DESERT HOUSE - A DEMONSTRATION EXPERIMENT IN EFFICIENT DOMESTIC WATERAND ENERGY USE

In May 1993, a single-family home and adjoining information center ope ned to the public at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. Desert House is designed as an example of what can be achieved today u sing available technology to improve residential water and energy effi ciency. The home is expected to reduce water and energy use by 40 perc ent compared with that for the typical three-bedroom, single-family re sidence in the Phoenix area. Water-conserving features include: landsc ape design employing low-water use plants, minimum turf area, mulch ar ound plants to reduce evaporation, and drip irrigation system; spa cov er for evaporation reduction; rainwater harvesting; low-flow shower he ads, faucets, and toilets; and graywater reuse system. The home will b e occupied by a family and monitored for water and energy use by compu ter. Visitors are able to access real time water and energy use data a bout the home, as well as tour the information center, technical exhib its, surrounding landscape, and the home when it is open (one afternoo n a week).