Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop to Drink

As a designer I have always specified Kohler or Sterling products because they are well made, beautiful products and made in America. Their faucets, sinks and toilets have been  on the cutting edge
of  technology for conserving water. In taking some courses in LEED certification a few years ago, I learned that “Kohler has been concerned since the 1970’s about water conservation and have global teams of engineers working to improve water efficiency with beautiful designs, excellent performance and keeping them affordable.”

Kohler’s faucets have water saving aerators. The faucets with the WaterSense label will save over 14,700 gallons of water each year, unlike older faucets.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program reviews manufacturers products and gives awards to those whose products conserve water. In 2008, Kohler was named as a Manufacturing Partner in the WaterSense program. To obtain this prestigious award, there must be demonstrated overall excellence in the water-efficiency arena as well as increase the awareness and advance the overall mission of WaterSense. So why would a plumbing manufacturer get involved in this?

In their brochure, Kohler states “that less than 1 percent of the world’s water supply is accessible for human use. Nearly one billion people in the world lack safe drinking water.” By the year 2013, at least 36 states in the United States anticipates local, regional or statewide water shortages.

Toilets account for 25 percent of daily indoor water use in homes in the United States. Out of that, one-half of all toilets in homes in United States are older, less efficient models, which waste approximately 1.6 billion gallons of water each day. For a single individual, a High Efficiency Toilet can save 16,500 gallons of water a year.

What does this mean to you?

If you are paying for your water, multiply the rate they are charging you by 16,500 (per toilet in your house), and that is how much you could save by replacing your toilet. Do the same with the faucets you have in your house. If for no other reason than saving money, it is worth changing out your old toilets and faucets.

Altruistically, by conserving water we all work towards a better future for our families and our children’s children. After all, 2013 is not that far away. Kohler, in addition to creating water conserving products, also reclaims and reuses the rise water in their faucet facility and product testing labs, thereby saving millions of gallons of water.

Do you believe in doing business primarily with those companies that practice and produce environmentally conscious products? Are you thinking about replacing any of your toilets or faucets in the near future? Will you consider WaterSense labeled products?

Gold Certified for Art: Is Your City’s Art Museum LEED Certified?

In the news, most of what we see about the Midwest details how poor Michigan is doing economically. Yet, when you look at sustainability, Michigan is leading the nation. Green design has been going on in Grand Rapids for the past 16 years and has been championed by retired Steelcase chairman Peter Wege. They even have a journal, Grand Rapids Business Journal, that compiles volumes of information on sustainable business practices, building reuse or restoration methods to bio-economy businesses.

Western Michigan has more LEED certified buildings per capita than any other region in the country. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is not only the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified art museum in the United States, but also in the world. It is not just a LEED certified building, but it is a Gold certified building.

When a building is certified green, it does not just refer to the materials used in the building. It also considers operational functioning. Anyone who has ever designed for an art museum knows that there are very exacting climate standards to maintain the artwork in pristine condition. Green features include energy-efficient lighting, use of natural light, heating and cooling systems, and recycling systems for water and paper supplies.

The water collection system is able to reduce the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s demand for water by 20 percent. So in addition to using less water, they will be paying for less city water, which affects their operational costs. Natural lighting was used in 70 percent of the museum’s space and courtyards that can be viewed from the museum are planted with indigenous plants and trees.

Green educational programs and activities are offered as part of LEED requirements. Even the gift store has environmentally friendly retail items e.g. items made from recycled paper and organic cotton clothing are just a couple of items.

In addition to these factors, consideration was also given to where the museum would be located so that transportation to the museum would be easily accessible to public transportation or commute by bike.

Do you have a LEED certified project in your region?

Key Elements of Green Space Planning

Space planning is the act of deciphering solutions for a space based on client criteria and needs. During space planning, a designer will determine needed spaces, arrange the spaces as necessary to address flow of the space and also verify building codes – all at the same time!

Space planning is one of the most important rolls a designer can play – it is the basic step and most time intensive (can be at least) in order to finish selection and furniture planning of the space. When a designer is addressing space planning, they sometimes get to start from scratch. Other times they have to begin from an existing space that has obstacles like existing walls. But what are the challenges and added criteria when trying to plan green??

1. Use your walls – One of the greatest elements of green design is to use what you have. So if there are dividing walls in a space then why not use them to their greatest potential. When thinking green, you want to avoid using new materials when not needed. By using rooms and walls that are in existance you are not using any more virgin materials. And that is the key – what you are NOT using from scratch to make new.
2. Think about daylighting – Natural daylight needs to travel throughout a positive green interior. The use of daylighting does not only reduce the dependence on artificial light, and therefore reduce energy consumption, but it also saves money, increases employee productivity and allows space inhabitants to have a connection with the outdoor environment. All this from something that is free. You just have to plan for it.
3. Plan the height – 42” is a general standard of measure that is used in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and at this measurement, the inhabitants of a space can have clear view (meaning a view to the outdoors). If you can plan for this height you can once again increase productivity and make the office a more friendly work environment. Keep in mind that for LEED purposes you can have a clear line of site, including through levels of glazing or interior glass partitions.
4. Plan away from the windows – Be sure to save the aisle for next to the exterior – if you can place the offices and conference rooms toward the interior and the individual work stations on the exterior, all the planning for the above elements will be easier!

So these are just a few ways to plan smart and plan green! How is your office set up? Does it fit in with green design?

How to Save Water with Your Toilets

Looking for ways to save money on your water bill? Or do you have to replace your toilet soon? Have you considered going “green” with your replacement?

Depending on how old your home or office is will determine what gallons per flush (gpf) your current toilet is. I would recommend consulting with a licensed plumber or engineer to determine how to save the most water with your replacement fixture. If you are in an office building, water-use reduction calculations can be done that are determined by the number of full-time, part-time, and transient’s occupants.

If you have decided to install a water-saving toilet, there are several options that may work for you. The standard water closet is 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf); this is what the majority of people are going to have in their homes and offices.

If you are looking to save more water than this without making a big change, then the duel flush toilet might be the option for you! This allows for the user to select if a half-flush or full flush is needed to dispose of the waste. Most residential duel flush toilets have 2 buttons on the top and you can select which one is needed. Many commercial buildings have a lever that you either push up or down. Often a sign with pictures is posted to tell you which way is which. Sometimes a green handle is installed as an indicator that this fixture is different than the norm.

If you are looking to save water without the complication of selecting with button or lever you need, then a high-efficiency, single flush gravity toilet that is 1.28 gpf may be the option for you. This uses less water than the conventional toilet but still works great! The lowest water consumption toilet option would be a single-flush, pressure assist that is 1.0 gpf.

Now, if you are really “green,” a nonwater toilet may be perfect for you, in so many words that is a compost toilet. This is only for those that really want to be the most environmentally friendly. There are special cleaning instructions and maintenance procedures for this toilet. Personally, I am very environmentally friendly, but I wouldn’t be caught cleaning this toilet!

If you choose to replace your current toilet with a water-saving fixture, make sure to have a preventative maintenance program set-up. This includes plumbing fixture and fitting inspection to find any leaks or sensor issues. This will make sure that your flush and/or flow is appropriate at all times to save you the most water possible

Have you tried any of these alternative toilets? Which is your favorite? Would you ever consider choosing a compost toilet?

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something… Green? What is the Greenest Method – New Construction VS. Existing Facilities?

Green buildings are all the rage. New technologies and innovate thinking are turning the new construction projects of today into the most efficient and effective ever. But is this new and innovative thinking for new facilities looking over existing structures that their preexisting embodied energy?

Some of the most obvious positive features of new green construction and interiors are:

• Enhanced energy efficiency
• Responsive and conservational HVAC application
• Smart recycled content, rapidly renewable and recyclable material application
• Positive site selection, most available municipalities, planning for smart commuting, location planned for closeness of modern conveniences to reduce carbon footprint of space inhabitants
• Enhancements in water usage, application of rainwater collection, use of grey water reuse from sinks for irrigation and water closet flushing
• Possible implementation of site remediation, for the reuse of a site otherwise destroyed by contamination.

So with all of these positives in mind it is easy to forget that at the end of the day these are still construction projects, which means large equipment, lots of shipping, long construction schedules and virgin material use. Not to mention there are also the elements of site disturbance, depends on urban or rural planning, but either way it is either a site clean up or clearing out which can cause impact.

In comparison to the above, here are a few of the eco-conscience benefits of using existing structures for facility remodeling:

• Use of less virgin material
• Use of existing internal and external structure
• Existing infrastructure, parking lots, community lines and building footprint, etc…
• Reduced site disturbance
• Preservation of historical relevance

When using existing structures there will be the obvious use of existing space and materials versus new. However, it is possible to update mechanical, electrical, plumbing fixtures and irrigation – but by updating, are we truly making a facility just as efficient as if we were planning new from square one? Probably not. I think that there will always be a continual argument of something old versus something new, but I think there are a few key thought provoking questions to get a conversation going for a project:

• Is there an existing structure available that meets our user needs for space, location and commuting?
• If so, how old is the facility? How much of the existing structure can we use? Is it stable? Are we able to update the building systems?
• Does this existing structure meet most of our expectations?
• Does the facility hold any historical ties to the surrounding community? Is there an opportunity to beautify and celebrate the past?

If you answer yes to most of the above then maybe there is a way for you to reduce the embodied energy of your project – maybe there is a way to remodel a house versus build a new one? I think I am a bit biased, but I really do think using what we have already built is very important. Sometimes you can’t avoid building new, but I believe when you can you should.

What do you think is the more green solution – something old, something new? Because in the end we really are just borrowing this planet from the generation to come. How can we plan smarter?

Pie Fight to Show Carpet Qualities

I was recently checking out carpets for a new client I had and her statement to me was that she wanted the carpeting that withstood the Guinness Book of Records pie fight. Okay, now that is not the usual qualities I have received from clients in the past regarding their carpeting. Typically it’s “I like plush” or “I love the look of berber“, “I want it green” (as in good for the environment) or “It has to withstand 4 kids, a dog and a guinea pig.” So of course, I had to check this out. After doing a little research, I figured out what happened.

Anso Nylon is simply a carpet made of nylon with the brand of Anso. As we all know, nylon is tough, resilient and durable. This tough fiber comes with a treatment of soil resistance. It has been around for forty years. To prove it will retain its texture, resist soil, stains and wear, it has a limited warranty for twenty years. In addition, this nylon carpeting is called ‘green’ because it can be recycled into carpet fiber forever. Not sure how reusing the carpet to remake something means it is green, but I digress. About that pie fight.

Shaw, who is the manufacturer who owns Anso Nylon, arranged to have a great event to show off this product. On January 7, 2010, they laid out 3,000 square feet of carpeting. Not just any carpeting, but Anso carpeting. They then had 400 pie throwers gather under the big top with 1,200 pies. The countdown ended and pies started flying. They made the world record for Guinness. Then they shoveled up the aluminum pie pans and pie residue and brought in a carpet cleaner and, surprising enough, it cleaned up!

So, is this a good enough reason to buy nylon carpeting? Probably not, but if you’re interested in watching the fight, check it out here. Tell me what you think about nylon carpeting, the largest pie fight, or about how this is environmentally green?

The Debate on Whole House Air Purification Systems vs. the Good Old Fashioned Open Window!

I recently heard that my city is one of the worst in the nation when it comes to air quality. (A good excuse not to get out for a jog…right?) Well, it got me thinking about what simple things that I could do in my own environment to improve the quality of air. Here is some debatable information that may blow your mind! Sorry to all you “Green Design” Lovers out there. Sometimes I don’t think that we realize the ramifications that “new-to-the market” building materials may have on our health.

As it turns out, indoor air quality has become one of the major concerns of the Environmental Protection Agency. Strangely enough, air inside homes and offices is more toxic than the worst outdoor air – possibly two to five times worse, especially in newer, energy efficient houses. Insulating properties designed to keep winter’s cold air out and summer’s air conditioning in are not assisting you in improving the air quality in your home. The old fashioned exchange of indoor/outdoor air doesn’t happen often enough in the newer energy efficient homes to keep interior air safe to breathe. It is times like these that I am glad I live in an 80 year old home! LEAD RULES!

The reality is that the implementation of new materials that can reduce your overall utility bill may also result in higher health costs. Allergies are on the rise. One study determined that 54% of our body’s energy comes from the air we breathe, so the stuffy air indoors – where most of us spend 90% of our time – are depleting our body’s natural resource for defense on every level while it attacks our immune systems with an overload of used air.

The traditional solution of “opening a window” isn’t always possible in office buildings.

Studies show that air filtration and purification systems can correct the problem. As I began to search for systems, I saw a mind-boggling assortment of options in a wide price range to improve the quality of the air we breathe. Not one filter or purification system can meet all needs in all areas, so it’s important to know what you are shopping for in an air cleaning system for your home.

Here are some pros and cons highlighted in pursuing a system, if you choose to at all:

These are key words that you will find on packaging or labels in the specifications of various systems

• Ionizers: This is a process used in conjunction with other kinds of filters. It emits a small electric charge to the air stream which draws air through it; this creates a magnetic-like attraction for pollution particles and causes them to adhere to the filter.

• Electrostatic Precipitators: Filters the air by creating opposite charges on metal wires or plates; this attracts and holds dust, pollen, smoke and other particles as small as .0001 microns on a metal, glass or fiberglass assembly that can be washed and re-used.

• Ultraviolet Light Purification: Passes the air through a UV system that destroys bacteria, viruses, and dust mites of any size.

• Ozone Releasing: Destroys all bacteria that comes in contact with the ozone, and leaves a “fresh” smell in the air. We associate this with the clean smell following rain, because some ozone, carried from the outer atmosphere where it protects us from harmful sun rays, remains in the lower atmosphere after a storm.

The safety of ozone gas in interiors, however, is questionable; it can irritate the lining of lungs and exacerbate breathing problems. The US federal government has set standards depending on the rate of filtration and room size recommendations. The Canadian government has banned the sale of ozone releasing air purification systems.

• High Efficiency Particulate Air (hepa) cleaners capture airborne pollutants .3 microns or larger; this includes some tobacco smoke, household dust, and pollens. The are designed to remove 99.97% of the particulates that pass through the filters, which cannot be cleaned and re-used; they must be replaced. They have no effect on fumes, viruses, bacteria, smaller mold spores, and some tobacco particulates.

• Ultra Hepa: A more efficient version of the hepa, the makers of these filters claim that they remove out 99.999% of the particulates that pass through them.

I often wonder if we are getting too smart for our own good. What does “environmentally friendly” really mean? What is “All Natural”? Did you know that you can buy a bag of “All Natural Doritos” at the grocery store now? We live in a society that has managed to put a label on everything, making us all believers in better ways to live our lives. Mother Nature is our oldest and most natural cleaning process. I think that our bodies adapt to our surroundings. Sure, some of us may feel that we will live longer than others due to the air quality around us, but in the end, we all have to “live” somewhere. Even if the Amazon was noted as having the best air around…what would happen if we ALL moved there? Not so great anymore…right?

Through all of my searching, I find myself laughing…just crack a window and live your life! Get outside for awhile. I have decided that instead of investing in an air purification system, I think a nice outdoor breeze sounds much better than recycling used indoor air.

What are your favorite outdoor activities? How do you feel about this green living trend?  Share your thoughts and pastimes on here!