In search of the net-zero water home
Water bills are going up, according to best estimates. And that’s one reason two major home appliance and plumbing brands are teaming up to bring innovation to water consumption.
Whirlpool Corp. and Kohler Co. said they are committed to a research project for “net-zero” water usage in the home.
According to recent projections from the Energy Information Agency and USA Today, by 2025 Americans will see their water bills double and potentially triple in major metro areas.
This threat to the wallets of homeowners across the country is adding to speculation that pressure to the U.S. infrastructure, already desperate for solutions to a water shortage in California, is headed toward a significant issue in water access. At this week's Sustainable Brands Conference in San Diego, Whirlpool and Kohler announced the two companies have committed to identify ways to achieve net-zero water in the home in connection with ReNEWW House, a retrofitted, net-zero energy, water and waste research home located near the Purdue University campus.
During the conference, representatives from both companies discussed a shared hope to create energy and water advancements that lead to reduced consumption and allow existing buildings to become self-sustaining systems.
Research into new insights and opportunities for water conservation in the home will be ongoing over the next two years as part of the opportunity with ReNEWW House, a retrofitted, net-zero energy, water and waste research home located near the Purdue University campus.