Two Ways to Save Water in a Timber Home

Water management is a responsible action to take, especially when you’re planning to build a timber home.

Two money and energy-saving strategies which can be easily incorporated into a timber frame design are:

1.  Reducing overall water usage in the home by specifying low-flow water fixtures, low-flush or composting toilets, installing aerators on all taps, and installing low-flow shower head nozzles.
2. Specifying a plumbing system that reuses grey water (wastewater from domestic usage such as dish washing, laundry and bathing) for flushing toilets, watering lawns, etc. (note: some grey water  systems require approval by most local building jurisdictions, your architect will verify this prior to design).

Implement a few simple actions to use water more efficiently and you can reduce your water and sewer bills by one third, a significant savings!  According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, “If all U.S. households installed water-efficient appliances, the country would save more than 3 trillion gallons of water and more than $18 billion dollars per year.”

It’s easy to incorporate energy efficiency in your timber home design.  Talk to Bonin Architects about your goals and ask questions about what strategies will work for your climate, budget, and home design.