RAINWATER HARVESTING PROJECT

A RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM HELPING COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO FILTERED WATER FOR GARDEN AND NON-POTABLE HOME USE. 

In recent years, there has been a shift toward alternative water collection systems to address water scarcity, household consumption and resource autonomy. Autonomous water harvesting promotes independence and ensures communities have a consistent supply of water. 

Our Water Systems team is collaborating with Builders Without Borders Foundation (BWBF) and RESEAU to provide rainwater harvesting systems for BC communities. The system is to be installed with tiny homes that BWBF is designing and building. 

We have completed the technical research phase and conceptualization of our rainwater harvesting design. It incorporated filtration investigation, water storage tank size and catchment area estimation by mass balance, as well as selection of piping materials and pressure head estimation by hydraulic calculations. 

This year, we aim to investigate environmental impacts of various filtration systems by life cycle assessments and rainwater quality testing, as well as start our new project: plant irrigation & drainage. A rainwater drainage system for plant irrigation and garden use will be designed by 3D CAD modelling and hydraulic calculations.   

Rainwater quality testing in the laboratory

From concept to creation

Our IA team has created a report that details the process of project conception with an emphasis on user-focused approaches to engineering design. To view the full publication click here.