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WORKSHOP OVERVIEW
Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.
The global water shortage and many local restrictions are becoming all too common. What was once unimaginable is now a common occurrence for countries, regions, cities and people - not enough water to live on.
Rainwater harvesting is a viable and now practiced trade that anyone can learn to apply at the personal, professional, municipal or institute level if you have the right information and instructor.
Gord Baird is an American Rain Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) Accredited Professional ASSE Certified International Rainwater Designer and Installer and has actively designed and installed dozens of rainwater harvesting systems for potable and irrigation use at all scales of application.
This course is for anyone who sees that learning to harvest, store and use rainwater safely is a valuable skill for their professional or livelihood.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
Session 1: Introduction to Rainwater Harvesting
- Be able to answer the question, "Why Rainwater Harvesting?"
- Identify key differences in perspectives of the User, Designer and Regulator
- Understand the Upside of rainwater
- Understand the Downside of rainwater
- Identify the five elements that comprise a rainwater system
- Understand the basic design process
Session 2: Rain 101
- Distinguish between the two classifications of rainwater harvesting systems (rooftop collection, stormwater)
- Define two distinguishing classifications of end-uses for harvested rainwater
- Familiarize yourself with the Canadian/USA standards for design
- Distinguish the different types of Non-Potable end-uses for Tiers 1-3
- Recognize what determines if a water use is deemed as a potable end-use
- Recognize how risk assessment informs mitigation
- Compare and differentiate the difference between technical vs management controls
- Understand the importance of Cross Connection controls
Session 3: System Components - Collection & Conveyance (Part 1 of 3)
- Asses the Collection area for suitable surface and water collection potential
- Determine potential hydraulic flows from the surface
- Determine proper conveyance sizing and design for the water flows
- Learn to calculate the peak flow rate of water to inform the choice of pre-filtration.
- Identify storage types and assess appropriate applications for site and use
- Familiarize yourself with water balance and water budgets
Session 4: System Components - Storage and Water Balance (Part 2 of 3)
- Assess storage systems in terms of suitability, feasibility, and installation best practices
- Identify sources to attain precipitation data
- Use a simple water balance tool to determine the "best fit" storage
Session 5: System Components - Supply & Treatment (Part 3 of 3)
- Identify critical factors that are required to design the supply system.
- Understanding flow - Peak Daily flow, Peak Hourly Flow, average flow
- Understanding pressure - residential, irrigation and fire
- Interpret pump options and specs.
- Name appropriate Treatment technologies for different end-uses
- Learn what treatment technologies are applied to sediments, organics, chemistry, Bacteria, Oocysts (Giardia/Cryptosporidium), and Viruses.
- Recognize the concept of Log Reduction.
- List forms of In tank treatment
- List forms of Sediment filtration
- List forms of Organics removal treatment
- Identify methods used for Metals and chemistry alteration.
- Recognize the different forms of Disinfection.
- Deepen your understanding of the design process
- Review several design Case Studies
Session 7: Installation, Maintenance, Alternative Storage and Conservation
- Learn the process for installation
- Enhance awareness of ponds, rain gardens, soils
- Learn about percolation
- Develop an understanding of conservation tips for water
- Identify treatment systems that work with Off Grid
- Learn tricks of the trade
Session 8: Design Feedback, Feedback and Next Steps
- Comment on the common strengths, weaknesses, and common trends across the designs.
- Answer any outstanding question
- Provide the following steps to continue your Rainwater Harvesting skills
Additional Course Elements
Student Design Presentation:
There will be a limited number of Student Design Presentation opportunities for students to design a small scale rainwater harvesting system along with the course and record a video presentation of their design. Gord will provide recorded video feedback for these designs.
Student Group Discussion
Each session you'll have between 15-20 minute small group discussion time with your fellow classmates to share details about your project sites and discuss the class materials.
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WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR
-- Anyone faced with dwindling or limited water sources
-- Regulators that are seeking to learn more about alternative waste management trends
-- Professionals working remotely who've moved to their summer cottages and now need to address their lack of water,
-- Home Builders/contractors (timber-frame, log home, natural builders) working on remote islands,
-- Engineers,
-- Homeowners who are thinking about building,
-- Tiny homes on wheels seeking to ensure their systems are mobile
-- Temporary camps seeking a responsible method to deal with otherwise harmful wastes,
-- Architects - Water Designers, professional associations seeking courses to meet annual training needs
-- People with water issues and a lack of water who want to decrease their water usage,
-- Permaculture designers and educators,
NOTE - No previous knowledge of rainwater harvesting is required for this workshop.
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WORKSHOP EDUCATORS
Gord Baird
Gord Baird’s background and experiences stem from building the Eco-Sense homestead, a Living Building Challenge project that includes net zero water and waste systems, located in the District of Highlands on Vancouver Island. Addressing sustainable building, waste and water systems in the context of conventional codes and standards spawned an interest to change policy. Gord Baird is an American Rain Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) Accredited Professional and has actively designed and installed dozens of rainwater harvesting systems for potable and irrigation use at all application scales. An unexpected career developed from the passion to stir the pot of sustainable water stewardship, compost toilets, policy and governance. Gord’s policy work includes being a technical editor of the Province of BC’s regulations on compost toilets and greywater, consulting for municipal and regional governments on rainwater harvesting for potable use and developing a non-potable water reuse guidebook for commercial and multi-family residential buildings for a regional government. He is elected municipal councillor, the 4-year vice-chair for the CRD Regional Water Supply Commission, and an 8-year commissioner for the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission. Hands-on work includes co-authoring the Essential Composting Toilets book, designing and installing over 30 residential potable rainwater systems and strata small water systems, and is an ASSE internationally certified rainwater harvesting designer and installer.
Eco-Sense
www.eco-sense.caJavan Kerby Bernakevitch
Javan Bernakevitch is a life and land designer, speaking, writing, teaching and consulting with clients, businesses and farms worldwide through All Points Design and RegenerativeLiving.online.
He believes if we don't design our lives, they'll be designed for us, not our benefit. He says, “If humans want to have a long life here on our planet, we best act like we are part of the ecology.” He works to ensure that his clients' lives and landscapes get better every year.
All Points Land Design
https://allpointsdesign.ca___________________________________________________________________________________
LOCATION
This LIVE series will be conducted ONLINE in the comforts of your own home via Zoom video conference software. You will receive an email link to the workshop one week before the start date.
All sessions are recorded.
You'll have lifetime access to all course content after the series completes.
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WHEN
Thursdays 6pm PT, 7pm MT, 8pm CT, 9pm ET
1 Hour Presentation
20 Minute Group Discussion
30 Minute Q and A
April 20 - June 8, 2023
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COST
(Please note the price of the course has changed as two additional sessions and a student design component have been added.)
REGULAR PRICE $349 USD
EARLY BIRD $249 USD
PRE-LAUNCH PRICE $199 USD (This is a one-time price that will be offered to anyone on this list before the public course launch for a limited time)
PreLaunch registration will be open on March 20 2023
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THANK YOU
Thank you for taking the time to note your interest.
We'll be in touch when registration is open.
We are looking forward to having you in the course.
Gord and Javan
Regenerative Living: Rainwater Harvesting
