Tips for becoming a "water wizard" by understanding the depths of our water shortage issues.

1. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water Conservation:
Become a Water Wizard,
Not a Water Wastrel!
JERRY YUDELSON • MARCH 2-15

2. ©2015JerryYudelson
Key Take-Aways
Water concerns are the
next big (green) thing
International experience
and technology can be
adapted for U.S.
Major opportunities &
challenges: retailers,
builders, project
designers, contractors,
etc.

3. ©2015JerryYudelson
Why Water Concerns?
Water: 21st Century oil
Freshwater supply limited
Population/urban growth:
large water footprint
Global warming & water
Major droughts more
frequent
Water conservation &
reuse are vital

4. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water Is the Oil of the 21st Century
Resource conflicts will intensify
Existing water sources fully allocated
Next urban/rural battleground
Water scarcities in the US increase
Retailers may wind up “high and dry”

5. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water is the Oil of the 21st Century

6. ©2015JerryYudelson
Freshwater is
inherently limited
No more water since
Adam & Eve
Usable freshwater a tiny
fraction
Much is too polluted to
drink
Aquifer depletion for
water supply widespread

7. ©2015JerryYudelson
Cool Water:
Blue Is The New Green
JERRY YUDELSON • YUDELSON ASSOCIATES • TUCSON, ARIZONA
Our Watery Planet

8. ©2015JerryYudelson
Freshwater

9. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water Footprint of “Stuff”

10. ©2015JerryYudelson
Global Warming
Much of world supplied in summer with snowmelt
Changes in climate = smaller snowpack, larger
spring runoff, greater flooding, reduced summer
stream flows, higher evapotranspiration, reduced
agricultural productivity, more droughts, etc.
Water pricing to get conservation will be huge issue

11. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water/Energy Nexus
Hydropower still important
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

12. ©2015JerryYudelson
Major Droughts Since 2006
In the U.S.
Atlanta
South Texas (Austin/San
Antonio)
California
Murray-Darling, Australia’s Largest River
In Australia
Every major city
Murray-Darling basin

13. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water Conservation
vs. Water Efficiency
Conservation means less
total use
Efficiency does not
guarantee conservation
Behavior modification
equally important
Some water conservation:
unintended consequences

14. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water Conservation
vs. Water Efficiency
A better idea

15. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water Conservation Requires Good Pricing

16. ©2015JerryYudelson
Australia
20 million people
Most live near the coasts
Except for tropics, country is quite dry
Global warming has moved storm tracks south
Biggest drought in 117-year recorded history 2005-2009

17. ©2015JerryYudelson
Australia
Coordinated response by
national/state governments
$13 billion plan ($650 per person)
Water restrictions in all urban
areas
Product innovations
WELS rating mandatory for products since
2006
Product innovations come out of labeling
Rainforest in Tasmania, Australia

18. ©2015JerryYudelson
Australia
Plumbing industry front
and center
Large water utilities
recycle water
Public is cooperating
Desalination seen as
viable option
Water-free urinals

19. ©2015JerryYudelson
Australia: Extreme Examples
“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

20. ©2015JerryYudelson
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

21. ©2015JerryYudelson
Blue/Green Issues
Water shortages/droughts in many states
Financial/regulatory incentive programs
Green certification programs promote water conservation
Rising costs for water supply and sewage treatment
Stakeholder concerns; political and regulatory changes

22. ©2015JerryYudelson
Inhibiting Forces
Water is still cheap
High-water-use lifestyles preferred
Unintended consequences to reduced
water use (drain lines & public health)
Codes hard to change to encourage
water reuse
Lack of whole systems thinking

23. ©2015JerryYudelson

24. ©2015JerryYudelson
What Will the Public
Sector Do?
Promote conservation
Price for reduced use
Incentivize retrofits
Regulate new buildings
Educate the public
Provide technical help
Develop new supplies
o Water reuse
o Desalination

25. ©2015JerryYudelson
Business Risk: Water Use vs. Climate Change

26. ©2015JerryYudelson
Where Does This
Leave Retailers?
A very dynamic future:
opportunities/challenges
Learn new technologies,
systems, approaches
Develop new products
Address consumer
concerns about water
Address larger questions
of supply security/cost

27. ©2015JerryYudelson
New Opportunities - Business

28. ©2015JerryYudelson
What Should Leading
Retailers Do?
Supply chain vetting for
water-sustainable raw
materials (cotton)
Supply-chain vetting for
reduced water use in
production of goods
Reduce water use in
retail operations
Help consumers
conserve water via
education

29. ©2015JerryYudelson
Tips for Retailers
Facility/store audits
Benchmark & learn from
peers
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Adopt cloud technology
for monitoring use
Educate associates
Landscape water use

30. ©2015JerryYudelson
The Future is Green (and Blue), But…
If you want to score, run to
where the ball is headed,
not where it is now.
Ask yourself: how green
(and blue) will the built
environment be in 2020?
Will you pay penalties for
lack of attention to water
issues? Germany Wins FIFA World Cup 2014

31. ©2015JerryYudelson
Water: Dry Run
“An invasion of
armies can be
resisted, but not
an idea whose time
has come”
– Victor Hugo

32. ©2015JerryYudelson
THANK YOU!