WaterSense Labeled Home Case Studies
WaterSense and its partners have developed several case studies that illustrate the real and potential water, energy, and cost savings from WaterSense labeled homes, as well as homebuyer and resident satisfaction.
zHome Community: A Decade of Water Efficiency and Resident Satisfaction
WaterSense partners Cascade Water Alliance and the City of Issaquah (Washington) worked together to evaluate the continued water savings and resident satisfaction of water-efficient homes in Issaquah’s zHome community. The zHome development was the first full community of WaterSense labeled homes in the United States and a model development for sustainable building. Over a decade after construction, the zHomes have demonstrated 77 percent water savings on average compared to typical homes in the area, and 86 percent of residents surveyed strongly agreed they are satisfied with their labeled homes.
WaterSense Labeled Homes Demonstrate Savings in Las Vegas
In May 2022, Journal AWWA featured the results of a pilot study conducted in collaboration with WaterSense partner Southern Nevada Water Authority on water use in WaterSense labeled homes in the Las Vegas area. The study showed that labeled homes save an average of 44,000 gallons of water per year per household—a total savings of 45 percent compared to typical homes.
- Assessing Water Use in WaterSense-Labeled Homes and Quantifying the Savings (pdf) (8.96 MB) (Reprinted from Journal AWWA, Vol. 114., No. 4 May 2022, by permission). Copyright 2022, American Water Works Association. Permission to reproduce this document is granted for informational purposes only and does not represent or imply approval or endorsement by AWWA of any particular product or service.
KB Homes Communities in California Save Energy Through Water Efficiency
WaterSense worked with builder partner KB Home, home certification organization (HCO) RESNET, home verification company Arcxis, and Eastern Municipal Water District (California) to evaluate the impact that water savings will have on energy use in two KB Home communities in Menifee, California. All 219 homes in these communities are WaterSense labeled and designed to use 40 percent less energy and at least 30 percent less water than typical new construction, and are backed by a microgrid community battery to reduce dependence on the conventional electrical grid. This case study highlights the impact constructing WaterSense labeled homes can have on reducing energy use.