“For the first time ever, I can say that I love my toilets,” — Sarah Richards,
Serenbe Community, Chattahoochee Hills, GA

Low flow delivered high satisfaction with at least 25 percent in water savings for 21 homeowners in two suburban Atlanta communities who volunteered to replace their existing plumbing products with high-efficiency WaterSense®-certified models. If it comes as a surprise that people are finally happy with low-flow toilets, that was the point of this mass retrofit last fall that included replacing 71 toilets, 96 faucets and 55 showerheads in 71 bathrooms.“We want to convince homeowners, building professionals and legislators that water conservation doesn’t mean sacrifice,” said Tommy Linstroth, water-savings expert and principal at Savannah, GA-based Trident Sustainability Group. Linstroth was retained to measured pre- and post-water saving results to report them on his blog, www.RehydrateUS.org. Georgia’s first licensed GreenPlumber®, Nick Marine of Marietta, GA-based Marine Plumbing, installed toilets and bathroom faucets that save at least 20 percent more water and showerheads that save from 20 to 40 percent more than current standards. Nine volunteer families were recruited from the Serenbe community in Chattahoochee Hills, GA and 11 stepped up to the challenge from Chastain Lakes in Kennesaw, GA.

Funding and products for the test were supplied by American Standard Brands to demonstrate that the technology behind WaterSense-labeled products has greatly advanced consumer satisfaction with water-savers in the bathroom. WaterSense is administered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and modeled after the EnergySTAR® labeling program to help assure consumers that products will conserve and perform as promised. More details are available at www.epa.gov/watersense/ .

Magic Potties and Turbine Showerheads

“We absolutely LOVE our new fixtures. Our showerheads seem to have better water pressure and we are conserving water now, which we weren’t before,” reported Serenbe homeowner Dallas Nevins, two months after installation. “We have been super-pleased and surprised with how well the American Standard toilets flush.

“Having two young children, sometimes they use a whole roll of toilet paper for one sitting. So, in the past, we’ve had to pull the plunger out on more than one occasion. Since we have our new toilets, we’ve yet to run into a problem and have been ‘plungefree,’” continued Nevins, an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID).

“I can’t tell any difference with the volume of water in the shower and sinks which is great…I was afraid I would get a dribble,” said Serenbe homeowner Tom Reed. “Every 10-minute shower with a regular showerhead uses 25 gallons of water, Linstroth noted. “The FloWise® showerheads we installed during this test use up to 40 percent less water, but the spray feels strong because of a turbine that literally spins the water, giving it more force.”

While showerheads are not yet part of the WaterSense labeling program, the American Standard FloWise showerhead received top performance ratings from a leading consumer magazine in 2009. Most homeowner volunteers received the WaterSense-certified American

Standard H2Option™, the first truly siphonic dual flush toilet where users select whether to use as little as 1.0 gallon of water or the maximum legal amount of 1.6 gallons per flush. H2Option has achieved high ratings on the independent Maximum Performance (MaP) test, an independent report of toilet bulk removal performance developed by John Koehler and Veritec Consulting and used by water utilities in the U.S. and Canada. MaP test results are available for free at www.cuwcc.org/MaPTesting.aspx.

“For the first time ever, I can say that I love my toilets,” said Serenbe homeowner Sarah Richards. “I feel very empowered when I get to make a choice about pushing one button or the other. The suction on the H2Option dual flush is superb.” Nevin’s children are fascinated by the two buttons on the H2Option toilet. “They call them the ‘magic potties,’” she reported.

Documenting the Water Savings – Not as Easy as it Sounds

Linstroth documented at least a 20 percent collective savings in overall water usage at Serenbe, a savings that has remained consistent over two months. Serenbe homeowners had toilets that used up to 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf), bathroom faucets that had a flow-rate of 2.0 gallons per minute (gpm) and showerheads with usage not exceeding 2.5 gpm.

At Chastain Lakes, an older suburb built more than 20 years ago, Linstroth documented at least a 25 percent savings from the retrofit working with one month of water usage data. “We would expect results in Chastain to be higher, since there were still old toilets in those homes. The math alone would dictate a near 50 percent reduction using siphonic dual flush toilets in place of those old 3.5 gallon toilets,” Linstroth said.

“But our numbers get diluted because of all the other fixtures in the house -irrigation, clothes washing, dishwashing, etc., – they all bring down our totals.” Linstroth continued, noting this as the reason it is hard for homeowners to use their water bills to encourage water-saving behavior. Linstroth plans to release a second report later this spring after amassing more months of data from the participating homeowners. Serenbe and Chastain: A Mix of New and Older Homes

A well-known community south of Atlanta, Serenbe is an eco-sensitive development where the majority of land is set aside for conservation. Homes at Serenbe were built within the last five years to EarthCraft House™ energy standards and include advanced water efficiency amenities such as a greywater treatment system that is used to irrigate Serenbe front yards. “Water is already an important issue here in Georgia and in many states. We need to figure out how to respect water and reduce our usage,” said Garnie Nygren, Serenbe director of operations. “In all aspects of the house, it’s important for us to demonstrate to Serenbe residents how they can live with the same lifestyle, but reduce water usage.”

Serenbe’s management was most enthusiastic about supporting the American Standard test, in part to determine whether or not WaterSense-labeled plumbing products would meet their high performance standards for Serenbe’s future expansion. Chastain’s involvement came about through “green” real estate agent and Chastain resident Peg Grady, a long time associate of the Marine Plumbing team.

Skilled at retrofitting older homes for water efficiency, Marine Plumbing replaced 17 water pressure valves among the 11 Chastain homeowners to assure that each home’s water pressure was maximized for the new technology used in WaterSense-certified toilets.

The training to receive GreenPlumber certification required Marine to take more than 35 hours of training and pass a rigorous exam. GreenPlumbersUSA is a national training and accreditation program that assists plumbers in understanding their role in the environment and assists consumers through water usage audits, tips on reducing usage, and guidance on current government rebates for plumbing fixtures. American Standard is a founding member of GreenPlumbersUSA www.greenplumbersusa.com.

Georgia’s Governor Calls for a “Culture of Conservation” Backing New High-Efficiency Plumbing Standards – Rebates Available

The two communities were selected in Metropolitan Atlanta because the region is facing expensive changes in order to continue to meet drinking water demands of its four million residents. According to an August 2009 article in the region’s Creative Loafing newspaper, Georgia officials estimate that conservation measures such as replacing existing fixtures with low-flow models are 27 times cheaper than building new reservoirs.

Last week, Georgia’s Governor Sonny Perdue announced the Georgia Water Stewardship Act of 2010, which mandates the use of high-efficiency plumbing products such as the ones used to retrofit Serenbe and Chastain. Nationwide, many areas of the country are experiencing similar water shortage conditions. To encourage more use of water-saving plumbing fixtures, 15 states and numerous municipalities have rebates available for purchasing high-efficiency toilets, according to the American Standard rebate locator www.americanstandard.com/water-efficiency. Marine provided all Chastain residents with the correct paperwork to claim their rebates through the Cobb

County Water System.

“At American Standard, our goal is to educate consumers that conservation can and does begin at home. By developing water-efficient, low-consumption toilets, faucets and showerheads that actually work, we are providing consumers with real choice in creating responsible bathrooms without sacrifice in style or performance,” said Don Devine, American Standard president and chief executive officer, in announcing the company’s recent $1 million commitment to the Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org) to raise awareness of the benefits of freshwater efficiency.

“Our objective is to reduce overall water consumption by more than 18 billion gallons in the U.S., not just this year, but every year thereafter, through the installation of water-efficient American Standard toilets, showers and faucets,” Devine continued. “This will save consumers money on water, reduce water treatment volumes and costs, and reduce the strain on our environment.”

Suggested list prices for the H2Option dual flush toilet start at $349. Suggested list prices for the FloWise showerhead start at $25 for the basic model and $65 for the three-function FloWise showerhead. All American Standard faucets are WaterSense Certified and meet strict new low-lead requirements. American Standard water-saving products are available nationwide and online through leading retailers and plumbing wholesalers. To find a location near you, visit www.americanstandard.com. Advanced Water Conservation Technology SavesWater, Improves Satisfaction in 21-Home Retrofit Test“For the first time ever, I can say that I love my toilets,” — Sarah Richards, Serenbe Community, Chattahoochee Hills, GALow flow delivered high satisfaction with at least 25 percent in water savings for21 homeowners in two suburban Atlanta communities who volunteered to replace theirexisting plumbing products with high-efficiency WaterSense®-certified models.

If it comes as a surprise that people are finally happy with low-flow toilets, thatwas the point of this mass retrofit last fall that included replacing 71 toilets, 96 faucetsand 55 showerheads in 71 bathrooms. “We want to convince homeowners, buildingprofessionals and legislators that water conservation doesn’t mean sacrifice,” saidTommy Linstroth, water-savings expert and principal at Savannah, GA-based TridentSustainability Group.

Linstroth was retained to measured pre- and post-water savingresults to report them on his blog, www.RehydrateUS.org.Georgia’s first licensed GreenPlumber®, Nick Marine of Marietta, GA-basedMarine Plumbing, installed toilets and bathroom faucets that save at least 20 percentmore water and showerheads that save from 20 to 40 percent more than currentstandards. Nine volunteer families were recruited from the Serenbe community inChattahoochee Hills, GA and 11 stepped up to the challenge from Chastain Lakes inKennesaw, GA.Funding and products for the test were supplied by American Standard Brands todemonstrate that the technology behind WaterSense-labeled products has greatlyadvanced consumer satisfaction with water-savers in the bathroom. WaterSense isadministered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and modeled afterthe EnergySTAR® labeling program to help assure consumers that products willconserve and perform as promised. More details are available at www.epa.gov/watersense/ .

Magic Potties and Turbine Showerheads

“We absolutely LOVE our new fixtures. Our showerheads seem to have betterwater pressure and we are conserving water now, which we weren’t before,” reportedSerenbe homeowner Dallas Nevins, two months after installation. “We have beensuper-pleased and surprised with how well the American Standard toilets flush.“Having two young children, sometimes they use a whole roll of toilet paper forone sitting. So, in the past, we’ve had to pull the plunger out on more than one occasion.Since we have our new toilets, we’ve yet to run into a problem and have been ‘plungefree,’”continued Nevins, an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers(ASID). “I can’t tell any difference with the volume of water in the shower and sinks whichis great…I was afraid I would get a dribble,” said Serenbe homeowner Tom Reed.“Every 10-minute shower with a regular showerhead uses 25 gallons of water,Linstroth noted. “The FloWise® showerheads we installed during this test use up to 40percent less water, but the spray feels strong because of a turbine that literally spins thewater, giving it more force.”

While showerheads are not yet part of the WaterSenselabeling program, the American Standard FloWise showerhead received topperformance ratings from a leading consumer magazine in 2009.Most homeowner volunteers received the WaterSense-certified AmericanStandard H2Option™, the first truly siphonic dual flush toilet where users select whetherto use as little as 1.0 gallon of water or the maximum legal amount of 1.6 gallons perflush. H2Option has achieved high ratings on the independent Maximum Performance(MaP) test, an independent report of toilet bulk removal performance developed by JohnKoehler and Veritec Consulting and used by water utilities in the U.S. and Canada. MaPtest results are available for free at www.cuwcc.org/MaPTesting.aspx.“For the first time ever, I can say that I love my toilets,” said Serenbe homeownerSarah Richards. “I feel very empowered when I get to make a choice about pushing onebutton or the other. The suction on the H2Option dual flush is superb.”Nevin’s children are fascinated by the two buttons on the H2Option toilet. “Theycall them the ‘magic potties,’” she reported.

Documenting the Water Savings – Not as Easy as it Sounds

Linstroth documented at least a 20 percent collective savings in overall waterusage at Serenbe, a savings that has remained consistent over two months. Serenbe homeowners had toilets that used up to 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf), bathroom faucets thathad a flow-rate of 2.0 gallons per minute (gpm) and showerheads with usage notexceeding 2.5 gpm.At Chastain Lakes, an older suburb built more than 20 years ago, Linstrothdocumented at least a 25 percent savings from the retrofit working with one month ofwater usage data. “We would expect results in Chastain to be higher, since there werestill old toilets in those homes. The math alone would dictate a near 50 percentreduction using siphonic dual flush toilets in place of those old 3.5 gallon toilets,”Linstroth said.“But our numbers get diluted because of all the other fixtures in the house -irrigation, clothes washing, dishwashing, etc., – they all bring down our totals.” Linstrothcontinued, noting this as the reason it is hard for homeowners to use their water bills toencourage water-saving behavior. Linstroth plans to release a second report later thisspring after amassing more months of data from the participating homeowners.

Serenbe and Chastain: A Mix of New and Older Homes

A well-known community south of Atlanta, Serenbe is an eco-sensitivedevelopment where the majority of land is set aside for conservation. Homes atSerenbe were built within the last five years to EarthCraft House™ energy standardsand include advanced water efficiency amenities such as a greywater treatment systemthat is used to irrigate Serenbe front yards. “Water is already an important issue here in Georgia and in many states. Weneed to figure out how to respect water and reduce our usage,” said Garnie Nygren,Serenbe director of operations. “In all aspects of the house, it’s important for us todemonstrate to Serenbe residents how they can live with the same lifestyle, but reducewater usage.

”Serenbe’s management was most enthusiastic about supporting the AmericanStandard test, in part to determine whether or not WaterSense-labeled plumbingproducts would meet their high performance standards for Serenbe’s future expansion.Chastain’s involvement came about through “green” real estate agent andChastain resident Peg Grady, a long time associate of the Marine Plumbing team.

Skilled at retrofitting older homes for water efficiency, Marine Plumbing replaced 17water pressure valves among the 11 Chastain homeowners to assure that each home’s water pressure was maximized for the new technology used in WaterSense-certifiedtoilets.The training to receive GreenPlumber certification required Marine to take morethan 35 hours of training and pass a rigorous exam. GreenPlumbersUSA is a nationaltraining and accreditation program that assists plumbers in understanding their role inthe environment and assists consumers through water usage audits, tips on reducingusage, and guidance on current government rebates for plumbing fixtures.

AmericanStandard is a founding member of GreenPlumbersUSA www.greenplumbersusa.com.Georgia’s Governor Calls for a “Culture of Conservation” Backing New High-Efficiency Plumbing Standards – Rebates AvailableThe two communities were selected in Metropolitan Atlanta because the region isfacing expensive changes in order to continue to meet drinking water demands of its fourmillion residents. According to an August 2009 article in the region’s Creative Loafingnewspaper, Georgia officials estimate that conservation measures such as replacingexisting fixtures with low-flow models are 27 times cheaper than building new reservoirs.Last week, Georgia’s Governor Sonny Perdue announced the Georgia WaterStewardship Act of 2010, which mandates the use of high-efficiency plumbing productssuch as the ones used to retrofit Serenbe and Chastain.

Nationwide, many areas of thecountry are experiencing similar water shortage conditions. To encourage more use ofwater-saving plumbing fixtures, 15 states and numerous municipalities have rebatesavailable for purchasing high-efficiency toilets, according to the American Standardrebate locator www.americanstandard.com/water-efficiency. Marine provided allChastain residents with the correct paperwork to claim their rebates through the CobbCounty Water System.“At American Standard, our goal is to educate consumers that conservation canand does begin at home. By developing water-efficient, low-consumption toilets, faucetsand showerheads that actually work, we are providing consumers with real choice increating responsible bathrooms without sacrifice in style or performance,” said DonDevine, American Standard president and chief executive officer, in announcing thecompany’s recent $1 million commitment to the Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org)to raise awareness of the benefits of freshwater efficiency.“Our objective is to reduce overall water consumption by more than 18 billiongallons in the U.S., not just this year, but every year thereafter, through the installation ofAmerican Standard Brands Retrofits 21 Homes 5 – 5 – 5water-efficient American Standard toilets, showers and faucets,” Devine continued. “Thiswill save consumers money on water, reduce water treatment volumes and costs, andreduce the strain on our environment.”Suggested list prices for the H2Option dual flush toilet start at $349. Suggestedlist prices for the FloWise showerhead start at $25 for the basic model and $65 for thethree-function FloWise showerhead. All American Standard faucets are WaterSensecertifiedand meet strict new low-lead requirements. American Standard water-savingproducts are available nationwide and online through leading retailers and plumbingwholesalers. To find a location near you, visit www.americanstandard.com.

Connie’s thoughts about her washing machine led to the Smades’ latest project: a solar water heater installed Jan. 14 by Mansfield-based Innerline Plumbing. “We’ve gone green as of late,” Bill said. “Every year, we try to do a little bit more.” The Smades each drive their own Prius, and there are five total in the family. Over time, they also added blown-in insulation to their attic, installed a vent in the roof and landscaped the yard to take advantage of natural shade.

The water heater costs $5,493.67, including installation, but the Smades will get more than half of that back in the form of an Oncor incentive rebate for $1,828.74 and a federal income tax credit that should come to $1,099.48. “When it’s all over, they are going to end up paying for about 45 percent of the total cost,” said Craig Woolheater, owner of Innerline Plumbing, a family-owned business that Craig operates along with his brothers Kirk and Chris.

Innerline is the only certified “licensed green plumber” through GreenPlumbers USA in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Kirk, the master plumber, was fully accredited during a training session in Las Vegas. Now, the Smades’ roof has solar panels, but not the large glass ones that might come to mind. These are polymer-based, flat collectors that are hard to notice unless you look for them.

“Can you imagine glass solar panels on these roofs with all these hail storms we tend to get around here?” Craig asked. The solar heater comes with several parts. A sensor is mounted on the roof that monitors the temperature as the sun heats the solar panels. Lines from the sensor come down through the attic and connect to a drainback tank above the water heater inside the Smades’ home.

The water heater itself sits below the drainback tank, and both are attached to a circulation module that keeps water circulating and reduces the buildup of sediment. “If the sensor senses a freeze condition, then it shuts the tank off, and all the water drains in to the drainback tank,” Kirk said.

For the install, Innerline’s Brad Tinnon helps Kirk clean the connection valves on the Smades’ new heater, while Rafael Herrera drills holes to install drain lines and works in the attic along with Tinnon to get the sensor up and running.

After Tinnon installs the drainback tank, Kirk takes over the bulk of the inside installation process with the water heater and the circulation module, while Chris – Innerline’s insurance expert, Crag says – handles a variety of tasks indoors and outdoors.

Connie came upon the idea of the solar water heater and did some Internet research before contacting Innerline just before New Year’s. “We’re really pleased with how quickly this has come together,” she said. The Smades estimate that they will save an additional $30 or so a month in electricity costs, which may sound modest, but the Smades’ average utility bill is only about $100-$120 a month during the hottest part of the year because of all of their environmental changes.

“That attic vent really sucks out the heat during the summer, and the new insulation really helped save us some money,” Bill said. Once those changes were made, along with the addition of a high-efficiency air conditioner, some double-paned windows and a programmable thermostat, their bill dropped from around $300 a month to where it is today.

“If we are going to save on electricity over the long haul, we’ve got to do these things,” Bill said. In addition, Bill did all the landscaping in the yard – planting two live oaks in the back yard, some crepe myrtles to shade their sun room and a red oak in the front yard. “The trees have really been a boon to us,” he said. “One day, a guy came out and wanted to trim them, and I said, ‘oh, no, holy moley, there will be no tree-cutting here.’”

MORE INFO

For details on the Oncor incentive program, go to http://www.texassolarwaterheating.com/for-customers

For information about green plumbers, go to http://www.greenplumbersusa.com

For more information on Innerline Plumbing, go to www.innerlineplumbing.com

Loyd Brumfield is the editor of the Best Southwest edition of neighborsgo. Contact him at lbrumfield@neighborsgo.com or at 214-977-7686.

Now, the service arm of the company is taking it one step further, arming its plumbers and pipefitters with GreenPlumbers Accreditation. To become certified GreenPlumbers, candidates must undergo 32-hours of training in such subjects as climate and water care, solar hot water, water efficient technologies, and more.

In a challenging economy, owners are looking for innovative ways to save energy and protect their assets. GreenPlumbers certification represents one more avenue for McKinstry to deliver the quality of service that saves clients energy and money, while earning their continued loyalty and satisfaction.

“The GreenPlumbers training provides our plumbers with the necessary tools and resources to present multiple solutions to help our clients save water, energy and money,” states Bob Frey, McKinstry’s VP of Service.

The GreenPlumbers program is a partner of the EPA WaterSense program, Alliance for Water Efficiency, the California Center for Sustainable Energy, the California Urban Water Conservation Council, as well as other industry leaders that share its mission of bringing environmental training to plumbers. More information about GreenPlumbers can be found at www.greenplumbersusa.com.

About McKinstry

McKinstry is a full-service, design-build-operate-and-maintain (DBOM) firm specializing in consulting, construction, energy and facility services. Our innovative, integrated delivery methodology provides clients with a single point of accountability that drives waste, cost, time, and redundancy out of the design/build process. We employ over 1,600 professional staff and trades people throughout the Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountains, West, Midwest, and Southwest regions of the United States with operations in more than 15 states. McKinstry advocates collaborative and sustainable solutions designed to ensure occupant comfort, improve systems efficiency, reduce facility operational costs, and ultimately optimize profitability for “The Life of Your Building.”

For more information, visit www.mckinstry.com
Contact: Lynnel Hampton, Marketing Specialist
(206) 762-3311 or email at lynnelh@mckinstry.com

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