Rainwater For Reuse As Drinking Water - McMaster University, Engineering Technology Building

When McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario built their new Engineering Technology Building, they used the latest state-of-the-art technology not only to achieve LEED Gold certification, but also to create a living laboratory to train students on the building systems of the future. One of the components is a rainwater harvesting system that collects, filters and disinfects rainwater for non-potable and potable use in the building.

As the first of its kind in Canada this project presented considerable challenges to the team designing the system. Without a precedent from similar projects, the team had to do their homework to source the right products for the system to achieve the desired outcomes.

The top two priorities were economic sustainability and the creation of valuable learning opportunities for engineering students. That meant keeping operating costs to a minimum while utilizing leading-edge technology to prepare students for today’s ever-evolving world of water treatment.