1.4.2019.

Architecture and the Environment 02 - Water - First In Architecture

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Architecture and the Environment 02 –

Water

Globally, water scarcity is as important as energy, and has an impact on

health, and food production. A large proportion of the worlds population
do not have access to safe water.  2
 

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In the UK, we are assured a relatively secured supply of water. However,
changes in the climate could result in more rain but not necessarily in the
right place. Globally, we may see some areas getting wetter, while others
becoming even hotter and drier resulting in a larger disparity between
continents. 

Flooding
 

In the UK, around 1 in 6 properties are at risk of ooding. These

increased ood risks are due to the reduction in permeable surfaces from
increased building on new land. More run off from hard surfaces and
increased rainfall due to climate change also contribute to high ood
risk. 

As the climate continues to change, we can expect ooding to affect

more people, particularly those living in coastal areas, near rivers and in
the south.

There are four ood zones associated with risk of ooding. Zone 1 is the
lowest risk area, and zone 3b the most high risk to ooding. 

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A detailed feasibility study should be carried out early on in the planning
stages to establish ood risk and suitability to build. There are many
resources available to aid this type of study, a good starting point being
the Environment Agency [www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ ood].

Developments should only be built in areas with a low ood risk. Some
questions in relation to ooding to consider when planning a new
building. 

Water run off is usually diverted to the storm water sewers. During
periods of heavy rain these sewers can become overloaded and ooding
occurs. The increased water run off is in part due to increased
impermeable surfaces in urban areas, as well as a changing climate. 

A sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) allows more water to be

absorbed naturally during periods of heavy rainfall and essentially acts as
a sponge for surplus water. This reduces the demand on sewers to carry
the water away, and reduces potential ooding. A SUDS system will also
allow the local water table to replenish. The SUDS method is simple,
using porous paving, avoiding impermeable materials, using soft ground
cover, increasing landscaping and planting, channeling water to lter
naturally into the ground rather than to drains. 
2
 

There are many different types of SUDS systems brie y outlined below:

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Water usage
 

Approximately 150 litres of water are used per person, per day. Typical 2
water uses are explained in the table below:

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People in the UK are consuming more water than every before. There are
many strategies that can be implemented to conserve water, some of
which are very simple, others can be costly and more dif cult to install.
The main principles of water conservation are:

harvest renewable or local sources

reduce usage
reuse primary supplies where possible
recycle wastes

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1.4.2019. Architecture and the Environment 02 - Water - First In Architecture

Reducing Use

Simple methods of reducing overall water use in buildings include

tackling toilet ushing which accounts for 30% of overall usage. This can
be reduced by 50% or more by installing dual ush WCs. A typical WC
uses 9 litres of water per ush, while a dual ush or low ush system will
only use between 2.5 and 4 litres. 

An average bath uses 80 litres of water, whereas a shower can reduce

both water use and CO2 emissions by 65%. Power showers use
considerably more water than a standard shower. 

Key points for reducing water usage:

Always choose water ef cient appliances and installations
Select smaller baths with a lower water capacity
Avoid specifying power showers
Avoid specifying electric showers as they have a higher CO2 emission
than standard showers
Look for A+ rated appliances
Consider the CO2 emissions alongside the water saving potential 
Specify water saving taps
Specify automatic shut off in commercial buildings 2

Water Recycling

 
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Around 150 litres of waste water is produced per person per day. Just as
the toilet is responsible for the majority of water usage, it is also
responsible for the majority of waste water. An average household
produces 40m3 of black water or foul water per year. 

Foul water is usually ushed away into the sewers for treatment at a
sewerage plant. However, it is possible to recycle foul water on site. Foul
water treatment must always be designed by a specialist according to
speci c project requirements.  Some foul water recycling options can be
costly and are not always suitable for the site, however, some of the
options are listed below.

Compost toilet – a waterless toilet that allows the natural process of

waste into compost (not suitable for urban or public buildings)
Holding tanks – a septic tank that gradually separates the solids from
the waste water so it can be treated.
Living machine – this is a natural process where vegetation is placed on
hydroponic tanks that treat and recycle the wastewater. It is quite
costly and not widely used at the moment. 
Reedbeds – these systems treat and recycle wastewater through
natural processes using a biological ground system. Not suitable for
urban areas.

Often the above options are selected due to remote locations where
connection to a mains sewerage system is dif cult. 

 
2
Grey water (which can be described as water from households including
shower, bath, bathroom sink, washing machine – not kitchen or toilet

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1.4.2019. Architecture and the Environment 02 - Water - First In Architecture
waste) can be reused by processing it into usable water for toilet ushing,
watering and cleaning purposes.  

Grey water must be used immediately after recycling to prevent bacteria

build up, or it must be chemically treated. Grey water recycling systems
must be considered carefully, as they can create more CO2 emissions
from pumping and cleaning than using water directly from the mains
supply. Some recycling strategies include:

Short retention system – a direct collection from the shower or bath

and basin, which is fed to cisterns for ushing
Reedbed – this requires large areas and only suitable for rural areas.
Water passes through a UV light prior in order to kill any bacteria.
Suffers some water loss through evaporation. 
Biomechanical systems – uses bacteria to break down organic matter
in an enclosed system. 

It is always preferable to reduce water use over recycling waste water. 

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting can reduce the consumption of drinking water by

half. Rainwater is suitable for use for ushing, washing and cleaning and
for watering the garden. Harvesting rainwater can also reduce the load
on the wastewater systems. 

 
2
In the UK, a storage tank of around 200,000 litres is required to meet the
expected demand over a year. A simple lter and pump can allow the
water to be used for ushing toilets, washing machines, garden irrigation
and showers and baths. Rainwater is harvested from the roof and stored
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1.4.2019. Architecture and the Environment 02 - Water - First In Architecture
in a tank located in the ground or basement. In larger buildings this
system is also possible, on a larger scale. 

Detailed design calculations will need to be carried out to predict rainfall,

runoff coef cient and tank storage size along with pump requirements.
Some problems do exist with the rainwater harvesting system. These
include:

Storage space for water tanks can be limited. New build construction
can design this into the scheme but in existing buildings the weight of
stored water can make the option prohibitive. 
Quality of rainwater can vary according to area and treatment and
generally will not be suitable for drinking
Initial construction costs to implement a rainwater harvesting strategy
can be costly and capital may not be recovered quickly.
The building will need to be designed to maximise water catchment,
which could have an aesthetic consequence. 

 
Appreciating our water

97.5% of the earth’s water is saltwater. If we were to put the worlds

water in a bucket, only one teaspoonful would be drinkable.

In the world, 2.5 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation,
that is almost two fths of the world population.
2
 

1.4 million children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unclean
water and poor sanitation. 
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In the UK we are extremely lucky to have unlimited access to clean and

safe drinking water and sanitation. 

Further Reading:

 
Environmental Design Pocket Book – So e Pelsmakers

Building Regulations in Brief – Ray Tricker and Samantha Alford

Rough Guide to Sustainability – A Design Primer by Brian Edwards and

RIBA Publishing

Approved Building Regulation Documents

NHBC Guidance Documents

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