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World population growth, climate changes, urbanization, and industrialization have all had a negative impact on natural resources, including water resources. Excessive exploitation and pollution have caused more and more regions to have problems with access to fresh water. Rainwater is perceived as a valuable alternative source of water that is most often used in a hybrid system supplementing tap water. Considering the possibilities of designing a rainwater harvesting system as a decentralized or central system, this research was undertaken to determine the hydraulic and financial efficiency of these two systems. The research was carried out for a single-family housing estate located in Poland. For this research, a simulation model was applied to determine the efficiency of water saving and the life cycle cost indicator. In variants where rainwater was only used to flush toilets, the water saving efficiency was 80% and 79% for the decentralized and centralized rainwater harvesting system (RWHS), respectively. The use of rainwater for toilet flushing and watering the garden resulted in a significant reduction in efficiency to 57% (the decentralized system) and 54% (the centralized system). On the other hand, the results of the life cycle cost (LCC) analysis showed that in spite of reducing tap water consumption, both the centralized and the decentralized rainwater harvesting system were not financially viable solutions for the housing estate, and only cofinancing investments at the level of 25% to 50% resulted in a significant improvement in financial efficiency.
Daniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec. Centralized or Decentralized Rainwater Harvesting Systems: A Case Study. Resources 2020, 9, 5 .
AMA StyleDaniel Słyś, Agnieszka Stec. Centralized or Decentralized Rainwater Harvesting Systems: A Case Study. Resources. 2020; 9 (1):5.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec. 2020. "Centralized or Decentralized Rainwater Harvesting Systems: A Case Study." Resources 9, no. 1: 5.
Water is one of the most important resources of the natural environment that underpins human existence. However, over the years, freshwater resources have been overexploited as a result of anthropogenic activities.
Agnieszka Stec. Summary and Final Conclusions. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 2019, 169 -175.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. Summary and Final Conclusions. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. 2019; ():169-175.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2019. "Summary and Final Conclusions." Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources , no. : 169-175.
Currently, the world is facing serious environmental problems resulting from climate changes, population growth, urbanization, and global warming. In addition, the constantly growing demand for various types of raw materials causes excessive exploitation of natural resources.
Agnieszka Stec. Introduction. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 2019, 1 -12.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. Introduction. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. 2019; ():1-12.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2019. "Introduction." Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources , no. : 1-12.
Currently, the financial criterion is a decisive criterion in the process of making investment decisions. Taking this into account, a financial analysis was carried out for various variants of sanitary installations in single-family buildings located in selected cities in Europe. The research was carried out using the Life Cycle Cost methodology.
Agnieszka Stec. Research on the Financial Effectiveness of Alternative Water Supply Systems in European Countries. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 2019, 99 -130.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. Research on the Financial Effectiveness of Alternative Water Supply Systems in European Countries. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. 2019; ():99-130.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2019. "Research on the Financial Effectiveness of Alternative Water Supply Systems in European Countries." Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources , no. : 99-130.
Over the years, water consumption, its structure, and size have undergone constant changes. Since the commissioning of the first water supply systems, water intake has been systematically growing until the 1980s. Such high consumption of water resulted mainly from the lack of its measurement, as well as low environmental awareness of recipients. The further development of water supply systems in the 1990s was characterized by smaller increases in water abstraction rates. This was mainly influenced by the development of installation techniques, an increase inwater prices, introduction of the obligation tomeasurewater consumption, and changing the habits of users of water supply installations. Considering the current and forecasted limitations of accessibility to water sources and the resulting need to save it, it should be anticipated that further development of installation technology will focus on seeking technical solutions that not only ensure high comfort of use but also contribute to a significant reduction in water consumption. This will force the need for alternative sources of water, such as rainwater and gray sewage, which will partly replace tap water.
Agnieszka Stec. Demand for Water in the Building. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 2019, 21 -32.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. Demand for Water in the Building. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. 2019; ():21-32.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2019. "Demand for Water in the Building." Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources , no. : 21-32.
Water resources of the Earth are huge and would be able to satisfy the needs of all humanity. However, their uneven distribution and irrational management by a man mean that in many countries, also European ones, water supply is a very big problem. According to numerous forecasts, mainly concerning climate change, the water shortage may still get worse in the coming years. To counteract this, it is necessary, inter alia, to introduce a sustainable water management strategy that will take into account alternative sources of water. When looking for them, special attention was paid to rainwater, which is characterized by a small degree of pollution and gray water which is available in the building regardless of the climate and weather conditions.
Agnieszka Stec. Alternative Water Resources. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 2019, 33 -60.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. Alternative Water Resources. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. 2019; ():33-60.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2019. "Alternative Water Resources." Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources , no. : 33-60.
The use of RWHS not only protects natural water resources, brings financial benefits resulting from the lower consumption of tap water, but also by reducing the outflow of water from the catchment, it also has a positive effect on the functioning of sewerage systems. Taking the above into account, the research was conducted to determine the impact of RWHS application on the volume of rainwater outflow from the catchment and on the functioning of the sewage system. A real urban catchment was selected for the study, for which a hydrodynamic model was developed in the stormwater management Model (SWMM).
Agnieszka Stec. The Impact of Rainwater Harvesting on a Drainage System and a Catchment. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources 2019, 131 -139.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. The Impact of Rainwater Harvesting on a Drainage System and a Catchment. Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources. 2019; ():131-139.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2019. "The Impact of Rainwater Harvesting on a Drainage System and a Catchment." Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources , no. : 131-139.
The Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis on selected alternative systems was carried out to reduce the demand for potable water and energy in a detached house designed in accordance with the concept of environmentally friendly house. The tests included a rainwater harvesting system, graywater recycling system, solar panels, photovoltaic panels, air heat pumps, ground heat pumps, wind turbines, drain water heat recovery units, and biomass boilers. The analysis was made for many investment variants where different combinations of the mentioned solutions were applied. In addition to the LCC analysis, some tests were also carried out to determine an impact of the investment options on the environment. This was done by calculating CO2, SO2, NOx, CO and dust emissions. The research was carried out for a different number of occupants and variable levels of water consumption, which allowed determining the impact of these parameters on the results obtained. They showed that for any of the computational cases the traditional option of the installation was not the most advantageous solution in financial and environmental terms, and the systems in question could be an alternative to this option. Thanks to their implementation, the consumption of fossil energy resources and natural water resources will be reduced, and the emission of pollutants will be limited, which will contribute to an improvement of the natural environment.
Agnieszka Stec; Aleksandra Mazur. An Analysis of Eco-Technology Allowing Water and Energy Saving in an Environmentally Friendly House—A Case Study from Poland. Buildings 2019, 9, 180 .
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Aleksandra Mazur. An Analysis of Eco-Technology Allowing Water and Energy Saving in an Environmentally Friendly House—A Case Study from Poland. Buildings. 2019; 9 (8):180.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Aleksandra Mazur. 2019. "An Analysis of Eco-Technology Allowing Water and Energy Saving in an Environmentally Friendly House—A Case Study from Poland." Buildings 9, no. 8: 180.
Decentralized water systems are perceived as solutions that not only save water, but also as a way to partially or completely become independent from centralized suppliers. Taking this into account, an analysis of the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) for toilet flushing in existing academic facilities located in Poland and in Slovakia was carried out. The tests took into account the different volumes of storage tanks collecting rainwater. On the basis of two financial ratios, namely Net Present Value and Discounted Payback Period, the profitability of these systems was also assessed. The research was extended by the sensitivity analysis, which allowed determination of the impact of changes in individual cost components on the financial effectiveness of the investments considered. The results obtained clearly showed that the implementation of RWHS in the dormitory in Rzeszów was unprofitable for all tank capacities tested, and the payback period significantly exceeded the period of 30 years accepted for the analysis. Completely different results were obtained for RWHS in a dormitory located in the city of Košice, for which the financial ratios NPV (Net Present Value) and DPP (Discounted Payback Period) were very favorable. It was also confirmed by the results of the sensitivity analysis. The use of rainwater for toilet flushing caused that it was possible to achieve water savings of an average of 29% and 18%, respectively, for facilities located in Slovakia and Poland. The results of the research have a practical aspect and can provide an indication for potential investors and managers of academic facilities, similar to those analyzed in the article. Taking into account that in many countries water and sewage rates are significantly higher than in Poland and Slovakia, the cost-effectiveness of using the analyzed installation options in these countries could be even higher.
Agnieszka Stec; Martina Zeleňáková. An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Two Rainwater Harvesting Systems Located in Central Eastern Europe. Water 2019, 11, 458 .
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Martina Zeleňáková. An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Two Rainwater Harvesting Systems Located in Central Eastern Europe. Water. 2019; 11 (3):458.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Martina Zeleňáková. 2019. "An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Two Rainwater Harvesting Systems Located in Central Eastern Europe." Water 11, no. 3: 458.
The article contains the outcomes of the Life Cycle Cost analysis for alternative energy and water sources utilized in passive buildings. The solutions taken into account included: heat pumps, solar collectors, photovoltaic panels, Drain Water Heat Recovery units, Rain Water Harvesting Systems and Greywater Recycling Systems. In addition, air pollution emission reduction was also calculated for all the installation variants analyzed. The analysis have shown that the systems under consideration could serve as alternatives for traditional installations. Their use has resulted in reductions in the consumption of fossil fuels and natural water resources, thus contributing to environmental improvements.
Agnieszka Stec; Aleksandra Mazur; Daniel Słyś. Evaluating the financial efficiency of energy and water saving installations in passive house. E3S Web of Conferences 2017, 22, 168 .
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Aleksandra Mazur, Daniel Słyś. Evaluating the financial efficiency of energy and water saving installations in passive house. E3S Web of Conferences. 2017; 22 ():168.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Aleksandra Mazur; Daniel Słyś. 2017. "Evaluating the financial efficiency of energy and water saving installations in passive house." E3S Web of Conferences 22, no. : 168.
Designing of sustainable water systems should be aimed at reducing the consumption of tap water and the use of alternative water sources, such as rainwater and graywater. Therefore, the aim of the researches conducted was to determine the cost-effectiveness of the economic exploitation of rainwater utilization system in single-family house. As a tool for the analysis, the methodology Life Cycle Cost was used. It provides a comparison of different investment options and the opportunity to choose the one that is characterized by the lowest costs over the entire period of exploitation of the object. The research was conducted for four installation variants: the traditional solution and a solution in which rainwater was used for flushing toilets, washing and watering the garden. Variable parameters for calculations applied in the model were, among other things, different number of occupants and different length of exploitation of the installations. Additionally, the study included co-financing for the initial investment, which could be an incentive for residents to undertake this type of installation. The analysis conducted has shown that the systems with the use of rainwater enable significant reductions in the consumption of drinking water, while the variant with the traditional system was a most cost-effective solution only in few cases.
Agnieszka Stec. Financial efficiency of rainwater utilization system in single-family house. E3S Web of Conferences 2017, 17, 86 .
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec. Financial efficiency of rainwater utilization system in single-family house. E3S Web of Conferences. 2017; 17 ():86.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec. 2017. "Financial efficiency of rainwater utilization system in single-family house." E3S Web of Conferences 17, no. : 86.
Agnieszka Stec; Sabina Kordana-Obuch; Daniel Słyś. Analysing the financial efficiency of use of water and energy saving systems in single-family homes. Journal of Cleaner Production 2017, 151, 193 -205.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Sabina Kordana-Obuch, Daniel Słyś. Analysing the financial efficiency of use of water and energy saving systems in single-family homes. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017; 151 ():193-205.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Sabina Kordana-Obuch; Daniel Słyś. 2017. "Analysing the financial efficiency of use of water and energy saving systems in single-family homes." Journal of Cleaner Production 151, no. : 193-205.
Gray water recycling and economical use of rainwater can be a valuable alternative source of water, especially for non-potable uses. These sources are seen as the basis of change in waters management, which gives a possibility of protection of still shrinking water resources. Taking into account continuing urbanization and population growth in the world, not only the management of water resources requires a change in attitudes, but also the management and conservation of conventional fuels that energy is generated of, and that are required for the development and functioning of urban areas. Bearing this in mind, some studies have been performed in order to establish the cost-effectiveness of application systems capable of reducing the demand for tap water and electricity used to heat it. A financial analysis with an application of the Life Cycle Cost methodology has been conducted for a multi-family residential building for seven different variants of installation of water and sewage, which assumed the use of the following solutions: gray water harvesting system, rainwater harvesting system and drain water heat recovery units. This analysis showed that the use of these systems in the tested building is financially viable, despite the fact that their implementation is associated with incurring higher investment cost than in the base case (Variant 0). The study was expanded by a sensitivity analysis on the basis of which it was possible to conclude that the project involving the use of alternative sources of pending water and energy in this building is only slightly susceptible to changes in calculation parameters.
Agnieszka Stec; Sabina Kordana-Obuch. Analysis of profitability of rainwater harvesting, gray water recycling and drain water heat recovery systems. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2015, 105, 84 -94.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Sabina Kordana-Obuch. Analysis of profitability of rainwater harvesting, gray water recycling and drain water heat recovery systems. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2015; 105 ():84-94.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Sabina Kordana-Obuch. 2015. "Analysis of profitability of rainwater harvesting, gray water recycling and drain water heat recovery systems." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 105, no. : 84-94.
This publication discusses results of hydrological and financial analysis for rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) for a residential buildings located in South-Eastern Poland. In this paper, the findings are presented on the basis of which a possible reduction in tap water use was determined for a residential building in Polish conditions as well as the financial ratios for the RWHS installed in this facility.
Daniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec; Józef Dziopak. The Analysis of Possibilities of Using the Rainwater Harvesting Systems in Residential Buildings in Poland. Thermal Springs and Geothermal Energy in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the Surroundings 2015, 67 -81.
AMA StyleDaniel Słyś, Agnieszka Stec, Józef Dziopak. The Analysis of Possibilities of Using the Rainwater Harvesting Systems in Residential Buildings in Poland. Thermal Springs and Geothermal Energy in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the Surroundings. 2015; ():67-81.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec; Józef Dziopak. 2015. "The Analysis of Possibilities of Using the Rainwater Harvesting Systems in Residential Buildings in Poland." Thermal Springs and Geothermal Energy in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the Surroundings , no. : 67-81.
Climate change, improper use of water resources, surface waters pollution as well as increase of water requirements are the results of growing population of people in the world. It causes water deficiency in majority of countries in the world, including Poland. Due to the water pollution advanced technologies for its treatment are in demand, what leads to increase of water price. In this connection, there are more often taken actions to reduce water consumption by using rainwater to flush toilets, wash cars, do laundry or water green areas. This publication presents results of Life Cycle Cost analysis of two variants of water supply systems designed for multi-family residential building situated in Rzeszow. In line with LCC methodology the calculations were made throughout the whole life-cycle of the building considering initial investment outlays intended for construction of water supply system as well as operation and maintenance costs. In the first of analyzed variants it was assumed that the system would be fed by municipal water supply network. In the second variant rainwater harvesting system for domestic use was additionally applied. Rainwater stored in the tank would be used in sanitary installation to flush toilets, what leads to lowering the costs of municipal water purchase, reducing fees for rainwater discharge to sewage system and consequently is beneficial for financial standing of the examined building.
Daniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec. The Analysis of Variants of Water Supply Systems in Multi-Family Residential Building. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 2015, 21, 623 -635.
AMA StyleDaniel Słyś, Agnieszka Stec. The Analysis of Variants of Water Supply Systems in Multi-Family Residential Building. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S. 2015; 21 (4):623-635.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec. 2015. "The Analysis of Variants of Water Supply Systems in Multi-Family Residential Building." Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 21, no. 4: 623-635.
After presentation of the characteristics of a water reservoir in CaCO3 excavation pit, called the Turkusowe Lake, situated in the Wolin National Park on the Wolin Island, available results of the analyses referring to the quality of surface water of this water reservoir and being carried out since 1986 as well as those of own studies being carried out from 1999 to 2010 were gathered, collecting this way a research material covering the quarter-century 1986-2010. It was shown that the Turkusowe Lake is a water reservoir being resistant by nature to eutrophication (lake basin development and depth, surrounding by the heights adhering to it, and presence of CaCO3 building the lake basin), whereas an increase in the trophic level and development of eutrophication phenomena in the form of weak phytoplankton blooms being observed, particularly in 2005-2010, is connected with increased anthropogenic pressure in the form of direct discharge of municipal sewage to the lake and waste-water to the soil in the alimentation zone of underground waters feeding this lake. The extent of anthropogenic pressure was so big that it started to prevail over the natural processes limiting an increase in the trophic level in this lake.
Agnieszka Stec; Daniel Słyś. Optimization of The Hydraulic System of The Storage Reservoir Hydraulically Unloading The Sewage Network. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 2014, 21, 215 -228.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Daniel Słyś. Optimization of The Hydraulic System of The Storage Reservoir Hydraulically Unloading The Sewage Network. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S. 2014; 21 (2):215-228.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Daniel Słyś. 2014. "Optimization of The Hydraulic System of The Storage Reservoir Hydraulically Unloading The Sewage Network." Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 21, no. 2: 215-228.
The paper presents the results of the analysis of the sewage system functioning in the city of Przemysl. It was assumed that, as a result of joining to the city new areas, the volume of stormwater discharged to existing combined sewer system would increase continuously. The information about the areas that are planned to be joined was drawn from current development plan of the city. On the basis of data received from the sewage system exploiter hydrodynamic model of the drainage basin of Zasanie quarter was created. The model is based on the existing sewerage network design and development plan of the city. Simulations with the use of real-life precipitation data collected by the pluviometer in Przemysl were carried out with the use of Storm Water Management Model program.
Agnieszka Stec; Daniel Słyś. Effect of Development of the town of Przemysl on Operation of its Sewerage System. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 2013, 20, 381 -396.
AMA StyleAgnieszka Stec, Daniel Słyś. Effect of Development of the town of Przemysl on Operation of its Sewerage System. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S. 2013; 20 (2):381-396.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAgnieszka Stec; Daniel Słyś. 2013. "Effect of Development of the town of Przemysl on Operation of its Sewerage System." Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 20, no. 2: 381-396.
A LCC Analysis of Rainwater Management VariantsThe paper presents results of the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis carried out for several variants of rainfall water management in a newly designed multi-family dwelling house. According to the LCC methodology, calculations were performed for the whole undertaking life cycle with both investment outlays and operation/maintenance costs taken into account. The LCC analysis was carried out, in particular, for a variant assuming that the rainwater collected from the roof will be entirely discharged to the sewage system. On the other hand, the second variant provided for replacement of traditional building roof with a green one. Facilities of that type, thanks to their retention properties, may delay runoff of rainwater and reduce the overall quantity of water discharged from roof surface and therefore can be classified as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems. In the third case considered, rainwater is to be utilised in the building. It was assumed that precipitation water will be stored in a tank and used in the sanitary water supply system for flushing toilets, thus reducing the overall tap water purchase costs.
Daniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec; Martina Zelenakova. A LCC Analysis of Rainwater Management Variants. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 2012, 19, 359 -372.
AMA StyleDaniel Słyś, Agnieszka Stec, Martina Zelenakova. A LCC Analysis of Rainwater Management Variants. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S. 2012; 19 (3):359-372.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel Słyś; Agnieszka Stec; Martina Zelenakova. 2012. "A LCC Analysis of Rainwater Management Variants." Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S 19, no. 3: 359-372.