There are many historic architectural treasures in the U.S., particularly in the Southwest. This ancient ruin in New Mexico, on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of the few remaining sites where there is an architectural record of Native Americans in close contact with their Spanish conquerors. Its longevity is due, in part, to its rugged stone construction.

Entering this village, the visitor gets a profoundly sacred feeling that its inhabitants once thought of themselves as integral to the earth. The construction, location, operation, and maintenance of the prehistoric pueblo suggest that Tiwa Indians understood sustainability. Their central fortified plazas formed from local stone utilized a spring-fed irrigation system enabling multiple families to practice subsistence farming and raise animals for hides and food, providing surplus for sale or trade. Life in the village was administered through a moiety—two community divisions: one responsible for summer activities, another for winter. There was no social hierarchy and both men and women served as builders and stonemasons. All of these practices led not only to ecological, but aesthetic harmony between the structure and its natural surroundings, improving the health and well being of its occupants.

WATER CONSERVATION AS AN ELEMENT OF RESIDENTIAL DESIGN

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.” Benjamin Franklin, 1790

Water harvesting is critical to the southwest region of the United States because it is such a precious commodity here. Yet, while water in the southwest is scarce and droughts are a constant concern for farmers, ranchers, and homeowners alike, it is often seen as a problem because of the erosion it causes and the difficulty in designing drainage, particularly for those occasions of flash flooding. If we can see residential water collection as a contribution to the solution of our dry environment, we can also begin to conserve and protect our land and soils. Several of the benefits of residential water harvesting include:

-decrease in erosion
-reduced flooding
-minimized water pollution
-ground water re-charge
-enhanced soil fertility
-boost in wildlife habitat
-reduced demand for city water
-reduced demand for ground water
-sustainable cities and communities.

The Seven R’s, or the seven principles of sustainable design, are: respect, receive, reduce, reuse, recycle, restore, and remember. How do they apply to residential design and the use of water?

Residential cistern for landscape irrigation

Respect and Receive

• Improve soil quality to increase water retention.
• Apply evaporative cooling in the summer to reduce energy usage.
• Select plants for drought tolerance.
• Select plants that provide a cooling effect which, in turn, increases comfort of guests
• Connect people to place. This imparts a serenity and respect for the environment.
• Respect the existing topography and plant material.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

• Specify low water toilets and appliances to reduce demand for water use.
• Minimize lawn area to reduce the need for irrigation.
• Recycle wastewater from the sink for gray water irrigation on site to reclaim water use.
• Use rainwater collection systems like residential cisterns that can provide supplementary irrigation for landscaping, reducing the load on the municipal drinking water supply and hydrating native plants that provide a habitat and wildlife forage.
• Consider the use of holding ponds and water features in the landscaping plan to reduce dependence on existing municipal drainage infrastructure.
• Use drip irrigation to reduce evaporation and runoff.

Collect roof rain water runoff for supplementary landscape irrigation

Restore and Remember

• Organize site plan according to a water theme to encourage stewardship of water resources, promote understanding of the dependence of living systems on water, and to connect guests and people who drive by the home to seasonal cycles.
• Design the landscape for specific site conditions to correct runoff into sewers system or flaws that may not contribute to water conservation.
• Replenish aquifers using storm water or collect storm water for supplemental irrigation.
• Respect and work with existing drainage conditions.
• Keep the site clean using natural and biological processes so that continuous renewal of water resources is maintained.

See a Case Study of a one of our green homes.