A new white paper on the role of water in the green building movement notes that the bulk of building projects in the U.S. miss out on one of the most potentially significant water conservation opportunities: rainwater catchment and reuse.
The seventh in a series of annual white papers published by Building Design+Construction, the report titled "Green Buildings + Water Performance," points out that more water is consumed outside buildings and homes-for landscape irrigation and cooling towers-than is used inside for toilets, faucets and showers. The white paper reports that "82 percent of the total water consumed in the U.S. goes to irrigation" and that "the reuse of water may be the next big thing in water conservation, efficiency, and performance."
"We're using fresh domestic drinking water to irrigate grass and replenish cooling towers," says Rick Reinders, president of Watertronics, manufacturer of SkyHarvester rainwater harvesting systems and one of the sponsors of the report. "By harvesting rainwater, you're reusing that water, and it's not going into the treatment system. That not only saves water but also relieves pressure on sewer and septic systems."
Reinders says the report is especially timely because rainwater harvesting systems not only save water, they are also a key component of LEED from the U.S. Green Building Council, earning up to 12 points. LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council to encourage sustainable green building and development practices.
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