Water consumption pattern and conservation measures in academic building: a case study of Jamshoro Pakistan

Abstract

The building construction industry contribute substantially toward the exhaustion of most of the natural resources and water is one of them. Unsustainable water uses in buildings during its operation phase augmenting water resources consumption and degradation. To reduce resource consumption and harmful environmental impacts; green buildings construction is being promoted. Water conservation is one of the important components in the design of green buildings to save freshwater and satisfy the increasing demand for water. United States (U.S.) green building reference guide rating system contains 11 points out of 110 points for water efficiency for building design and construction. Considering these facts, this study aims to analyze water consumption and conservation potential in the Center for advanced studies during operational phase in the city Jamshoro. Water consumption by occupants during working hours has been assessed. Two scenarios were developed to assess and calculate water use in existing infrastructure and then compared with criteria provided by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines for new construction and design. It has been observed that currently no proper provision is provided for water reuse or recycling and ordinary water consumption fixtures are used. Results show that 33.50% of total consumed water can be saved by using LEED design and construction criteria. Moreover, grey water reuse can also reduce freshwater consumption 42-25% in both scenarios. Grey water reuse and reducing indoor water consumption in the building can help to conserve water. Such water usage systems will not only help to reduce energy cost but also contribute positively toward ensuring future availability of resources and improve environmental performance. Keywords Building operation • Water conservation • Water efficient techniques • Green building • Environmental performance List of symbols W wcsf Water consumption water closets single flush C f Capacity per flush t n Number of times used O n Number of occupants D n Number of days per week/month WCSF n Total number of water closet W wcdf Water consumption water closets single flush WCDF n Total number of water closet W u Water consumption from urinal U n Total number of urinals W bs Water consumption from bidet spray Q Flow rate (gallons per 15 s) BS n Total number of bidet spray W lf Water consumption from lavatory faucet LF n Total number of lavatory faucet W kf Water consumption from kitchen faucet KF n Total number of kitchen faucet * Bushra Danish Talpur,

Assessment of Greywater Reuse in a University Building in a Hyper-Arid Region: Quantity, Quality, and Social Acceptance

“…Subsequently, the average restroom usage by students at the university was calculated based on gender (Table 8). Despite differences in water consumption patterns between females and males [38], it is evident that both genders use the restrooms almost equally frequently, with males using them an average of 2.51 times per day and females 2.74 times per day.…”

“…Due to the university's location (hyper-arid region) and the current challenges brought by climate change, most buildings need to focus on implementing water conservation policies so they can satisfy the green building criteria [38].…”

“…Much research has been conducted on greywater generation, quality, and reuse [2,14,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]; however, few studies have focused on educational buildings, such as schools or universities [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44]. In many low-income countries, the majority of these buildings do not have or have limited access to potable water [5].…”

“…The potential of greywater and other non-conventional water reuse was assessed in a university building in Brazil, where greywater from handwashing and drinking fountains could be reused for toilet flushing, reducing potable water usage by approximately 25.73% [39]. Additionally, the water consumption pattern and its possible conservation measures in an academic building in Pakistan were analyzed, concluding that it could save 42% of potable water in the present and 25% in the future by reusing greywater for toilet flushing [38]. Finally, at the Abu Dhabi University campus, the economic feasibility of a greywater treatment plant for reuse for horticulture and irrigation of green areas was designed and evaluated, determining that the decentralization of greywater treatment is economically viable and environmentally sustainable [3].…”

Urban Water Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Talpur et al [74] analysed water consumption patterns in an institutional building in Pakistan. Two scenarios related to the total number of occupants were studied.…”