Time to Put Rainwater Harvesting into Every Green Building Project?
Capturing the free water falling from the sky is gaining popularity in the U.S. and in other countries as diverse as Australia and Germany. When considering rainwater harvesting, we usually think of the “active” variety. Active rainwater harvesting combines collection and storage with on-demand use and is an excellent way to supplement residential and commercial water supplies, because rainwater is soft and free of disinfectants, salts, minerals and human contaminants. The majority of rainwater captured in this manner is used for irrigation and flushing toilets. With today’s water prices, rainwater collection and reuse systems typically have medium-to long-term payoffs. However, there may be other financial benefits for commercial projects such as reduced sewage collection costs and lower water meter fees (because a project might need less municipal water.) “Passive” rainwater harvesting, on the other hand, is less expensive. This form of rainwater harvesting typically falls into the realm of landscape design/construction professionals and involves studying the land and its natural water flows, with the goal of directing runoff to plant basins or areas where it can be infiltrated directly into the soil or via a pervious pavement or other surface. We’re going to see a lot more of both varieties of rainwater harvesting in the next decade, as urban water crises occur more frequently, requiring project designers to come up with new water-conserving approaches for building projects. Read more in Chapter 9 of my new book, Dry Run, available on this site for free download.
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