Plugrisost: a model for design, economic cost and environmental analysis of rainwater harvesting in urban systems

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Gabarrell ◽  
T. Morales-Pinzón ◽  
J. Rieradevall ◽  
M. R. Rovira ◽  
G. Villalba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Analysis ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Tap Water ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Successful Operation ◽  
Rainwater Tank

In the context of transition to sustainability, one of the main challenges facing societies today is the supply of water. By integrating different methodological tools and studies we developed the innovative software program Plugrisost® (rainwater, greys and sustainability), a simulation model, that facilitates the economic evaluation and the potential environmental impact of alternative water supplies (rainwater harvesting [RWH] and greywater systems) at different scales of urban planning. This modelling tool contributes to urban water planning for smart cities development. Plugrisost® analyses the optimal design variables, cost and environmental performance of RWH and greywater systems, using tap water production as a reference system for comparison. The use of economic and environmental indicators can make the optimal size of a rainwater tank more restrictive when it is compared to the results regarding the satisfaction of the demand for rainwater. Economic and environmental analysis can help avoid oversizing tanks for rainwater and thus obtain greater benefits. Plugrisost includes estimated cost and Global Warming Potential, as well as other life cycle impact indicators for this purpose. A case study analyzing the implementation of a RWH system in a single-family house in Aveiro, Portugal is included, showing the importance of rainwater availability and demand for the successful operation of simulated systems.

scholarly journals Impact of Rainwater Harvesting on the Drainage System: Case Study of a Condominium of Houses in Curitiba, Southern Brazil

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andréa Teston ◽  
Celimar Teixeira ◽  
Enedir Ghisi ◽  
Ernani Cardoso
Keyword(s):  
Water Consumption ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Drainage System ◽  
Daily Rainfall ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Rainwater Tank ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this work is to assess the impact of rainwater use in single-family houses on drinking water consumption and on the urban drainage system by means of a case study of a condominium of houses in the city of Curitiba, southern Brazil. A quantitative evaluation of the rainwater volume used and spilled in the recovery system was carried out using two methods for sizing the rainwater tank capacity. Using daily rainfall data and three demand scenarios of water consumption, it was possible to verify the efficiency and reliability of the adopted systems. Furthermore, in order to verify the impact on drainage, the greatest rainfall in the series was assessed and then it was possible to measure it by comparing the hydrograph peak flows with and without the rainwater harvesting systems in the watershed outfall, corresponding to the storage tanks (concrete boxes) in the condominium. It was concluded that there was a decrease in the peak flow of 4.9% and 4.4%, respectively, in the two storage tanks evaluated when the rainwater tank capacities were estimated using the method based on the German Practical Method.

scholarly journals Modelling of a roof runoff harvesting system: the use of rainwater for toilet flushing

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Vialle ◽  
C. Sablayrolles ◽  
M. Lovera ◽  
M.-C. Huau ◽  
M. Montréjaud-Vignoles
Keyword(s):  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Dead Volume ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Toilet Flushing ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Predicted Values ◽  
Experimental Values

The water balance of a four-people family rainwater harvesting system was calculated in a case study. The experimental water saving efficiency (WSE) was calculated as 87%. A simple computer model was implemented to simulate the behaviour of the rainwater harvesting system. In general, the rainwater collector volumes predicted by the daily model had shown a good correlation with the experimental values. The difference between the experimental and the predicted values for the stored volume can be explained by the lack of maintenance of the system that can affect its performance. On the basis of a long-term simulation of 20-year rainfall data, the following parameters were calculated: rainfall, water demand, mains water, rainwater used, over-flow and WSE. The collection of rainwater from roofs, its storage and subsequent use for toilet flushing can save 42 m3 of potable water per year for the studied system. The model was also used to find the optimal size of the tank for the single-family household: a storage capacity of approximately 5 m3 was found to be appropriate. The storage capacity and tank size were distinguished. The importance to take into account the dead volume of the tank for the sizing was indeed highlighted.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the optimal size of a rainwater harvesting system in Sicily

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 853-864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenza Notaro ◽  
Lorena Liuzzo ◽  
Gabriele Freni
Keyword(s):  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Optimal Capacity ◽  
Alternative Water

Abstract In the Mediterranean area, water scarcity represents a critical issue due to the increasing water demand related to the population growth and the expansion of urban and industrialized areas. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) may be an effective alternative water supply solution to deal with water scarcity in order to reduce non-potable water needs. The reliability of RWH systems is greatly affected by the intensity and the temporal distribution of rainfall events. The purpose of the present study was to identify the optimal tank capacity, in terms of water saving efficiency, of a RWH system installed to supply water for toilet flushing, garden irrigation and both uses with reference to a single-family house in a residential area of Sicily (southern Italy). A water balance simulation of the rainwater storage tank was performed to define the tank release rule. The optimal capacity of the RWH tank was evaluated considering three different catchment surfaces, namely 100, 200 and 300 m2. Results showed that, in some areas of the region, the system could be able to provide significant water savings, even with the installation of collecting tanks of less than 10 m3, thus ensuring important environmental and economic benefits to the householders.

scholarly journals Rainwater Harvesting Potentials in Commercial Buildings in Dhaka: Reliability and Economic Analysis

Hydrology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Md. Rezaul Karim ◽  
B. M. Sadman Sakib ◽  
Sk. Sadman Sakib ◽  
Monzur Alam Imteaz
Keyword(s):  
Water Demand ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Rainwater Tank ◽  
Catchment Areas

Despite numerous studies on residential rainwater tank, studies on commercial rainwater tank are scarce. Corporate authorities pay little heed on this sustainable feature. With the aim of encouraging corporate authorities, this study presents the feasibility and economic benefits of rainwater harvesting (RWH) in commercial buildings in the capital city of Bangladesh, where water authority struggles to maintain town water supply. The analysis was conducted using a daily water balance model under three climate scenarios (wet, dry and normal year) for five commercial buildings having catchment areas varying from 315 to 776 m2 and the storage tank capacity varying from 100 to 600 m3. It was found that for a water demand of 30 L per capita per day (lpcd), about 11% to 19% and 16% to 26.80% of the annual water demand can be supplemented by rainwater harvesting under the normal year and wet year climate conditions, respectively. The payback periods are found to be very short, only 2.25 to 3.75 years and benefit–cost (B/C) ratios are more than 1.0, even for building having the smallest catchment area (i.e., 315 m2) and no significant overflow would occur during monsoon, which leads to both economic and environmental benefits. Though the findings cannot be translated to other cities as those are dependent on factors like water price, interest rate, rainfall amount and pattern, however other cities having significant rainfall amounts should conduct similar studies to expedite implementations of widescale rainwater harvesting.

scholarly journals Optimal Sizing of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting Tanks for Sustainable Domestic Water Use in the West Bank, Palestine

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 573
Author(s):  
Sameer Shadeed ◽  
Sandy Alawna
Keyword(s):  
Storage Tank ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
West Bank ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
The West ◽  
Average Family ◽  
Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting

In highly water-poor areas, rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) can be used for a self-sustaining and self-reliant domestic water supply. The designing of an optimal RRWH storage tank is a key parameter to implement a reliable RRWH system. In this study, the optimal size of RRWH storage tanks in the different West Bank governorates was estimated based on monthly (all governorates) and daily (i.e., Nablus) inflow (RRWH) and outflow (domestic water demand, DWD) data. In the estimation of RRWH, five rooftop areas varying between 100 m2 and 300 m2 were selected. Moreover, the reliability of the adopting RRWH system in the different West Bank governorates was tested. Two-time series scenarios were assumed: Scenario 1, S1 (12 months, annual) and scenario 2, S2 (8 months, rainy). As a result, reliable curves for preliminary estimation of optimal RRWH storage tanks for the different West Bank governorates were obtained. Results show that the required storage tank for S1 (annual) is more than that of the S2 (rainy) one. The required storage tank to fulfill DWD is based on the average rooftop area of 150 m2, the average family members of 4.8, and the average DWD of 90 L per capita per day (L/c/d) varies between (75 m3 to 136 m3) and (24 m3 to 84 m3) for S2 for the different West Bank governorates. Further, it is found that the optimal RRWH tank size for the 150 m2 rooftop ranges between 20 m3 (in Jericho) to 75 m3 (in Salfit and Nablus) and between 20 m3 (in Jericho) to 51 m3 (in Jerusalem) for S1 and S2 scenarios, respectively. Finally, results show that the implementation of an RRWH system for a rooftop area of 150 m2 and family members of 4.8 is reliable for all of the West Bank governorates except Jericho. Whereas, the reliability doesn’t exceed 19% for the two scenarios. However, the reduction of DWDv is highly affecting the reliability of adopting RRWH systems in Jericho (the least rainfall governorate). For instance, a family DWDv of 3.2 m3/month (25% of the average family DWDv in the West Bank) will increase the reliability at a rooftop area of 150 m2 to 51% and 76% for S1 and S2, respectively.

Distributed Rainwater Harvesting: Novel Approach to Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Single-Family Households

2021 ◽  
Vol 147 (10) ◽  
pp. 04021061
Author(s):  
Mary Semaan ◽  
Susan D. Day ◽  
Michael Garvin ◽  
Naren Ramakrishnan ◽  
Annie Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Harvesting Systems

scholarly journals Smart cities and robotic technologies for a model of integrated growth

2021 ◽  
pp. 237-252
Author(s):  
Elena Laudante
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Human Scale ◽  
The Future ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The City

The paper focuses on the importance of robotics and artificial intelligence inside of the new urban contexts in which it is possible to consider and enhance the different dimensions of quality of life such as safety and health, environmental quality, social connection and civic participation. Smart technologies help cities to meet the new challenges of society, thus making them more livable, attractive and responsive in order to plan and to improve the city of the future. In accordance with the Agenda 2030 Program for sustainable development that intends the inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable city, the direction of growth and prosperity of urban environments is pursued by optimizing the use of resources and respecting the environment. In the current society, robotic technology is proposed as a tool for innovation and evolution in urban as well as industrial and domestic contexts. On the one hand the users-citizens who participate dynamically in the activities and on the other the new technological systems integrated in the urban fabric. Existing urban systems that are “amplified” of artificial and digital intelligence and give life to smart cities, physical places that allow new forms of coexistence between humans and robots in order to implement the level of quality of life and define “human centered” innovative solutions and services thus responding to the particular needs of people in an effective and dynamic way. The current city goes beyond the definition of smart city. In fact, as said by Carlo Ratti, it becomes a "senseable city", a city capable of feeling but also sensitive and capable of responding to citizens who define the overall performance of the city. The multidisciplinary approach through the dialogue between designers, architects, engineers and urban planners will allow to face the new challenges through the dynamics of robot integration in the urban landscape. The cities of the future, in fact, will be pervaded by autonomous driving vehicles, robotized delivery systems and light transport solutions, in response to the new concept of smart mobility, on a human scale, shared and connected mobility in order to improve management and control of the digitized and smart city. Automation at constant rates as the keystone for urban futures and new models of innovative society. Through the identification of representative case studies in the field of innovative systems it will be possible to highlight the connections between design, smart city and "urban" robotics that will synergically highlight the main "desirable" qualities of life in the city as a place of experimentation and radical transformations. In particular, parallel to the new robotic solutions and human-robot interactions, the design discipline will be responsible for designing the total experience of the user who lives in synergy with the robots, thus changing the socio-economic dynamics of the city.

District-scale water management: impacts on infrastructure, energy, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Myers ◽  
P. Grace ◽  
E. Lopez Calva ◽  
X. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Rainwater Harvesting ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Performance Criteria ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Carbon Footprints ◽  
Peak Runoff ◽  
The Impact

This paper explores the impact of water conservation and rainwater harvesting practices implemented at the site or district scale on the infrastructure, energy and water cycles of their larger urban systems. A case study is presented of a conceptual development in a Southeast Asian climate. Two technologies are examined: water-efficient fixtures and appliances and rainwater harvesting and beneficial use. Practices to reduce water consumption at the site or district scale have implications in the larger system, ranging from reductions in water that has to be treated and distributed, reductions in wastewater that has to be collected and treated, and reductions in energy consumed. Similarly, using rainwater for irrigation will reduce the amount of potable water demand, and will have system energy implications. The paper considers performance criteria for the entire water-energy system, including peak runoff, pollutant loads, energy and carbon footprints.

scholarly journals Environmental analysis in construction company economic activity: approaches, methods, indicators

2018 ◽  
Vol 193 ◽  
pp. 05003
Author(s):  
Nina Simionova ◽  
Irina Krivosheeva ◽  
Dmitriy Krivosheev ◽  
Mikhail Lunyakov
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Analysis ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Reference Level ◽  
Environmental Responsibility ◽  
Land Resources ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Construction Company ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Environmental Requirements

Taking into account that construction is one of the resource-intensive economic sectors, which is reflected in natural capital consumption and taking out the land resources from the turnover, it significantly affects the environmental situation. The conducted review of the previous research in the environmental analysis confirms the importance of the aforementioned problem and the urgency of research continuation to develop a tool for the environmental subsystem management in terms of companies’ sustainable development management. As a uniting tool for quantitative and qualitative analytical methods providing the basis for the choice and implementation of the strategy taking into account environmental requirements, we proposed a method for building of a construction company environmental profile, a scorecard with specific indicators underlying such profile as well as approaches for their reference level formation. To ensure the growth of the companies' environmental responsibility, it was proposed to increase the range of the estimated figures used for the formation of the construction companies' rankings including the environmental indicators into the system alongside with the economic and social figures with the account of the achieved outcomes both on the basis of the instantaneous and rate indicators.

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