Time to break down the barriers stalling water efficient housing

When environmental sustainability is talked about in construction circles, the focus is invariably on carbon and energy and it’s rare that water conservation is mentioned in the same breath. This is not surprising when this is also the case in society more widely. So, this Water Saving Week (13- 17 May) the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is stepping up efforts to get the conversation flowing like the very stuff we all need to survive.

Water is a finite resource and population growth, increasing demand and climate change will affect the availability of future water resources. According to the charity Waterwise, the UK could be hit by severe shortages by 2050, if water efficiency is not prioritised.

The built environment sector has an influential role to play in supporting water conservation efforts, not only by looking at how it uses water throughout the construction process, but by creating buildings, particularly new homes, that are water efficient. This means installing white goods, taps, showers and toilets that use minimal water while maintaining the performance levels consumers expect, while also including water reuse and rainwater harvesting to reduce demand on local drinking water resources. For existing buildings, it means taking a whole building approach to retrofit that considers water use alongside energy as standard. Let’s also acknowledge that by using less hot water, households will make savings on energy too, as heating water accounts for a substantial proportion of energy consumption.

There are a range of reasons why a water saving revolution isn’t already happening on the scale needed, many of which require policy intervention to overcome. Higher standards for water using fixtures and fittings are