Like Water, For Roughnecks

Week four of Green Construction and Energy training began a bit differently today.  I was introduced to water auditing.

Water conservation is quickly becoming a hot topic, both in Denver and around the country.  Most of us are aware of the restrictions placed on us during the droughts of the past few years. However, few people realize that conserving water in and around the home can not only be painless, but also beneficial.  Consider this:  the average person uses 211 gallons of water PER DAY.  By reducing consumption to 165 gallons per day, the average homeowner can save close to 30% on their water bill.  A water audit will identify where improvements can be made throughout a home or business.

Around 9 AM, we were driven to the offices of Rebuilding Together Metro Denver, where we spent the morning learning the nuances of water auditing.  After lunch, we split up into two teams to begin the installation of water saving appliances in the homes of elderly homeowners.  As most elderly homeowners are living on fixed incomes, RTMD and Denver Water provide the audits and the upgrades at no cost.  My team installed new aerators, a new efficient shower head and an ADA approved, energy efficient toilet. 

What impressed me most was the reaction of the homeowner.  She was genuinely pleased to receive the upgrades, and didn't seem to mind all the strangers traipsing through her home to complete the installation.  i could very easily see my gramma, or my mother, sitting in the same spot.  Just looking around the home at all the projects that needed to be completed made me appreciate the both the necessity of reaching out to our older homeowners and the opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of my fellow citizens.

Wednesday, we will be spending the day working with Habitat for Humanity.  If it proves to be as rewarding as today, I just may have to revise my long term goals to include more altruistic uses for my new skills.