water

As of today, we are under mandatory water restrictions.

Neighbors, when you see me hopping around the yard watering daily, please know it is grey water, water that is being reused for another purpose. And that's what we've been doing all along.

It's actually quite easy: Put a large pail in the shower. As the water goes from cold to hot, it collects. Take a smaller pail and transfer water into watering can. When you bathe the children at night, leave the tub full at the end, and use it to water your yard the next morning.

Your plants will thank you! : ) And you will be not only conserving but re-using a precious resource!

(Of course noting restrictions on gray water use on edible plants...)

P.s. Pictures taken by 5 year old. Thank goodness for digital cameras, otherwise it would have been 293 pictures worth of film that day.

On July 17, 2008, California became the first state in the nation to incorporate green building standards into its building codes. The codes, developed by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), will be phased in over the next three years.

The standards address the following key issues:

• Energy Efficiency (to be phased in beginning July 2009): The HCD standards require compliance with the California Energy Commission’s Residential Energy Efficiency Standards, which will increase the stringency of existing statewide energy standards by 20 percent. The new standards will make new California homes approximately 50 percent more energy-efficient than homes built to national energy standards.

• Air Quality, Moisture Control & Resource Conservation (to be phased in beginning January 2011): There are 16 features in this category that will become mandatory at the same time as the new 2010 edition of the California Building Code takes effect. Among these features are requirements for low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesives, paints and coatings; high-efficiency air conditioning filters to better filter out dust and particulates; and always-on exhaust fans to ensure better fresh air circulation in the home.

• Water Conservation (to be phased in beginning July 2011): The HCD standards require a 20 percent reduction in overall water use within all new homes . While this new water-conserving building code will allow a variety of compliance options, it is anticipated that compliance with this requirement will commonly be met via installation of new super-low flow toilets and showerheads.

Los Angeles and San Francisco have adopted even stricter rules, and the state regulations won't trump these higher standards (this had been a major sticking point in the legislation).

We applaud California for passing this law and hope that other states will follow California's lead.

This symbol could soon become as common and EPA’s other conservation program--Energy Star. The EPA launched its WaterSense program in 2006. The program seeks to “enhance the market for water-efficient products and services by building a national brand for water efficiency.”

WaterSense is a program for water-only products like toilets, faucets, and irrigation systems. It does not include appliances like dishwashers or clothes washers that use both water and energy; these remain under the Energy Star program. In 2007, the EPA released WaterSense specifications for high efficiency toilets and bathroom sink faucets. Specifications for showerheads are currently being developed.

WaterSense is poised to become very popular in the green building community. In its proposed changes to several LEED rating systems, the U.S. Green Building Council removed some specifications for water saving credits and replaced them with “WaterSense-certified fixtures and fixture fittings should be used where available.”

Could this symbol become as ubiquitous as the Energy Star symbol? Only time will tell.

Part 6 of our 15-part Q&A series on all aspects of green building from the publishers of HealthyHouseInstitute.com. Click here for the introductory post and furthur details.

Question: Should I use metal or plastic water pipes in my new house?

Answer: Plastic water mains are now widely used by utilities, and they’re also common in many new houses. They tend to be easier and less expensive to install than metal pipes. Many plastic pipes use both a toxic solvent-based cleaner and cement to fuse the pipe and fittings together. While these are very noxious, they’re so volatile that they outgas quickly—usually within a few hours—if there’s plenty of extra ventilation.

When water moves through new plastic plumbing lines, many sensitive people report a plastic-like taste. This occurs if contaminants are being released into the water, either from the pipe itself or from the cleaner or glue.

While you can’t do much about what your water utility uses for underground water mains, we prefer to use copper for supply lines inside houses. In the past, lead-based solder was common. But today, Federal regulations forbid the use of lead in plumbing solders. Galvanized-steel piping is also relatively inert, but it’s usually more expensive than copper.

Drain pipes are bigger in diameter, making copper drains expensive. Therefore, we often recommend using plastic for these. The plastic really doesn’t outgas very much into the air. But to minimize outgassing, we buy the pipe and fittings early in the construction process and let them air out before they're installed. Then, when the cleaner and glue are used, we stay away for a while and provide extra ventilation until everything has aired out.

=========================================================== GreenerBuildings News: January 31, 2008 =========================================================== Welcome to the latest edition of GreenerBuildings News. We are committed to bringing you the latest information and resources on the full spectrum of environmental issues related to buildings and facilities. Log on to http://www.GreenerBuildings.com for more up-to-date news, tools, case studies, and other resources related to greener building practices. A full-color, graphic version of this newsletter is available online at: http://www.greenerbuildings.com/enewsletter

=-=-=-=-=-=-= JUST RELEASED: STATE OF GREEN BUSINESS 2008 =-=-=-=-=-=-=

In this landmark report, Joel Makower and the editors of GreenBiz.com answer the question: How are U.S. businesses doing in their quest to be more environmentally responsible? It introduces the GreenBiz Index, 20 indicators of progress, tracking the resource use, emissions, and business practices of U.S. companies: carbon, materials, energy, and toxics intensity, clean-tech investments, e-waste recovery, paper use, employee commuting, and more. Download it for free at: http://www.stateofgreenbusiness.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-= THE LATEST NEWS & FEATURES =-=-=-=-=-=-=

Water Management Strategies to Boost the Triple Bottom Line By Tom Ash Smart water management can be a simple improvement to facilities, but one that can help real estate portfolio owners achieve LEED certification, protect and improve property value by eliminating water-related property destruction and liabilities, save costs and improve the environment.

The Importance of Measuring Building Energy Use By Brandi McManus With companies rapidly seeking out every possible way to improve their environmental performance, many are finding that tracking down inefficiencies in building energy use is a quick and easy way to make a noticeable difference.

Clorox and Sierra Club Announce Branding Partnership
The Clorox Company has formed a partnership with the Sierra Club as part of the company's launch of Green Works, a new line of natural cleaning products made from plant-based ingredients.

Three Trends Push Green Building From Niche to Mainstream: Report A new report pins attributes the growth of green building to government initiatives, demand for green residential housing and better sustainable building materials.

CIA Campus Embraces Green Building The CIA is working on its newest, greenest campus, with a vegetated roof, energy- and water-saving measures, and special parking for carpoolers.

Completing the Puzzle

As landscape architects get on board with sustainability, our hopes for a clean and healthy world grow.
by Susan S. Szenasy

The long line snakes then redoubles at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. At their annual meeting, appropriately titled “Designing with Nature: The Art of Balance,” landscape architects are eager to learn about a program that is sure to change the way they practice their profession. Walls are moved out of the way, and room is made for the overflow crowd. We settle in to learn about the Sustainable Sites Initiative, developed by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the United States Botanic Garden, and other organizations. The new metric will expand our growing knowledge of the built environment as put forth by USGBC’s LEED rating system, which on its own has begun to shift the methods of construction along with land use. ...

More at: http://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=3089

Illustration: Lisa Maione

Though this post is not about green building per se, think of it in the general category of irrigation. I think you will thank me if it compels you to see the new movie "Sharkwater." Not only is this an extremely important topic, but it's an amazing story and a beautiful movie. Of course I am biased, because our own Tippy Bushkin and Jeremy Stuart were key members of the production team, working closely with director Rob Stewart to tell the story of his international journey to save and demystify sharks.

A series of trailers on the website will give you glimpse.

And if you live in the SF Bay Area, below you will also see an invitation to the San Francisco premier for Tuesday Oct 30-- it is a private screening, but I've been given permission to extend the invitation to you.

And in the meantime, I hope you are enjoying water week at Building Green TV!

SHARKWATER MOVIE PREMIERES IN SAN FRANCISCO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: sharkwatersf@yahoo.com

Since premiering to great acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival, SHARKWATER (www.sharkwater.com) has gone on to win 21 awards at film festivals all over the world.

We would like to invite you to attend a private screening and be one of the first to see the film on the west coast and meet director Rob Stewart who will be on-hand for a Q & A session after the screening.

Private Screening

Roxie Theatre, San Francisco

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

VIP @ 6 pm

Screening @ 7:30 pm

For tickets and more information visit:

www.roxie.com

About SHARKWATER:

SHARKWATER takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations.

In an effort to protect sharks, director Rob Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Their unbelievable adventure together results in pirate boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage, corrupt court systems and attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives.

Through it all, Stewart discovers these magnificent creatures have gone from predator to prey, and how if something is not done to protect them, they could easily be wiped out within a few years due to human greed and the barbaric practice of shark finning.

Here are some facts to consider:

~Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, and bleeding to death, the shark suffers a slow death where 95% of the animal is wasted.

~Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed for their fins, annually.

~The shark population is down 90% over the last 30 years and experts estimate that within a decade, most species of sharks will be lost because of finning.

SHARKWATER opens nationally on November 2, 2007. Please visit www.sharkwater.com for more information and to sign the petition to save sharks. Most importantly, help support the cause by forwarding this email to all your friends.

Thank you,
Sharkwater staff

By now we all have practical, water-saving shower heads installed in our bathrooms, right? But those of us who consider our bathing rituals to be one of the great pleasures of the day might want to take it one step further. Kevin's outdoor shower is a fun feature that sees daily use by humans and canines returning from walks on the beach. You can get a simple, attractive portable model at Target, for $89, and if you want an outdoor shower that heats itself for free, you can have one for about $10, though it won't win any beauty contests.

But for pure aesthetic appeal, it's hard to beat the Dream Light showerhead from Jaclo, pictured, which The Hardware Aisle dubs "the Xanax of Showerheads." Programmed LEDs provide a chromatherapeutic light show while you bathe. A boon for the coming Seasonal Affective Disorder months.

You can find out more about showers in Episode Nine, which is all about water, and check out new video all this week.