Analysis of the quality of investments should be part of decision-making for implementing rainwater-harvesting systems in order to evaluate whether investments in environmental impacts mitigation are also attractive from the point of view of investors. Considering discounted cash flow methods, net present value is the best indicator for this analysis, because it allows deciding which is the best between two mutually exclusive projects, and it also presents a simple calculation routine and is easily understood by users. This work aimed at presenting a decision-making analysis tool for rainwater-harvesting systems, which is based on the maximization of net present value, using the Particles Swarm Optimization technique. The decision tool was used to evaluate the quality of the investments for implementing a rainwater-harvesting system, considering a building of the public tax category. Three scenarios of the water bill were considered: current rate structure and increases of 100%, 150% and 200%. All scenarios contemplate two alternatives: with sewage rate corresponding to the rainwater use and no fee. Results illustrate opportunities for investments in rainwater-harvesting systems.
plumbing systems; particle swarm optimization; quality of the investments in rainwater harvesting
Thumbnail
Thumbnail
