Bluebonnet Studios

Living Affordably and Sustainably

Foundation Communities creates healthy and sustainable affordable housing for low-income Texans. The construction of cutting-edge communities like Bluebonnet Studios in Austin, Texas, has helped Foundation Communities surpass the ambitious goal to reduce their portfolio-wide water consumption by 20%

The Products

For over 4 years, Foundation Communities has committed to using Niagara toilets in combination with low-flow showerheads and aerators in order to reduce water consumption. Bluebonnet Studios was no exception.

The Original with patented Stealth Technology boasts the lowest gallons per flush on the market; flushing at just 0.8 GPF each time. Niagara’s flush works better and wastes nothing.

The Results

Installation of Niagara products took place just a short while before the property opened to residents in 2017. Since then, minimal maintenance has occurred, and residents have used the toilets with ease.

Bluebonnet Studios has a cistern on the property that collects and provides all water needed for irrigation, so every dollar spent on water is a representation of true plumbing needs. In the course of a year, 107 residents used only 1.21 million gallons of water, which amounted to $22,964 in utility costs. Research indicates the average flush rate for a toilet is 2.76 GPF*, so compared to this number, residents saved roughly 925,000 gallons of water.

* ”Gallons Saved” calculated based on information from www.epa.gov and www.energy.ca.gov