Over the next five years, water efficiency and conservation will become critical factors in green design, construction and product selection, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s latest SmartMarket Report, Water Use in Buildings.
Architecture and engineering (A/E) firms, contractors and owners report that water efficiency is rapidly becoming a higher priority than other aspects of green building, such as energy efficiency and waste reduction.
By 2013, 85% of industry reports that water efficiency will be an
extremely important aspect of a green building, up from 69% this year.
Owners are especially committed to water-efficient practices, with 42%
reporting that more than three-quarters of current projects incorporate
water-efficient designs; 50% expect to incorporate water-efficient
practices in at least half of their building portfolios by 2013.
Business benefits are the key growth drivers as companies focus on the
bottom-line. Primary motivators include reducing energy use (87%) and
reducing operating costs (84%). Respondents report that on average,
applying water-efficient designs and products lead to 15% less water
use, 10-11% less energy use, and an 11-12% reduction in operating costs.
According to the report, A/E firms, contractors, owners, and product manufacturers can take
advantage of this market opportunity by quantifying and explaining to
customers how water-efficient practices and products can contribute to
improved building performance. Current brand awareness is strongest for
high-efficiency toilets (identified by 48% of respondents),
water-saving sinks (30%), and waterless urinals (23%).
According to the United Nations Environmental Program, buildings consume 20% of the world’s available water, a resource that becomes scarcer each year. Efficient practices and products, such as grey water treatment and low-flow plumbing fixtures, provide significant opportunities for the A/E industry to respond to this trend and build high-tech, low-water-demand projects that will turn the tide on the water crisis and create the conscientious buildings of tomorrow.
“This study sheds light on the shift in what will define a green building,” said Harvey Bernstein, vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances & Strategic Initiatives, McGraw-Hill Construction. “The results are especially telling–the increasing importance of water issues, the business benefits from water-efficient products and processes, and building owner buy-in all point to how critical it will be for the industry to address responsible water practices in the future.”
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As Maude Barlow says, “Unlike oil, there’s no substitute for fresh water.” http://ow.ly/b0Kp – it’s about time designers, architects, contracts and consumers got serious about how we use, and often waste, water.
When we built our home in 2005, there simply were not many choices. But I think the more people know the facts about water they will naturally look for, and demand, better products, methods, and practices. And it does seem as if every day we have more choices – which is great for the earth as well the budget.