March PLUG Topic (PLEASE NOTE CHANGE): Water Conservation

Lisa Petterson of SERA Architects will begin the session by providing an overview of recent changes to the alternative means and methods in Oregon Code for implementing rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse systems for water conservation.  Lisa will also discuss tools and methods for analyzing and achieving “Net Zero Water” in buildings.

Don Mills of Clivus Multrum, Inc. will then present on compost toilets and greywater systems.  Summary of Don’s presentation below:

No society deals well with human excreta. In some ways, industrial societies are the worst offenders: sewers and septic systems discharge nutrients into bodies of water, creating vast environmental degradation. Even worse, these technologies discharge toxic substances from industry, which inevitably find their way down the drain. Much of this toxic material remains in sewage sludge and is then used as fertilizer in agriculture!

Compost toilets and greywater systems fully address these concerns. By keeping excreta separate from all other substances (including flush water) it is possible to manage the nutrients in a sustainable fashion. Greywater (i.e., waste water from plumbing fixtures other than toilets) is then available for irrigation/stabilization within the soil.

This presentation will provide an environmental rationale for the use of these technologies, including a brief background of how the current conventions have evolved; a review of design and maintenance considerations; and a discussion of example projects. Questions will be encouraged throughout the presentation.

The Portland LEED User's Group (PLUG) meets on the second Thursday of every month from 12:00 - 1:30 pm, to discuss topics related to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System.  Attendees of these meetings represent many disciplines within Portland's green building community, and new attendees are always is welcome.

April 9 - Construction Waste Management

May 14 - Post Occupational Performance

June 11 - LEED Core Performance: Small and Medium Buildings

July 9 - Solar: 1.5 Rule, Incentives, 3rd Party, Solar vs. Green Roof & Eco Trust Case Study

August 13 - Ground Source Heat Exchange

September 10 - Less Gravy, More Green: BC study on Pervious Surfaces & Prairie Crossing in Illinois

October 8 - International Rating System

November 12 - Visioning Session

Click here for a list of PLUG events from past years

 For additional information about PLUG, or to suggest future meeting topics, contact:

Dan Saddler           dSaddler@earthadvantage.org

Kate Turpin     katet@serapdx.com