil Hill, racing's modest giant Mulally to speak at gadget show GM picks Volt battery supplier Split verdict in fraud case July auto output was up in Japan Bob Fisher Dems reopen the CAFE Hummer, king of the desert? MG remains a no-show in North America Mustang silly Protests could bring ta-ta from Tata The politicians (and I) need a new road map Welburn's design journey began in Philly Automotive News - September 1, 2008 Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - American Axle to grow outside U.S. (Page 1) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - American Axle to grow outside U.S. (Page 2) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Suzuki in disguise (Page 3) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - 10 CTS stays true to concept (Page 4) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - 10 CTS stays true to concept (Page 5) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Chrysler: Viper lures suitors (Page 6) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Chrysler: Viper lures suitors (Page 7) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Obama renews aid offer — industry wants it now (Page 8) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Obama renews aid offer — industry wants it now (Page 9) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands (Page 10) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Honda taps rainwater to create wetlands (Page 11) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Field reps blamed for GM's problems (Page 12) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Field reps blamed for GM's problems (Page 13) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Trucks, Vette fine; rest of GM, blah (Page 14) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Saddle up! (Page 15) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Dem delegates honor slain Arkansas dealer (Page 16) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Koreans step up; Indians step cautiously; Chinese step back (Page 17) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - To give fuel economy a boost, Hyundai spends big on r&d (Page 18) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Mahindra delays U.S. retail launch until 4th quarter of '09 (Page 19) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Personnel (Page 20) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 21) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 22) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 23) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Web service leads grow (Page 24) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Uh, I didn't mean to say you should retire (Page 25) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Uh, I didn't mean to say you should retire (Page 26) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - July auto output was up in Japan (Page 27) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Bob Fisher (Page 28) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Bob Fisher (Page 29) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Welburn's design journey began in Philly (Page 30) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Welburn's design journey began in Philly (Page 31) Automotive News - September 1, 2008 - Welburn's design journey began in Philly (Page 32)
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