Current situation As we approach the end of our decade, threats caused by water related environmental issues are continuously rising. Most campaigns that address the issue, leave it at the "turn taps off while brushing teeth" or "take 4 minute showers" level. However, what needs to be done is establishing sustainable lifestyle in our over-consumptious urban world.

A third of all UK energy is consumed in homes. At home food is turned into meals; dirty dishes, clothes and bodies become clean; and cosy, comfortable settings are created. From an environmental perspective, the most significant forms of resource consumption take place in two places: the kitchen and bathroom. Within them, domestic appliances have become necessary through their time and labour-saving functions... water consumption in the home has increased by 70% over the last thirty years. In both kitchens and bathrooms, radical but often invisible changes have occurred in the ways people behave. For example, domestic laundry has increased five fold over the last century, and people in Britain are showering more than ever before. Around twenty-seven litres per day, or eighteen percent of average daily domestic water consumption per capita is devoted to bathing and showering in the UK.

Taking these facts into account, it is clear that these two parts of our homes, will consume water more than ever.

We are also facing the social consequences of globalization, besides those that are economical and environmental. The fact that human beings are getting lonelier is one of these consequences. Our fast urban lives have isolated us as micro-parts of the system, and while we roll in subway trains between our two cells (home and workplace), we have forgotten what it felt like talking to other people, and sharing things with them. Neighborliness and friendship are values that evaporate as our world gets warmer.

Inspiration
Cistern: "Cisterns are commonly used in areas where water is scarce, either because it is rare or because it has been depleted due to heavy use." Bucket brigade: "... a method of firefighting before the advent of hand pumped fire engines, whereby firefighters would pass buckets to each other to extinguish a blaze." Bucket brigade inspires this product as a social and collaborative activity related to water and water buckets. SolarVoir aims to "extinguish" the fire of global warming in a collaborative way.

The solution
SolarVoir is a modular household appliance for collecting used domestic water to recycle and reuse it for multiple times. It also uses a UV technology to decontaminate water:

Ashok Gadgil, inventor and scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, is a philanthropist and inventor whose commitment to making a difference radiates from his voice. Gadgil is the inventor of UV Waterworks, a low-cost, low-maintenance, energy-efficient solution to water decontamination. Using ultraviolet light, this device can purify up to four gallons of water per minute at the cost of two cents per 250 gallons, using only 40 watts of electricity - well within the generating capacity of a medium-sized solar panel."

With this product, it is now possible to reuse dozens of liters of water which is a product of domestic activities, and which, otherwise, would go to waste. The product aims to recycle and reuse water which is extracted as a result of laundry, dishwashing, showering, etc. for secondary actions like carwashing, irrigation, flower-watering, flushing, etc. This product foresees a paradigm shift and a future scenario, in which pipe inlets and outlets of all domestic appliances are made to be more accessible. (similar to the improved accessibility of usb hubs for computers) This improved accessibility is a must to make the most of the water we use for domestic activities. SolarVoir comes in three main sub-parts. The top panel, the reservoir and the rack (or the chassis).

The top panel hosts the user interface and also the solar cells which absorb the energy needed to operate the appliance. This top panel can be removed from the rest of the appliance, to be easily laid out in the sun. Recycled water is stored in the reservoir, which can take up to 40 liters. Each reservoir has an outlet and an inlet. The outlet is below the inlet so that if the reservoir gets full, water can continue flowing out to the general system. The rack holds the system together, and also stores the small motor to pump up the recycled water when needed. More than one reservoirs can be added to the system, whereas the advisory initial purchase package includes one. Buttons help the removal of the reservoirs. Recycled HDPE (high density polyethylene) is to be used to make the "reservoir" parts of the product. The other parts will be made of mainly ABS plastic.

The benefits

Environmental
Recycle, reuse, reduce: SolarVoir contributes to the recycling of resources, reduction of water consumption, and thus, reduces bills. It accomplishes this by reusing waste water. Solar cells: Avoid using electricity for energy, a well-known eco-friendly solution.

Economical
Bill-friendly water usage. Solar cells allow reducing consumption of the electricity needed, for the operation of the appliance.

Social
The modular parts allow friends and neighbors to wash cars or irrigate common gardens as a social activity.

The experience
The mobility, modularity and ease of storage facilities create a pleasing experience for frequent movers in today's global world. The modular architecture of the product allows multiple users to perform irrigation/car-washing activities. An informal "eco-friendly social club" could be established among the users of SolarVoir.