Water use is emerging as a critical risk and opportunity in the built environment. The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) estimates that there will be a 40% gap between global water supply and demand by 2030. Over the past century, rapid industrialisation has significantly contributed to freshwater withdrawals, including the increase in infrastructure developments and the built environment. Like many other sectors, the construction industry faces growing global pressure to address its roll in global water consumption. Many organisations pursuing sustainable construction now consider the early adoption of water footprint assessment in construction as a strategic advantage. This enables them to enhance their design for climate resilience, choose alternatives that require lower water consumption during material selection and support compliance with relevant green building standards.
A Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) is a methodology that enables organisations to measure, manage and reduce their water related impacts. This entails a thorough examination of water use, consumption, and contamination, enabling companies to tackle water scarcity and pollution on both local and global scales. When applied to the construction sector, it covers water used during:
Image credit: WorldGBC
A comprehensive WFA consists of four stages:
Integrating this simple approach during the design stage of an infrastructure project can proactively mitigate water-intensive practices, reduce risk and demonstrate commitment to sustainable architecture.
Learn More: Company Water Footprint Assessment | Tunley Environmental
The built environment in the UK is a major consumer of water resources. Water use flows from the supply chain to the construction process and how the building is run. During the construction process, activities like mixing concrete, site dust suppression, landscaping and commission systems are incredibly water intensive.
However, despite its substantial effect on the environment, water footprint is often overlooked in green building strategies with the major focus on carbon and biodiversity improvements. This could result in a blind spot in environmental planning.
Integrating a water footprint assessment in construction during design allows developers to:
When introduced during the concept or schematic design stage, water footprint assessment in construction can serve as a powerful methodology for shaping decisions that directly influence a project’s long-term water efficiency and compliance with green building standards. WFA enables architects and developers to make more sustainable choices that reduce reliance on potable water and minimise embodied water.
Key Areas Where WFA Influences Design Choices:
1. Material Selection: Many commonly used materials, such as cement, bricks, tiles and steel, carry a significant water footprint due to water-intensive production processes. WFA helps identify these hotspots early, encouraging the use of:
This approach supports green building objectives while reducing dependency on water-stressed supply chains.
2. Structural and MEP Systems: The design of mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems plays a central role in water efficiency. Insights from WFA can guide:
3. Landscape and Drainage Strategy: Exterior elements such as green roofs, permeable paving, and drought-resistant planting can drastically reduce blue water consumption. A WFA ensures these systems are backed by data on their impact. WFA also encourages consideration of efficient dewatering systems. These systems, used to manage groundwater on construction sites, can significantly reduce overall water waste and improve on-site environmental management.
4. Construction Methodology: WFA provides a detailed lens on how water is consumed during the construction process. This insight helps design teams minimise on-site water dependency by planning for:
Green building standards now place significant emphasis on water efficiency and lifecycle impact. Here's how water footprint assessment in construction strengthens alignment with leading frameworks:
LEED
BREEAM
WELL Building Standard
Organisations that apply water footprint assessment in construction upfront can set measurable targets and deliver documentation that streamlines certification processes.
Integrating water footprint assessment in construction at the design and procurement stage delivers better outcomes than retroactive evaluations.
Benefits of Early WFA:
In contrast, reactive water audits during or post-construction often miss embedded design inefficiencies and increase mitigation costs.
Although the surface of the Earth is covered by more than 70% water, only about 1% is actually viable for human consumption. This reality places a lot of responsibility on water-intensive industries to manage water as a shared global resource. Integrating water footprint assessments in construction at the earliest stage of design is a practical approach to achieving sustainable construction, meeting green building certifications, and reducing long-term environmental risk. Explore our Water Footprint Assessment service here to find out more about how it can benefit your company.