Water efficiency to become critical to green commercial buildings
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, released recently. Architecture and engineering 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. 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 architecture and engineering 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. The report covers involvement levels and growth opportunities over the next five years, as well business benefits, motives, and obstacles encountered in this advancing market.