Demonstrating Residential Water Conservation and Reuse in the Sonoran Desert: Casa del Agua and Desert House

Abstract

Single-family homes are being used to demonstrate and research water conserving and reuse techniques and technologies. These facilities can provide real-world data as well as public information and educational programs. The installation of water-conserving fixtures, rainwater harvesting, and graywater reuse systems and storage can reduce the requirements for potable water by 50 percent. Casa del Agua and Desert House show that the science of conserving resources can be balanced with the art of designing quality desert dwellings.