Buildings' Water Use

Water use in commercial and institutional facilities, such as office buildings and hospitals, account for 17% of publicly-supplied water use in the U.S.

Source: EPA WaterSense

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Related Topics

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings

The Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and Associated Instructions are a set of sustainable principles for integrated design, energy performance, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, materials, and resilience aimed at helping Federal agencies and organizations:

Reduce the total ownership cost of facilities
Improve energy efficiency and water conservation
Provide safe, healthy, and productive built environments
Promote sustainable environmental stewardship

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and Associated Instructions

Water Consumption Intensity

Total water consumption per square foot of building space (e.g., kgal/sq-ft)

WaterSense

WaterSense, a partnership program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), seeks to help consumers make smart water choices that save money and maintain high environmental standards without compromising performance. Independent, third-party licensed certifying bodies certify that products meet EPA criteria for water-efficiency and performance by following testing and certification protocols specific to each product category. Products and services that have earned the WaterSense label have been certified to be at least 20% more efficient without sacrificing performance.

Buying WaterSense products? View sample solicitation/contract language.

Visit Program Site: WaterSense opens in new window

View WaterSense products on the GPC

Did You Know?

The U.S. generated approximately 251 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) in 2012. Almost 87 million tons were recycled and composted, which represents a 34.5% recycling rate. Solid waste generated per capita is the lowest since the 1980s. This is a 3 percent increase in the tons recycled.

Source: US EPA, Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2012 opens in new window .

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Case Study

Sense of Place

What makes a workplace special? What fosters a sense of attachment, engagement and identity? These are the kinds of questions that underlie the sense of place. The workplace is increasingly seen as a “brand” that conveys not only a place, but also the mission and values of the organization. The GSA workplace program combines branding and sense of place with sustainable approaches to create special places imbued with meaning and purpose.

View Case Study