Title: Choosing Between Energy Efficiency Or Water Savings For Green Building Points?
Greywater systems can be a bit of a mixed bag, honestly. I've installed a few, and while they do reduce potable water use for things like irrigation or flushing toilets, the maintenance can catch folks off guard. Filters clog, pumps need attention, and local regs can be strict. In places with high water costs or drought issues, they make more sense. But for most homeowners, upgrading insulation or windows gives a much quicker payback and less hassle long-term. If you're set on maximizing green points, though, greywater does check some boxes... just know what you’re signing up for.
Honestly, I went back and forth on this exact thing when we started our build. The idea of saving water sounded awesome, but the more I read about greywater systems, the more I realized I’m not cut out for all that maintenance. My partner jokes that I barely remember to clean the lint trap in the dryer... so yeah. We ended up putting our money into better insulation and windows. The energy bills dropped right away, and it just felt like less to worry about. Maybe if we lived somewhere with crazy water prices, I’d feel differently, but for now, I’ll take the easy win on energy savings.
CHOOSING BETWEEN ENERGY EFFICIENCY OR WATER SAVINGS FOR GREEN BUILDING POINTS?
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve seen a few projects where folks jumped into greywater setups thinking it’d be a set-and-forget deal, but it’s rarely that simple. Maintenance can sneak up on you, especially if you’re not the type who loves tinkering. I’ve leaned toward insulation and high-performance windows myself—less moving parts, more immediate payoff. Water-saving tech is great in theory, but unless you’re in a drought-prone area or water’s super pricey, energy upgrades just seem to make more sense for most people.
CHOOSING BETWEEN ENERGY EFFICIENCY OR WATER SAVINGS FOR GREEN BUILDING POINTS?
That’s a fair point about maintenance—greywater systems aren’t exactly “install and forget.” But I keep wondering, does the local climate tip the scales? Like, in places where water’s cheap and plentiful, is it ever really worth fussing over water points if you can just beef up insulation and call it a day? On the flip side, I’ve seen some clients really jazzed about rainwater harvesting even where it barely rains... maybe that’s just the novelty factor? Sometimes I wonder if the “points” actually line up with what matters most for each project.
I’ve seen some clients really jazzed about rainwater harvesting even where it barely rains... maybe that’s just the novelty factor?
Funny you mention that—I had a project in a region with decent rainfall, but the client wanted every possible water point. Ended up with a rainwater tank that barely filled. In hindsight, beefing up the building envelope would’ve paid off more, both for comfort and utility bills. Sometimes the “points” system does feel a bit disconnected from actual impact on the ground.