All posts by Ken Blair

A rainwater collection systems designer and consultant, Ken has designed and installed residential and commercial systems, primarily in the northwest United States for more than 10 years and, in 2014, began consulting and managing builds in other states. Ken is an accredited ARCSA Professional Designer / Installer and Life Member, the Northwest Regional ARCSA representative and advisor to its education committee and is available to speak about Rainwater Collection Systems design and builds. Ken is a United States Navy veteran, having served on active duty during the Vietnam War era. A career entrepreneur, Ken created a new business focus with a commercial dive company in Hawaii in the mid 1980′s to respond to and clean up oil spills, oil spill equipment training, service and maintenance for the oil co-op service industry. Ken is passionate about having a positive impact on the environment and is also a founding director of BANK-ON-RAIN (2011-2014), whose mission is to create grassroots solutions for rainwater collection for consumption and agriculture in developing areas of the planet.
Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection, Sustainability

Net-Zero Home Wins With RainBank Design

Photo credit: greenbuildermedia.com

If you think you can’t afford to build a sustainable, net-zero home in greater Seattle, we encourage you to read on.

“I still talk to people who don’t even know it’s possible to build a net-zero home for the same price as a conventional home,” says Ted Clifton, designer, builder and owner at TC Legend. Clifton is quoted in an article, posted by Juliet Grable in Green Builder Media, announcing that his company constructed the home that is a recipient of the 10th Annual Green Home of the Year Award.

RainBank is excited to be part of this project, which used RainBank’s rainwater collection system design consisting of four 2,500-gallon cisterns located below the first-floor deck, for a total storage capacity of 10,000 gallons. The system supplies all of the water used in the three-story home, including irrigation.

According to the TC Legend website, “When a net-zero-energy home can be built at a cost on par with traditional construction, everyone wins. TC Legend Homes is helping to usher in a new era of green construction in which homeowners don’t have to choose between cutting-edge efficiency and staying on budget. Our customers expect to save money owning their home, not spend more.”

RainBank Rainwater Systems is the leading, go-to company for green building architects and construction firms that seek modern rainwater collection systems, designs and builds.

Environment, Sustainability

An Earth Day Reminder

Earth Day is a celebration of our planet and a reminder to practice sustainability every day.

Earth Day, for me, is a time for reflection of accomplishments and future goals in our stewardship of our planet.

Suggested Goals:

To stimulate progressive action in conservation of our natural habitat.

To encourage others to adopt sustainable practices of our limited resources.

To pledge involvement and commitment of ourselves in improving awareness and policy.

To teach others the benefits, socially and economically of sustainability.

To work with all to protect our earth.

 

After all it is up to us as inhabitants.

Rainwater Catchment, Residential Rainwater Collection

Good News for Skagit County Property Owners

Click to enlarge map
Skagit River Basin Instream Flow Rule Area. Click to see enlarged map.

Good news for some Skagit County property owners affected by Washington’s Department Of Ecology 2001 In Stream Flow Rules. According to an article in the Skagit Valley Herald, Ecology’s Kristin Johnson-Wagner says, “The county now has the authority to allow wells as a legal source of water for the purpose of issuing building permits.”

The 56 square mile area within the basin extends from Bayview South to La Conner and as far as Sedro-Woolley. Other areas outside the designated area are still subject to the 2001 ruling with hopes that more areas will be relaxed as well.

According to the state’s website, there is an interactive map tool (iMAP) which will help you learn if your property is affected by the Skagit River Instream Flow Rule . Under “Map Categories”, choose “Planning and Development” and then choose “Skagit Instream Rule Area”.  The area affected by the Instream Flow rule will be shown.