Nexus eWater Tapped by KB Home for Double ZeroHouse 2.0

May 9, 2014
The house achieves both net-zero energy status & uses zero freshwater for irrigation

KB Home, one of the nation's largest homebuilders, recently set new standards for water efficiency in California home construction with its Double ZeroHouse 2.0 in the city of Lancaster.

It is called the "Double ZeroHouse 2.0" because it achieves both net-zero energy status, and uses zero freshwater for irrigation. The Double ZeroHouse 2.0 features an eWater Recycler capable of treating on-site two out of every three gallons of city water used indoors. After it is first used indoors, the water is treated and then used a second time on the landscape.

With a family of four, the Double ZeroHouse 2.0 is modeled to use just 42 gal per person daily (gpcd) of municipal water for all indoor and outdoor water use.

In comparison, a new standard home with typical water-efficient landscape will use 2.6 times more water at 109 gpcd, and a typical resale house built in the 1990s will use 3.5 times more—147 gpcd.

"We first used WaterSense labeled fixtures and low-water landscaping to minimize water use," said Tom DiPrima, executive vice president of KB Home's Southern California division. "To potentially cut about 40,000 more gal of water use, we then advanced to recycling virtually every drop of water from showers and laundry. On-site water recycling is a big new step forward in water efficiency."

To recycle water, KB Home tapped the eWater Recycler by U.S.-Australian company Nexus eWater. Capable of recycling up to 200 gal daily, the eWater Recycler is a complete solution for the treatment, storage and reuse of water in homes.

"A critical goal was to have a 'turn-key' approach that would make water recycling automatic without the need for active homeowner involvement," DiPrima said. "The Nexus solution fit that bill and it works without the addition of chemicals or the balancing of a biological culture."

Addressing students from the local University of the Antelope Valley, Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris touted the Double ZeroHouse as the House of the Future:

"We continue in the midst of a persistent drought," said Mayor Parris. "KB Home and Nexus eWater have created a home right here which will actually help solve California's water crisis. This water recycler is truly revolutionary, and you are seeing it here in the ZeroHouse first. As Lancaster continues to pursue its goal of becoming America's first truly Net-Zero City, we are extremely proud to see the ZeroHouse and its innovative water system debut in our city."

Source: Nexus eWater

Sponsored Recommendations

Blower Package Integration

March 20, 2024
See how an integrated blower package can save you time, money, and energy, in a wastewater treatment system. With package integration, you have a completely integrated blower ...

Strut Comparison Chart

March 12, 2024
Conduit support systems are an integral part of construction infrastructure. Compare steel, aluminum and fiberglass strut support systems.

Energy Efficient System Design for WWTPs

Feb. 7, 2024
System splitting with adaptive control reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.

Blower Isentropic Efficiency Explained

Feb. 7, 2024
Learn more about isentropic efficiency and specific performance as they relate to blowers.