NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- 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 today with support from The Chicago Faucet Company and Sloan Valve Company. Architecture and engineering (A/E) 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 A/E 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. "This study sheds light on the shift in what will define a green building," said Harvey Bernstein, vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances & Strategic Initiatives, McGraw-Hill Construction. "The results are especially telling--the increasing importance of water issues, the business benefits from water-efficient products and processes, and building owner buy-in all point to how critical it will be for the industry to address responsible water practices in the future."
