Posted by Savneet Singh on Nov.24, 2009

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A green house has to have an efficient plumbing system. Plumbing is much more than a network of pipes and drains. The potential for water and energy saving brings attention toward the plumbing in a green home. Efficient and careful plumbing can help to save thousands of gallons of water per year by reducing wastage of water. Efficient plumbing also minimizes wastage of hot water, lowering energy bills and reducing loads on the energy grids. Heating water consumes around 30% of residential energy.

A lot of energy gets wasted letting water flow while waiting for hot water. Water heaters themselves are another area where making the right decisions can add up to substantial savings in energy use over the life of the appliance. Water conservation is equally important. Our planet has a critical issue of water conservation. Only 1% of the water available on earth is drinkable, but unfortunately much of that is polluted. The availability of drinkable water is decreasing in many parts of the world. Thus we cannot afford to have luxury of taking clean water for granted.

Hot Water Distribution

A lot of energy is wasted getting hot water from a water heater in a utility room or basement to the sink or shower where it is used. In the planning stages of designing an energy-efficient home, bathrooms and kitchen can be brought together and as close to the water heater as possible, making greater efficiencies possible. Concentrating the kitchen and baths reduces costs on installation of supply and drains because turns are fewer and pipes are shorter.

Delivery time of hot water to the sinks and shower is also less. The longer the pipe, and the larger its diameter, the slower the water moves through the line and greater the energy loss in both heat and water pressure. A lack of insulation around the hot water lines, plus the use of sharp 90 degree bends to turn the corners, creates even more loss and waste.

A good plumbing system configuration uses the smallest volume, with the shortest possible length and smallest possible diameter line from the source of hot water to the fixture. Pipes made from cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) have a number of advantages over traditional copper pipes. PEX is flexible and thus the water supply is not interrupted by the corners with elbows. There are no chances of leakage from the soldering and are not effected by acidic water.

Eliminate the Wait for Hot Water

Waiting for hot water not only wastes water but is also consumes a huge amount of energy in addition to the inconvenience that people face while standing by the faucet or a shower. This delay can be beaten with a water circulatory system that keeps hot water ready in the line so it is there when you need it. There can be a timer and thermostat which can control when hot water is circulated. You can actually have on-demand hot water circulation system where water is heated just before it is required. One such system is Metlund pump. When the system is turned on, hot water is pushed to a point of use through the pump  faster than it would if the water had to pass through a constricting faucet or shower head. This reduces heat loss and waiting time.

Use of Gray Water

The water drained through dishwasher, shower, sink and other appliances is known as gray water. This is basically the water coming from everywhere except toilet. This gray water can be collected and used for irrigation or to flush toilets. You can pre-plumb your home for such a system.

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Posted under Home Environment.