Rainwater Harvesting
As with all the products that Green Living Energy supplies and installs, there are good economic as well as environmental reasons for considering rainwater harvesting – not to mention government legislation on all future developments.
With UK population set to grow by another 10 million in the next decade or so, water will become an ever more valuable (and therefore costly) resource, and regulatory changes mean that over 90% of UK homes will have their water usage metered (and paid for proportionally) in the foreseeable future. No longer will we be able to treat it as a cheap and disposable commodity.
Yet 50% of the water we use in the home can quite safely be replaced by recycled water, collected through a rainwater harvesting system and used for:
• Toilet flushing
• General cleaning
• Garden irrigation
• Car washing
• Laundry
So while you’re cutting your water bills by up to half, you’re also doing your bit for the environment: it’s a win-win situation.
Commercial savings of course are even more pronounced, especially in high-use water industries (hotels, garden centres, etc). And in addition, the government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme means you can claim 100% capital allowance on the installation cost, in the first year.
For new-build developments, there are increasingly high mandatory levels of compliance under the Code for Sustainable Homes being introduced between now and 2016, which will also form the basis for future use in Building Regulations relating to carbon emissions and energy use in all domestic properties.
Microgeneration Certification Scheme
