Sustainable Plumbing helps our planet
A safe and sustainable environment is everyone’s responsibility. At TRM plumbing we believe in sustainable building practices. We do our part to reduce our carbon footprint… There are thing that you can do to not only save our planet, but also save money!
Save money by using green plumbing
Many have concerns that “going green” is more costly. The report “The Costs and Financial Benefits of Green Buildings” issued in October 2003 by California’s Sustainable Building Task Force, states that, on average a typical two-percent increase in upfront costs to achieve green design yields a life-cycle savings of 20 percent of the total investment.
Sustainable Plumbing Benefits
Some benefits of going green that are less quantifiable include improving occupant health, comfort, productivity, reducing pollution and landfill waste. Consequently, they are not adequately considered in the cost analysis.
Green fixtures are designed to be more hygienic and convenient to use. For example, sensor-operated faucets, which automatically turn off and on and keep water from running excessively, enable users to wash without touching bacteria-laden surfaces.
- Sensor-operated fixtures address ongoing maintenance issues as well. Reducing the users’ direct contact with the fixture reduces the wear and tear, which can ultimately result in costly repairs. Touchless fixtures don’t have handles or push buttons that are vulnerable to everyday use and abuse.
- Each type of plumbing fixture can do its part in saving water and/or energy – and money, of course! For example, facilities can shave as much as 80 percent off energy costs caused by conventional hand dryers, as well as 90 percent off the cost of buying and cleaning up after paper towels, by installing ultra fast, energy-efficient hand dryers oper-
- Sensor-operated faucets regulate water use. Based on the Food and Drug Administration’s recommended hand washing procedures – four second to wet hands, 20 seconds to lather with soap, and four seconds to rinse hands – a sensor-operated faucet can save as much as one gallon of water per use by shutting off during the lather cycle.
- New lower flush toilets can help save even more water than the current 1.6-gpf. There are several new models available on the market. There is are pressure-assist, 0.8-gpf toilets that use only about 60 percent as much water required by low-consumption models, while newer 0.5-gpf urinal flushometers have cut water use in half.
- Use recirculating systems for centralized hot water distribution.
- Install point-of-use hot water heating systems for more distant locations.
- Meter landscape separately from buildings.
Green Home = Happy Homeowners
When it comes to consumers building green homes, a recent study found that homeowners are extremely happy with their investments – 85 percent saying they are more satisfied with their new green home than with their former, more traditionally built homes. The research also found that:
- The new green home owner is affluent and well-educated, in his/her mid-forties and married, and also more likely to be from the Southern or Western states. Women are also more likely to be green homeowners.
- Sixty-three (63) percent report lower operating and maintenance costs as the key motivation behind buying a green home. Additionally, nearly 50 percent said they are motivated by environmental concerns and their family health.
- More than 60 percent of those surveyed say that consumer awareness, additional costs and the limited availability of homes are obstacles to green homes gaining a bigger market share.
Green is our middle name
TRM plumbing does it all. We love our mother earth and try to do our part to help her out. Call us today to see how we can help you, help the planet.
