Radian and the Environment Agency are working in partnership to research how best to tackle water efficiency in both new-build and existing homes. The Water Efficiency Project, commissioned as a result of the dwindling water resources in the South East of England, is running from March 2008-2010.
The region has low rainfall, a high population density and individuals consuming high volumes of water. South Hampshire also has 80,000 new homes proposed over 2006-2026, which will clearly put further pressure on water resources.
Radian and the Environment Agency are working in partnership to research how best to tackle water efficiency in both new-build and existing homes. The Water Efficiency Project, commissioned as a result of the dwindling water resources in the South East of England, is running from March 2008-2010.
The region has low rainfall, a high population density and individuals consuming high volumes of water. South Hampshire also has 80,000 new homes proposed over 2006-2026, which will clearly put further pressure on water resources.
With a housing stock of nearly 17,000 homes throughout the South East of England, Radian is aware that there are water supply problems facing the area. The further development planned to help meet the increasing demand for housing indicates that Radian’s impact on regional resources is immense.
Therefore, in line with their environmental agenda launched last year, Eco-Action 2008-12: A strategy for low eco footprint living, Radian is keen, and has a responsibility, to research methods of conserving water and identify how best to reduce demand both in new-builds and in the existing housing stock.
The project is focussing on retrofitting existing homes for water efficiency and building new homes to Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CfSH). The Water Efficiency Project Report contains recommendations on water conservation based on the first year’s findings. The complete final report will be published next year.
“Water is society's most basic need but supplies are becoming uncertain in the south-east. We have to learn how to achieve a decent standard of living while reducing the amount of water we all use in the home. This project is therefore crucial in teaching us successful and acceptable methods of saving water which will also use less energy and will reduce our carbon footprint” Rod Murchie, Environment Agency.
Some of these recent findings include that in existing homes, fitting the eco-beta dual flush toilet device (that enables users to have the option of a regular flush or a half flush) reduces water consumption by 21%, to 108 litres per person per day.
Ms Elliott from Horndean who is participating in the project and had an eco-beta dual-flush device fitted in her toilet, explained that “I like the device because it uses less water, so saves the environment as well as saving me money.”
At the moment only water companies can purchase eco-beta dual flush devices and each ordinarily costs around £10 plus labour. However other cistern displacement devices (CDD) such as a ‘Save a flush’ bag that can save up to 1 litre per flush is available for free from most water companies.
Stephanie Beggs, Water Conservation Projects Coordinator, Radian "Water supplies are going down but we are using more water, simple measures can help to reduce water use, without changing our lifestyles.”
New Radian homes built to CfSH Level 3 (105 litres per person per day) actually far exceed this standard with an average water consumption of 58 litres per person per day, in those homes in Liss with rainwater harvesting, and 86 for those without.
This is significantly lower than the South East average consumption of 160 litres per person per day and far exceeds the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs’ target of 130 litres per day.