Designing Rainwater Harvesting Systems - Hardcover

by Celeste Allen Novak (Author), Eddie Van Giesen (Author), Kathy M. Debusk (Author)

Water conservation is one of the most effective sustainable design practices, yet few professionals know how to collect and use rainwater effectively. Rainwater Harvesting the first comprehensive book on designing rainwater harvesting systems. It provides practical guidelines for developing a rainwater harvesting strategy, taking into account climate, public policies, environmental impact, and end uses. Case studies are included throughout. Rainwater Harvesting is a valuable reference for architects, landscape architects, and site engineers.

Back Jacket

TRANSFORMING WATER SUSTAINABILITY IN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Join the next wave of green building with the first guide to rainwater harvesting

Sustainability is all about resource optimization. Contemporary architects are already committed to eco-friendly materials and energy neutral designs, but what about water? Worldwide, we are using more water than is ecologically sustainable. The threat to our water resources has become a central concern in the 21st century and this book is a compilation of current knowledge about rainwater harvesting to prepare you to design and implement decentralized water systems.

Designing Rainwater Harvesting Systems breaks new ground. The authors have laid out a blue print that will assist you in incorporating rainwater harvesting into your next building plans. This comprehensive guide includes detailed instructions on how to:

• Navigate water regulations and building codes
• Manage runoff volume
• Use rainwater harvesting to meet stormwater management requirements
• Calculate water demand
• Utilize a back-up water supply

Plus, case studies from around the world illustrate the dos and don'ts of using rainwater in new buildings. The companion website gives you access to a bonus chapter that contains even more case studies of actual rainwater projects that have been completed in the past few years.

Harvesting rainwater is possible, it works, and it is changing the way we think about architecture. After reading this book, you will be part of an exclusive minority of professionals who understand how to effectively collect and use our most readily available source of fresh water.

Author Biography

CELESTE ALLEN NOVAK, FAIA, LEED AP, is a respected architect and principal at her Ann Arbor firm, Celeste Allen Novak Architect. She is widely published on sustainable design and rainwater harvesting. Her work on sustainable design and rainwater harvesting has appeared in Architectural Record and Green Source magazines.

G. EDWARD VAN GIESEN, MLA, ARCSA AP, is the National Sales Manager at BRAE/WATTS Rainwater Technologies. He brings real world experience as a designer and builder of countless rainwater systems. He is instrumental in the development of rainwater codes nationwide, and is an active participant with the ICC and IAPMO.

KATHY DeBUSK, PhD, PE, is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science at Longwood University in Farmville, VA. Dr. DeBusk is an expert in the field of innovative rainwater harvesting design. Her research and consulting endeavors focus on the use of rainwater harvesting techniques to meet stormwater management goals.