The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program has created WaterSense at Work: Best Management Practices for Commercial and Institutional Facilities—a compilation of best management practices to help facilities better manage water use through efficient practices and products.
Building owners and managers can significantly reduce water use, energy requirements and operating costs by understanding how to use water more efficiently. America’s commercial and institutional facilities use 17 percent of the water provided by the nation’s public water supplies, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
WaterSense at Work addresses water use in hospitals, offices, educational facilities, laboratories and other organizations. The online resource includes in-depth sections covering:
- Water management planning
- Laboratory and medical equipment
- Water use monitoring and education
- Outdoor water use
- Mechanical systems
- Onsite alternative water sources
According to McGraw-Hill Construction’s Water Use in Buildings SmartMarket Report (2009), business benefits of water efficiency include reduced water use (15 percent), decreased energy use (10-11 percent) and reduced operating costs (11-12 percent). WaterSense at Work presents numerous tactics for organizations to achieve water, energy and operational savings, as well as case studies on different types of facilities that have achieved savings by using water efficiently. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/commercial/.
