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CONTENTS
South Bay
June/July 2010
Sophisticated Bathrooms
Build it Green
NKBA
Water Efficiency in Your Bathroom
Save water, save money, protect our watersheds.
Have you ever had to go without water, even for just a short time? I recently had our home’s water heater replaced, which meant I had no domestic water for one day. For the first time I was acutely aware of how often I use water. I couldn’t wash the dirty dishes in the sink, run the clothes washer, or flush the toilet. All it took was a few hours of deprivation to show me just how much I take the availability of water for granted.
Many experts believe that water will overtake energy as the resource of greatest concern to Californians in the coming years. We live in a state with a growing population, limited water reserves and unpredictable rainfall, not to mention that we are still facing serious drought conditions throughout the state. Of all the choices you make for a bathroom remodel, the most important are those that increase water efficiency.
Build It Green’s GreenPoint Rated Checklist, which tracks green features incorporated into a home, includes the following three main points to hit when remodeling your bathroom:
Distribute Domestic Hot Water Efficiently
How much water goes down the drain while you wait for it to get hot? A normal wait-time can be up to a minute. At 2.5 gallons per minute, that adds up quickly. The closer your water heater is to your fixtures the quicker you’ll get hot water. Unfortunately, this isn’t always a feasible solution—especially for a remodel. Another way to greatly shorten hot water delivery time is to install an on-demand hot water circulation system. These systems consist of a pump with on-demand controls (a push button or motion-sensor activated) that sends cold water back to the water heater until hot water arrives at the sink. On-demand circulation systems save both energy and water, work with all water heater systems, and start at around $300.
Install a High-Efficiency Toilet
Older toilets typically use 3.5 gallons of water per flush or more. Standard new toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush. Toilets that use 1.3 gallons per flush are called High Efficiency Toilets (HET). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if you replace an older toilet with a WaterSense labeled model (the water efficiency equivalent to EnergyStar), you could save 4000 gallons per year. WaterSense toilets are available at the same variety of price points as regular toilets and will save you about $90 per year in reduced water bills. Plus, the East Bay Municipal Utility District offers a $50 rebate for replacing your old toilet with a HET.
Replace Fixtures with Water Efficient Faucets and Showerheads
Flow reducers and low-flow showerheads are easy to retrofit into existing fixtures and can cut water usage by as much as 40% with little noticeable effect. A variety of water conservation devices are available free of charge to East Bay Municipal Utility District customers (check www.ebmud.com for pick-up locations). For a list of suppliers of high efficiency faucets, showerheads, and toilets, see Build It Green’s Product Directory at www.BuildItGreen.org.
The EPA estimates that the average household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bill. By making just a few simple changes to use water more efficiently, you could save about $170 per year and contribute to the protection of our water supply.
Annette Hartsfield is a Build It Green Program Associate and grant writer. For more info on the GreenPoint Rated Checklist for green upgrades on your home, visit www.BuildItGreen.org.
Have you ever had to go without water, even for just a short time? I recently had our home’s water heater replaced, which meant I had no domestic water for one day. For the first time I was acutely aware of how often I use water. I couldn’t wash the dirty dishes in the sink, run the clothes washer, or flush the toilet. All it took was a few hours of deprivation to show me just how much I take the availability of water for granted.
Many experts believe that water will overtake energy as the resource of greatest concern to Californians in the coming years. We live in a state with a growing population, limited water reserves and unpredictable rainfall, not to mention that we are still facing serious drought conditions throughout the state. Of all the choices you make for a bathroom remodel, the most important are those that increase water efficiency.
Build It Green’s GreenPoint Rated Checklist, which tracks green features incorporated into a home, includes the following three main points to hit when remodeling your bathroom:
Distribute Domestic Hot Water Efficiently
How much water goes down the drain while you wait for it to get hot? A normal wait-time can be up to a minute. At 2.5 gallons per minute, that adds up quickly. The closer your water heater is to your fixtures the quicker you’ll get hot water. Unfortunately, this isn’t always a feasible solution—especially for a remodel. Another way to greatly shorten hot water delivery time is to install an on-demand hot water circulation system. These systems consist of a pump with on-demand controls (a push button or motion-sensor activated) that sends cold water back to the water heater until hot water arrives at the sink. On-demand circulation systems save both energy and water, work with all water heater systems, and start at around $300.
Install a High-Efficiency Toilet
Older toilets typically use 3.5 gallons of water per flush or more. Standard new toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush. Toilets that use 1.3 gallons per flush are called High Efficiency Toilets (HET). According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if you replace an older toilet with a WaterSense labeled model (the water efficiency equivalent to EnergyStar), you could save 4000 gallons per year. WaterSense toilets are available at the same variety of price points as regular toilets and will save you about $90 per year in reduced water bills. Plus, the East Bay Municipal Utility District offers a $50 rebate for replacing your old toilet with a HET.
Replace Fixtures with Water Efficient Faucets and Showerheads
Flow reducers and low-flow showerheads are easy to retrofit into existing fixtures and can cut water usage by as much as 40% with little noticeable effect. A variety of water conservation devices are available free of charge to East Bay Municipal Utility District customers (check www.ebmud.com for pick-up locations). For a list of suppliers of high efficiency faucets, showerheads, and toilets, see Build It Green’s Product Directory at www.BuildItGreen.org.
The EPA estimates that the average household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bill. By making just a few simple changes to use water more efficiently, you could save about $170 per year and contribute to the protection of our water supply.
Annette Hartsfield is a Build It Green Program Associate and grant writer. For more info on the GreenPoint Rated Checklist for green upgrades on your home, visit www.BuildItGreen.org.
