GB2436680A

GB2436680A - Building having a rainwater collecting and storage facility

Info

Publication number: GB2436680A
Application number: GB0606418A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edwin Arthur Gittoes
Original assignee: Arctic Circle Ltd
Current assignee: Arctic Circle Ltd
Priority date: 2006-03-30
Filing date: 2006-03-30
Publication date: 2007-10-03
Anticipated expiration: 2026-03-30
Also published as: GB0606418D0; GB2436680A9; GB2436680B

Abstract

A building (2) comprising a roof (4), walls (6, 8), a roof enclosure (10) defined by the roof (4) and a floor (12) of the roof enclosure (10), a tank (44) in the roof enclosure (10), collecting means (16) for collecting rainwater (48) from the roof (4), and conduit means (46) for conducting the rainwater (48) from the collecting means (61) to the tank (44) solely under gravity and without a pump, and the tank (44) being of such a construction that during use it contains a volume of rainwater (48) which is shallow in depth (50) but which extends over a large surface area (52) of the floor whereby the tank (44) is able to provide for at least a substantial part of the water requirement of the building (2) providing there is adequate rainfall.

Description

A BUILDING HAVING A

RAINWATER COLLECTING AND STORAGE FACILITY

This invention relates to a building, and, more especially, this invention relates to a building having a rainwater collecting and storage facility.

Known buildings usually use direct mains water in order to supply the water requirements of the buildings. In some instances, known building are such that they allow rainwater to be recovered and stored at ground level or below ground level. A pump is required to raise the stored water into an attic storage tank.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a building having a rainwater collecting and storage facility which does not suffer from the above mentioned disadvantage, and in which in addition is able to assist with the insulation of a building.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a building comprising a roof, walls, a roof enclosure defined by the roof and a floor of the roof enclosure, a tank in the roof enclosure, collecting means for collecting rainwater from the roof, and conduit means for conducting the rainwater from the collecting means to the tank solely under gravity and without a pump, and the tank being of such a construction that during use it contains a volume of rainwater which is shallow in depth but which extends over a large surface area of the floor whereby the tank is able to provide for at least a substantial part of the water requirement of the building providing there is adequate rainfall.

With the building of the present invention, the rainwater is able to be collected and stored in the roof enclosure, for example an attic or loft, without the use of a pump. In addition, the construction of the tank is such that it is able to act as a thermal barrier and thereby increasing the insulation value of the building. Thus the building of the present invention is extremely environmentally friendly, and it is able to save energy and thereby reduce on carbon dioxide emissions.

The building will usually be one in which the collecting means is at least one gutter. Other types of collecting means may however be employed.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the gutter is positioned to receive rainwater from lowermost extremities of the roof. In this embodiment of the invention, the building will usually have standard or high eaves.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the building may be one in which the collecting means is positioned partway down a roof from an apex of the roof and is such that it collects rainwater falling on the roof from the apex to the collecting means, and in which the building includes auxiliary collecting means for collecting rainwater falling on the roof from the collecting means to the auxiliary collecting means, at least one auxiliary tank which extends vertically and adjacent the wall, and auxiliary conduit means for collecting the rainwater from the auxiliary collecting means to the auxiliary tank solely under gravity and without the use of a pump, and the auxiliary tank being of such a construction that during use it contains a volume of rainwater which is narrow in a direction transverse to the wall but which extends over a large surface area of the wall. In this embodiment of the invention, the tank in the roof space will be able to feed water to a floor or floors of the building above the auxiliary tank or tanks. The auxiliary tank or tanks will be able to feed water to floors at their level or below their level.

The second embodiment of the invention may be appropriate for buildings with low eave heights.

In all embodiments of the invention, the building may include a mains water supply to the tank in the roof space. Where one or more auxiliary tanks are employed, then the auxiliary tank or tanks may also have a mains water supply. For example, it is mentioned that there may be two of the auxiliary tanks, and these two auxiliary tanks may be positioned on opposite or adjacent walls of the building.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a known building in which mains water only is used to satisfy the water requirements of the building; Figure 2 shows a known building in which mains water and collected rainwater are used to supply the water requirements of the building; Figure 3 shows a first building of the present invention; and Figure 4 shows a second building of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a building 2 comprising a roof 4, walls 6, 8, and a roof enclosure 10 defined by the roof 4 and a floor 12 of the roof enclosure 10. The building 2 also has a tank 14 in the roof enclosure 10.

The building 2 further comprises collecting means 16 for collecting rainwater from the roof 4, and conduit means 18 for conducting the rainwater from the collecting means 16 to the ground, i.e. to a waste water disposal system. The tank 14 is of a normal square construction as shown in Figure 1. The tank 14 is fed with mains water via a supply pipe 20. The supply pipe 20 terminates in a ball cock 22. Mains water 24 in the tank 14 is fed via a feed pipe 26 to appropriate parts of the building 2 on its first floor 28 and its ground floor 30.

As shown in Figure 1, the collecting means 16 is formed by a pair of gutters. The conduit means 18 is formed by a pair of down pipes.

Figure 2 shows a building 32 which is similar to the building 2 shown in Figure 1. Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. In Figure 2, it will be seen that rainwater which is collected by the collecting means 16 is fed via the conduit means 18 and an underground pipe 32 to a rainwater storage tank 34.

Rainwater 36 in the storage tank 34 is pumped by a pump 38 and a pipe 40 to the tank 14. Thus the tank 14 receives mains water 24 from the supply pipe 20, and it also receives rainwater 36 from the pipe 40.

The building 2 shown in Figure 1 is not satisfactory insofar as it makes no attempt to recover rainwater. It is desirable to avoid the wastage of rainwater, especially in times of drought. The building 32 shown in Figure 2 is also not entirely satisfactory in that, whilst it does collect rainwater 36, a pump 38 and associated pipe work is required to pump the water to the tank 14 in the roof enclosure 10. The pump 36 has running costs, and will eventually need replacing. Additionally, in both of the buildings 2 and 32, the tank 14 is basically used to store water and it has virtually no effect on insulation in the building.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a building 42 of the present invention. Similar parts as in the building 2 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. In Figure 3, the collecting means 16 feeds to a tank 44 via conduit means 46. The conduit means 46 is a short length of pipe as compared to the long length of vertical pipe shown in Figures 1 and 2. The tank 4 is of such a construction that during use it contains a volume of rainwater 48 which is shallow in depth 50, but which extends over a large surface area 52 of the floor 12. As shown in Figure 3, the tank 44 and therefore the rainwater 48 extends substantially over the entire surface area of the floor 12. Thus the tank 44 is able to provide for at least a substantial part of the water requirement of the building 42 provided there is adequate rainfall. The rainwater 48 in the tank 44 also forms a thermal barrier to stop heat rising from the first floor 28 through the floor 12 and into the roof enclosure 10. Thus the tank 44 and its water 48 act as a thermal barrier, increasing the insulation value of the building 42.

As can be seen from a comparison of Figures 2 and 3, the building 42 is able to collect the rainwater 48 from the collecting means 16 solely under gravity and without a pump. This is because the collecting means 16 is positioned to receive rainwater from the lowermost extremities 54 of the roof 4, and this collected water is then conducted under gravity and without the use of a pump by the conduit means 46 to the tank 44. The tank 44 is thus able to hold rainwater 48, which can be topped-up as necessary with mains water via the supply pipe 20 as necessary. The water in the tank 44 can then be fed to the building via a feed pipe 26 in the same manner as Figures I and 2.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a building 56 which is like the building 42 shown in Figure 3. Similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

As can be seen from Figure 4, the building 56 is such that the collecting means 16 is positioned part way down the roof 4 from an apex 58 of the roof 4. The collecting means 16 is such that it collects rainwater falling on the roof 4 from the apex 58 to the collecting means 16. This collected rainwater is fed under gravity and without the use of a pump by the conduit means 18 to a tank 60. The tank 60 is similar to the tank 44 but it is positioned a little higher in the roof enclosure 10 as can be seen from a comparison of Figures 3 and 4. Thus the tank 60 is able to contain rainwater 48. The rainwater 48 in the tank 60 is still such that it is shallow in depth 50, and it extends over a large surface area 52 of the floor 12.

The building 56 is also such that it includes auxiliary collecting means 62 in the form of another pair of gutters as shown. The auxiliary collecting means 62 collects rainwater falling on the roof 4 from the collecting means 16 to the auxiliary collecting means 62 as can be appreciated from Figure 4.

The building 56 also comprises two auxiliary tanks 64, 66. The auxiliary tank 64 extends vertically up through adjacent wall 6. The auxiliary tank 66 extends vertically up the adjacent wall 8.

The building 56 further includes auxiliary conduit means 68 for conducting the rainwater from the auxiliary collecting means 62 to the auxiliary tanks 64, 66 solely under gravity and without the use of a pump.

As can be seen from Figure 4, the auxiliary conduit means 68 comprise short pipe sections. The auxiliary tanks 64, 66 are such that during use, they each contain a volume of rainwater which is narrow in a direction 70 transverse to the walls 6, 8, but which extends over a large surface area 72 of the walls 6, 8. In the building 56, the tank 60 provides good heat insulation to avoid escape of heat into the roof enclosure 10 and from there through the roof 4. The auxiliary tanks 64, 66 provide extra heat insulation by helping to prevent heat from the first floor 28 passing out through the walls 6, 8. The tank 60 feeds the first floor 28 via a feed pipe 74. Each tank 64, 66 has a feed pipe 76 for feeding collected rainwater 78 to the ground floor 30. If rainfall should be insufficient to supply the water needs of the building 56, then the tank 60 can be topped up with mains water via the supply pipe 20. The feed pipe 74 will also be arranged to supply water as necessary to the ground floor 30, for example either via the auxiliary tanks 54, 66 or via separate pipe work.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to Figures 3 and 4 have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the building 4 may be of a different size and shape, and with more than just a first floor. The tanks used in the present invention may rest directly against the floor and walls, or they may be supported off the floor or walls. (

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A building comprising a roof, walls, a roof enclosure defined by the roof and a floor of the roof enclosure, a tank in the roof enclosure, collecting means for collecting rainwater from the roof, and conduit means for conducting the rainwater from the collecting means to the tank solely under gravity and without a pump, and the tank being of such a construction that during use it contains a volume of rainwater which is shallow in depth but which extends over a large surface area of the floor whereby the tank is able to provide for at least a substantial part of the water requirement of the building providing there is adequate rainfall.

2. A building according to claim I in which the collecting means has at least one gutter.

3. A building according to claim 2 in which the gutter is positioned to receive rainwater from the lowermost extremities of the roof.

4. A building according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are several of the gutters.

5. A building according to claim I or claim 2 in which the collecting means is positioned part way down a roof from an apex of the roof and is such that it collects rainwater falling on the roof from the apex to the