Water Conservation
Permeable and pervious pavement
The La Salle Eco-Demonstration Home uses innovative techniques to reduce stormwater runoff and protect the environment. Two of the techniques used are permeable and pervious pavement and pavers. The pervious recycled granite sidewalk allows rainwater to flow through it instead of running off it. The permeable pavers allow rain water to pass around the paver and through the subsurface paver system.
Why Permeable & pervious pavement?
Reduce stormwater Runoff
The pervious and permeable pavement at the La Salle Home is designed to reduce stormwater runoff, helping to prevent flooding
pollutant filter
In addition to reducing stormwater runoff, the pavement also filters out pollutants, preventing them from reaching the groundwater.
Eco Friendly
The permeable pavement at the La Salle Home is made from recycled materials, reducing the carbon footprint of the home.
Rain Garden
The La Salle Home has 384 square feet of rain garden space, sized to capture all of the runoff from the roof. The rain gardens were designed to capture up to 1,400 gallons of water per storm event. The downspouts from the home are directed into the gardens. The basins of the garden were excavated, then filled with mulch and an amended soil mixture that allows the water to slowly drain into the soils below.
Why Rain Gardens?
Water Conservation
Compared to a conventional lawn, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to be absorbed into the ground. The gardens are entirely watered by rain, meaning that water bills are reduced.
Nutrient soak up
Rain gardens absorb up to 90% of nutrients and chemicals from the rain water, as well as up to 80% of sediments.
Immediate Drainage
Rain gardens drain within 12-48 hours, preventing standing water and also preventing the breeding of mosquitoes.
WaterSense Fixtures
The La Salle Home uses WaterSense fixtures wherever possible in order to conserve water and save on water bills! WaterSense is a label for water efficient products – the program is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Why WaterSense Fixtures?
Dual Flush High Efficiency toilet
Toilets are the main source of water use in a home, accounting for almost 30% of an average home’s indoor water consumption, according to the EPA. The La Salle Home toilets are WaterSense fixtures that have a dual flush function, allowing for 1.0 gallons per flush for liquid waste, and 1.28 gallons per flush for other waste. This compares with 6 gallons per flush for older toilets- a significant saving of water! (If you are not yet ready to invest in a dual flush toilet, you can also fill a half gallon plastic container with pebbles and place it in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water each flush requires.)
WaterSense Showerheads
Showering is a leading way that water is used in the home, accounting for almost 17% of residential indoor water use according to the EPA. Standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute. WaterSense showerheads use no more than 2.0 gallons of water per minute. An average family can save 2,700 gallons per year by installing WaterSense labeled showerheads.