HVAC/R systems account for approximately a third of water consumption in a typical office building, the need to minimize water usage is a major consideration in the built environment industry. For that reason ASHRAE, the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) are developing a standard to provide baseline requirements for the design of buildings, site and mechanical systems. ASHRAE/USGBC/ASPE/AWWA Standard 191P, Standard for the Efficient Use of Water in Building, Site and Mechanical Systems, is open for public comment until December 10, 2012. The requirements in the standard would optimize the volume of water required to operate HVAC systems, plumbing systems and irrigation systems. The proposed standard covers HVAC/R and non-HVAC/R systems including: evaporative heat rejection, humidification systems, thermal storage, ground source pump systems, water heating systems, laboratory facilities and residential appliances. It would not apply to storm water management. The standard will provide the tools that a design team needs to properly apply water efficiency measures on all aspects of a building design and construction project.
