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World Water Day 2012 - Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis
- 1. Cool
Blue Is The New Green
Water:
© 2010 Yudelson Associates
JERRY YUDELSON • YUDELSON ASSOCIATES • TUCSON, ARIZONA
- 2. Key Take-Aways
Water is the next big
(green) thing
International experience
and technology can be
adapted here
Major new opportunities:
owners, designers,
facility managers,
entrepreneurs and
©2011 Yudelson Associates
contractors
- 3. Why Water?
Water: 21st Century oil
Freshwater supply limited
Population/urban growth:
large water footprint
Global warming hits water
Major droughts since 2006
Water efficiency leads to
conservation outcomes
©2011 Yudelson Associates
- 4. Water Is the Oil of the 21st Century
Resource conflicts
Existing water sources fully
allocated
Next urban/rural battleground
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© 2011
- 5. Water is the Oil of the 21st Century
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© 2011
- 6. Freshwater is
inherently limited
No more water since
Adam & Eve
Usable freshwater a
tiny fraction
Much is too polluted
to drink
Aquifer depletion
reduces water supply
©2011 Yudelson Associates
- 9. Global Warming
Much of world summer water supply from snowmelt
Changes in climate = smaller snowpack, larger
spring runoff, greater flooding, reduced summer
stream flows
Water pricing for conservation will be huge issue
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© 2011
- 11. Water/Energy Nexus
Hydropower still important
Water supply <=> energy
use
Energy supply <=> water
use
By 2020s: Not enough
water for energy, or energy
for water!
©2011 Yudelson Associates
Lake Lanier, Atlanta, GA
- 12. Major Droughts Since 2006
In the U.S. In Australia
Atlanta Every major city
South Texas (Austin/San • Murray-Darling basin
Antonio)
California
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Murray-Darling, Australia’s Largest River
© 2011
- 13. Water
Conservation vs.
Water Efficiency
Conservation means less
total use
But, efficiency does not
guarantee conservation
Behavior modification
equally important
Some water conservation:
unintended consequences
©2011 Yudelson Associates
San Francisco: $14 million
for bleach
- 14. Your Personal
Water
Conservation Audit
© 2010 Yudelson Associates
- 15. Australia
20 million people
Most live near the coasts
Except for tropics, country is quite dry
Global warming has moved storm tracks south
©2011 Yudelson Associates
Biggest drought in 117-year recorded history since 2005
- 16. 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
©2011 Yudelson Associates
Product innovations come out of labeling
Rainforest in Tasmania, Australia
- 17. Australia
Plumbing industry front
and center
Large water utilities
recycle water, even for
domestic use
Public cooperation vital
Desalination - viable
option
©2011 Yudelson Associates
Falcon water-free
urinals
- 18. 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
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Murray-Darling — Australia’s Largest River
© 2011
- 19. Germany
80 million people
Leader in adapting to global
warming
Focus on rainwater
harvesting codes
New technologies emerging
for gray water reuse
©2011 Yudelson Associates
Top: Heidelberg, Germany
Bottom: Water House, Pforzheim,
Germany
- 21. Blue/Green Issues
Water shortages/droughts in many states
Financial/regulatory incentive programs
Green certification programs such as LEED
Rising costs for water supply and sewage treatment
Stakeholder concerns; political and regulatory changes
©2011 Yudelson Associates
- 22. Inhibiting Forces
Water is still cheap in most areas
High-water-use lifestyles still preferred
Unintended consequences
Agency revenues
Sewers and drain lines that don’t work
©2011 Yudelson Associates
Codes hard to change
Lack of whole systems thinking
- 23. Where Does This
Leave Us?
A very dynamic future:
much opportunity
New technologies,
systems, approaches
New products coming to
market constantly
Larger questions?
What about environment?
©2011 Yudelson Associates
- 24. Opportunities?
“Green plumbing”
Building fixture retrofits
NEWater
reuse/recycling systems
New specialties
Whole systems engineer
Use of less-than-
potable sources will
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increase
© 2011
- 25. The Future is Green, But…
If we want to score, we
run to where the ball is
headed, not to where it
is.
Ask yourself: how green
(and how blue) will the
built environment be in
2015?
Spain Wins FIFA World Cup 2010
How can I participate in
©2011 Yudelson Associates
the water revolution?
- 27. Thank you!
Subscribe to Jerry’s newsletter:
www.greenbuildconsult.com
Yudelson Associate
© 2011