Sustainable Water Management In Buildings

This book expands the body of scientific knowledge on research and solutions for alternative water systems. It addresses a wide variety of water management issues in buildings, ranging from the technical possibilities, hydraulic and financial efficiency, and public acceptance of decentralized water systems, to their impact on sewage systems. Climate changes, population growth, and progressive urbanization are the main causes of the growing interest in alternative sources of water around the world. Decentralized systems are seen not only as solutions that can effectively save water, but also as systems that can operate partially or completely independently of centralized suppliers. With these aspects in mind, the main focus of this book is on showcasing a new approach to water management at the building scale. The findings and insights presented here will support the development of future technical guidelines for using alternative water systems in urban areas - an aspect that is particularly important since, in many European countries, these systems are only very rarely used.

Sustainable Water Resources in the Built Environment covers elements of water engineering and policy making in the sustainable construction of buildings with a focus on case studies from Panama and Kenya. It provides comprehensive information based on case studies, experimental data, interviews, and in-depth research. The book focuses on the water aspects of sustainable construction in less economically developed environments. It covers the importance of sustainable construction in developing country contexts with particular reference to what is meant by the water and wastewater aspects of sustainable buildings, the layout, climate, and culture of sites, the water quality tests performed and results obtained, the design of rainwater harvesting systems and policy considerations. The book is a useful resource for practitioners in the field working on the water aspects of sustainable construction (international aid agencies, engineering firms working in developing contexts, intergovernmental organizations and NGOs). It is also useful as a text for water and sanitation practices in developing countries. Visit the IWA WaterWiki to read and share material related to this title: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/SustainabilityinWaterSupply

The 28 chapters in this collection describe science-based principles and technological advances behind green technologies that can be effective solutions to pressing problems in sustainable water management.

Ensuring safe and plentiful supplies of potable water (both now and for future generations) and developing sustainable treatment processes for wastewater are among the world’s greatest engineering challenges. However, sustainability requires investment of money, time and knowledge. Some parts of the world are already working towards this goal but many nations have neither the political will nor the resources to tackle even basic provision and sanitation. Combining theory and practice from the developing and developed worlds with high- and low-tech, high- and low-cost solutions, this book discusses fundamental and advanced aspects of water engineering and includes: water resource issues including climate change, water scarcity, economic and financial aspects requirements for sustainable water systems fundamentals of treatment and process design industrial water use and wastewater treatment sustainable effluent disposal sustainable construction principles With integrated theory, design and operation specifications for each treatment process, this book addresses the extent to which various treatment methods work in theory as well as how cost effective they are in practice. It provides a nontechnical guide on how to recover and reuse water from effluent, which is suitable for those in water resource management, environmental planning, civil and chemical engineering.

This volume focuses on practical aspects of sustainable water management in urban areas and presents a discussion of key concepts, methodologies, and case studies of innovative and evolving technologies. Topics include: (1) challenges in urban water resiliency; (2) water and energy nexus; (3) integrated urban water management; and (4) water reuse options (black water, gray water, rainwater). This volume serves as a useful reference for students and researchers involved in holistic approaches to water management, and as a valuable guide to experts in governmental agencies as well as planners and engineers concerned with sustainable water management systems in urban environments.

Sustainable Construction Technologies: Life-Cycle Assessment provides practitioners with a tool to help them select technologies that are financially advantageous even though they have a higher initial cost. Chapters provide an overview of LCA and how it can be used in conjunction with other indicators to manage construction. Topics covered include indoor environment quality, energy efficiency, transport, water reuse, materials, land use and ecology, and more. The book presents a valuable tool for construction professionals and researchers that want to apply sustainable construction techniques to their projects. Practitioners will find the international case studies and discussions of worldwide regulation and standards particularly useful. Provides a framework for analyzing sustainable construction technologies and economic viability Introduces key credit criteria for different sustainable construction technologies Covers the most relevant construction areas Includes technologies that can be employed during the process of construction, or to the product of the construction process, i.e. buildings Analyzes international rating systems and provides supporting case studies

This reference source on water efficiency in buildings provides comprehensive and up-to-date information. Both multi-disciplinary and practical, it signposts current knowledge, innovation, expertise and evidence on an important subject which is high in the resource management debate. Water Efficiency in Buildings: a review of theory and practice is structured into five sections: Policy; People; Building Design and Planning; Alternative Water Technologies; and Practical Examples & Case Studies. This final section of the book presents new and current practice as well as lessons learnt from case examples on the use of water saving technologies and user engagement. Current evidence is vital for effective policy making. The dynamic nature of issues around water resource management creates a higher need for robust and reliable data and research information that can inform policy and regulations. This compendium provides a roadmap for researchers and building professionals on water efficiency as well as for policy makers and regulators. The case studies and research presented fall within the water supply and demand spectrum, especially those that focus on process efficiency, resource management, building performance, customer experiences and user participation, sustainable practises, scientific and technological innovation. The benefit and impact of the research is at the localandnational level, as well as in the global context.

The current literature compartmentalizes the complex issue of water and wastewater into its discrete components; technology, planning, policy, construction, economics, etc. Considered from the perspective of sustainability, however, water in the urban environment must be approached as a single resource that can be continuously reused and recycled. This book will be the first to capture all of the current work on this idea in a single, integrated, plan for designing the water-centric cities of the future. From new construction to the retrofitting of existing systems, this book presents the case for a new urban relationship to water, one with a more sustainable connection to the environment and the hydrological cycle. Through case studies of successfully planned and built systems around the world, the book will educate the reader about the need for a new approach to urban water management, and make the case that these changes are not only possible but imperative.