Award Date

1-1-2007

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Department

Architecture

First Committee Member

Alfredo Fernandez-Gonzalez

Number of Pages

166

Abstract

This thesis baselines the monthly water consumption in the LVMA 1 and analyzes the patterns of water-use with respect to physical and environmental aspects present in single family residences. The physical aspects included within the scope of this study are the built-up area, the un-built area and the pool area, provided by the Clark County Assessor Office at Las Vegas for the single family residences of LVVWD. The environmental aspects include outdoor ambient temperature, cooling degree day data and heating degree day data, monitored at the Mc Carran International Airport. The results from this research also provide historical monthly and annual water use per acre of built-up area and per acre of un-built area for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2006. Based on the historical and the recent data year analysis, the water use limits for the future can be predicted; This thesis also illustrates through a series of maps, the zip-code and street level water consumption for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2006. These maps help to identify water consumptive hot spots. For each of these years, both annual and monthly correlation of water use with built-up area, un-built area and pool area are calculated. These factors are fitted in a linear equation through regression analysis, so that the total water used in a SFR can be devised as a function of built-up, un-built and pool areas. For example, for the recent data year 2006, it is derived that for 'B' sq. ft of total built-up area, 'UB' sq. ft of total un-built area and 'P' sq. ft of total swimming pool area, the kilo gallons of water used can be calculated from the equation: Y = 0.043268 B + 0.010871 UB + 0.287903 P - 24.0163 ; This study compares the monthly water use trends with the outdoor ambient temperature, cooling degree day data and heating degree day data. Thereby the impact of temperature and degree days on the usage of water for the single family residences are investigated and quantified. Lastly, the ratios between the built-up area, un-built area, pool area and water use are calculated. It is found that, during the year 1990, the average un-built and built area ratio was 3.8 and it was declined to 3 during the year 2006, whereas the average un-built and pool area ratio was 80 during the year 1990 and it was declined to 70 during the year 2006. From these values, the annual and monthly water uses for an addition of every acre of built-up and un-built area are calculated; By identifying hotspots of water consumption, understanding the impact of the physical aspects of SFR on water use and projecting the water use limits for an addition of every acre of built-up and un-built area, this thesis becomes an important reference for planners and designers in the LVMA and the US Southwest. The analysis could be used from the design perspective to reduce direct (onsite) water, thereby reducing the indirect use of both water and energy (offsite---water used for energy generation and energy used to pump heat and distribute water). Thus this research forms a useful tool in water conservation management especially for the single family residences of the LVVWD; 1For the purpose of this thesis, Las Vegas Metropolitan Area is composed by a total of 55 zip-codes which includes, incorporated Clark County (19 zip-codes), City of Las Vegas (19 zip-codes), City of Henderson (8 zip-codes) and City of North Las Vegas (9 zip-codes).

Keywords

Baselining; Consumption; Family; Las Vegas; Nevada; Residence; Single; Valley; Vegas; Water

Controlled Subject

Architecture; Environmental engineering; Landscape architecture

File Format

pdf

File Size

4782.08 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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Rights

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