There are many benefits for building a house with Supertank Rainwater Tanks. Supertanks can be used instead of tradtional materials to build walls and fences. Our rainwater tanks can be used to build the whole house or used strategically in areas of the house where the water is most needed or where the thermal mass is required.
Supertanks can be used for external or internal walls so there is no limit to where the can used. While it is possible to build the entire building with Supertanks, the reality is that the volume is far more water than you will need. A typical application is to build the garage or specific walls like the bathroom or laundry.
THERMAL MASS USING RAINWATER
The volume of stored water acts as thermal mass to help with the passive solar heating and cooling of the building. Thermal mass is a term used to describe the amount of energy that is stored in the building materials. Thermal mass can be used to keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter and helps to maintain a stable temperature inside the building. During the day the sun will heat the thermal mass and at night it will release the stored heat. The more thermal mass there is, the longer it will take to heat and cool. Water is excellent thermal mass because it can be moved around to improve the thermal performance of the building. For example, the stored rainwater can be heated by the sun and then pumped round the home to passivly heat the home in Winter.
In summer thermal mass can be a problem if the building is not designed properly. The thermal mass will heat up during the day and will then release the heat through the night which can uncomfortable on a hot summer night. Lightweight construction has low thermal mass and is easier to heat and cool because there is nowhere for the heat to be stored. In warmer climates like the tropics lightweight construction is perferable.
Supertanks offer the best of both systems!
In Winter when the tanks are full of rainwater it provides a lot of thermal mass. The rainwater tanks can be located on the North side to capture heat from the sun which heat the water and then release the heat throughout the night. The water could also be circulated through a solar heating array on the roof (like a pool heater) to heat the water
In Summer the tanks will slowly empty and reduce in thermal mass. The tanks are made with a series of isolated cells which help to insulate the home even when the tanks are empty. With a low thermal mass it makes the home easier to cool. If the tanks are full of water then it will also provide good thermal performance but care should be taken to shade the wall from the Summer sun to reduce heat gain.
SPACE AND COST BENEFITS
As blocks get smaller it is becoming more difficult and more expensive to achieve the environmental responsibilities the various planning authorities require. Supertanks rainwater tanks and first flush rainwater filters provide a great solution because they enable homeowners to store rainwater without sacrificing valuable space. The cost benefits are also significant because the Supertanks are acting as both the water storage and the building material. This usually works out to be less than buying building materials and also separate rainwater tanks and first flush rainwater filters. There is also the added benefit of reduced water rates
ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE OF A WATER TANK HOUSE
Supertanks provide very good sound insulation regardless of whether they are full or empty. When full the rainwater will help to absorb the sound. When empty, the isolated cells form a barrier to the sound. Full tanks are significantly better than empty tank
CONSTRUCTION BENEFITS
The simple construction system of Supertanks allows a fast construction time. This allows for construction by unskilled labour with a minimum of tools and wastage. Only the final connection to the water system must be done by a licensed plumber.