Bill Starkey is an established Montgomery, Texas business leader who founded and led Starkey Construction, LLC for many years and focused on high-end residences. Bill Starkey is committed to pairing high-level craftsmanship with principles of green building and sustainability.
Beyond energy efficiency, one critical part of the green building equation is designing the property to effectively manage water usage. This is critical as extended droughts have become a serious issue in many parts of the United States. Curtailed water consumption is a practical necessity for both conservation and financial reasons.
Ensuring sustainable water use is not confined to buildings. It extends across the entire property in the form of irrigation systems that use the minimum of water and the placement of landscape plants that are drought-tolerant and native. In addition, non-potable water can often be recycled and redirected toward plants on the property.
Other beneficial water-use scenarios include the construction of green roofs and wetlands and retention ponds that both manage wetlands and add aesthetic value. If an extensive hardscape is necessary, one solution is space-conserving bioswales, which are shallow canals lined with plants. These are particularly effective in slowing and filtering the runoff from parking lots.
