Water Conservation in Summer
Essential Strategies for Sustainable Buildings
Water scarcity has emerged as a concerning issue globally, with climate change at the center of attention, driving the need for urgent and effective water conservation measures. Water-saving techniques can be effectively incorporated into building design and maintenance to help developers, architects, and facility managers to meet sustainability targets, save on operating expenses, and increase on the long-term value of real estate.
• Implement smart irrigation systems:
In recent years, smart irrigation systems have been developed to tackle unnecessary water wastage. Imagine returning home on a rainy day, only to discover your sprinkler system running! These systems are equipped with weather sensors and automated controls, ensuring that your landscape receives just the right amount of water when needed. After switching to these smarter systems, many homeowners report saving up to 50 % on water usage. Smart irrigation systems utilise real-time weather data and soil moisture levels, to customise your watering schedule. Additionally, they provide insights into your water consumption and can even detect leaks within your system. Planting and watering according to hydrozones saves and ensures even more efficient water use.
• Upgrade to water efficient fixtures:
Re-evaluate and upgrade water fixtures in your building or home. The incorporation of low flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets, and low-flow faucets can all drastically cut water up to 50 % – 70 % in your building / households without sacrificing
functionality. Installing these fixtures in older buildings is an affordable approach to reduce water usage and encourage sustainability.
• Harvest Rainwater
Rainwater harvesting is a useful way to save water, particularly in the rainy season. Rainwater can be collected and stored in rain barrels, JoJo tanks or underground cisterns for non-potable needs such as flushing the toilet( which uses 6 – 9 litres of water per flush) or irrigating the garden. This method can drastically reduce the pressure on the use of municipal water supply.
• Conduct a Water Audit
A comprehensive water audit of the building / home can help pinpoint the source of water wastage and suggest ways to reduce it. For this audit, in addition to checking for leaks, monitor the base( nighttime flow rate) when no actual water use should be occurring. Any night flows indicate potential unseen leaks that need to be addressed.
• Educate Building Occupants
At the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development( WSSD), it was reported that the water usage in the kitchen was reduced by 70 % in just two weeks by educating staff on water efficiency and installing a water meter to monitor consumption. A substantial amount of water is wasted due to a lack of awareness. Thus, awareness remains the key to successful water conservation. How to achieve this: educate tenants, employees, and visitors about the importance of water-saving practices and how they can contribute. Simple actions like turning off taps, reporting leaks, and using water efficient appliances can collectively make a significant impact.
Sources: 1. https:// plantscreative. com 2. Green building Africa 3. www. dffe. gov. za