AAD RESEARCH METHODS
Waterfootprint assessment and integration for green
building design
Background
Water is a rare asset. Its characteristic accessibility is dependent upon wide variances. Simultaneously, interest for
studies on water consumption and recycling has been establishing its field among other disciplines of science and
technology. Expanded water use by people has significant contrary impacts on oceanic biological systems and their
species, causing serious natural threat. Therefore, water shortage is unequivocally distinguished as a significant
worldwide by Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs)
Articles conveying the audience about water shortage expresses that one of the fundamental reasons for the
same is physical deficiency or institutional failures or the absence of satisfactory foundation to guarantee an
ordinary inventory. Globally, demand for water has developed at much faster rate when compared to the
pace of populace growth, however, is still expanding in all the areas. The impacts of environmental change
will increase the danger of draughts. More than two million people are subjected to water stress till date and
the numbers have been increasing exponentially. Water clock is a free online service tool that envisions the
quantity of individuals living in zones with water scarcity. Individuals can utilize the Water shortage clock to
think about water accessibility and its utilization among nations as a vague measure. Water accessibility
numbers are likewise powerfully introduced and acclimated to show worldwide and nearby population rate
living in zones within various limits of shortage. Its target was to elevate worldwide awareness about the
truth of water as a limited asset and give individuals a granular and significant data to educate activity
towards worldwide accomplishment regarding the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Image of water scarcity clock
1
This further prompted concepts of water footprint by Hoekstra in 2002 as an accountable measure over supply
chains of material production and course of services regarding industries and businesses.
Every product in the market is comprised of Water during its assembly. If water was seen as a currency
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
or value of a product in terms of percentage of water utilized and discharged then it would lead to a huge market where water
consumption becomes a currency and a mode of exchange. For example,
3
2
,
4
As indicated by the Water Footprint Network technique these are:
Blue water footprint: A blue water footprint is a measure of water that is expended from freshwater assets (for
example lakes, streams and springs).
Green water footprint: A green water footprint is the measure of rainwater that is consumed.
Grey water footprint: The grey water footprint communicates the measure of freshwater that is required to soften
the pollutants. A water footprint is estimated in m3 of water consumed.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
5
Great data with respect to water footprints of networks and organizations will assist us with understanding how we
can accomplish an increasingly efficient utilization of freshwater. There are numerous spots on the planet where
genuine water consumption or contamination happens, for example, streams running dry, dropping lake and
groundwater levels and species going extinct because of polluted water. The water footprint assists with indicating
the connection that exists between our everyday utilization of products and the issues of water consumption and
contamination that exist in any piece of the globe, particularly in areas where our merchandise are made. Each item
has a littler or bigger water footprint, which is a very important matter to be considered for both the customers who
buy those items and the organizations that produce, process, trade or sell resulting products/ services in some stage
of their supply chain.
Along with water footprint there is likewise the idea of virtual water which is the volume of water used to create
customer items. The collective volume of water refers to the aggregate amount of water utilized during
manufacturing of an item. For instance: absolute volume water utilized in a food product would incorporate the
water utilized in the bundling and delivery. Virtual water is basically "hidden" water that has gone during the
production of those product. Each item we utilize contains virtual water.
Most people are unconscious of exactly how much water they waste every day. It is anything but difficult to overconsume, particularly when we don't know about the amount, we are consuming. Without understanding our
utilization, it is improbable that we will prevail with regards to diminishing our virtual water footprint. Networks and
nations around the globe are probably going to confront water issues with respect to shortage, supportability,
sanitation and approach to consumption.
In order to create awareness among people an initiation by Prof.Dr Frank Heidmann & Prof. Nils Kuger was taken care to build a
phone application as a way of communicating products in terms of water footprints through info graphs
6
The Virtual Water Project conveys the world how much freshwater is utilized to deliver for chosen items seeking
after individuals to reconsider their ways of utilization.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
Research Methodology 1
A comparable idea is applied in the development business to assess the utilization of water by building materials. A
portion of the calculation models for generally utilized building materials were found in the theory material "Water
impression of broadly utilized development materials-steel, concrete and glass" by Bosman (2016)
7
This flowchart shows the steps involved in extraction and pre-processing of cement for instance
The procedures require water and some form of energy but might include effluents that are harmful to aquatic
biomes. The procedure adds to the blue water footprint of the finished result as water is utilized during the
procedure. The energy utilization for the manufacturing chain additionally adds to the water footprint of the final
product, because the water footprint attached to the fuel supply and power utilization is at last dispensed to the
result. A greywater footprint can be the consequence of toxins present after the manufacturing of the product.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
8
The Research methodology undergoes a 7step process by determining the scaling factors for the processes. As shown in the
given table
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
9
The above graph depicts Energy related blue water footprint of ordinary Portland cement
per production process
10
This graph depicts measure of blue water footprint of ordinary Portland cement per
production process
Water footprint and energy graphs are found for cement and its data is collected.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
Table 1- Depicts measure of process water use for production of ordinary Portland cement
processes
The theory is an outright exertion to approve input information by finding other information assets, anyway, a lot of
information utilized despite everything originates from a solitary source: the ecoinvent database. The information
which is utilized for the investigation is accepted to contain minimal errors that impact the outcomes, anyway,
working with huge datasets this avoided with all conviction. In this case, to facilitate the research methodology
alternative processes of production are not considered. (with respect to that of glass)
Gaps: This research method calculates the water consumption during its manufacturing process however doesn’t
account for further calculation of water footprint during the process of construction. The calculated water
consumption is considered under standard methods of manufacturing. However the data input may vary depending
on the method of approach towards materials production line.
Research Methodology 2
Water-resource management in building development and activity, be that as it may, has still far to go, particularly on the
grounds that the measure of water utilized per unit area of development to a great extent stays undocumented. There has been
some spearheading research on epitomized water estimation of numerous non-private structures in Australia and different
nations. In this setting, the researches led by Bosman in 2016 looks to comprehend and survey the nature of freshwater utilized
in contemporary urban multi-storeyed private structures and reports an investigation led to an actual project in Calcutta, India.
Further investigations lead to another examination by S.Bradhan where the computation of water footprint was drawn on
specific information.
His technique was an expansion to the approach by Bosman where the findings of water footprint included the information that
was a resultant of water utilization during the development procedure. However here the time term factor was viewed as a
standard of 68 months.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
The significant structure materials having the most elevated stake in developed volume, for example, blocks,
concrete and steel were considered in the main phase of appraisal as introduced in the table underneath:
Table 2- The above table depicts the Assessment of measure of water within the materials of construction
The subsequent stage had two discretionary techniques the first including hypothetical estimation of the
water prerequisite for concrete blends and restoring of block stonework just as solid castings, while the
different relies upon information assortment on water utilization legitimately from site sources to have a
thought on the different roundabout and in any case unrecorded heads for which water during development
like watering for sub-level adjustment, dust control, waterline testing and cleaning, use by on-site occupant
development workers so and so forth. (Bardhan, S 2011, pp. 5)
Table 3- The above table depicts Water consumption for a preset standard of 68 months during the process of
construction
Gaps The above study is conducted considering pre-set standard techniques of construction and well defined
weather conditions under a given geographical setting.
For instance component “D” may vary depending on water availability in ground surface with respect to
geographical condition and water table at that particular region. Here the study is conducted in India while it may
vary in a much dry country such as Australia.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
Review of Research methodology
The two methodologies give a convincing data for calculating a total water footprint for a building. The first during
the manufacturing of a material from raw form to a usable form and the later during the usage of the material.
The current Water assessment tools give a water rating label on buildings considering the consumption and
discharge from a building depending on activities of the user and interior plumbing fixtures which is of course plays a
larger role in impacting Water footprint. However, this culmination can still be applied to save water till the
completion stage on an unoccupied building.
Water
consumption
during
manufacturing
Water
consumption
during
construction
Of a material
process
Water
consumption of
an unoccupied
building
in other terms,
Water footprint
Water
footprint of
construction
materials
Water footprint
During process
of construction
Of an
unoccupied
building after
construction
Energy assessing tools in building industry evaluate water efficiency and give a rating under the labels of green building.
However, the labels for water footprint is given only to food products and other products of lifestyle and daily usage.
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
Existing energy
rating tools
Table 4 : The table above that depicts a summary regarding consideration of water
efficiency among enumerable energy rating tools across different countries.
One of the online tools provides the information of water footprint inform of a report that will have to be furthered sourced
after choosing the target country or a place. The report shows measure of water used for importing products or raw
materials within the peripheries of the country. In other terms it conveys measure of water footprint related internally and
externally
11
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
CONCLUSION
The aim of this review was to investigate the existing research methodologies to facilitate a new logistics for a much efficient
design in terms of application of materials with respect to water footprints and further build a direct in-time preliminary
assessment tool leading the designer to make much better choices in terms of materials and design strategies.
If such a tool could be further investigated to give the water footprint data of a material (during its production and processing
during construction collectively) it could lead to an emergence of a new tool among building design software’s in construction
industry. This can further help in promoting water labels/green labels as a resultant of design and can further be programmed in
a way that the software gives notifications and advices regarding design. This leads to a much responsible way of designing a
building and inturn ensures efficiency at the preliminary stages of design than during the functioning of a building.
SCHEMATIC LOGISTICS
WATERFOOTPRINT
DATA BY RESERCH
METHOD -1
WATERFOOTPRINT
DATA BY RESERCH
METHOD – 2
LOACTION
AND TIME
OF THE
PROJECT
CLIMATIC
DATA
WATERFOOTPRINT
OF THE MATERIAL
CREDIT POINTS
DATA WITHRESPECT
TO
WATERFOOTPRINT
WATERFOOTPRINT
RATING LABEL
CHEMATIC LOGISTICS
WATERFOOTPRINT
RATING LABEL
WATER
RATING OF
UNOCCUPIED
BUDILING
WATER RATING
LABEL
GREEN BUILDING
ENERGY RATING
WATER
RATING OF
OCCUPIED
BUDILING
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AAD RESEARCH METHODS
The aim is to give in-time rating that facilitates the designer to make in-time decisions with respect to selection of
material with respect to quantity such that the building undergoes a preliminary design analysis that may cater to
further tests of building energy evaluation. This further avoids additional work such as change in design post-energy
tests to credit points for acquiring energy labels and reduces the quantity of work from third-party energy assessing
organizations and softwires that lead to cost cutting in terms of assessment and certification. Incorporating Rating
tools within the widely used softwires rather than plugins that take additional time , effort and cost gives an
opportunity to the user to have much more control over the design and also ensuring efficiencies and energies in
pre-liminary stages of design rather than post completion of 3D modelling and exporting it to third party software.
This also avoids additional investment of time in acquiring knowledge regarding water footprint associated with
construction materials on online sources as it directly takes from a pre-fed database.
VIRTUAL
WATER
WATER FOOTPRINT
CREDITS
4
WATER-RATING
ADDITIONALLY ADDED INFO
(a proposal of literature review)
IN-TIME RATING
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Reference list
1) About – Water Scarcity Clock 2019, Worldwater.io, <https://worldwater.io/about.php>.
2) CLASSIFICATION OF WATER FOOTPRINT n.d., tinkerprograms.com, <https://tinkerprograms.com/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/water-footprint.jpg>.
3) direct and indirect water use n.d., waterfootprint.org, <https://waterfootprint.org/en/water-footprint/what-is-waterfootprint/>.
4) Hoekstra, A, Chapagain, A, Aldaya, M & Mekonnen, M 2011, The Water Footprint Assessment Manual Setting the Global
Standard, viewed 17 April 2020, <https://waterfootprint.org/media/downloads/TheWaterFootprintAssessmentManual_2.pdf>.
5) Nazim Syed Yahaya, SN & Ismail, MA 2014, ‘GREEN BUILDINGS IN CAMPUS: AN SSESSMENT OF GREEN POTENTIAL FOR
EXISTING CONVENTIONAL BUILDINGS’.
6) PRODUCT GALLERY n.d., WATERFOOTPRINTNETWORK .ORG, <<https://waterfootprint.org/en/resources/interactivetools/product-gallery/>.>.
7) The app 2010, The water footprint of Products, <http://virtualwater.eu/#about>.
8) Virtual Water 2015, Food & Water Watch, <https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/insight/virtual-water>.
9) WATERFOOTPRINT 2020, CIRCULARECOLOGY.COM, <https://www.circularecology.com/water-footprint.html>.
10) WATERFOOTPRINT ASSESSMENT TOOL n.d., waterfootprint calculator,
<https://www.waterfootprintassessmenttool.org/national-explorer/>.
References for tables and figures.
1) Fig 1. Water Scarcity Clock 2020, viewed 17 April 2020,
<https://worldwater.io/>.
2) Fig 2 Product gallery 2020, viewed 17 April 2020,
<https://waterfootprint.org/en/resources/interactive-tools/product-gallery/>.
3) Fig 3.2020, in , Tinkerprograms.com, viewed 16 April 2020,
<https://tinkerprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/water-footprint.jpg>.
4) Circularecology.com
: <https://www.circularecology.com/water-footprint.htm>l
5) Fig 5. Water footprint 2020, viewed 16 April 2020, <https://www.circularecology.com/water-footprint.html>.
6) Fig 6. GmbH, R 2020, The Virtual Water Project, in , Virtualwater.eu, viewed 17 April 2020,
7) Fig 7. Bosman, R 2016, Water footprint of widely used construction materials - steel, cement and glass, Enschede, pp.
19, viewed 16 April 2020.
8) Fig 7. Bosman, R 2016, Water footprint of widely used construction materials - steel, cement and glass, Enschede, pp.
33, viewed 16 April 2020.
9)
10) Fig 9 .Bosman, R 2016, Water footprint of widely used construction materials - steel, cement and glass, Enschede, pp.
34, viewed 16 April 2020.
11) Fig 10 .Bosman, R 2016, Water footprint of widely used construction materials - steel, cement and glass, Enschede, pp.
33, viewed 16 April 2020.
12) Fig 11National Water Footprint Explorer 2020, viewed 17 April 2020,
<https://www.waterfootprintassessmenttool.org/national-explorer/>.
13)
14) Table 1 :Bosman, R 2016, Water footprint of widely used construction materials - steel, cement and glass, Enschede, pp.
61, viewed 16 April 2020.
15) Table 2 :Bardhan, S 2011, pp. 5, "Assessment of water resource consumption in building construction in India", in
, Ecosytems and Sustainable Development VIII, viewed 17 April 2020.
16) Table – 3.:Bardhan, S 2011, pp. 6, "Assessment of water resource consumption in building construction in India", in
, Ecosytems and Sustainable Development VIII, viewed 17 April 2020.
17) <http://virtualwater.eu/#about>.
18) Table - 4 Nizam Syed Yahya, S, Ariffin, A & Ismail, M 2014, "Summary of indicator listed in green building rating tools
worldwide", in , GREEN BUILDING IN CAMPUS: AN ASSESSMENT OF GREEN POTENTIAL FOR EXISTING CONVENTIONAL
BUILDINGS, viewed 17 April 2020.
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