Water to Rival Energy Efficiency as Key Concern in Greening Buildings

Managing water use is becoming increasingly important to commercial property owners, contractors, architects and engineers, and more than half say that water efficiency is an extremely important aspect of green building design, construction and related products, according to a recent survey by McGraw-Hill Construction.

Sixty-nine percent of those queried in the survey currently rate water efficiency as being extremely important, and by 2013 that figure is expected to increase to 85 percent, a report on the survey said. It added that the gap is closing among energy efficiency, water management and the reduction of construction waste as contenders for top priority in greening buildings.
Energy efficiency is now considered very important by 91 percent, a perception that is expected to reach 96 percent in 2013. The relative importance of construction waste management, which now stands at 64 percent, is expected to reach 73 percent in four years.

“This finding is evidence of a fundamental shift in the understanding of the composition of green buildings,” said the “SmartMarket Report, Water Use in Buildings.”

“No longer is the industry equating a green building with just being an energy efficient building,” the report said. “There is an increased understanding that saving water can save costs and energy and can reduce impact on climate change.”

Reuters