Enabling Water Smart Communities, a project designing new housing and urban environments to absorb excess water during heavy rain events and cope with sustained drought by recycling “greywater”.
Community-Centric Rainwater Management, asking communities to test new water butts called Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) that will help manage the flow of rainwater and reduce the risk of flooding in paved urban areas.
Project Zero, looking at how new housing developments can be more sustainable and water efficient. The team aims to minimise water demand and offset water consumption with new technologies to ensure the total water use in the community remains the same as before the new homes were built. This will involve installing water-saving devices in residential properties, including smaller technologies (shower heads, tap inserts) and more extensive infrastructure such as greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting units.
Designer Liner, aiming to line older pipes from the inside to prevent leaks and increase the lifespan of mains pipes, as an alternative solution to digging out and replacing old pipes. The project will test new lining solutions and will bring about several benefits: it is cost effective, less disruptive and sustainable as it reduces carbon emissions.
