How Green Building Saves Water

Ted Vitale is a construction executive with over 15 years of experience in the Chapel Hill construction market. As an evolving professional, Ted Vitale is particularly interested in modern construction trends such as green building.

The term “green building” refers to using eco-friendly construction practices throughout a building’s life cycle. Today, green building is a major approach to ensuring water conservation and efficiency in countries worldwide.

Rainwater harvesting is one way that green building helps save water. It collects rainwater for daily use rather than being disposed of in the sewage system. Rainwater is typically collected through the roof of a building and filtered into a reservoir. Rainwater collected can be used for gardening, washing, and other household purposes.

Greywater recycling is another way that green building saves water. Greywater is used household water that has not been contaminated by toilet waste, such as water from the sink, showers, washing machines, and dishwashers. Before being used, such water goes through a treatment process (which could include filtration, solids settlement, UV disinfection, and so on). Recycled greywater can only be used for domestic purposes such as washing and irrigation; it is unsafe for human consumption.

Finally, low-flow plumbing fixtures are another way green building saves water. Plumbing fixtures like faucets, shower heads, and sinks are designed to use less water. With this feature, green buildings can save up to 80 percent of the water that a traditional building uses. Green building toilets, for example, can use 1.3 gallons of water per flush, whereas non-green building toilets can use up to seven gallons.