Collecting and Storing Rainwater: The Planning Stage
While publicly provided water is often the default choice of home builders and owners because of its convenience of access and use, more and more people are choosing to harvest and store their own water on site to use for irrigation, cleaning, washing, flushing, and drinking. This can be done to supplement or completely replace public water. Some hope to save money or gain complete financial freedom from the utility companies, while others hope to reduce their demand on the environment, as public water requires considerable energy to move from source to user, and it is rarely extracted without impacting the ecosystems that we share the water with. For people living beyond the reach of municipal services as well as those in the cities, having a reserve of water at your home provides security against seasonal shortages, droughts, and even emergencies such as fire (some insurance companies appreciate these measures! See what your insurer says about it). Those of you who have on site access to a source of water may be considering finding some way to hold on to it for your own use rather than watching it all flow by, whether it is a spring, a stream, a well, or rain falling on your roof. While the easiest and cheapest use for on-site water storage is meeting irrigation needs, it is possible for those of you building a new home or renovating your current home to integrate your tank or cistern both visually and functionally with the house itself for indoor uses if you are willing to include the code-required filtration measures. Before going shopping, you will need to determine how big your tank will need to be, where it will need to be placed or built, and what material it should be made from, followed by making sure your tank has all the basic components necessary to provide clean water for a long time with as little trouble as possible. Knowing these things first will help you understand/estimate the associated costs up front and allow you to approach designers, builders, plumbers, or tank and cistern manufacturers with more confidence in the feasibility of your plan. First and foremost, you will want to figure out how big your tank will need to be, because not running out of water is a top priority. This is determined by balancing the amount of water coming from your source against the amount of water being withdrawn for use throughout the year. Using another real-life example, if you know that you will spend more than you will make in December because of the holidays, then you can set aside the excess income from previous months so that you know it will be there when you need it. For a gardener storing rainwater harvested from their roof, they know that they will need their water in the summer, but most of it will be harvested over the colder months while the rains are frequent. Their tank will need to be big enough to harvest enough through the colder months to provide all summer. Someone who has a spring or well producing a set number of gallons per minute year round may have some needs met on demand no problem, but using the washing machine while someone else showers and a third person cleans dishes will need more water for those 20 minutes than the spring can provide. Their tank will collect the steady stream while nobody uses it (overnight) and then be able to provide for the “peak demand” when it comes (usually in the afternoon/evening), and may not need to be as large as the gardener’s. If you are also planning for drought or fire protection, this volume may need to be considered separately from what is provided for everyday use. You can use your water bill to begin to understand your home’s water needs, and further research at home and online can further help you pin down the GPD (gallons per day) your house uses. If this number is beyond what your source can provide for, consider the introduction of water saving fixtures, appliances, and habits that can bring demand down if you haven’t already. The rate that your source produces water will also need to be measured as accurately as possible, so as not to misjudge availability. For rainwater harvesting, there are explanations on how to calculate the harvesting potential of your roof and site in our previous blog entry on rainwater harvesting, as well as local climate data on annual and monthly rainfall available online. After you know how big your tank(s) will be, you will be able to determine where it should go. Limitations on your site such as size, city codes, and location of existing structures may do much to make the decision for you, but where possible you should account for both the location of the water source and the point(s) of use, which would be your home’s plumbing fixtures and/or your garden. Placing the tank below the source and above the point of use allows gravity to provide both pressure and flow for your water as it moves from the source to the sink, so to speak. This saves energy and can decrease or eliminate the need for pumps, saving money and preventing the undesirable possibility that you will lose access to your water if the pumps lose power or break down, although some appliances or uses will need more pressure than gravity can produce, making a small pump necessary. Tanks and cisterns can be installed on solid ground, underground, or atop a structure like a roof or water tower. If you find that placing the tank underground or on a structure are the best options, you will probably need the help of an engineer to ensure the safety and stability of the design. Buried tanks can collapse under soil pressure when they aren’t completely full if they aren’t made specifically for being buried. These tanks will also likely require pumps to access the water, and can be more difficult or inconvenient to access for cleaning and maintenance. Tanks on roofs or other elevated structures require adequate structural stability to handle the massive load of hundreds or thousands of gallons of water, so professional assistance from an engineer will likely be necessary to ensure that your design is safe. Finally, you will want to know what material your tank will be made of. While the material’s ability to meet your tanks design’s structural requirements is very important, it is also important to consider that the water you store and use will spend a lot of time in contact with the tank itself, and different materials can have different effects on the water’s toxicity and taste. For example, glass is an ideal storage medium for small to medium sized applications because it is completely inert (non-toxic) and does not affect the water’s taste, while plastics (PVC especially) can leach small amounts of harmful toxins into the water over time and make it taste like plastic if the tank is exposed to the sun during the day. In Western Washington, Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar rain barrels will seem a visually appealing option that naturally resists rot. However, the stuff that makes this wood smell good and resist rot is toxic, and can seep into any water in contact with the wood. While this consideration is important for any people/plants/animals that will use the water, cost and availability will also likely affect your decision. Galvanized steel and concrete can both be very expensive, plastic is often cheaper. If you look around your neighborhood or online, you could find used drums and barrels being sold or even given away. This can be a good quick solution that keeps costs down, but make sure that the container in question did not previously hold any hazardous or toxic materials. If this cannot be determined, be a very cautious buyer, as this container will be holding your water. The other cost of any material is the environmental cost. Production of new steel requires enormous amounts of energy and generates considerable waste material that does not return quickly or cleanly to Earth’s natural systems, and both steel and petroleum-based plastics are non-renewable resources. In this regard, it is important to know what your tank is made of, where it comes from, and to utilize reused or recycled materials where possible. These are the essential design considerations to tackle when planning out your water storage system, and with this information in hand, you can feel more confident shopping for and applying your design solution to the problem of water security. If for any reason you feel you cannot tackle some or any of the above questions, there are professional designers and engineers who are willing and able to help you realize your water storage dreams. Feel free to see who in your area works with or specializes in home-scale water storage and other “green” living practices. For those who want more in-depth knowledge of water system design, much of the information in this post and more can be found in the water harvesting and storage related books by Art Ludwig and Brad Lancaster, who both have written extensively about their experience designing and building water systems in many different economic situations, scales, and locations. Additionally, we will cover the essential parts and pieces of an effective water storage system for any who would like to read further. Thank you for reading! Written by: James Drumwright IV, Architectural Designer at H2D Architecture + Design
Welcome the Sun Indoors
The solar orientation of a home will affect the level of comfort experienced inside. A few key design moves can help lower energy bills and increase interior comfort. Orientation The orientation of a home will set the stage for how much solar energy can be harvested to warm the indoors throughout the winter. The longest side of the house should face south so that a large portion of the wall area has access to direct sunlight. Depending on what rooms are most occupied, these should be located at the south side of the house. Window Placement To take advantage of the sun’s heat during the winter the southern façade will benefit from large windows. Depending on the latitude of the building’s location, the sun will reach varying heights in the sky during the winter season. But its height in the winter is always lower than in the summer, therefore penetrating deeper into the house. Taking advantage of this sustainable approach to heating a home can reduce the amount of forced air necessary to heat the indoors. In the Pacific Northwest, the majority of the year requires heating, so designing for the cold time of year is important. Roof Overhang Of course, it’s also important to remember the hot summer months. In the summer the sun is higher in the sky. Therefore the sun’s rays strike the house at a steep angle so that the direct sunlight is less likely to travel as deep inside. To keep out the sun’s heat it is important to block direct sunlight from reaching the windows. Roof overhangs play an important role in shading the window area from the sunshine. A larger roof overhang will be more effective. Designing a roof overhang correctly to block the sun in the summer but allow the sun’s rays indoors during the winter can be tricky and requires fine-tuning. While these are ideal steps to take for improving interior comfort levels, home owners can encounter obstacles which require compromises. Such obstacles include north-south lot orientations, existing coniferous trees blocking access to the sun, in addition to nearby neighboring houses obstructing the southern exposure. Whatever the location of your home, it is possible to plan for and reap the benefits of solar orientation, whether that may be for a newly constructed home, or a remodel for a home that is already standing. Taking initial steps for a well-oriented house is valuable to residents and is environmentally sound. In addition these are also the first steps in designing a net-zero home, something a homeowner may strive for now or in the future. Taking advantage of the sun’s path throughout the different seasons can lead to a brighter and warmer home. And let’s not forget about the saving that can be made from lower heating bills. Written by Carmen Ulrich, Architectural Designer at H2D Architecture + Design
Living Room 101
The living room is the social gathering space in your home and the design should encourage conversation, create a relaxing atmosphere, and function well for both social occasions and family down-time. Typical living rooms are square or rectangular in shape and vary in size. The following design guidelines apply to all room shapes/sizes to create the perfect living room space! Measure, measure, measure! Write down the dimensions of your room and bring them with you while furniture shopping. If you have your eye on a furniture item you can use string, tape, cardboard, etc. to “mock up” how it will fit and feel in your space. Select furniture that fits the scale of your living room and that work well together. A sectional sofa would overpower a small living room, but is great to break up a large space. Keep the overall scale of your furniture pieces proportionate to one another such as multiple small-scale chairs or a few large items. Similarly scaled pieces create a calming atmosphere. Arrange furniture to promote conversation and invite guests into the space. Furniture pieces should be facing each other as opposed to a media center. Love movie nights? Choose smaller, moveable pieces to allow for re-arranging based on what you’re hosting. To create an inviting space, arrange furniture that allows you to walk directly into the space. It’s best to avoid having the back of a sofa or chair facing the room entry. Built-Ins are a fantastic addition to a living room. They create visual interest and can help keep your space organized. Some great examples of built-ins are a bay window seat or shelving and cabinets around a fireplace. Last, but not least: Lighting! Since our living rooms are used for several purposes it is important to have adjustable lighting levels. An affordable way to add this to an existing space is with dimmable floor/table lamps. If you’re building new, add dimmers to the ceiling lights. Dimmers help to create that great “warm” evening lighting! Try to avoid direct fluorescent light as much as possible. They are cooler in color and can make spaces feel cold and unwelcoming (think big box supermarkets!). LEDs are a great alternative as well as a simple change in lampshades to something with a tan/brown/orange hue to it. This will diffuse the light and give your space the warm glow without sacrificing energy efficiency! Now that your living room is perfectly scaled, arranged, and lit; create a character in your living room that reflects your personality. Use area rugs, pillow, lamps, books/shelves, photographs, and art to bring it to life and make it your own! By Lisa Kramer, Interior and Architectural Designer at H2D Architecture + Design
Insulation Matters
Have you ever wondered what exactly is sandwiched in-between your walls so that the interior of your home stays cozy and is protected from the chilly or hot outdoor temperatures? With current concerns about global warming many people are turning to sustainable solutions in architecture. One approach to decreasing environmental impacts is selecting insulation with lower embodied energy – the sum of all the energy necessary to produce a product and transport it to its desired location. Many people wonder what actions they can take to decrease their carbon footprint. Well, selecting the type of insulation is one way a homeowner can make a significant difference. Conventional insulation including expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene applied with hydrofluorocarbon blowing agents are made from fossil fuels that release green house gases with high global warming potential. Selecting insulation that releases less nasty green house gases during production and installation is better for the environment and the health of the people involved in installation. Materials like cellulose – or plant fiber, mineral wool, denim, hemp fiber, straw bale, and mushroom insulation are sustainable alternatives. Cellulose – or plant fiber, is made of post-consumer recycled paper and offers great sound insulation. It is a fitting option for remodels or additions since installation is quite simple. Mineral wool – is made from melted stone or iron spun into fibers, much of which comes from pre-consumer recycled material. Products can come in the form of rigid sheathing used slab-on-grade construction. Denim – is made of recycled cotton from pre-consumer waste scraps or post-consumer jeans. Straw bale – is just that, straw bales, a product that doesn’t keep you guessing. It is made of renewable material that is easily available. Mushroom – or more specifically mycelium, grows on agricultural crop waste. The fungus does not actually produce fruit, so no mushrooms will be growing in your house. It is a cutting edge solution for low-embodied energy insulation, and is currently still in the research and development phase. Fiberglass – is made of spun glass fibers. It is resistant to moisture and bacteria, and is easy to install. Hemp fiber – is a great natural insulator that is biodegradable. They maintain their structure and are resistant to slumping over time. Written by Carmen Ulrich
Kirkland Second Story Addition and Remodel
Here at H2D Architecture + Design, we have been working with a Kirkland family on a transformative second story addition and remodel to their existing single story home. This family of four was feeling cramped in their home, but loved the location of their home which prompted them to consider a large remodel. We worked closely with the homeowners to tailor the design to their vision for their home. We worked closely with the homeowners through the various design phases to develop the design of the home. The main floor of the home was remodeled to include a double height entry, grand stair to the upper floor, and intimate sitting area off the entry. The existing living spaces were combined into a larger great room, including a living, dining and kitchen area. New square footage on the upper floor included a generous master suite with large walk-in closet, two kids bedrooms, bathroom, and recreation area. The new wood wainscot, cabinetry, trim detailing, and architectural details throughout the home with give the home a traditional feel when complete. The home is currently under construction. Please check back in for new photos as the construction progresses!