Maduka Nweke, [email protected] 08034207864, 08118879331
Most people rush to buildings, for buy, rent or lease just because the outer layers are attractive. Some do not think of the features inherent, the liabilities and the essential amenities within that can make one’s habitation worthwhile. Of course, water is most important when one is considering accommodation for rent. Another aspect is light because, once you don’t have light or water, your stay in such apartment is sure to be miserable. So for you to be comfortable, you must check the water system, the light durability in the area and of course their bills accumulation. The moment you pack into any apartment without considering all the above, then you are bound to regret your actions shortly after you packed in.
Renting an apartment in any part of Nigeria is a job on its own. Worse still, there is always a need to settle too many people and those who parade themselves as agents. One very annoying thing has always been the issue. Some house agents will take accommodation seekers to apartment that does not have built in water. They, after entering into the house, they begin to complain bitterly that they have been cheated when they ought to have found out prior to packing in. This shows that the provision of good accommodation cannot be divorced from the provision of water. This claim cannot be over emphasized. Even the vice president is concerned about this.
The increasing development of worldwide green building projects, especially those related to the Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) standard, provide the contextual basis for the implementation of water conservation strategies. As access to clean water continues to be a source of concern in many areas of the world (including the U.S.), water efficiency strategies in green building practices are becoming paramount to new and existing construction efforts. Given the scope of terms associated with water efficiency in green buildings, there are numerous terms that describe key elements in the design and implementation of water conservation strategies.
In an apartment building, the two main principal heat and domestic hot water (DHW) distribution methods are the riser pipe system and the decentralization system. In the first case, the DHW system heat losses may be bigger than the net heat for preparing the DHW. In the second case, the DHW pipes are only inside the apartments or flats and are mostly idle. Individual controls and metering will typically lead to considerable savings in heat consumption.
In whichever one, the most important thing is to have water in your apartment. It is no longer news that light (electricity) has become elusive in our own clime and in other to reduce the heat that has continued to increase on each passing day, one takes succor in pouring water on the body to cool the temperature. So, this is why some affluent people dig borehole in their new homes to get water. They spend whooping sum of money to make sure they have water since government no longer care about water supply yet every month, they will bring water bills. Some of these individuals started procuring meter for themselves which they use to pump the water to get to their storey levels. With this, they are sure to reduce the heat in the home.
Investigations in Denmark have shown, that individualisation of metering together with individual controls will lead to 10-30 per cent savings in heat consumption. Apartment buildings include a huge energy-saving potential, as they traditionally make up a big part of the Dh consumers in most cities. Increasing focus on energy savings, together with more demands for comfort, involve better controlling and metering possibilities for the individual consumer. For apartment buildings, this individualisation of the control equipment for district heating supply brings about a two-pipe system with thermostatic radiator valves and a separate district heating unit for each. But all these could not be in place or used if there is no water provision earlier made for the house. So some of these installations help the occupants to enjoy the house and if the enjoyment should come water supply must as a matter of fact be stable and useful too.
Most Nigerians lack portable water and to worsen the situation anyone who pays for an apartment without water provision in the block is not only increasing his woes but compounding the health hazards of all the occupants. Recently, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, expressed sadness that 66 million Nigerians lack access to safe drinking water, while 110 million others do not have access to sanitation services. He spoke in Abuja at the formal unveiling of the National Water Resources and Irrigation Policies (NWRIP), and launch of Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH). Although, government should take the responsibility of not giving water as social amenity, Osinbajo blamed the situation on the lack of effective coordination of stakeholders’ activities in the sector and inability to harness funds to tackle challenges.
Notwithstanding the fact that citizens pay tax as and when due, the supply of water is seen by government officials as service that should be paid for. This is why government authorities who inspect building projects do not check whether provisions for discharging water and supplying water is available in the building. If they do, the idea of not providing water would have been taken seriously. The Vice President had noted in his speech that a large number of children under the age of five die yearly from diarrhoea-related diseases traceable to unsafe drinking water. He said the situation is worse in rural areas where polluted ponds and streams are the only sources of drinking water. He stated that with both initiatives, the government has provided a framework to guide stakeholders and renewed focus on agriculture as revenue earner and contributor to the nation’s GDP. According to him, it is expected that the implementation of PEWASH would help to attain our target of increased rural water supply and sanitation and improved public health, as well as expected positive impact on economic growth and human development.
Most renters don’t want to change out their kitchen’s fixtures, so you will want to make sure that your water filter connects to the existing faucet and cold water valve with universal faucet connections. Nearly all faucets in the US use a 3/8” compression fitting to connect to the cold-water shutoff valve, so make sure that the inlet and outlets use that size connection. Many apartments in cities outside Nigeria and Africa like New York City or Washington, DC have smaller under sink spaces than what are found in larger homes. When you are shopping for water filters, you will need to take size into account, especially if your unit has a garbage disposal that takes up a bunch of space under your sink. Most reverse osmosis system are bulky and have large storage tanks, and will not fit under the sink of many apartments.
Many water filtration systems for apartments require that you drill a hole in your drain line, or that you drill a hole in your counter top. Obviously, if you do either of those things, you won’t get your deposit back, so most people don’t opt for reverse osmosis systems that require a drilled connection to your drain.
When you rent your home, you want to make sure that your water filter can be taken with you when it’s time to move. Make sure that your apartment water filter uninstalls very easily, so you don’t leave it behind in the frantic effort to move out.