Blue is the New Green - Public Sector

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Cool Water:Blue is the New Green

JERRY YUDELSON • GLUMAC • LOS ANGELES/IRVINE

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Key Take-Aways

Water is the next big (green) thing

International experience and technology can be adapted for U.S.

Major opportunities: builders, owners, project designers, facility managers, public sector & contractors

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Why Water Efficiency?

Water: 21st Century oil

Freshwater supply limited

Population/urban growth: creates large water footprint

Global climate change

Major droughts ahead

Water conservation - the law!

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Water is the Oil of the 21st Century

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Water Will be the Oil of the 21st Century

Resource conflicts

Existing water sources fully allocated

Next urban/rural battleground

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Cool Water:Blue Is The New Green

JERRY YUDELSON • YUDELSON ASSOCIATES • TUCSON, ARIZONA

Our Watery Planet

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Freshwater is inherently limited

No more water since Adam & Eve

Usable freshwater a tiny fraction

Much too polluted to drink

Aquifer depletion for water supply widespread in the U.S. & world

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Freshwater Supply is VERY Limited

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Water Footprint of “Stuff”

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Global Climate Change

Much of world (& CA) supplied in summer with snowmelt

Changes in climate = smaller snowpack, larger spring runoff, greater flooding, reduced summer stream flows, higher evapotranspiration, less soil moisture, more irrigation required, etc.

Water pricing for conservation will be huge issue

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Climate Change – The Largest Risk

When it comes to the future of water, "we are, on many levels, completely and totally hosed.”

The water cycle itself is changing.

As temperatures rise due to climate change, evaporation and precipitation increase, and the atmosphere holds more water. Predictably, the condition should lead to increasingly severe storms and floods in some parts of the world, with prolonged, more intense droughts elsewhere.

"We can expect extreme extremes,” which could lead to greater conflicts over water.

- Jay Famiglietti, Director, UC Berkeley, Center for Hydrologic Modeling

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Water/Energy Nexus

Water supply = energy use

Energy supply = water use

By 2020’s: Not enough water for energy, or enough energy for water!

Lake Lanier, Atlanta, GA

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Water Conservation vs. Water Efficiency

Conservation means less total use per capita

Efficiency not = conservation

Behavior modification

Unintended consequences

“Virtual reservoir”

Reduces peak demand

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Major Droughts Since 2006

In the U.S.

Atlanta

South Texas (Austin/San Antonio)

California

Murray-Darling Basin, Australia’s Largest River

In Australia

Every major city

Murray-Darling basin

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Australia

20 million people

Most live near the coasts

Except for tropics, country is quite dry

Global climate change moved storm tracks south

Biggest drought in 117-year recorded history 2005 - 2010

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Australia

Coordinated response by national & state governments

$13 billion plan ($650 per person)

Water restrictions in urban areas

Product innovations

WELS rating mandatory for products since 2006

Product innovations come out of mandatory labeling

Rainforest in Tasmania, Australia

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Australia

Plumbing industry front and center

Large water utilities now recycle water to homes

Public is cooperating

Desalination adopted as fallback option

Water-free urinals

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Australia: Another Example

“Sewer mining” gaining interest

One Bligh Street in Sydney – 30 Story LEED Platinum

Makeup water for cooling towers/toilet flushing

Take water from city sewer, treat on site, reuse, return

Onsite blackwater treatment gaining adherents

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Australia: Lessons Learned

In a crisis, everything’s on the table

Easier to do big things politically

System favors (big) long-term solutions

Don’t neglect public participation

New technology can be mandated in crisis

Exotic solutions can be tried and evaluated

Murray-Darling — Australia’s Largest River

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Blue/Green Issues

Water shortages/droughts in many states

Financial/regulatory incentive programs work

Green certification programs such as LEED

Rising costs for water supply and sewage treatment

Stakeholder concerns; political and regulatory changes

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Inhibiting Forces

Water is still cheap

High-water-use lifestyles preferred

Law of unintended consequences

Codes take time to change

Lack of whole systems thinking

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Public Sector Actions?

Instill conservation ethic

Price for conservation

Incentivize retrofits

Regulate new buildings

Public education

Develop new supplies

Achieve “20% by 2020”

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Where Does This Leave Business?

A very dynamic future: much opportunity

New technologies, systems, approaches

New products/markets

Need to address larger questions of supply security and cost

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Bottom Line: Design & Renovate More Water-Efficient Buildings

What will Green & WaterSense® buildings look like in 2015?

Net zero water use

Onsite treatment/reuse

NEWater from many sources

Far more efficient systems

Designed by “Whole Systems Engineers”

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The Future is Green (and Blue), But…

If you want to score, run to where the ball is headed, not to where it is.

Ask yourself: what will built environment look like in 2020? What will be the Next Normal? How can we get there?

Will non-green/non-blue buildings & homes pay a market penalty?

Spain Wins FIFA World Cup 2010

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Water: Dry Run

“An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come” – Victor Hugo

Blue is the New Green - Public Sector

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Transcript of Blue is the New Green - Public Sector