Grey water is a grey area for new home builders: could water saving systems increase sales?
Quick Move Properties came across the issue of grey water and thought it would be an interesting topic to investigate in relation to new home builders and their potential sale volumes. The topic overall is controversial, which means that the impact that using water eco-systems widely would have on new home builders sparks much debate.The voices of the eco-friendly, who condemn the unnecessary use of drinkable water, are being heard and the Environment Agency is investigating the pros and cons of the ways water is recycled and reused, hence their May publication ‘Greywater for domestic users: an information guide’.
‘Grey’ is the term used for water from showers, baths and hand basins which can be treated and reused for toilet flushing, washing machines and garden watering. With hose pipe bans in force due to water shortages across the UK, it is now more important than ever for water to be conserved and the Government is keen for new home builders to explore the eco-friendliness of grey water recycling systems.
As word spreads and more people become focused on the impact their water usage is having on the environment, will new homes which embrace water conserving innovations be popular and will builders enjoy increased sales as a result?
Would the installation of grey water systems increase sales for new home builders?
Yes
Buyers would be keen to purchase a new build with a grey water system because:
· Care of the environment is a growing concern.
· Retrofitting a grey water system in their existing property could be difficult and costly.
· Up to one third of the mains water they use could be saved.
· The water volumes available would be more consistent than they would be using a rain water supply.
No
Buyers would not be keen to purchase a new build with a grey water system because:
· Unless the house is on a water meter, it would be of no financial benefit.
· The cost of running and maintaining grey water systems is high.
· There are no regulations controlling the quality of the recycled water.
· The systems have not been in existence for long and are not commonplace, so buyers may worry that technical problems, currently undiscovered, could be unearthed in the future.
· Although perhaps less advanced, alternative ways of saving water are cheaper and often carry less chance of malfunction.
· The demand for mains water supply would decrease but water consumption levels would remain unchanged, lessening the benefit for the environment.
· Grey water systems could be seen as too much hassle: once treated, the water must be monitored so that it isn’t stored for too long, signs and labels are needed so that people do not mistake grey water for potable water and owners are responsible for the upkeep of the system.
· Different types of system are required depending on the lifestyles of the inhabitants of a property which could restrict their choice of house or be deemed an inconvenience.
· The Environment Agency reports that reused water is generally accepted for use on golf courses, parks and in industry but is not as well received for use in homes.
It will be interesting to see how eco-systems for the home develop over time and whether a product will be created which, as well as quenching the Government’s thirst for eco-friendly homes, provides a successful selling point for builders striving to increase sales.
True to their name, grey water systems are a ‘grey’ area and we are yet to find out if they will increase new home popularity!
For detailed information from the Environment Agency, including system explanations and case studies, ‘Greywater for domestic users: an information guide’ is available at:
0 Comments:
Post a Comment