(Photo by Muffet)

Here’s a quick and easy way to save water. Try this do-it-yourself trick for your toilet tank.

Simply take two empty plastic bottles and weigh them down with either sand or pebbles (about 2”). Be sure the bottle fits the height of your tank. Then, screw on the lids and put them in your toilet tank away from the operating device. When the toilet is flushed, the tank will not fill up with as much water.

Julie Zidell

In one of our recent projects, we installed a rainwater harvesting system that captures 100% of the roofs’ runoff water. The water is captured through gutters and then routed into a 16,000 gallon tank. For this purpose we installed a “trunk line” all the way around the home’s perimeter. All the downspouts of the gutter system “feed” into this trunk line which is connected to the tank. The water is pushed into the tank by gravity and then pumped out when needed. One important aspect of the system is the pre-filtering system, on this project we used a product called “Gutter Foam”. You can find details about their product at http://gutterfoam.com. You can see in the picture that the foam piece is wedged in the gutter and prevents any debris from entering the system.

The tank is a galvalume tank with interior liner set on a sand & gravel base. It has a backup line from the city water meter in case the water level ever drops too low. At this point the backup kicks in and fills the tank to minimum level with city water. Water is pumped out of the tank with a Grundfos pump and filtered through a UV-filtration system. That way the water will not carry and “foul” odor, especially if it is used for toilets or exterior water faucets. In this home the rainwater harvesting system supplies 100% of the irrigation water and 100% of the water for all toilets and the washing machine. This dramatically reduces the use of city water and also helps with managing drainage around the homes’ perimeter.

Water efficiency is a key objective in any green building project. Whether you build a new green home or undertake a green remodeling project, you should strive for installing the most efficient appliances and plumbing fixtures. What helps to differentiate true water-efficient products is a program called WaterSense – which is sponsored by the US EPA and was developed to  help consumers identify water-efficient products and programs.  I will write a more detailed article on this program in the near future.

Niagara just released a new super efficient toilet called the Stealth. It features a new technology which only uses 0.8 GPF (gallons per flush). They came up with a really cool patented hydraulic technology which they claim is the quietest flush on the planet. Stealth™’s unique design is truly unique. By harnessing the energy created by water filling the tank, this toilet uses a patented air transfer system to pressurize the bowl’s trap way. Once  activated by simply pressing the flush button, the swift, powerful and  quiet flush evacuates all waste in the bowl. It is offered in both round front and elongated models and is adaptable to fit a standard 12” roughing installation,  so it can easily replace an existing toilet in your home.

The toilet’s water and utility bill savings translate to impressive, real numbers. At a flush rate that saves 37% more water than a standard HET, according to Niagara’s calculations, this WaterSense®-certified toilet saves up to 20,000 gallons  and $101 per year* with regular use and up to 200,000 gallons and $1,013 in its lifetime*.[* based on FEMP numbers and a national average water and waste-water combined rate]
I want to emphasize that I have not used one of these toilets in one of our homes yet, but I’m definitely planning on checking it out. So far we’ve had very good luck with Toto – they carry a large number of WaterSense®-certified models, but Niagara’s technology sounds very promising.
For further information go to www.stealthtoilets.com and www.niagaraconservation.com

Photo credit: sunshinecity

Take advantage of the tax credit available for purchasing a qualified energy-efficient exterior door or window by  December 31, 2010.  In short, the door must meet a U Factor and SHGC rating of 0.30.  Congress raised the per-item credit to 30 percent of the cost up to $1,500.  They also extended the deadline for making the improvements through the end of 2010.  If you have already purchased a qualified efficient door or window you are not left out.  The act is retroactive to Jan. 1, so if you installed a product meeting the previous criteria it qualifies for the larger credit. 

Seventy percent of the GHG emissions related to single-family envelope energy consumption can be attributed to homes built before California had an energy code (1983).  The statewide carbon impact of retrofitting these homes with upgraded energy features was explored.  Spending $10,000 retrofitting a 1960s home could save 8.5 tons of carbon at a cost of between $588-$1,176 per ton (…)  Increasing the energy efficiency of a new home by 35% would cost about $5,000 and would reduce emissions by 1.1 tons at a cost of $4,545 per ton. Retrofitting existing homes with energy-efficient features is four- to eight times more carbon- and cost-efficient than adding even more energy efficiency requirements to new housing.

 Not all ENERGY STAR rated doors qualify, contact BMC West for assistance.  Visit energystar.gov for credits in solar-energy panels, water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, small wind-energy systems and fuel cells as well.

Water heater replacement just like anything in energy efficient construction and building should be looked at as a whole systems approach. Let’s say you have an old tank heater that needs to get replaced, here are the important things to consider:

1. Is it electric or gas?
2. If it is electric, is there a gas line nearby and will it be easy to install a vent pipe?
3. Where is is located? Is it more than 10 feet away from the source and does it serve sources that are located in different parts of the house?
4. If it is far from the source, can it be relocated to get it closer?
5. Are the sources spread out all over the house? (kitchen on one end, master bath on the other and guest bath over the garage….)

Answer those questions for yourself and you can come up with a good solution:

1. If it is gas, stick with gas and install a tankless gas heater
2. If your answer to question 2 is yes and yes, make the switch and install a gas heater
3. If your answer is yes, consider decentralizing your water heating system and install multiple smaller heaters to reduce your pipe runs from the heater to the source
4. If your current water heater location is pulling water from one end of the house to the other, consider moving the location of the water heater as close to the source as you can.
5. If your sources are spread out, you might be best served with 3-4 smaller electric heaters that can be installed under cabinets or in small closets. This is of course if your electrical service is adequate.

Just like anything else in a green building or remodeling project, you have to look at the whole picture – especially when it comes to the electric vs gas debate.. and btw – do not listen to your plumbers opinion, because it will always be gas. If you are remodeling your entire house, replacing plumbing, upgrading your electrical service and have the luxury of deciding exactly where your water heaters are going to be located, electric water heaters have some benefits:

1. Less expensive in initial purchase price
2. No gas lines to run
3. No exhaust venting and addtl wall/roof penetrations

Now the bad:

1. The good ones draw quite a bit of power – anywhere from 80-120 Amps – this means if you have 3 of them you need a quite sizable electrical service which can get costly if you’re not already upgrading your service anyway
2. Flow-rate – even the best electrical tankless hot water heaters have an inferior flow-rate to their gas counterparts which means you have to be very careful and thoughtful during the planning phase.

So when it comes time to replace your old water heater, you have to consider much more than just the actual piece of equipment. And that’s where we come in. EGC specializes in building energy efficient, comfortable and healthy homes. Your path to energy efficiency can start with replacing your water heater, but you have to do it right.

We are huge advocates of decentralized systems – gas or electric – because to us, the most efficient system is the one that wastes the least amount of water and has the least amount of heat loss from heater to source.  How many gallons of cold water do you run down the drain each morning before your water gets hot ??