Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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Professor, Department of Architecture, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
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Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Architecture, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan
Abstract
Rainwater harvesting systems have been widely accepted as solutions to alleviate the problems of water
shortages. The main purpose of this study is to establish a rainwater utilization indicator system to analyze
regional rainfall characteristics, and to extract representative variables and weights, as well as develop a
formula for an indicator. Then, acquired scores will show the potentials for discrepancies between different
rainwater harvesting systems. This study has also compared the scores and long-term simulated water-
savings percentages and constructed an effectiveness evaluation formula for rainwater harvesting systems.
Eventually, according to the score range, the potentials have been clustered for the establishment of rainwater
harvesting systems. Through this indicator system, weight in the scoring formula indicates the inter-
relationship of the variables of a rainwater harvesting system and designers can review the system's design
to adjust the parameters for the optimal system. For future reference, the clustering of rainwater utilization
potential reects the potential for the establishment of rainwater harvesting systems in different districts. The
proposed rainwater indicator system should be used for reviewing proposals and according to the potential,
an optimal design and regulations can be chosen for the most suitable utilization and peak effectiveness of a
rainwater harvesting system.
Keywords: rainwater harvesting system; rainwater utilization indicator; principal component analysis; cluster analysis of potentials
3. Methodology
In general, the effectiveness of a rainwater harvesting
system is mainly influenced by these key factors:
rainfall characteristics of the district and the system
design. In order to accomplish the objective specied
above, this study assumed a case as the criterion
sample and used historical rainfall data to calculate the
score of each district in the sample area. The acquired
scores were then used to determine the system's
potential and the water-savings percentage evaluation
model. In addition, all districts' rainwater utilization
potentials were classified into groups in accordance
with the scores. A principal component analysis was
adopted to construct the rainwater utilization factorial Fig.2. Map of Northern Taiwan with 69 Administrative Districts
5. Evaluation and Cluster Analysis of Potentials indicates that the larger the tank's volume, the bigger
5.1 Evaluation of water-savings percentage the slope and intercept to be found in the evaluation
According to the principal component analysis, each formula, and also the R2 value increases. That is to say,
district has one score - the eigenvalue of the rainwater that, when the rainwater tank is bigger, a higher level
harvesting system effectiveness. That eigenvalue was of accuracy is acquired from the evaluation formula.
compared with long-term water-savings percentage This is because during a typhoon or storm, larger-
obtained from the 40-year simulation to yield a sized rainwater tanks are able to collect more rainwater
formula. The score of principal component analysis is while overows occur in the smaller sized ones due to
reected by the axis of water-savings vectors for the space limitations, thus, more complexity will be added
evaluation of system effectiveness. Due to the different to the evaluation.
conditions of systems, evaluation and accuracy are 5.1.2 Inuence of substitute water demands
affected. The storage capacity of rainwater tanks and Fig.4. shows the correlation between the water-
substitute water demands are discussed as follows, in savings percentage and the scores of the rainwater
order to address the impact on the evaluation formula. utilization indicator if the storage multiplier is set at
5.1.1 Inuence of the storage capacity 5.0, and the substitute rate is set at 8%, 16%, 32%.
Fig.3. shows the correlation between water-savings Fig.4. indicates that when the substitute rate is too low,
percentage and the score of the rainwater utilization most collected rainwater cannot be utilized and will
indicator if the storage multiplier is set at 1.0, 5.0, overow. When there is a failure to provide sufcient
10.0, and the substitute rate is set at 32%. Fig.3. substitute water, the water-savings percentage will