Water savings
Let’s talk water savings:
With water use restrictions in effect at the moment it seems like a good time to go over water saving techniques. Here are three ways to save, conserve and use water more effectively.
Water harvesting – Sometimes they go by the name of pregnant downspouts. The system can be as simple as a plastic or metal 50 gal drum under a downspout. And it’s not just all for the fun of it. Austin water utility offers rebates up to $5,000. A more complex system can involve a large above ground or buried water tank with pumps and other gadgets. In addition to providing free water to nourish plants, systems can be used to flush toilets, wash clothes or dishes and when filtered is cleaner than city water. Water storage is ubiquitous in drought ridden Australia where metal and plastic tanks are a fixture of the rural landscape. I think we can learn a lot from other similar conservation regions. Along with PVs (photovoltaic panels), higher efficiency appliances and lighting, higher insulation and water harvesting, every house can become close to net zero and grid independent. Power and water utilities are needed but reduced costs and use will benefit everyone.
Composting toilets – Quite simply, they don’t use water. Some use foam instead. As a comparison an average flush toilet uses 34,000 gal a year. Flush toilets have not been widely upgraded since its initial design and use in the late 1800s. Composting toilets on the other hand have improved ventilation and are self-contained systems. General price ranges are between $1600 – $2800. Compared to $238 for a dual flush Toto or a free low flow toilet from the City of Austin. But considered as a whole system composting toilets are comparable to septic or conventional toilet plumbing because of piping, maintenance and peripheral costs. At $23 a month for a standard flush toilet for water and waste water charges in five years a composting pays for itself and you start saving money. Composting toilets produce clean, odorless and biologically safe organic material that can be used as fertilizer. The composting process reduces human biomass by 90% through simple evaporation. Most models have an electric exhaust fan that is plumbed out the roof or exterior wall which operates when in use and to increase evaporation. Some models are certified with the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), which is an international organization that supports legislators and regulator in areas of public health and safety. Contact the City of Austin for specific local sanitation requirements.
Green roofs – Have been around since the idea of a shelter but were replaced by industrial products like metal, clay tiles and asphalt until waterproofing materials advanced. There has been a resurgence in the installation with the environmental movement. Rough costs are between $8-$20 per square foot. Compared to $5-7 per square foot for asphalt shingles. Green roofs offer a significant number of benefits over conventional roofs. Plant growth on a green roof guards the lower waterproof surface against sun damage. The waterproof surface is strong enough to stand up to root growth. With one of the oldest green roofs still in use since 1914 in the Netherlands they have a much better lifespan than asphalt shingles or metal. They also act as a water retention surface which guards against flooding water treatment facilities in the city. Conventional roofs mostly deteriorate due to sun damage, rust or weather breakdown and plant growth. All three of these issues are mitigated in a green roof through proper layering and plant growth is supported rather than battled. Besides the obvious benefit of plants, green roofs counter the heat island effect. We are all familiar with this heat difference in a huge asphalt parking lot compared to a grassy field. Flat roofs become a lovely space to relax and pitched roofs become vertical gardens. The water harvesting and landscape incentive could be considered for city rebates, which could provide additional offset of any added initial costs.
Links:
1. UK green roof overview
2. Austin green roof network
3. Austin City Hall green roof
4. City of Austin water rebates
Composting and incinerator toilets:
1. Sun-Mar Compact Model – Cost: $1625 Capacity: 1-2 people
2. Mulltoa Mulltoa 60 Model – Cost: $2790 Capacity: 4-6 people
3. Biolet TR Model – Cost: $1899 Capacity: 3-4 people
4. Incinolet Model 1 – Cost: $1799 Capacity: 8 people
References:
Green roof costs – http://www.lid-stormwater.net/greenroofs_cost.htm
Water rebates – http://fifthwallroofing.com/rainwater-harvesting-rebates/ ,
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/conservation/rebates.htm
Roofing calculator – http://www.newenglandmetalroof.com/roofing-calculator.html
Image Credits:
1. Green Roof – Sookie @ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MEC%27s_green_roof_among_others.jpg
2. Rainwater barrel - Mark Stosberg @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/markstos/4687122540/
3. Composting toilet - http://www.homecompostingsolutions.com/product/CSEM-01400 & http://www.biolet.com/
4. Green Roof 2 – thingermejig @ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Construction_sample_of_a_green_roof_system.jpg
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High Efficiency Walls and Windows
Summer solar shading study animation
Let’s talk windows:
The University of Minnesota developed a simple site for comparing the savings of different windows. The link below is for San Antonio, TX. They tabulate $450 annually for energy costs for a double glazed window. $850 is the annual cost for a house with single pane metal-framed windows. So an upgrade from single pane to double pane saves $400 a year. Window upgrades alone can save 35% on energy costs in hot climates and 26% savings in cold climates. Why the difference in percentages? Probably due to the temperature difference of outside environment vs. the interior conditioned space. In a warm climate zone the major energy need is in the summer with 100˚ outside to 75˚ inside with a difference of 25˚. In a cold climate zone the major energy draw is in the winter with 20˚ outside and 75˚ inside for a difference of 55˚.
Now let’s talk walls:
For those new to R-value, it represents a unit of thermal resistance. Cotton insulation is roughly R-4 per inch. Iso (Polyisocyanurate) foam is R-7.2. The thicker the insulation the more resistance to heat and cold transfer. Around R-45 is the point at which the energy savings top out compared to the cost of the upgrade. Energy savings between R-3 and R-45 is $500 annually for average electrical costs. Annual energy savings for upgrading from R-45 to R-90 is $20. This simple analysis demonstrates peak efficiency. The current building code minimum is R-13 for walls. When renovating a house, asking “how much do I want to pay for energy bills?” can be good start rather than going with the minimum insulation.
A combined upgrade with 3” added to the wall thickness and upgraded windows could save nearly $1000 annually. Windows alone can improve efficiency by roughly 30% every year. Additional energy savings can be achieved with upgraded appliances, hot water heaters, lighting fixtures, etc. A whole house analysis and renovation can cut energy costs down to between 20-90% depending on the scale of the home improvement. The Passive House Institute system is the highest energy standard in the country with reductions up to 90%.
Additional links for R-value upgrades and energy savings calculations:
1. Home Energy Saver™ (HES) developed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for the DOE (Department of Energy)
3. Efficientwindows.org was developed by The Center for Sustainable Building Research, Alliance to Save Energy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
4. Efficientwindows.org – Window Products tied to energy costs
5. Cost Savings with R-Value Upgrades
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Green Insulation Choices in Building
It’s no secret that having a well insulated home makes a big impact on your energy conservation efforts. A well insulated house retains hot air in the winter and cool in the summer, but picking a type of insulation today isn’t as simple as it was ten years ago. There are many different choices of insulation, some working better than others and all having pros and cons. When thinking about your next renovation, consider these green insulation alternatives.
Mongolian nomads first used wool insulation in felted pads to insulate the floors and walls of their yurt dwellings. Today it is becoming a more popular choice for non-yurt housing in Europe, Australia and Canada with more manufacturers popping up in the US. Wool insulation is sustainable, natural and flame resistent, but is sometimes susceptible to insect damage.
Structural insulated panels or SIPS are a composite building material consisting of a layer of polymer foam sandwiched between two layers of structural board made out of sheet metal, plywood, cement or oriented stand board. This insulation choice is extremely air-tight, but SIPS are usually designed for new construction projects and do not allow for much post-build remodeling.
Next time you have an old pair of jeans, think about their potential with insulation before you turn them into sketchy cut-off shorts! Denim is used today in insulation as a replacement for fiberglass, and is made from the remnants of fabric left over after making blue jeans. Using denim for insulation is safe and easy to install, but can be expensive and is not completely fire resistant.
When The WHOLE Place takes on a building project, we turn to a local product for our insulation needs. Demilec USA, based out of Arlington, Texas, provides spray foam insulation for energy efficient buildings. This cellulose based insulation is healthier for installers and home owners than traditional fiberglass materials. In our latest renovation we used the Demilec SEALECTION® 500 for our insulation. This non-toxic plant based foam expands to 120 times its volume to fill every bit of an area for air tight performance. We love this local, affordable product to provide our clients with a safe insulation product for an energy efficient home!
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Awesome Austin, TX Photography
May is National Photography Month, and what better way to celebrate than to share these beautiful pictures of our favorite town? The only thing better is to head out to Austin and get some good photos yourself!
Pennybacker Bridge by Miles Bintz
Texas State Capitol by Dave Wilson
The Cup Cake Airstream of Austin by Trey Ratcliff
Musician Loading and Unloading at SXSW by Trey Ratcliff
Sunset by Trey Ratcliff
Pulling into the Austin Motel after dark by Trey Ratcliff
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Beat the Summer Heat with Energy Saving Tips
You don’t have to live in Texas for long to realize that the summer heat here can kill your electricity bill. An energy consultation can always help with specific ways you can utilize your home more efficiently, but these general tips are quick ways you can help the impact this summer has on your utilities.
It sounds like complete common sense, but one way to save energy is to have all your appliances unplugged. Even when appliances are just switched “off” they still use 75% of your electricity.
How you use your household appliances also has a major effect on electricity. A front loading washing machine uses 25% less energy than a standard model. Also with laundry, using warm or cold water settings instead of hot water can save 4% off your electricity. After washing, line drying your clothes can save another 5%.
With your dishwasher, you actually use more water hand washing dishes than you do running the dishwasher. And since you’re going to be running the dishwasher now anyways, make sure it’s full! A dishwasher at 90% capacity uses 4 units of electricity, while a dishwasher at 50% capacity still uses 3 units – so a full dishwasher is much more energy efficient than a mostly empty one.
After the dishes and clothes are all clean, there’s still one major appliance you can use more efficiently – the refrigerator. Keeping the fridge full of food helps it from warming up too fast when the door is open, so it doesn’t have to work as hard to stay cool.
On top of these appliance tips, it’s also important to think about air flow in your house. You can save 1-3 percent per degree for each degree the thermostat is set above 72. So if you’re heading out of the house for the weekend bump up the temperature to 85 to save on cooling costs. Also be sure to replace dirty air filters to save another 1-2%. Another big way to save is to have your ducts tested for any leaks or restrictions. Leaking duct work account for 25% of cooling costs in the average home, and duct cleaning is not the same as duct testing which should be done by a qualified contractor.
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Jay Billig Featured in L Style G Style
The WHOLE Place president, Jay Billig, is featured in a spread in the May/June issue of L Style G Style.
L Style G Style is the authoritative lifestyle magazine for social and cultural influencers in the gay/lesbian community. It offers an unprecedented forum for reaching highly discerning and affluent consumers who set the tastes and trends for our society as a whole.
From lstylegstyle.com
The article features Jay’s life with his two kids, growing up in a large family, and living in Austin. You can read it and the rest of this great magazine by clicking here. Jay rocks! At least we think so…
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Living Tips for Smaller Spaces
We all have a different perspective of what an ideally-sized space is, and for a variety of reasons, many of us find ourselves living in a small space now more than ever. Whether you’re downsizing or choosing to live small, living in such a space can be a challenge. But have no fear, there are many things you can do to fully utilize every nook and cranny of your home.
First and foremost, don’t be afraid to downsize. That musical instrument you haven’t touched since high school? Those outfits you “maybe will wear one day” – there are plenty of others who would use and appreciate them. Consider donating your excess stuff to a local non-profit – or have a good ‘ol fashioned yard sale and use the money for smart storage.
One way to maximize all the space you can is the use of floor-to-ceiling shelves. By placing everyday things on the eye level shelves, and less needed items up high (keep the trusty step stool at hand) you make effective use of that space. Make sure to keep shelves neat and tidy to avoid any unnecessary clutter.
Go digital. Save CDs and other music overflowing off your shelves onto an external hard drive. It’ll sync up with your iTunes easily and save room from all those plastic cases. New record players will also record LP’s as MP3′s, making digital storing easier and more space efficient!
On top of organization and storage, there’s always tricking the eye to make a room seem larger. You’ve read our take on horizontal lines stretching a space, and using well-designed storage like we show here helps contain the stuff of everyday life right at your fingertips. This is the practical side of “less is more” and makes even small spaces feel roomy.
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Dive into local produce at Austin Farmers’ Markets!
Buying from a Farmer’s market allows you to talk to the source directly, discover new plant varieties, learn uses for certain fruits and vegetables, and you can shop confidently knowing you’re helping your local community. By buying local, you also reduce the distance the food had to travel to get to your plate. Less shipping = less fuel & emissions = greener produce, simple as that!
Did You Know? (from www.sustainabletable.org)
- Communities reap more economic benefits from the presence of small farms than they do from large ones. Studies have shown that small farms re-invest more money into local economies by purchasing feed, seed and other materials from local businesses, whereas large farms often order in bulk from distant companies.
- A typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table.
- Farmers’ markets enable farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.
- The food miles for items in the grocery store are, on average, 27 times higher than the food miles for goods bought from local sources.
- In the U.S., the average grocery store’s produce travels nearly 1,500 miles between the farm where it was grown and your refrigerator.
- About 40% of our fruit is produced overseas and, even though broccoli is grown all over the country, the broccoli we buy at the supermarket travels an average of 1,800 miles to get there.
Of course there are other immediate benefits to buying at Austin Farmer’s Markets that may be more important to you immediately – the amazing food! We are familiar with 3 Austin farmers markets located in 5 different locations for convenient shopping on items such as organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed pasture-raised beef and pork, fresh cheese, specialty prepared food and more.
Photo by roger_mommaerts
On any weekend day and specific weekdays, you can check out these local farmers markets to stock up on top quality food and other unique Austin items.
To learn more, visit their sites at:
- http://hopefarmersmarket.org/
- http://www.bartoncreekfarmersmarket.org/
- http://www.sfcfarmersmarket.org
Photo by MoxyJane@Spiral Bound Images
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Resource Conservation: Wet Weather Creek
What do these two pictures have in common?
It’s not just that they’re both located in South Austin, although at a first glance that seems like the only similarity. The beautiful wet weather creek was made out of limestone harvested from the construction site.
When building brand new projects or remodeling an older house, we are always conscientious of conserving and reusing resources. If a home owner wants a new floor, their existing hardwood isn’t put to waste. Instead, we offer the older floors to someone who may be doing their own big project – and that way as little as possible goes to waste.
This limestone is no different. Seeing the new apartments going up on South Lamar, I saw an excellent opportunity to get some hand picked limestone for my rainwater-collecting wet weather creek. After asking permission to take away some of the rock (remember kids – reusing is not the same as stealing!)
The result? Perfect sizes of rock. Water for the garden. Beautifully re-purposed materials. That sounds like a triple win to us! Now this wet weather creek gives roof rainwater a place to go, both irrigating plants efficiently and preventing erosion of the mulch.
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Picking Paint Colors for your Home
Picking out paint colors for your home can be a daunting process. Not only are there what seems like a million shades of off-white, but people like to assign rules to room colors too. Blue is tranquil and good for a bedroom. Paint rooms light colors to make them seem bigger. Beware of the “sunny yellow kitchen” because yellow is a color that can make people feel anxious or frustrated.
Here at The WHOLE Place, we think rules were made to be broken. Probably not rules like gravity or paying for things before taking them out of the store, but with paint colors there is definitely some wiggle room.
The colors of your home should reflect your personality. If you want dark, bold colors in a small room – you can do it. If you don’t want a blue bedroom, don’t have a blue bedroom! With our color consultation service, we help you achieve eye pleasing color combinations that are individual to you. No canned formula. No celebrity endorsement. Just colors you love that work well together in your space. After all, the home is an extension of your personality. You decorate it, live in it, and work to have all those little details jiving together nicely – shouldn’t the paint colors be treated the same way?
To learn more about our color consultation service, click here.
