High Efficiency Fixtures

In order to eliminate unnecessary domestic water use, we employed low flow lavatory faucets and dual flush toilets. Every toilet in the home is a dual flush model, which allows for significantly lowered water usage on liquid only flushes.  Kohler’s world class styling coupled with their performance made these products a great fit for VISION House Aspen.

Re-circulation Loop & Motion Sensor Activation

The domestic hot water supply lines in the house are configured with a recirculation loop that is tied to motion sensors. They provide instant hot water to the fixtures and eliminate the need to run the faucet for 20 seconds waiting for the hot water to arrive. This system will save water, time, energy and money for the home owner. By running a continuous loop of hot water line near to each faucet and back to the hot water tank, the water must travel a much shorter distance to arrive at the sink. Branches of the line split from the main loop and run to the facets themselves, which is where the motion sensors come in. When someone walks into a bathroom, the motion sensor turns on that branch of the line so that the moment they turn the water on, the hot water will instantly pour out. By insulating the loop itself, very little heat energy is lost. The benefits of decreased water waste along with the convenience of instant hot water makes this green feature a wonderful asset to the home. 

Pipe Insulation

All domestic and hydronic water lines in the home are insulated to decrease heat loss and maximize energy efficiency.  LEED for homes only requires the domestic hot water lines to be insulated, but doing all of them only helps to decrease demand on any of the systems used for heating, thusly improving the overall performance of the home. As was mentioned above, the insulated domestic water lines make the recirc loop even more effective.