NEW YORK, June 18, 2015 – Water, it’s the source
of life for every person, plant and animal on earth. But although
70 percent of our planet is covered with water, 97.5 percent of it
is salt and 1.5 percent is frozen in glaciers, leaving only about
one percent for human consumption. That one percent is rapidly
shrinking as populations expand and industrialization, pollutants,
crumbling infrastructures and climate change threaten a dwindling
and increasingly compromised water supply. The need for water
conservation and focus on sustainable and eco-conscious industry
practices has never been stronger.
GROHE, the world’s leading single-brand manufacturer and supplier
of kitchen and bath fittings, has developed a CEU, The Edge of
Water – Trends & Best Practices in Building Water Use, for
members of AIA, ASID, IIDA and USGBC that also qualifies for
Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW)-related training. Being presented at
the GROHE Live! Center in Manhattan and at other showrooms and
venues across the U.S., The Edge of Water makes a strong case for
conservation, while outlining the seriousness and complexity of the
problem and importance of water conservation efforts in buildings.
With this educational initiative, the German company, known for its
innovative and advanced technology and industry-leading
sustainability, offers architects and designers viable green
practices and solutions for their projects. A summary of the key
points presented follows as well the GROHE technological
advancements that can help meet the demands for water
conservation.
The High Cost of Water
Rising costs, global warming and severe drought conditions pose a
serious global threat to which few nations are immune. In the U.S.,
the critical drought in California is impacting water supplies and
agriculture and food prices, nationwide. In just one year, greatly
reduced mountain snowfalls sharply cut the state’s water levels,
demonstrating the unreliability of key water sources. GROHE notes
that the costs of treating, distributing, heating and pumping water
are already the highest of any utility and those costs are quickly
rising with no end in sight. In the next 25 years, the United
States must pay an estimated $1 trillion to replace water pipes and
processing facilities.
Commercial and residential buildings in the U.S. use 13.6 percent
of all potable water, or 15 trillion gallons per year.
Water-efficiency efforts could:
- Decrease energy use by 10-11 percent
- Save 11-12 percent of operating costs
- Reduce water use by 15 percent