Virtually all of Manitoba's electricity is supplied by water power. Hydro power is economical and plentiful. According to Manitoba’s Power for Business, the advantages of this system are:
• the lowest published electricity rates in North America
• one of the most reliable power delivery systems in North America
• abundant existing generating capacity
• certainty of future power supplies
However, there are disadvantages to this system including:
• Suitable site characteristics required
In order to take full advantage of the electrical potential of small streams, a suitable site is needed. Factors to consider are: distance from the power source to the location where energy is required, stream size (including flow rate, output and drop), and a balance of system components — inverter, batteries, controller, transmission line and pipelines.
• Energy expansion not possible
The size and flow of small streams may restrict future site expansion as the power demand increases.
• Low-power in the summer months
In many locations stream size will fluctuate seasonally. During the summer months there will likely be less flow and therefore less power output. Advanced planning and research will be needed to ensure adequate energy requirements are met.
• Environmental impact
The ecological impact of small-scale hydro is minimal; however the low-level environmental effects must be taken into consideration before construction begins. Stream water will be diverted away from a portion of the stream, and proper caution must be exercised to ensure there will be no damaging impact on the local ecology or civil infrastructure. (source)
Water consumption has increased six times during the last century which is twice the rate of population growth. A great percentage of water consumption is used in industrial processes.
“The textile industry employs large quantities of water in fiber production and processing and in fabric finishing, especially dyeing. Interior designers have the power to avoid products whose manufacturing includes highly toxic technologies and to seek out ones with low environmental impact.” (Binggeli, p 90)
Since the total amount of water on earth and in the atmosphere is finite, the best strategy is to use the sources we have efficiently.
LEED’s approaches for using water efficiently include:
• Reduce the quantity of portable water used for landscape irrigation and building operations
• Reduce municipal water supply and treatment burden (control run-off)
• Reduce generation of wastewater and portable water demand
Green Buildings Store provides a range of water saving products to be used in buildings.
The AQUS Greywater Recycling System is a small scale greywater recycling system that uses treated water that is captured from the bathroom sink to flush the toilet – and accomplish greywater recycling in the process.
The system consists of two parts; 1) the Fill Control Unit and 2) the Vanity Tank. The Fill Control Unit effectively clips onto the back of the customer’s toilet and holds the fill valve up, in the off position, which allows the Vanity Tank located under the bathroom sink to fill the tank with treated and recycled sink water. The system does not shut off the fresh water supply or cross connect to it. It simply holds the fresh water “OFF” until it is needed to supplement the toilet fill.
Water systems in buildings:
1. water supply system: consisting of water main, service pipe, water meter, control and shut off valve
2. drain, waste & vent (DWV) system: a system that removes sewage and greywater from a building and vents the gases produced by said waste.
Fire safety design
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the damage caused by a fire. Fire safety measures include those that are planned during the construction of a building or implemented in structures that are already standing, and those that are taught to occupants of the building.
Key strategies:
• Detection: fire alarm systems including detectors, alarms and audible & visual signals.
• Suppression: sprinkler systems including wet pipe, dry pipe, deluge and other
• Compartmentalization/exiting: fire walls, fire separation, areas of refuge, fire stops and dampers, escape routes, means of egress
It’s up to us as interior designers to maintain a clear way to exits in terms of furnishing.
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