Ground and rain water are collected in a cistern and used for cooling. The cistern water is circulated through plastic tubing buried below the basement floor and through a coil in the air handling system. The plumbing system was designed to reduce hot and cold water consumption and to use natural water sources. The two toilets require only two and three litres per flush instead of the standard 20 litres. One of the toilets liquefies waste to aid in flushing.
Aerators restrict faucet flow.
The 3,000 gallon cistern buried under the front lawn collects rainwater for watering the garden, flushing the toilets and supplying cold water for clothes and car washing. All piping contains recycled copper. A solar water heating system supplies hot water. Landscaping Environmental responsibility is also applied to the building lot. Native plant species were selected for hardiness, drought resistance and the provision of habitat for butterflies, birds and other wildlife.