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Abstract
The purpose of this report is to present the results of a capstone project investigation in which Legionella mitigation methods of temperature control and chlorine disinfection in domestic hot water building systems were compared based on the triple bottom line [TBL], which includes safety, sustainability, and cost. The research goal was to provide a recommendation as to which of these mitigation tactics a typical project in the United States should incorporate when the owner is looking to control Legionella. The methods employed include a review of relevant literature and a hypothetical case study of a small immediate care facility adapted to represent a typical project. The design analysis included safety considerations, a life cycle assessment [LCA], and a life cycle cost analysis [LCCA] of both mitigation methods. The main results from the analysis show the chlorine disinfection system provides a 19.34% decrease in life cycle costs, and between a 40-65% decrease in the negative environmental impacts when compared to the temperature control system. The report concludes that chlorine disinfection is the better Legionella mitigation method based on the TBL. Further research is recommended to compare the Legionella mitigation methods not focused on in this report in a similar manner.