Desert Dwelling: A Water Conservative Net-Zero Energy Project

Abstract

The world has begun to recognize that potable, or drinkable, water is a limited commodity that therefore needs to be used conservatively. Growing populations and changing climates are intensifying the need to conserve. At the present, homes built in the United States do not use water or energy efficiently. Reasons for these inefficiencies include abundant cheap energy and water as well as a home building culture that does not design to the natural conditions in local environments. When building culture accepts that the methods and aesthetic of structures must vary based on geography, significant environmental savings can occur. The goal of this project is to establish a variety of water conservative, net-zero energy single-family homes that can be used as prototypes for new development in arid climates throughout the Western United States.