Making your new build sustainable
H.D. Services Ltd are keen to share ways that the water beneath our feet can be preserved and used efficiently. As a result of last summer’s temperatures and imposed hosepipe bans, people had to watch their gardens wither and difficult questions were asked about water sustainability and our ability to save water into the future.
There are several options open to people wanting to build an energy efficient and sustainable home. In terms of water, it is possible to have an independent water supply to provide drinking water (subject to analysis and suitable filtration) and for use as a heat source, but this water can also be used again.
Open-Loop ground source heat pumps utilise the heat in ground water to provide heating for your home, once used this water is returned to the aquifer from which it was abstracted. In these systems it is possible to install a harvesting tank which can provide 2 functions – the first is to allow the water used in the heating system to regain heat before it is returned to the aquifer, thereby reducing the potential of temperature pollution. The second is as water for the garden in those hot summer months when a hose pipe ban may be enforced.
Other water saving options include energy and water saving products which can be used within the home, such as water efficient white goods, dual flush toilets, rain water harvesting systems, and grey water reuse systems. Grey water is water that was used for hand washing, showering or bathing. This type of water can be harvested, cleaned and reused. Up to 60% of grey water can be re-used in this way. There is legislation governing the uses of grey water which states that it can only be used for toilet flushing, gardens and washing machines as long as it has been suitably treated. There is also the opportunity to recover heat from some grey water.
Currently both open-loop GSHP systems and grey water systems are expensive to install, and while it is possible to install these systems into existing homes, it makes more sense and is more cost effective to install these systems in new build properties as they can be designed into the heating and water systems of the building. Both systems require regular maintenance at an additional cost. However, both systems can save money in the long run, reducing both water and heating bills. In terms of the Open-Loop ground source heating systems if MCS certified products are installed by MCS certified installers, the system would be eligible for Renewable Heat Incentive payments.
More information on Open-Loop Ground Source Heating can be found on our website: www.hdgeothermal.co.uk
More information regarding grey water systems can be found here
More information on water efficient white goods and water saving tips can be found here
