Deep Dives in Design: Towards Net Zero Water

Three-Part Webinar Series

The New England Living Building Collaborative presented a series of webinars on how water management, water efficiency, and water and energy nexus concepts can be incorporated into project planning, design, construction and operation. The series title is: “Deep Dives in Design – Towards Net Zero Water” and it held three webinars:

  1. Deep Dive into Net Zero Water at the R.W. Kern Center
  2. Deep Dive into Onsite Water Reuse in the City
  3. Deep Dive into Net Zero and the Water/Energy Nexus

Why did we need a series of webinars on water and the built environment?

To help project owners, planners, designers, contractors, operators and regulators understand how the following issues have been addressed:

  • Water is an essential to life.
  • Fresh water is a finite resource.
  • Water infrastructure is expensive, with great variability in cost from community to community.
  • Water should not be treated as separate streams (drinking water, cooling water, stormwater, irrigation water, etc.) but as inter-related resources in a common water cycle
  • Energy is required to extract, treat, use, and recycle used water; and water can be an energy resource.
  • Net zero water is generally defined as balancing water consumption with the amount of water that is available onsite, from either rainfall, groundwater or surface water; and returning used water to the local water cycle.
  • Different “green” building, district, neighborhood, or community certification programs emphasize different aspects of minimizing water use, onsite treatment and reuse of water and balancing water use with water availability.

About the Living Future Collaborative New England

Built Environment Plus’s Living Future Collaborative New England promotes the Living Building Challenge and other ILFI programs. The Collaborative promotes the transformation of communities throughout Boston and New England that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. Learn more about the Collaborative and the International Living Future Institute here.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Natural Systems Utilities

NSU is a national leader in water reclamation and reuse innovation. We currently operate over 240 systems along with 160 innovative/alternative Title V facilities across the United States, including the largest base of reuse and natural treatment systems. Our approach offers clients fully integrated and cost effective solutions that incorporate award-winning innovations in system design. NSU has built the unique capability to structure a full range of design, build, operations and ownership project solutions. Our reputation has been built on best in class execution capability,  and on long term shared-value partnerships with the people and communities we serve. Learn more about Natural Systems Utilities here.