BP04: Water Audit & Planning

Official language

This best practice sets the stage for long-term efficiency planning for your building by quantifying the costs and savings associated with building-specific water efficiency opportunities. The auditing process helps diagnose the causes of inefficiencies, identify low-hanging fruit for improvements through minor projects or operational tuning, and sets the stage for longer-term planning by evaluating potential capital projects. The audit will examine historic water consumption data and water-related systems to identify potential savings opportunities.

This best practice intends to help the building operator identify water-saving and operations and maintenance improvement opportunities through a holistic, qualitative evaluation of all water-using systems within the building or tenant-controlled space.

 

Objective

At least once every 5 years, perform a water audit to help understand the project’s water consumption profile and discover opportunities for improvements through no- and low-cost water conservation measures along with considerations for capital improvements.

 

Submittal Requirements

The following are the required submittals in order to fulfill the objective of this best practice.

 

A water audit report for the project performed within the last five (5) years contains the following information:

  1. Date of audit.
  2. Current water use analysis for the building or tenant-controlled space including:
    • Water cost intensity (WCI)
    • Water use intensity (WUI)
  3.  Breakdown of water use by major equipment, systems, fixtures, or end uses.
  4. Recommendations for conservation opportunities including no-cost and low-cost efficiency improvements.
  5. Economic analysis results.

 

Tenant-Controlled Space Participants

Tenant-controlled space participants may submit a water audit for the building to if 1) the submitted audit was performed within the last 5 years, 2) the participant was a tenant within the building when the audit was performed and 3) the audit includes the items outlined above.

 

Projects Without Water-Using Fixtures

This best practice is not required for program participants with zero water-using fixtures. Please submit blueprints or a similar document with a brief narrative explaining the project layout.

Implementation Guidance

For additional details and recommended steps for implementing this best practice, please see the BIT Building Program Manual.

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BIT User’s viewpoint

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Implementation toolkit

This best practice sets the stage for long-term efficiency planning for your building by quantifying the costs and savings associated with building-specific water efficiency opportunities. The auditing process helps diagnose the causes of inefficiencies, identify low-hanging fruit for improvements through minor projects or operational tuning, and sets the stage for longer-term planning by evaluating potential capital projects. The audit will examine historic water consumption data and water-related systems to identify potential savings opportunities.

This best practice intends to help the building operator identify water-saving and operations and maintenance improvement opportunities through a holistic, qualitative evaluation of all water-using systems within the building or tenant-controlled space.

 

Objective

At least once every 5 years, perform a water audit to help understand the project’s water consumption profile and discover opportunities for improvements through no- and low-cost water conservation measures along with considerations for capital improvements.

 

Implementation Requirements

For additional details and recommended steps for implementing this best practice, please see the BIT Building Program Manual.

Submittal Requirements

The following are the required submittals in order to fulfill the objective of this best practice.

 

A water audit report for the project performed within the last five (5) years contains the following information:

  1. Date of audit.
  2. Current water use analysis for the building or tenant-controlled space including:
    • Water cost intensity (WCI)
    • Water use intensity (WUI)
  3.  Breakdown of water use by major equipment, systems, fixtures, or end uses.
  4. Recommendations for conservation opportunities including no-cost and low-cost efficiency improvements.
  5. Economic analysis results.

 

Tenant-Controlled Space Participants

Tenant-controlled space participants may submit a water audit for the building to if 1) the submitted audit was performed within the last 5 years, 2) the participant was a tenant within the building when the audit was performed and 3) the audit includes the items outlined above.

 

Projects Without Water-Using Fixtures

This best practice is not required for program participants with zero water-using fixtures. Please submit blueprints or a similar document with a brief narrative explaining the project layout.

See all forum discussions about this best practice » Subscribe to new discussions about Water Audit & Planning