By Nicole Jacob, Mainland Stoneworks, Green Built Gulf Coast Committee Chair
Homebuilders will undoubtedly navigate a complex landscape in 2025. As we face challenges ranging from rising material costs, labor availability, governmental regulation, environmental impact, and urbanization limitations, builders are consistently pressed to find innovative practices to clear these hurdles. As builders approach the gulf coast storm season, storm water management comes to the forefront of concern for builders, developers, government officials, and homeowners alike. As we rely on our industry leaders to bring affordable and practical solutions to the masses, one GHBA member is making headway. Zach Gavos, owner of both Droplet Resources and Keepsake Custom Homes in Galveston, Texas, offers inspiration and optimism when it comes to practical storm water management solutions while advocating builder and consumer interests across the state. I asked Zach to sit down with me and talk water reuse systems as a solution for resilient homebuilding in our region.
Zach has been a homebuilder for over two decades, and over the years he saw the need for adaptive water solutions in residential construction grow exponentially. He recognized that escalating government regulations mandating detention, coupled with the overextended water supply issues driven by the area’s population boom, were creating very complex and expensive water management issues for home builders. Building costs are continually increasing and are ultimately passed on to the consumer. So, seven years ago he launched Droplet Resources, an innovative approach to managing these challenges.
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Zach set out to address two primary objectives: First, manage the storm/rainwater shed while complying with local detention regulation, and second, utilize water efficiently as a resource while creating value. The strategy? Design rainwater harvesting systems for that work within each individual lot as part of a design-build process. It turns out, this solution may also meet detention requirements at a fraction of the cost to the builder and the homeowner! Collected rainwater is designated for re-use in irrigation, whole house potable systems, and storm water detention purposes. Using the design-build approach, systems can be designed to meet your impervious cover detention requirements as well as meeting the aesthetic standards of consumers.
These intertwined water management practices can have large scale impact as well as direct consumer benefit. With the population expected to double in Texas over the next 20-30 years, the complexities of these water management issues will continue to grow as well. These alternative water management solutions offer cost effective solutions to some of these problems. Water re-use systems relieve storm sewers from the increased stormwater water runoff which is a direct biproduct of our growing new construction developments. Simultaneously, re-use systems alleviate demand for wastewater treatment facilities by reducing the overall demand for treated water. The re-use system, overtime, can reduce consumer dependence on city or municipal water utilities, as well as reducing operational costs for the homeowner. In addition, rather than sinking cost into a detention only system, a re-use system adds value and function to a mandatory development expense. With a well-designed, well maintained re-use system, homeowners could potentially no longer depend on metered water. Homeowners can depend on their self-contained system which can be filtered for household consumption as well as irrigation. Over time, reduced operation costs offset the initial build cost of the system.
We are about halfway through the 89th Texas Legislative session. The Greater Houston Builders Association, along with the Texas Association of Builders and other HBAs across the state and partner-organizations, such the Association of Water Board Directors, has been advocating for sustainable, practical solutions for stormwater management and water resource availability. Zach, considered to be a subject matter expert in storm water management, new home construction, and responsible development, recently provided persuasive testimony on behalf of our HBA alongside several other GHBA members. They strongly urged state officials to consider widespread implementation of rainwater harvesting capture and re-use systems throughout the state as a multifaceted cost-effective solution to many of the issues our communities are facing. While we hope that Texas lawmakers are receptive to the needs of our industry and consumers, we recognize that resolving these challenges will require aligned innovation, flexibility, and a forward-thinking approach by homebuilders and lawmakers as we work toward these solutions. GHBA has long been a champion of resiliency in homebuilding at both the single lot and community-wide scales. We know the need for resilient homebuilding measures is still growing in Texas, and we invite you to come be a part of the conversation as the Green Built Gulf Coast Committee reactivates in our industry. We are just getting started!