New water-efficient homes make perfect ‘sense’

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Four new homes in Roseville, Calif., earn official WaterSense labeling as part of a program that’s similar to EnergyStar but focuses on home water conservation instead of energy efficiency.

I’ve always wondered if the EPA’s EnergyStar for Homes program was a bit lonely and in need of some official, watery company to truly help homeowners achieve full green home-dom. Well, it appears that that company has arrived with WaterSense labeling for new homes, a partnership program that zeroes in on the water efficiency of newly built residences. Now, like EnergyStar, the WaterSense label will not only be applied to certain products (showerheads, faucets, toilets, and the like) but to entire homes as well.

According to the EPA, a new home that’s built under the auspices of the WaterSense label uses 20 percent less water than other new homes and can save owners up to $10,000 gallons of water and $100 on utility costs annually through the use of WaterSense-branded plumbing fixtures, water-efficient landscape design and irrigation, efficient hot water distribution systems, and other water-wise elements.

New WaterSense labeled homes will also include EnergyStar dishwashers and washing machines if those appliances are included when the home is built.

Although the EPA launched the WaterSense for New Homes Pilot Program back in 2008, it wasn’t until last week that the first WaterSense labeled homes in the country were branded as so in Roseville, Calif.’s Springwood community through a partnership program with big-time builder KB Home.

Now that the first four model homes are complete, KB Home plans on building every home in Springwood to WaterSense standards. KB will eventually build three more water-efficient communities across the country.

Given that home water efficiency efforts often take the backseat to home energy efficiency efforts, it’s good to see a home water certification system for homes up and running. However, I’m guessing that if homeowners had to choose between either a new EnergyStar or WaterSense home, they’d choose the latter. It must be noted though that WaterSense labeled new homes are meant to work with other green building programs like EnergyStar and LEED so you don’t necessarily have to choose between one or the other.

And here’s a staggering figure: if all 500,000 new homes built in the U.S. last year had been built to meet WaterSense criteria, those homes would collectively have saved 5 billion gallons of water and more than $50 million in utility bills annually.

Entire water-efficient homes and communities aside, have you purchased any WaterSense-branded products like faucets, toilets or showerheads?

Source: Mother Nature Network

While WaterSense is a USA-based organisation, there is nothing preventing other nations from using WaterSense programmes as a model. In South Africa, Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems have unofficially become the leading water conservation company. Water Rhapsody has a water-saving solution for just about every household, school, lodge and business.

Water and energy are linked and with the impending global water- and energy crisis, everyone should be conserving and collecting rain water and renewable energy.

Water Rhapsody Water Conservation Systems has incorporated Yes Solar Mpumalanga so that we can offer solar water heating systems to further reduce your environmental impact. Yes Solar is the Mpumalanga distributor for Solsquare Solar Energy Solutions- high quality German-engineered solar energy systems that are competitively priced. Solsquare solar geysers are SABS- and Eskom-approved and are fitted by qualified, Eskom-accredited solar installers. In South Africa, home solar water heaters generally amortize their initial cost within 36 months (at current Eskom rates). Now is the time to install a solar geyser while the Eskom rebates last (this money will run out eventually) and before the looming energy crisis arrives. Solar water geysers can reduce household electricity costs by up to 50%.

Water Rhapsody’s WWF AWARD-winning water conservation systems (product demo) include rainwater harvesting systems, grey water recycling systems, swimming pool backwash recycling, water-saving toilet flushing mechanisms and rainwater tanks (we are authorised JoJo Tanks & Atlas Plastics water tank dealers in Mpumalanga and Limpopo- best water tank prices in the Lowveld!).

Our water and solar systems will save the environment while you save money on water and electricity bills; get free water and free water heating!