Welcome to Florida's Showcase Green Envirohome

We are starting a new feature on K+BBgreen: regular reports and photos from Florida's Showcase Green Envirohome (FSGE), an interesting prototype in Florida, which has been covered in USA Today. The site was originally the home of builder Mark Baker’s mother that was severely damaged in two hurricanes. Along with his wife Nonnie, Mark decided to rebuild the house using the latest in ecologically friendly building techniques and products.

In this first post, you’ll learn about its whole-house gray-water Reuse System, which uses shower, tub, steambath, Vertispa and clothes washer water to flush the toilets.

FSGE is using a gray-water reuse system from BRAC. This system can save one-third of water consumption inside the home.  Because FSGE is on a septic system, one-third less sewage will enter the drain field, which will improve the water quality of the home’s aquifers and ground water.   Because each homeowner has a large impact on the quality of local ground and surface waters, this system is a key part of FSGE’s effort to become a Near Zero-Runoff Home and educate others about water conservation and pollution and storm-water runoff and management. 

These photos show purple pipes that lead to the sump pump, the sump pump itself and the 85-gallon reservoir that will capture the shower, tub, steam bath and clothes washer water reused to flush the toilets. When maximum capacity is reached in the 85-gallon reservoir, overflow will be directed to the cistern FSGE is installing to capture and harvest rainwater from the metal roofs for irrigating the green roofs and the .28 acre “enviroscaped” lot with plants native to Florida (not including food plants).

For further water and energy savings, all appliances, including clothes washers, ice makers, dishwashers and toilets, will have leak-detection devices.  The main valve will also utilize a leak-detection device.  A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day and a leaky faucet can waste 2,700 gallons per year at one drop of water per second, and if it's hot water that's another $36 per year in electricity or $18 per year in natural gas.

SOURCES
American Standard: 1.5gpm Flowise Showerheads, whirlpool tubs with mold mitigation/indoor air quality technologies, 1.5 gpm aerators, the Vertispa housed in the steam bath, and Flowise 1.28 gpf, high-efficiency toilets

BRAC Systems: gray-water reuse system
 

Englert: metal roofs and "Gutter Tunnel" dual filter screens, which increase the quality of captured rainwater as well as the quantity by 10 to 15 percent compared to asphalt, tar, shingle or concrete roofs

Home Living Solutions: walk-in bathtub with mold mitigation/indoor air quality technologies

Mr. Steam: steambath generator, which also has mold mitigation/indoor air quality technologies

Comments

[David Rupp]

Let me know if you need "Green" Cabinets for this project.
Thank you,
David Rupp
President
Green Leaf Cabinetry
TOLL FREE
877-4CABINETS
877-422-2463

GOD BLESS AMERICA

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the kind offer David.

[Nonnie]

Hello, David. It is serendipitous that you are offering cabinetry for our project. We are currently in the midst of extensive research for the right "green" cabinetry. From our recent exposure in USA Today on August 29, 2007, the 2-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we have been asked to be guest speakers at Green Earth Expo 2008 mid-May in Orlando. There are tens of thousands of attendees from around the world anticipated at this event!

We have reviewed your website and are duly impressed with the formaldehyde-free bonding agents, the Low or Zero VOC finishes and the FSC certification of the lumber your company acquires. Wow! We have also responded to your comment with a voicemail today. Thank you for your interest in our project.