Improved water use reduces costs and energy consumption while supporting system reliability. Through the Better Buildings & Better Plants Initiative Water Savings Network, DOE brings organizations together to discuss and demonstrate successful approaches to conserving water in buildings, plants, and multifamily housing. All facility owners and managers are invited to build on the progress already made by Better Buildings & Better Plants Initiative partners who have set water intensity goals and reduced their water use by more than 25 billion gallons since 2015.
This page offers resources, proven solutions, and best practices on water reduction tailored to the industrial sector.
Partners across the commercial, public, industrial, and multifamily sectors are working with the U.S. Department of Energy to share successful water reduction solutions and progress, network with peers, receive technical assistance, and more.
This page offers resources to help organizations establish water management strategies and reduce consumption across their buildings and operations, organized by key categories. Click below to explore.
Featured Solutions
Starting in 2007, Region 6 of the General Services Administration (GSA) undertook a series of minor remodels designed to improve the water efficiency of one of their largest Midwest campuses
Erie VA Medical Center replaced water-cooled condensing units with air-cooled units, achieving monthly water savings of more than 55% and over 8,000,000 gallons over the first year of operation.
Tower has taken its water management program to the next level with daily reporting, 15-minute interval data, real-time alerts, advanced data analytics, setpoint modifications, and internal water audits that have resulted in significant water consumption savings.
Atlanta's Emory University created WaterHub, an innovative on-campus solution designed to treat and reuse up to 400,000 gallons of water per day, decreasing potable water demand by over one-third. In addition to saving money, the WaterHub is creating scientific and educational opportunities on campus.
Anthem implemented a landscaping redesign plan to reduce water demand and create a more resilient environment at the 21555 Oxnard Street campus in Woodland Hills, CA, which reduced its water demand by 46% annually.
Other Resources
Calculator
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials developed this Excel tool to help determine expected water demand for a variety of indoor and outdoor water uses.
Guidance
DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) provides guidelines and rules of thumb to estimate daily water use for typical end-uses that drive building-level water consumption. The resource discusses methods related to batch processing/manufacturing, evaporative cooling systems, irrigation, plumbing, steam heating systems, and vehicle wash systems.
This white paper features insights from leading manufacturers on developing new, or improving existing, water management programs.
A series of maps and related resources, created by DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), that can help organizations implement alternative water projects, such as rainwater harvesting, condensate capture, and wastewater reclamation. Organizations can use the provided map to identify locations in the U.S. that may be good candidates for purchasing reclaimed wastewater.
Tools
These fact sheets, developed by DOE's FEMP, provide an overview of commercially available water saving technologies that offer significant water savings potential.
This Excel-based tool developed by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) enables federal agencies to quickly screen sites for water-efficiency opportunities. It features general information related to a site’s water use and offers recommendations on potential water efficiency projects. The tool provides a qualitative score that indicates low-to-high water savings potential for nine end uses.
The excel-based Water Budget Tool was developed by EPA's WaterSense program to comply with section 4.1.1 (Landscape Design) of Version 1.2 of the WaterSense New Home Specification or to ensure a measure of efficiency and regional suitability for the amount of water applied to a landscape based on local climate data.
Webinar
Tune in to learn how market leaders in the hospitality sector finance and deploy projects that tackle energy efficiency and the water nexus.
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For more information on water-saving practices and equipment, please visit the WaterSense program offered by the Environmental Protection Agency. See below for a few essential tools to help you get started in the process.
- WaterSense Simple Water Assessment Checklist: Writable PDF to help quickly identify and target potential projects and best management practices
- WaterSense Operations and Maintenance Checklist: Checklist of low- or no-cost changes to operation and maintenance procedures can start saving water, energy, and costs quickly
- Sample Worksheets in Appendix B of WaterSense at Work: Building Water Survey, List of Water Meters, Water Consumption History; Equipment and Water Use Inventory
To learn more about opportunities to get involved with Better Buildings & Better Plants Initiative water efficiency efforts, contact us.