flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Standard establishes best practices for rainwater and stormwater harvesting system

Standards

Standard establishes best practices for rainwater and stormwater harvesting system

The market is seeing an increasing number of residential, commercial, and industrial rainwater and stormwater systems being installed.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | January 31, 2023
Components of a typical rainwater harvesting system. Illustration: DOE

Components of a typical rainwater harvesting system. Illustration: DOE

ASSE/ARCSA/IAPMO/ANSI Series 21000-2022, Professional Qualifications Standard for Rainwater Catchment Systems Personnel, has been designated as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Now available for purchase, the standard was first published in 2017 by ASSE International and the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) to address an increasing number of residential, commercial, and industrial rainwater and stormwater systems being installed. The standards within Series 21000 establish best practices and uniform minimum requirements for qualified designers, installers, and inspectors of viable alternative water systems utilizing captured rainwater or stormwater.

Program guidelines and a series of exams have been created for the certification of rainwater catchment system installers, designers and inspectors. The standard complements ARCSA/ASPE/ANSI 63, Rainwater Catchment Systems, and ARCSA/ASPE/ANSI 78, Stormwater Harvesting System Design for Direct End-Use Applications.

“Today, 42.4% of the U.S. and 50.7% of the lower 48 states are in drought. Properly designed, installed, and inspected rainwater catchment systems can help replace the use of potable water for irrigation and allow for watering landscaped and gardened areas during times of drought,” said Kurt Steenhoek, United Association (UA) international representative and ASSE Series 21000 Working Group chairperson. “These systems can help bring water to areas that have development restrictions, depleted ground or surface water sources, or infrastructure that is unable to deliver suitable water quantities or qualities.”

Related Stories

Resiliency | Jun 14, 2023

HUD offers $4.8 billion in funding for green and resilient building retrofit projects

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released guidelines for its Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) that has $4.8 billion for funding green projects.

Mixed-Use | Jun 6, 2023

Public-private partnerships crucial to central business district revitalization

Central Business Districts are under pressure to keep themselves relevant as they face competition from new, vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods emerging across the world’s largest cities.

Codes and Standards | Jun 2, 2023

Supreme Court drastically reduces wetland areas impacted by Clean Water Act

A recent Supreme Court decision that substantially narrowed the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate millions of acres of wetlands is expected to open more land for development. More than half of the nation’s wetlands could lose protection under the Clean Water Act, according to environmentalists and legal analysts.

Contractors | May 26, 2023

Enhanced use of data is crucial for improving construction job site safety

Executives with major construction companies say new digital tools are allowing them to use data more effectively to reduce serious safety incidents and improve job site safety.

Affordable Housing | May 17, 2023

Affordable housing advocates push for community-owned homes over investment properties

Panelists participating in a recent webinar hosted by the Urban Institute discussed various actions that could help alleviate the nation’s affordable housing crisis. Among the possible remedies: inclusionary zoning policies, various reforms to increase local affordable housing stock, and fees on new development to offset the impact on public infrastructure.

BIM and Information Technology | May 8, 2023

BIM Council seeks public comments on BIM Standard-US Version 4

The Building Information Management (BIM) Council is seeking public comment on an updated national BIM standard. NBIMS-US V4 has been three years in the making and is scheduled to be released this fall.

Senior Living Design | May 8, 2023

Seattle senior living community aims to be world’s first to achieve Living Building Challenge designation

Aegis Living Lake Union in Seattle is the world’s first assisted living community designed to meet the rigorous Living Building Challenge certification. Completed in 2022, the Ankrom Moisan-designed, 70,000 sf-building is fully electrified. All commercial dryers, domestic hot water, and kitchen equipment are powered by electricity in lieu of gas, which reduces the facility’s carbon footprint.

Resiliency | Apr 18, 2023

AI-simulated hurricanes could aid in designing more resilient buildings

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have devised a new method of digitally simulating hurricanes in an effort to create more resilient buildings. A recent study asserts that the simulations can accurately represent the trajectory and wind speeds of a collection of actual storms. 

Green | Apr 18, 2023

USGBC and IWBI unveil streamlined certification pathway for LEED and WELL green building programs

The U.S. Green Building Council, Green Business Certification Inc., and the International WELL Building Institute released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard. The new protocol simplifies documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time or that have already earned one certification and are looking to add the other. 

K-12 Schools | Apr 18, 2023

ASHRAE offers indoor air quality guide for schools

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has released a guide for educators, administrators, and school districts on indoor air quality. The guide can be used as a tool to discuss options to improve indoor air quality based on existing HVAC equipment, regional objectives, and available funding. 

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category




halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021