Designing and Implementing Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Agenda
From Catchment to Reuse:
Designing and Implementing Rainwater Harvesting Systems
Presenters
Heather Kinkade, FASLA, LEED AP BD+C
President, Forgotten Rain
Introduction
Rainwater Harvesting System Components
Heather
Water Budget
Sandy
Case Study:
Heather
Case Study:
Sandy
Q&A
All
Sandra A. Brock, PE, CFM®, LEED AP BD+C
Chief Engineer, Nitsch Engineering
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Did You Know?
Outdoor water use accounts for 30% of the 26 billion gallons
of water consumed per day in the U.S (Source: USGBC)
What is Rainwater Harvesting?
Collecting stormwater from impervious surfaces
and storing it for reuse
Aspenlandscaping.ca
That’s 7.8 billion gallons of water per day for mostly irrigation!
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
1
A New Idea?
Why Rainwater Harvesting?
Rainwater harvesting can be used to Rainwater harvesting can be used
supply water for non-potable uses
for stormwater management
Capturing and re-using rainwater is
not a new or complicated concept…
www.ens-newswire.com
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Rainwater Harvesting Benefits
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Design Considerations
Conserve potable water
– Reduce water/sewer bills ($$)
Protect water resources
– Reduce the volume of
stormwater runoff
– Improve stormwater quality
Collection
Potential Supply
Rainfall patterns
Catchment area
Storage
Cisterns
Equipment
Pretreatment
Demonstrate sustainability
– Contribute to LEED® Credits
for Stormwater and Water
Efficiency
Water
Balance
Reuse
Irrigation/seasonal
Toilet flushing /year-round
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
2
System Components
and Maintenance
System Components
Aqua Azul
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Components and Maintenance
Components and Maintenance
•
General Information
– The operation and maintenance of rainwater harvesting systems is the
responsibility of the property owner.
– Municipal inspections occur during installation and inspections of backflow
prevention systems are recommended on an annual basis.
– For the property owner, the operation of a rainwater harvesting system is similar to
a private well.
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
3
Components and Maintenance
•
General Cont.
Components and Maintenance
•
– Especially for indoor uses, annual water testing to
verify water quality is recommended as well as
regular interval maintenance to replace treatment
system components such as filters or UV lights.
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
– The adoption and use of rainwater harvesting systems will add to the inspection
responsibilities of the municipal public works department, but the type of
inspection, level of effort, and documentation required will be similar to those of
private potable water systems and should be readily integrated into the routine of
the inspection department.
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Components and Maintenance
•
General Treatment Goals
–
–
–
–
Nothing Grows Within: Mosquitoes or Algae
No Debris that will promote odor
No Animal Matter Present
Label as Non Potable Water Source
General Cont.
Components and Maintenance
•
Chapter 18 – Operation and Maintenance
Rainwater Harvesting Planning and Installation Manual
Texas AgriLife Extension Service, 2009
System planners, installers, and individuals responsible for maintenance
should have a basic understanding of:
(1) all possible chemical contamination and
(2) of pathogenic microbes in order to determine which disinfection
treatment is best for each system.
The client should understand the risks, performance, and maintenance of
each part of the system.
Familiarity with local plumbing code is essential. No Cross Contamination
between utility and rainwater systems without approved backflow device.
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
4
Components and Maintenance
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Catchment Surface – Inspect/Clean monthly
Gutters – Inspect monthly, Wash/flush annually
Debris Screens – Inspect/Clean monthly
Downspouts – Inspect annually (or sooner)
Roof Washers and First-Flush – Inspect weekly, Clean
monthly
Tanks – Inspect annually, Clean
if needed
Piping – Inspect annually
Purification Filters – Replace as
recommended by manufacturer
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Components and Maintenance
•
Maintenance Manual
Components and Maintenance
•
•
•
•
Pumps/Pressure Tanks – Follow
manufacturer’s recommendations
Disinfection System - Follow
manufacturer’s recommendations
Water Testing - Comprehensive
testing of initial quality, retested
after major repairs/renovation, test
annually thereafter
Confirm with local Health
Department for proper testing
requirements
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Components and Maintenance
• Maintenance Manual
– Develop a maintenance plan, update and store records
– Document repairs, This is especially important for future users of the system
•
ex. Real estate transactions
– Recognize when system in not performing optimally
– Inspect system routinely, Make sure that key components are accessible
– For Installers, offer a maintenance plan for users of system
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
5
Equipment
•
Includes:
– Tanks
– First-flush
– Smoothing inlet
– Pump
– Floating suction filter
– Tank over flow
– Pressure tank
•
–
–
–
–
–
–
Check valves
Float switch
Air gap
Solenoid valve
Purification
Controller
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Corrugated Metal
•
Vertical or Horizontal
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Tanks
Above Ground and Below Ground
–
–
–
–
Corrugated Metal, Above and Below
Polyethylene, Above or Below
Fiberglass, Below
Modular or Matrix Tanks, Below
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Polyethylene
• Above or Below Ground
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
6
Fiberglass
•
Matrix or Modular Tanks
•
Below ground
Below ground
6,000 gallon
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
First-Flush
•
Vortex Fine Filters or Roof Washer
Smoothing Inlet
•
Turbulent dissipater
– Tank inlet
WFF 150
WFF 330
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
EB0300
EB0300
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
7
Pump
•
Floating Suction Filter
•
Submersible or dry pumps
Floating Filters
Grunfos 1 HP Jet Pump
One half
up to one
horse
power
Well pump
Aqua boost
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Tank Overflow
•
Multisiphon
–
Connects to the overflow pipe
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Pressure Tank
•
Inside or
out
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
8
Check Valves
•
Float Switch
•
One way flow
Water level control
Wafer check valve
Ball check valves, ball
moves out of the flow
path until water
reverses at that point
the ball blocks the
waters path
Swing check valve
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Air Gap
•
Make up water
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Solenoid Valve
•
Normally closed
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
9
Purification
•
Need based on use
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
System Details
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Controller
•
System Management
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
System Details
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
10
System Details
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Water Balance
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Water Balance
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Water Balance
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
11
Water Balance Considerations
Supply and Demand
Annual Goal: Supply > Demand
SUPPLY – The volume of water captured and stored
•
•
•
•
•
Annual rainfall amount
Seasonal rainfall patterns
Size of catchment area
Hydrologic properties of catchment area
Potential losses
DEMAND – The volume of non-potable water used
•
•
•
Intended end use
Estimated water demand
Seasonal and annual use
SURPLUS
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Precipitation
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
DEFICIT
SURPLUS
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Precipitation
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
12
Estimating Supply
Estimating Supply
Rule of thumb:
Estimating Runoff from a Collection Surface
Every inch of rainfall generates 0.62 gallons of runoff per
square foot of collection surface
(Source: The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting)
Example:
For an 1,000 square foot rooftop catchment area
1-inch Runoff Volume = 1,000 sf * 0.62 gallons/sf
1-inch Runoff Volume = 620 gallons
(Source: The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting)
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Estimating Supply
Typical Runoff Coefficients (Source: USGBC)
Pavement, Asphalt, Concrete
Pavement, Brick
Roofs, Conventional
Roof, Garden (<4 in)
Roof, Garden (4 – 8 in)
Roof, Garden (9-20 in)
Turf, Flat (0-1% slope)
Turf, Average (1-3% slope)
Turf, Hilly (3-10% slope)
Vegetation, Flat (0-1% slope)
Vegetation, Average (1-3% slope)
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Estimating Supply
To more accurately estimate runoff volume (or supply) from non-rooftop and
rooftop collection surfaces, factor in runoff coefficient:
0.95
0.85
0.95
0.50
0.30
0.20
0.25
0.35
0.40
0.10
0.20
S = R * A * C
Supply =
Rainfall Depth x Catchment Area x Runoff Coefficient
Example:
1-inch of rainfall falls upon a 1,000 square foot asphalt rooftop
Runoff Volume = (1inch)*(1foot/12 inches) * 1,000 square feet * 0.95
Runoff Volume = 79.17 cubic feet * (7.48 gallons/cubic foot)
Runoff Volume = 592 gallons
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
13
Estimating Supply
Estimating Demand
Other considerations that impact potential supply:
Estimate the demand for non-potable water for:
Losses, including:
• Evaporation
• Overshoot from gutters
• First-flush diverters
• Leaks
Year-round uses, such as:
• Toilet Flushing
• Equipment wash
• Cooling Tower
• Laundry
Seasonal uses, such as:
• Irrigation
• Ornamental water features
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Estimating Demand
Sources for estimating water demands:
•
•
•
•
•
Rule of thumb (i.e. apply 1-inch water per week)
Irrigation Consultant (outdoor)
LEED™ Reference Guides
Design Manuals
M/E/P Engineer (indoor)
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Estimating Demand
Estimating irrigation demands based on evapotranspiration
One method, as recommended by USGBC LEED™ Reference Manual
(Source USGBC LEED BD+C Reference Manual)
1. Calculate the landscape coefficient (KL)
KL = ks * kd * kmc
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
14
Estimating Demand
2. Calculate the project-specific evapotranspiration rate (ETL)
Estimating Demand
Reference Evapotranspiration for estimating irrigation demand
ETL = ET0 * KL
where:
ET0 is the reference evapotranspiration rate for the region
KL is the landscape coefficient
(Source: CIMIS)
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Estimating Demand
3. Determine the Irrigation Efficiency (IE)
4. Determine the Controller Efficiency (CE), specified by Manufacturer
5. Calculate the Total Water Applied
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
Methods for sizing rainwater harvesting tanks:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dry-season Demand vs. Supply
Simple Water Budget
Graphical Methods
Mass Curve Analysis
Statistical Methods
Computer-based Simulation Methods
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
15
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
Dry-season demand vs. supply analysis:
Simple (Monthly) Water Budget Analysis:
• Simplified approach
• Tank is designed to accommodate the water demand through dry season
• Simple methodology, “like balancing a checkbook”
1. Start with an assumed volume of water in tank
2. Calculate the monthly volume of water captured based on average
(or median) monthly precipitation and catchment area
3. Add volume to the previous month’s balance
4. Subtract the monthly demand
Dry-season
Limitations:
• Does not account for variable rainfall patterns
• Is most relevant in areas with distinct dry season
• Ignores rainfall input and catchment size
• Results (typically) in large tank without validating fullness
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
Monthly Water Budget Analysis Example using Average Monthly Precipitation
(adapted from the Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting)
Given: A 2,000 square foot barn roof in Dallas, Texas will harvest rainwater for irrigation.
Using the average monthly rainfall, determine the required tank size to sustain the given demands
SUPPLY
End-ofmonth
storage*
(gallons)
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Annual
0
0
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
0
0
3,333
6,176
5,622
6,134
8,068
7,763
6,179
4,630
3,793
4,246
7,443
10,570
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Monthly Water Budget Analysis Example using Median Monthly Precipitation
(adapted from the Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting)
Given: A 2,000 square foot barn roof in Dallas, Texas will harvest rainwater for irrigation.
Using the median monthly rainfall, determine the required tank size to sustain the given demands
SUPPLY
Monthly
Irrigation
Demand
(gallons)
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
DEMAND
Runoff
Runoff
Volume
Average Monthly Catchment Area Coefficient Collected
(0.95, roof) (gallons)
Month Rainfall (inches) (square feet)
1.97
2.4
2.91
3.81
5.01
3.12
2.04
2.07
2.67
3.76
2.7
2.64
35.1
Limitations
• Does not account for seasonal variations
• Is most relevant in climates with predictable rainfall patterns
• May over-estimate system efficiency, specifically for dry/drought years
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
2,333
2,842
3,446
4,512
5,934
3,695
2,416
2,452
3,162
4,453
3,198
3,127
*assume 1,000 gallons to start
A 10,000 gallon tank would overflow 570
gallons in December
DEMAND
Runoff
Volume
Runoff
Median Monthly Catchment Area Coefficient Collected
(0.95, roof) (gallons)
Month Rainfall (inches) (square feet)
Monthly
Irrigation
Demand
(gallons)
End-ofmonth
storage*
(gallons)
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Annual
0
0
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
4,000
0
0
3,132
5,631
4,426
3,955
5,012
4,388
2,282
343
-696
-1,214
1,155
3,642
1.8
2.11
2.36
2.98
4.27
2.85
1.6
1.74
2.5
2.94
2
2.1
29.25
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
0.95
2,132
2,499
2,795
3,529
5,057
3,375
1,895
2,061
2,961
3,482
2,369
2,487
*assume 1,000 gallons to start
A 10,000 gallon tank would never fill
during the year and the tank would run
out of water for the end of summer
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
16
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
Continuous Simulation:
• Simulation using daily or hourly rainfall records
• Most accurate method for sizing tanks
• Sizes tank for optimal performance, not extremes
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
NC State U. Rainwater Harvester 2.0 Simulation program
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/waterharvesting/model.html
Limitations
• Accuracy is dependent on user-defined inputs
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
NC State U. Rainwater Harvester 2.0 Simulation program
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/waterharvesting/model.html
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Sizing Rainwater Harvesting Tanks
NC State U. Rainwater Harvester 2.0 Simulation program
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/waterharvesting/model.html
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
17
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
18
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Case Study
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Case Study
Sizing the tanks using Nitsch Engineering’s proprietary simulation software
• RainUSE®: Rainfall ReUSE Simulation
- Performs a continuous daily simulation using daily precipitation data from NOAA
for nearest weather station
- User inputs catchment area size, properties, and daily demand
- Evaluates a range of tank sizes
- Report outputs include:
- Average annual water savings
- Average annual overflow
- Average annual deficit
- Average annual reliability
- Average annual % tank full
- Exportable daily data for the entire period of record
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
19
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Case Study
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Contact Information
Sandra A. Brock, PE, CFM®, LEED AP BD+C
Chief Engineer
Nitsch Engineering
[email protected]
www.nitscheng.com
Q&A
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
Heather Kinkade, FASLA, LEED AP BD+C
Author of Design for Water
Forgotten Rain, LLC
[email protected]
http://www.forgottenrain.com/
ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting and EXPO
20
RAINWATER HARVESTING RESOURCES
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES
ARCSA – American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (http://www.arcsa.org/)
ERCSA – European Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (http://www.ercsa.eu/)
IRCSA – International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
(http://www.eng.warwick.ac.uk/ircsa/index.htm)
Australia – Guidance on use of Rainwater Tanks
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/3D981B51B4FB458DCA256F190
0042F6E/$File/env_rainwater.pdf
Australia – Australia Guidelines for Water Recycling: Managing Health and Environmental Risk
(Phase 2): Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse
(http://www.ephc.gov.au/sites/default/files/WQ_AGWR_GL__Stormwater_Harvesting_and_Reu
se_Final_200907.pdf)
EPA – Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure
(http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/gi_munichandbook_harvesting.pdf)
USGBC – LEED Water Efficiency Credits
(http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19a)
ASLA – Sustainable Sites
http://www.sustainablesites.org
NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CODES AND STANDARDS
IGCC – International Green Construction Code
•
•
Chapter 7 Rainwater Collection and Distribution Systems
Allows ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC IES Standard 189.1 as an option
IAPMO – International Association of Plumbing Mechanical Officials
•
2010 Green Plumbing & Mechanical Code Supplement covers all aspects of a
potable and non-potable rainwater catchment system and is recommended to be
used with all codes.
ASHRAE /USGBC/ASPE/AWWA Standard 191 – Standards for the efficient use of water in
building, site and mechanical systems.
•
Covers all uses of water within a site and a building.
CSI – Construction Specification Institute
•
Rainwater Harvesting Systems and Components, Gutters and Downspouts,
Domestic water Filtration
ARCSA & ASPE – American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association and American Society
of Plumbing Engineers
•
Standards for designers on all components of a rainwater harvesting system.
NSF International Protocol P151 – Health effects from rainwater catchment system
components.
•
Additional standards from NSF and ANSI include ANSI Standard 14, 42, 53, 55, 60,
and 61.
STATE MANUALS/GUIDELINES
Texas
(http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/RainwaterHarvestingManual_3rdedition.pdf)
Hawaii
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/RM-12.pdf
Virginia
(http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/documents/stmrainharv.pdf)
Georgia
(http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/GA_RainWaterHarvestingGuideline_FinalDraft_040209.pdf)
Florida
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/reuse/index.htm
RESEARCH AND COMPUTER MODELS
Rainwater Harvesting at NC State
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/waterharvesting/index.html
NC State University Rainwater Harvester Computer Model
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/waterharvesting/model.html
WEATHER DATA
National Climatic Data Center
http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ncdc.html
PRISM Precipitation Maps
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/precip.html
Precipitation Averages, Seasonality,Volatility and Trends in the United States
http://www.weatherbill.com/assets/LandingPageDocs/rainfallstudy2007.pdf
California Irrigation Management Information System, Evapotranspiration
http://www.cimis.water.ca.gov/cimis/infoEtoOverview.jsp
RainUSE®: A Rainwater Reuse Analysis Service
Nitsch Engineering’s RainUSE® software-based service uses a
proprietary program to analyze and optimize tanks for storing
rainwater for reuse. For our clients, we assess historical rainfall data
and simulate scenarios to capture and reuse rainwater. Now in
Version 2.0, the RainUSE® software-based service allows us to
estimate how successful a rainwater-reuse system may be in
satisfying the water demands for a building project. This unique
service helps clients save money while preserving natural resources.
Background
Historically, stormwater runoff has been considered an unavoidable,
unwanted byproduct of development. Now, as sustainability has
become a more important part of site development projects, many
owners and design teams have started to integrate stormwater
management best practices into their projects, including methods of
capturing and reusing rainwater onsite.
While most rainwater design tools rely only on the use of average
annual rainfall data, Nitsch Engineering concluded that a more
accurate simulation could be developed using historical daily rainfall
data, which is why we developed and implemented the RainUSE®
software-based service.
For a small investment, which reaps big benefits, the RainUSE®
software-based service helps clients get valuable data that can
significantly save construction and operating costs, and exhibit
sustainability. Stormwater runoff is reduced, which reduces the
burden on the municipal drainage systems and helps decrease
flooding. The building’s potable water demand is reduced, thus
providing a return on investment.
Applications
RainUSE® allows Nitsch Engineering to analyze non-potable water
demands on a continuous daily basis and incorporate additional
make-up water inputs for a range of tank sizes, based on the
historical daily rainfall from the nearest rain gauge and the projectspecific paramters. The report generated by the RainUSE® software
includes several graphs displaying the average annual potable water
savings, non-potable water deficit, excess overflow from the tanks,
and the average annual precipitation from the 30 most recent years
of historical rainfall data. RainUSE® also provides our engineers with
the daily output data simulated from the entire period of record for
further analysis.
Our proprietary RainUSE® service can be used to simulate a variety
of reuse scenarios, including toilet flushing within a building, site
irrigation, and cooling tower make-up demands. We also can
calculate the inclusion of additional water supplies, such as
geothermal well bleed-off or condensate, thus eliminating other
discharges to the municipal sewer system.
www.nitscheng.com
RainUSE®: A Rainwater Reuse Analysis Service
Recent Successes
The RainUSE® service supports Nitsch Engineering’s cutting-edge site
sustainability practice, especially for projects pursuing LEED® certification. Using
the RainUSE® service to optimize and design rainwater harvesting systems on
projects could contribute up to five LEED® points toward certification. Nitsch
Engineering has found that rainwater reuse systems can be optimized to align
with both stormwater management and water efficiency goals.
Yale University, Kroon Hall
Emory University
Since 2005, Nitsch Engineering has provided the RainUSE® service on a variety
of projects by optimizing systems, significantly saving construction and operating
costs, and exemplifying sustainability. A sampling of projects:






















Yale University School of Art and Architecture, New Haven, CT
Yale University Kroon Hall, New Haven, CT
Yale University Biology Building, New Haven, CT
Yale University School of Social Sciences, New Haven, CT
Stamford Environmental Magnet School, Stamford, CT
The Taft School Dining Hall, Watertown, CT
Emory University Freshman Dorms 2/3, Atlanta, GA
Harvard Allston First Science Building, Boston, MA
Bridgewater State College Rondileau Campus Center, Bridgewater, MA
Princeton University Chemistry Building, Princeton, NJ
Ithaca College School of Business, Ithaca, NY
Harvard Allston Master Plan, Boston, MA
Princeton University Master Plan, Princeton, NJ
Princeton University Chemistry Building, Princeton, NJ
Princeton University Andlinger Center, Princeton, NJ
Brooklyn Atlantic Yards, Brooklyn, NY
North 10th Street Multi-Family Residential Project, Williamsburg, NY
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, NY
High Line Open Space, New York, NY
J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center, Salem, MA
Massachusetts Fire Fighting Academy, Stowe, MA
Canal Park, Washington D.C
Testimonials
®
“Nitsch Engineering’s RainUSE software service has become an invaluable tool in
the development of rainwater capture systems. Atelier Ten has used the software on
projects, notably the renovation of the Yale Art and Architecture Building and new
History of Art Building, to size stormwater capture tanks carefully where space was
®
particularly at a premium. … The RainUSE software has become an indispensable
part of Atelier Ten’s stormwater analysis process.”
Paul Stoller, LEED AP, Director, Atelier Ten
Brooklyn Bridge Park
“Through intelligent strategies and modeling techniques, Nitsch Engineering has
played a very important role in helping to make Brooklyn Bridge park the sustainable
model for large-scale public open space. … With an ever-expanding demand for
stewardship and sustainability in the public landscape, Nitsch Engineering as Site
Sustainability Engineers has helped to provide our client with a smart and selfsustaining system while still adhering to a high standard of design.”
Stephen Noone, ASLA, Senior Associate, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc.
For more information
Contact: Sandra A. Brock, [email protected] or Nicole Holmes, [email protected]
www.nitscheng.com