Achieving Water Independence in Buildings

March 2009

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.

Ben Gates, Richard Harris / Central City Concern
Clark Brockman, Lisa Petterson, Joe Pinzone / SERA Architects
Jon Grey / Interface Engineering
Dennis Wilde / Gerding Edlen Development

Central City Concern’s pioneering work was supported by The Bullitt Foundation, Enterprise Community Partners, Cascadia Green Building Council, and Portland Development Commission.