Using fallen leaves and discarded plastic bottles, two designers have created a recycled material that could turn buildings into automatic rainwater collection systems.
Thousands of gallons of free water fall on roofs, parking lots, and sidewalks every day only to flow directly down the drain. Rainwater collection systems are often bulky and (in some regions) illegal. But with the Save Water Brick, your home and other buildings could collect this precious resource automatically.
In the U.S., the average family of four can use up to 400 gallons of water every day. To encourage water conservation, Jin-young Yoon and Jeongwoong Kwon created a new type of brick that will effortlessly channel rain into nearby plants or holding tanks. This water can then be used for gardening, washing clothes, dishes, and lawn irrigation.
The biodegradable bricks are intended to be used in the outermost wall of a structure, and feature funnels that help to direct the rain water into a desired area instead of merely absorbing or shedding the water, like most traditional bricks.
While there's no doubt that these multi-purpose bricks are an eco-friendly building material, there is some doubt as to whether they'll truly be able to withstand four seasons of precipitation and temperature changes.
If you're interested in giving them a try, it might be a good idea to start with a non-essential structure, like a gardening shed or doghouse.
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Most builders would agree that the LAST thing you want is a brick that absorbs water. Anything damp is also cold – a result of the Latent heat of Evaporation – and here in the uK we certainly don’t want to chill our walls. Penetrating damp is also caused by porous bricks and is a big problem here.
Rainwater harvesting is essential for any society aiming for sustainability, but use a proper rainwater harvesting system. Rain is clean, free and has a zero carbon footprint – why waste it?
What happens to the bricks during freezing weather? Surely the ‘freeze/thaw’ will disintegrate them in the same way that it disintegrates stone?