Construction Management Lowers Water Consumption :: Building ...

In the construction world, few ideas are hotter right now than incorporating eco-conscious designs into buildings in order to conserve water. At Building Moxie, sustainability is an oft-occurring topic, so today?s post builds off of a discussion started in this year?s Earth Day post by conservationist John D. Poole, which emphasized the fact that water conservation is the most important action we can take this year to save our dwindling resources.

Efficient Construction Management Lowers Water Consumption and Helps Save the World

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If trending research is to be believed, the United States?along with most parts of the world?is on the brink of a freshwater crisis. Not only are global water supplies running low, but in many regions, the infrastructure long depended on to ferry water from place to place is beginning to decay. Simply conserving water will not solve these problems, but it may buy time to come up with more long-lasting solutions. Those in the construction industry are in a prime position to advocate water conservation, both through strategic remodels and the introduction of high-efficiency appliances.

For centuries, access to drinking-quality water was something that American society took for granted. Water efficiency was never built into infrastructures for homes, businesses, or agriculture. Today, as populations are booming and more crops than ever before need watering, strategies may need a serious overhaul. ?Growing populations need ever more water for drinking, hygiene, sanitation, food production and industry. Climate change, meanwhile, is expected to contribute to droughts,? Scientific American reported in an article on the freshwater crisis. This is the first part of the problem: maintaining enough water to supply the needs of the future.

The second part of the problem is getting reserved supplies to the buildings and farms that need them. The U.S. has long held itself as something of a poster child for water distribution. Getting freshwater has been as easy as turning on the tap, even in very remote areas, since the 1800s. What many engineers are realizing, however, is that many of the pipes and water delivery systems are woefully out of date.

?Studies by government, environmentalists, and utilities agree that cities and towns will need to spend $250 billion to $500 billion more over the next 20 years to maintain the drinking water and wastewater systems we equate with modern living,? U.S. News & World Report said in an article examining a major water main break in New Jersey. ?The only debate is how to pay for it, in a country accustomed to paying about $2.50 per 1,000 gallons?the lowest price for tap water in the developed world.?

There is no single solution to fix either water access or delivery. There are, however, a number of small changes that construction managers can implement that can go a long way towards saving water. Saving water, most agree, will at least the delay the onset of water shortages or crises. Construction managers are usually in the best position to implement water-saving measures because of the control they exert over building design and planning.

?Achieving the goal of an efficient design may include simple or dramatic design statements, standard or highly efficient mechanical systems or changes in standard construction practices, but quite often it is best achieved through a combination of these options completed by all participants in the construction process,? Nebraska?s Energy Office says on its ?Construction Efficiency? website.

Complex systems usually start with the bare bones of construction and building design, and aim to build water efficiency into the structure from the start. This often includes siting buildings so as to maximize rainfall, as well as using sharp angles and strategic gutters to catch water run-off, dew, and melting snow. Internal water recycling systems can also help building tenants save water that has been used for things like laundry or bathing for other uses, like landscaping.

Such invasive innovations are not always possible, particularly in renovation situations. Installing high-efficiency appliances is often the best course of action in these situations. Low-flush toilets, motion-sensing faucets, efficient shower heads, and water saving washing machines and dishwashers may seem like small changes in isolation, but the savings?both in terms of water conserved and bills reduced?can really add up.

Some homeowners and building managers balk at the costs of water-saving upgrades. While it is true that many cutting-edge conservation techniques are more expensive than traditional building and architectural practices, they are fast becoming the new norm. Saving water is not just a ?good idea? anymore; if our society is to continue enjoying access to plentiful fresh water, conservation is a new necessity.

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Noelle Hirsch is a construction management expert who writes for http://www.constructionmanagement.net/, a resource for people who are interested in pursuing a career or education in this field.

Photo Credit: http://assets.bizjournals.com/story_image/432651.jpg?v=1

Source: http://www.buildingmoxie.com/2012/08/efficient-construction-management-lowers-water-consumption-noelle-hirsch/

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