Project Portfolio
Teaching by Example
Sustainable student housing at a renowned environmental educational college doubles as real-world rainwater harvesting classroom.
Prescott, Arizona
Skywater’s Strategy
We designed a split active rainwater collection system for two sections of this sustainable campus’s new student housing complex: one for the courtyard and another for a vegetable garden. Barnabas designed the courtyard landscape with water in mind. A pressurized, 5,00-gallon rainwater tank irrigates fruit trees, shrubs and grapevine that provides shade. The vegetable patch has its own dedicated 3,000-gallon pressurized system. Falling rain takes care of the rest of the campus’s native-species landscape (municipal water was used during the two-year plant establishment period, and is available for periods of drought). The landscape and rainwater harvesting design helped this project earn LEED Platinum certification.
Specifications
Project: The Village, Prescott College student housing
Average annual precipitation: 13 in.
Hardscape: 1,500 sq. ft., concrete
Capture surfaces: 2 metal roofs, 1,440 and 2,880 sq.ft.
Storage and system: 3,000 gal. and 5,000 gal. lined Galvalume tanks, landscape soil
Pumps: 0.75 and 1.0 HP submersible pumps
Noteworthy: LEED Platinum
TEAM
Designer: Barnabas Kane for Skywater and T. Barnabas Kane & Assoc.
Architect: Weddle Gilmore Black Rock Studio
Installer: Prescott College