Saving Water

Posted: 07.15.2010

Yurt Sweet Yurt: An Eco-Friendly, Water-Efficient Life in Western Montana

Eco-friendly plumbing fixtures are often found in really interesting and unique eco-friendly homes. The Professor recently had the opportunity to chat with Patty Woodland, who lives in a newly-built yurt in Western Montana, about how her WaterSense-certified faucets and toilet fit into her green lifestyle. In the interview below Patty discusses her experiences as a part-time goatherd, soap maker and jewelry designer and also tells us what steps she took to make her home an earth-friendly space.

1. What is a yurt?
According to the dictionary, a yurt is: a circular tent consisting of a framework of poles covered with felt or skins, used by Mongolian and Turkic nomads of E and central Asia. But MY yurt is more permanent. It is a kit house my husband found and it arrived on two flatbed trailers. It consists of 36, 4′ panels with a 6′ skylight at the center. The ceiling is 18′ high and pie shaped paneled wood sections. The interior walls go up 9′ so it is very open and airy. We wanted a unique home with lots of windows to take advantage of the beautiful view we have of the Clark Fork River and this fits the bill.

2. Why did you choose to live in a yurt?
Yurts are very energy efficient structures. They also stand up well to high winds  – which we see in our spring storm season. My husband was intrigued with the idea and once he gets an idea in his head there is no stopping him. Additionally, the price per square foot for the kit was quite affordable and we could design the interior to our needs.

3.  What other funny-sounding names do you have in your life?
I have a small herd of dairy goats that I have named after family and friends. There is this one very stubborn goat named Nora. The head goat is Pricilla and she is the SpokesGoat for Happy Goat Soap, a small business I run using the excess milk from my little herd. She takes her duties very seriously; she blogs! She posts every day to The Maaaaa of Pricilla telling tales of her life on the Happy Goats Farm with all of the goats; Abby, Mallory, Sarah, Stubborn Nora, Luke, Little Lew and Little Timmy (the new kids on the Farm). She also sometimes mentions the Farm cats Stinky, Pumpkin and Sherpa.

4. What are the eco-friendly choices you made in your yurt?
We are trying to make all of our choices as green as possible! Our flooring is bamboo and Marmoleum. Marmoleum is green alternative to linoleum made of linseed oil and jute. We used low VOC paint on the walls and will use it on the trim – whenever the trim gets added. All of the light fixtures and appliances are Energy Star rated. Our toilet and bathroom faucets are water conserving since we live in an area of the country where water use is a big concern. The windows are Low E and we added an overhang to the roof so as to keep the house cool in the summer and warmer in the winter. We also added additional windows for passive solar heating. We insulated the basement with ICF so that it helps to again keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Our woodstove meets the highest standards for emissions as set by the EPA.  My countertop is a recycled quartz called Caesarstone.

5. What are the eco-friendly choices you declined due to budget?
I had fallen in love with artisan made cabinets made from larch grown here in Montana but the cost was just too great. I am very happy with the cherry cabinets I did get, and the company is part of a green network, but it would have been nice to have them crafted locally. My cabinets are all hardwood and again, due to costs I only have base cabinets. The plans called for additional base and wall cabinets and more countertop. I opted to put in two sets of steel shelving. They compliment the open feel of the yurt and will provide plenty of additional storage and display space for my canning jars and pantry items. We also want to add solar hot water and electric but it will have to wait until we can save the money.

6.  You live far more vibrantly than the Professor, great richness of color in your rooms. Does the Professor note a well-trained eye for art and artistic expression?

I don’t know about well-trained but my mother was an artist and I think I may have inherited her sense of color. I came late in life to a talent for making jewelry. I love pairing different gemstones and I sell my creations at Broken Teepee Designs. Why live in a beige house when you can have a cherry red kitchen, a yellow bedroom and a raspberry bathroom? If one is not comfortable picking out bold colors there are designers that are more than happy to help. And I know that not everyone wants to live in a house full of bold colors but try adding a touch of red or pinch of purple. It will make you days in your house happy.

7. Does your American Standard FloWise toilet flush well?  Does it flush powerfully?
Oh yes! I am very happy with the high-efficiency toilet; especially with the fact that it uses so little water!

Posted: 06.18.2010

On Saving (Seltzer) Water at the Brooklyn Farmacy

Like most people, the Professor enjoys a treat now and again, and nothing hits the spot like an old-fashioned chocolate egg cream. And in Brooklyn, New York, there is now a great new place to have one, thanks in part to the assistance of the TV show Construction Intervention. The shop is called the Brooklyn Farmacy, and proprietor Peter Freeman was about to give up on his dream of opening a neighborhood ice cream shop in a beautiful 100 year-old pharmacy because of the daunting amount of renovations the building required.

A chance encounter with the casting director of the television show saved the day, and Peter agreed to let the crew of Construction Intervention renovate the shop for an episode of the show. The Farmacy’s electrical wiring was re-done, structural problems with the building were fixed, a long soda counter was installed, and two new bathrooms that now feature WaterSense-certified toilets and faucets from American Standard were built.

Having comfortable and inviting bathrooms was important to Peter, who wanted a safe, clean environment for neighborhood kids to wash their hands before digging into a slice of his strawberry-rhubarb pie. The Professor also notes that the new water-saving fixtures also compliment his eco-friendly philosophy of buying locally and sustainably made products.

Congratulations, Peter! The Professor tips his hat to you.

Posted: 06.08.2010

Shower Systems, Water Conservation and the DOE

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing a new interpretation of the term “showerhead” in the DOE’s regulations related to the energy conservation program for consumer products.

The proposal will re-define showerheads as shower valves, allowing only a single showerhead using no more than 2.5 gallons per minute of water per showering compartment. Unless challenged, the new definition would take place by June 18.  (Source: Supply House Times).

American Standard is all for water conservation and we back many federal, state and local government initiatives, such as the EPA WaterSense program.

This action, however, is a significant step backwards from everything we now know about safe bathing for people of all ages, heights and abilities. Smart shower systems designed by experienced professionals have controls for different showerheads in the same shower enclosure, set at different heights for children, aging-in-place and universal accessibility.

The new definition also threatens to increase costs to build schools and other institutions that require multiple showering areas, since separate shower valves will be required for every showerhead.

Professor Toilet urges everyone to contact the DOE re: Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-NOA-0016

1.  Leave comments for the DOE.

2. Send an email.

3. Write to: Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-NOA-0016, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585

PS:  Professor Toilet would prefer to see government action along the lines of   “cash for flushers.” (Of course, the Professor brings it back to toilets.)   Water conservation rebates implemented in many cities and counties around the nation have encouraged many homeowners to replace old water wasters with toilets that perform better on less water.

Posted: 05.24.2010

Dual Flush Retrofit Kits for Dual Flush Toilets – Do They Work?

Sadly, no.  This is one to file under, “Too Good to Be True.”

There are several aftermarket retrofit kits available today that promise to transform a standard toilet into a dual flush model that can “save more water than a high priced high-efficiency toilet.”

Unfortunately, these gadgets simply regulate the amount of water entering the bowl and do nothing to alter the water flow in or out of the bowl.  Since bowl design is the most important factor in a toilet’s performance – and even more critical in low-flow toilets – these kits promise far more than they deliver.

As the Professor has previously explained, standard and dual flush toilets have different flushing mechanics.  While standard toilets depend on siphonic action to “pull” waste out of the bowl, dual flush toilets rely on the “push” of water to clear the bowl.  More advanced technology, such as the WaterSense-certified H2Option Dual Flush Toilet, combines the traditional siphonic “pull” force with the newer “push” action associated with the washdown flush.

Because standard toilet bowls are not specifically engineered for less water, homeowners will have as much luck using these retrofit kits as they would adding a brick to the toilet tank.  Both strategies try to “trick” toilet science and will likely result in incomplete flushes.  Worse, users will likely overcome this problem by – you guessed it – flushing again.  Multiple flushes eliminate any possible water savings.

In addition to voiding the American Standard warranty on toilets, installing these types of gadgets will frustrate homeowners and discourage any future use of proven water saving technologies such as HETs and dual flush toilets.

Physics, as it turns out, is it right up there with “can’t fool Mother Nature.”

Posted: 05.20.2010

A Sustainable New Habitat

The Professor would like to congratulate The Home Depot Foundation and the great team of American Standard Brands employees for all the great work they did at the 2010 Community Building Invitational, held yesterday in San Antonio, TX.

Fifteen of these new homes, which are being built for Habitat For Humanity, will also feature sustainable bathrooms that include WaterSense-certified faucets, toilets, and showerheads donated by American Standard Brands. A job well done all around.

Posted: 05.11.2010

Toilet Myth Busting: Water Saving Toilets Carry The Load

Many plumbing professionals worry about the ability of water saving toilets to sufficiently carry waste to the sewer. While architects typically determine the sizing, pitch and venting requirements for drain lines, Professor Toilet and other toilet scientists focus exclusively on the science of effective flushing.

Coined “Drain Line Carry,” the ASME Standard requires that every toilet – regardless of water volume used in a flush – be able to drive 100 ¾-inch polypro balls down a 3-inch rigid pipe an average of 40 feet.  All of American Standard’s water closets meet this standard and many, including Champion 4, Cadet 3, Colony FitRight, Evolution2 and H2Option, exceed that requirement by more than 16 feet. Here’s where we test:

Helping to transport waste through drain lines is what engineers term “supplemental flow,” or additional water generated from faucets, showers, clothes washing, etc., which is obviously more prevalent in residential than commercial applications.

In other words, drain line clogging isn’t likely to be caused by a water saving toilet. Other common causes of drain line clogging are broken or misaligned pipes, buildup of grease or grit within the drain, as well as flushing inappropriate materials.

Special note to commercial building professionals: Installations with extremely long drain lines (e.g., shopping malls or industrial sites), may require evaluation on a site-by-site basis, especially if no supplemental flows are available.

Posted: 05.04.2010

WaterSense Products a Key Element in Green Rebuilding Efforts

On May 4, 2007, the town of Greensburg, Kansas was destroyed by an EF5 tornado. Ninety-five percent of the town was leveled by the storm and 11 people lost their lives. In the wake of this tragedy the residents of Greensburg chose to take advantage of what they realized was an historic opportunity and began to rebuild their home into the first LEED Platinum town in the country.

Today, on the 3rd anniversary of the Greensburg tornado, the Professor gives a tip of the hat to the resilient residents of Greensburg for their amazing accomplishments.

Most of the news coverage has focused on Greensburg’s wind farm, rainwater harvesting efforts, recycled building materials, and LED-powered streetlights. However, one other important feature in the town’s new, environmentally-friendly plan includes the installation of WaterSense-certified plumbing products in the reconstructed homes.

To help residents conserve water, American Standard Brands donated a number of products, including several low-flow Cadet 3 and FloWise toilets, both of which use 20% less water per flush than standard toilets. Several Greensburg homes also received water-saving Reliant 3 faucets and FloWise bath and shower kits.

Making use of clean energy technologies and reclaimed building materials are truly laudable actions, but as always, the Professor is especially pleased to see that water conservation is a key aspect of Greensburg’s low-impact lifestyle.

Posted: 05.04.2010

Dual Flush Toilet Review: Washdown vs. Siphonic Action

Professor Toilet is pleased to see enthusiasm for dual flush toilets finally catching on in the United States.

Designed more than 30 years ago by an Australian Toilet Scientist, dual flush technology can reduce water usage by up to 67%. To put this into perspective, that’s like saving an average of 9,600 gallons a day over the old 3.5-gallon behemoths, or enough water to fill three hot tubs each day when compared to a 1.6-gallon toilet.

Dual flush toilets are actually mandated in Australia and Singapore, and catching on fast in North America because of the simple premise: “push 1 for 1 and push 2 for 2,”  A number 1 flush uses less water, a far more pleasant alternative to “if it’s yellow, let it mellow.” A number 2 flush is designed to take down solids without clogging, typically using the same 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) as standard toilets like the Champion 4 and Cadet 3.

Dual Flush Washdown vs. Dual Flush Siphonic

One issue slowing more widespread adoption of dual flush toilets in the US is a technical term that toilet scientists call skid marks. The Professor assumes that you don’t need a visual on that; in short, it’s a bowl that won’t stay clean after pushing 2 for 2.  You may use other words for it when it happens.

Dual flush toilets rely on the “push” of water to cleanse the bowl in what is known as a washdown flush.  In contrast, standard toilets depend on the more popular siphonic action to “pull” waste out.

To strengthen the push action, the bowls of dual flush models are sloped more sharply than standard toilets to give the water greater momentum, which can also increase splashing.  The steeped bowls mean a smaller “water spot” or water surface area in the bowl, which makes it more likely that toilet paper or other waste will cling to the sides of the bowl, staining and generating odors.

The toilet engineers at American Standard have overcome these two hurdles with a dual flush toilet that removes every last trace of paper and waste, as well as one that offers a large traditional water surface area.

The WaterSense-certified H2Option Dual Flush Toilet is the first truly siphonic dual flush toilet, which generates strong push and pull action through forceful but quiet jetted action under the rim.  When the user flushes H2Option, some of the water is instantly diverted to the rim where there are a series of chambers.  The air in the chambers pushes the ongoing coming water forcefully out into the bowl. The resulting downhill rush of water creates an all-but-irresistible pull on the water behind it, so that every last trace of waste is removed from the bowl.

Posted: 04.30.2010

NJDEP’s Water Supply Program Auctions Handpainted Rain Barrels

One of the Professor’s favorite ways to preserve fresh water resources outside of the bathroom is by collecting rainwater for household uses like watering lawns or gardens. The benefits of rainwater harvesting are many: it can reduce your water bill, keep excess rainwater out of local sewage systems, and because rainwater is naturally softened, it’s the best water to use for watering delicate plants and for washing windows and cars.

Program Rainwater harvesting can even be beautiful, thanks to ‘The One Barrel at a Time Artist Co-op,’ which came out of a collaboration between NJDEP’s Water Supply Program, the Rutgers Water Resources, Lucid Graphics, and a number of talented NJ artists.

The Co-op is currently auctioning off handpainted rain barrels on ebay. To view – and bid on – these unique works of art just follow this link or visit www.ebay.com and search for ‘Rutgers Rain Barrel.’ The auctions will close this Saturday, May 1st, so place your bids now if you’d like to support this project

Posted: 04.13.2010

AIA Survey: Architects see increased consumer demand for water saving toilets

Replacing a standard toilet with a dual flush system can save more than 29,000 gallons of water per year, which can translate to big savings on water bills. With so many new low-flow toilets available on the market, it’s no wonder that more and more consumers are embracing siphonic dual-flush toilets.