Achieving Water Independence in Buildings

Download the Report.

In pursuing the Living Building Challenge for a conceptual affordable housing project, Central City Concern, a non-profit owner of affordable housing in Portland, OR, initiated research to understand the regulatory, technological and behavioral barriers to achieve net-zero water.

Central City Concern’s report, Achieving Water Independence in Buildings, explains water reuse strategies and what current Oregon regulations allow. Their approach helped achieve statewide rainwater and greywater allowances in Oregon and may offer guidance for those in other states wishing explore the possibilities of water reuse in buildings and those wishing to reform limiting regulation.

Central City Concern’s pioneering work was supported by The Bullitt Foundation, Enterprise Community Partners, Cascadia Region Green Building Council, and Portland Development Commission and was developed in collaboration with SERA Architects, Interface Engineering, and Gerding Edlen Development Co.

Please download the report. Use it, dissect it, and share it. And feel free to share your questions, thoughts, ideas, and comments about water reuse in the forum below.