Sustainable building: Building services

There is probably no need to explain at this point just how much of a burden operating costs can be on the monthly budget. What's more, existing energy and resources are simply not being used optimally - which is bad for the wallet and for climate protection.

We would like to give you a brief overview of the possibilities for optimization in the area of building services.

Rainwater utilization

When you consider that the per capita consumption of drinking water in Central Europe is around 120 liters and that at least 40 liters of this is flushed down the toilet and some is also used for watering the garden, the search for an alternative to precious drinking water is obvious.

The components of a rainwater harvesting system consist of a cistern, filter, domestic waterworks and pipe network. In simple terms, the rainwater running off the roof is collected above or below ground in a cistern, filtered and pumped into the relevant areas using a domestic water system. The surplus is flushed into the sewer or an infiltration basin.

Gray water use

Greywater is the water from the bathtub, shower, washbasin and washing machine. It has an average temperature of around 30 °C and a not inconsiderable amount of energy disappears into the sewage system with it every day. This energy can be used with a so-called gray water heat recovery system.

A prerequisite for the operation of a graywater heat recovery system is the separate collection of the graywater. The graywater heat recovery system itself is a heat exchanger with an upstream self-cleaning filter. The grey water transfers up to 60% of its energy to the cold water flowing in the opposite direction, which heats up during this process and can be fed into a buffer tank.

This system is usually of interest for apartment buildings, as the installation costs are amortized more quickly here.

Photovoltaic system

It is probably not necessary to provide an explanation for this, especially as photovoltaic systems are booming in Austria to such an extent that waiting times for delivery and installation are getting longer and longer.

A very welcome development.

House wind power plant

This possibility of generating electricity with wind turbines for domestic use is definitely a topic that needs to be discussed with a professional, as the wind conditions that determine the degree of utilization of the system vary enormously depending on the location of the house (for example, in a residential area or detached).

pro.earth conclusion:

This is a small excerpt or perhaps food for thought for all those who, for various reasons, are concerned with how energy can be optimized in the home. We are excited about the wealth of technologies. 💚