Stonehurst Place has undergone an eco-friendly transformation to become an EarthCraft House™ certified home!

This 1896 National Register Historical mansion has kept its historic charm after the installation of modern rainwater harvesting and purification systems, unobtrusive mounting of ten solar thermal panels that heat the hot water used throughout this bed and breakfast inn, and a greywater recycling system to conserve water by safely re-using treated greywater in toilets and for garden irrigation.

Not-for-profit group Southface’s EarthCraft House™ home renovation program, along with industry-leading guidelines published by the “Green” Hotel Association, were followed in this green renovation by owner and designer, Barb Shadomy.

In 2007, Ms. Shadomy partnered with historic preservation architecture firm re:Form, specialist contractor John Wesley Hammer Construction Company, Southface, Rain Harvest Company and Southern Energy Solutions to bring together all elements of this high-tech and energy-conscious project: historically sensitive renovation design incorporating whole-house icynene insulation to reduce energy use, efficient HVAC systems and low-VOC materials to improve indoor air quality, along with rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling to lower water usage and dependency on City.

Rainwater is our primary source of water. By storing and using rainwater, we save energy and reduce our need for water from the public supply. Treated greywater is available for irrigation and returned to the earth after its use in the house. Rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems are considered a valuable capital improvement to our property and contribute to saving this scarce natural resource.

How it Works

Rainwater is collected from the roof into covered gutters. Rainwater is then channeled through underground pipes around the house.

This rainwater is then stored in two underground 1,700 gallon Water Storage Tanks located at the lowest point on our property. Self-contained motors in the storage tanks pump rainwater into the basement of the house to six Rainwater Purification Tanks.

The Rainwater Purification Tanks pass the rainwater through six steps to purify and transform it into potable water. This purified water is used throughout the house as crystal clear drinking water, in laundry, sinks, dishwashers, and for bathing and showering.

This purified water also supplies the Solar-Heated Water Tanks, three insulated tanks located in the basement. Glycol heated in the Ten Solar Panels is piped to the basement where it heats the water used in the house. When there are no sunny days, our water is heated using two gas water heaters.

Separate plumbing lines channel water from laundry, sinks, bathtubs and showers into the Brac Greywater Recycling System.

The Brac Greywater Recycling System takes in greywater, filters and treats it, then sends it up to the toilet tank reserves for flushing (what a waste to flush clean drinking water down the toilet!) Treated greywater not needed for toilet flushing is transferred to a buried outdoor Greywater Storage Tank and used at Stonehurst Place to irrigate our beautiful landscaping and flower gardens. Waste blackwater is piped from the house to the city sewage system.

More information on these systems can be obtained from our partners at:

www.rainharvestcompany.com

www.soenso.com

www.southface.org

www.earthcrafthouse.org

EarthCraft House™, created in 1999, is a residential green building program of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association in partnership with Southface. This program serves as a blueprint for energy- and resource-efficient homes.