Achieving Net Zero Water in Severe Drought Prone Areas: A Case Study of Catchment, Storage, and Infiltration Optimization

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5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Net zero water or water independent buildings capture rainwater to meet potable water demand. These systems require a careful calibration between catchment size, storage capacity, and infiltration area to achieve performance goals. In severe drought prone areas with wider variability of rainfall and long periods of scarcity, the precision of the calibration between these three variable is more narrowly defined to reach system resiliency. This paper analyzes a case study of a midsize office project in the severe drought prone area of Los Angeles, California that aims to achieve net zero water. The interrelation of the three variables are analyzed against daily precipitation over the last 10 years to identify dependencies and critical break points. The study finds that in severe drought prone conditions, storage size is relevant only up to a threshold closely mapped with demand. Net zero water system resiliency is accomplished through the precise interrelation of catchment area and infiltration capacity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)782-789
Number of pages8
JournalProcedia Engineering
Volume145
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
EventInternational Conference on Sustainable Design, Engineering and Construction, ICSDEC 2016 - Tempe, United States
Duration: May 18 2016May 20 2016

Keywords

  • Catchment Systems
  • Drought
  • Net zero water
  • Water Indepedence

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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