July/August 2010
Membership Highlights
C O N T E N T S
Homes: Greening the MLS, By Glen Girard, USGBC CO Communications Chair
Project Highlight: Housing Resources Office Building Achieves LEED Certification- First Existing Building to Achieve Certification in Grand Junction, By Elaine Matthews, Ryan, Sawyer & Associates
REGREEN: Workshop October 28-29, taught by Annette Stelmack and Pete Yost
Membership: Recap of Our 2010 Annual Membership Event, By Barb Josey, USGBC CO Membership Chair
Colorado Building Green is the official newsletter of the U.S. Green Building Council – Colorado Chapter, and is published bi-monthly. If you are interested in submiting a story, ideas or other information for publication, please contact the editor at sarah@usgbccolorado.org
Mike Vail of Water Legacy
By Patti Mason, Director of Advocacy
USGBC Colorado Chapter
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It is challenging to fmd anyone in Colorado, who is interested in advancing greywater reuse policies, who does not know Mike Vail. Mike Vail is the owner of Water Legacy, a Boulder based company responsible for installing greywater systems in seven Colorado homes since 2008.
Vail has a simple message: Don't flush drinking water.
Although Vail is a small business owner who has strong sales in surrounding states, he
has worked tirelessly advocating for Colorado to clarify the rules governing nonconsumptive
residential greywater reuse. Patti Mason, Director of Advocacy, has nominated Vail to be recognized this month due to his efforts to successfully secure two variance requests from the State of Colorado Plumbing Board. These variances will allow two homes in rural areas, one in Huerfano County and one in Gunnison County, to install a greywater reuse system for toilet flushing. This could be the first request approved by the State.
What is non-consumptive greywater?
In most American homes there is a surprising balance between the amount of water used
for bathing and for flushing toilets - both represent about 30% of household internal
water use. Non-consumptive greywater recycling allows you to take advantage of that
balance by re-using the bathing greywater to flush toilets, as opposed to using the
greywater in a consumptive manner, such as landscape irrigation.
Interested in learning more about the hurdles that restrict innovative water conservation
strategies in our state? Please contact Patti Mason at patti@usgbccolorado.org to get
involved with the Colorado Chapter's Water Taskforce.
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