Green Habitat : Role of Interior Designer in Conserving Water INSITE - Official publication of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), Publishers: Akar InfoMedia Private Limited (AIM). http://www.insiteindia.in
Date of Publishing 26th April 2013
S a k hs i J a in ( S ust ai nab i l i t y C onsul t ant , A E C O M, India Pvt. Ltd)
D r.P re m C. J a in Managi ng Di rect or A E C O M, Indi a P v t . Lt d C hai rman- IG BC
Sana Salman ( S ust ai nab i l i t y C onsul t ant , A E C O M, India Pvt. Ltd)
Green Habitat- Role of Interior Designer in Conserving Water
26 April 2013
Introduction Green interior design is a manifestation of users enjoying good health while addressing the concern for the environment and also conservation of resources. The trend of modern interior design has shown a tremendous shift from just being “fancy” and “stylish” to “sustainable” and “environment friendly” design. Fancy and Stylish Interiors v/s Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Interiors Water is one of the most mysterious elements on the planet. It is a primordial element which underlays creation of myths and stories around the world. It bestows within it the power of both creation as well as destruction of all life forms. In India, the sacred River Ganges embodies for Hindus, nectar- the elixir of life. The common belief goes like- Bathing in the Ganges frees the bather from sins, the outward purification serving as symbolic support for inward purification. Water- the elixir of life When the creation was new, we were bestowed with abundance of clean air and fresh water. Unfortunately, with the increasing greed of humans, we have polluted both these sacred elements. Industrial revolution in India in mid 60’s, has catapulted India to become one of the world’s most water-deficient nation. The time is not very far when wars will be fought for water. In order to delay the looming crisis, Third World Water Forum is taking place in Kyoto, Japan to address the ethical and religious understanding of the many complex water-relatedz problems. The whole world is waking up to the grim reality that water conservation is of the highest priority to continue life on our beautiful mother earth. Interestingly water conservation plays a fundamental role in green interior design. Water crisis and drought conditions Water conservation requires understanding of water consumption patterns within the building. Our daily requirement of water includes water for drinking purpose (5 LPCD= litres per capita per day), cooking (5 LPCD), bathing (55 LPCD), washing clothes (20 LPCD), washing of utensils (10 LPCD), washing and cleaning of house (10 LPCD) and flushing of toilets (30 LPCD). This amounts to a total of 135 LPCD as mentioned in National Building Code of India 2005 (NBC Part9, 4.1.1.1). The great human tragedy is that 15 percent of world population, that is almost a billion people in the world, still have no access to safe water. Every 20 second, a child dies somewhere in the world from a water borne disease. Conserving water today has therefore become an absolute necessity, not just a fashion. The projected population growth will result in doubling of water consumption every 20 years. Yet, conscious though small changes, in our daily habits, can bring humongous savings in water consumption. This can be done by taking shorter showers, turning taps off while brushing teeth, running washing machines and dish washers on full load, and by using low- flow faucet aerators for bathroom fixtures. How codes support water conservation The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), has strong presence in India and has partnered with the Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) in developing a Uniform INSITE - Official publication of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID),
Green Habitat- Role of Interior Designer in Conserving Water
26 April 2013
Plumbing Code for India. IAPMO and the IPA, as a part of the World Plumbing Council (WPC), have worked to establish the model code of plumbing installation and maintenance, where water conservation addresses the underlying concerns. LEED for India (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) has developed the following baselines for water efficiency of plumbing fixtures, based on the Energy Policy Act (EPA) 1992, Uniform Plumbing Code, and the International Plumbing Code: •
Commercial Toilet: 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) = 6 litres per flush (lpf)
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Commercial Urinals: 1.0 gpf = 4 lpf
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Showerheads: 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) = 9.5 litres per minute (lpm)
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Lavatory Faucets: 2.2 gpm = 8.5 lpm
These baselines are to exemplify the maximum permissible flow rates, with the provision that lowflow fixtures must use less water to be considered as “water efficient”. In order to implement the usage of water efficient fixtures, LEED for India awards points to projects that reduce overall water use below the mentioned baseline. According to the LEED for India New Construction (NC) rating system, water efficient fixtures could contribute to the following credits:
• Water Efficiency (WE) Prerequisite 1: This requires that the building use 20% less water than the baseline.
•Water Efficiency (WE) Credit 3: This credit goes beyond the Prerequisite 1,and awards points for greater levels of water reduction. It awards 2 points for 30% water reduction, 3 points for 35%, and 4 points for 40% water reduction below the baseline.
LEED for India also recommends using “WaterSense” labelled fixtures where possible, hence the role of an interior designer in selecting right fixture, holds the maximum importance. The “WaterSense” label tells customers that the product has met rigorous standards for water efficiency and quality. Products with the WaterSense label are 20% more water efficient than typical models in that product category, provide tangible water savings and perform as well or better than average products in their category. WaterSense addresses most types of fixtures and appliances including toilets, bathroom sink faucets and accessories such as aerators, urinals, showerheads, and weather-based irrigation controllers. There is a significant link between energy and water. ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers are 10% more energy efficient and 20% more water efficient than standard washers. On an average, an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher will save 1,300 gallons(4,921 litres) of water over its lifetime. ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers use about 20% less energy and 35% less water than regular washers. On average, over its lifetime, a typical ENERGY STAR clothes washer will save 27,000 gallons (more than 1 Lac litres) of water.
INSITE - Official publication of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID),
Green Habitat- Role of Interior Designer in Conserving Water
26 April 2013
Similar ratings are under development by IAPMO and IPA for a wide range of plumbing fixture and fittings manufactured in India. It will be independently published by IAPMO and IPA in the near future. Ways to reduce water consumption in Shower Heads Conventional shower heads use 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm), so any shower head with a lower flow can be considered water efficient. Showerheads that earn the WaterSense label must demonstrate that they use no more than 2.0 gpm. Many latest water saving shower heads use much less than this, at 1.5 gpm, which produce tangible water and cost savings.
In the above table, a typical shower has a flow rate of 2.5 gallons a minute. A 4.4 gpm showerhead shower lasting 10 minutes uses as much water as a full-tub bath. A low flow showerhead will cut water flow from 4.5 gallons to just 1.5 gallons per minute. The principle behind its working is that the low flow showers work by sucking air through ports on the head, mixing air in water and reducing the water requirement. Ways to reduce water consumption in Flushing Systems The story of flushing is more spectacular. Only thirty years ago, the Shanks Cistern with pull chain system used water @ 20L/flush of water. The technology has reached a stage where dual flush system came down to 5-10 L/flush and today stands at 2-4L/flush. Dual flush toilets include two buttons or handles to flush different levels of water. With the advancement in technology, special features are added along with water conservation FEATURES. Automatic faucet is a water conservation faucet that eliminates water waste at the faucet. It automates the use of faucets without the use of hands.
INSITE - Official publication of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID),
Green Habitat- Role of Interior Designer in Conserving Water
26 April 2013
In Indian setting Hindware have come up with water efficient product range. Nano Water Closet, primarily for residential and commercial complexes, is the most recent eco-friendly offering from Hindware. Their design incorporates a unique foot-press flush mechanism for public toilets, to make the operation germ-free. By using only 1.5 litres of water per flush, Nano promises to save thousands of litres of water per annum. Aquafree Urinals is another Hindware’s innovative eco-friendly product. It uses waterless technology which uses a revolutionary non-liquid cartridge technology, thus making it a 100% water saving urinal Aquafree is showing increased presence into commercial applications like airports and hotels. Hindware’s other revolutionary water saving models include E-sense urinal and u-Sense urinal. These all operate on innovative technologies that make them highly efficient water-conservation products. Faucet aerator is another new technology which breaks water flow into fine droplets to maintain “wetting effectiveness”, while using less water. An additional benefit is that they reduce splashing while washing hands and dishes. Conclusion Green interior design is gaining importance because in the long run installing water “efficient devices” saves money. This is the great incentive to ‘greening up’ the buildings. For interior designers and architects working under new guidelines, the ideas of LEED “green interior design strategies” are of vital importance. For conscious parents wishing to protect their children from harmful pollutants and live a healthy life, this is the path to be followed in today’s time. For conscious interior designers envisaging to protect nature from man’s thoughtless greed for growth at all costs, the concepts of green interior design are like seeds of hope for the future. The success of this system is envisaged only if people will start to leave the apparent notions of ‘fashion’ and ‘convenience’ and shift their primary focus to protect the environment and safeguard people’s health.
INSITE - Official publication of Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID),