Water Conservation Tips for Commercial Building

While most business’s green initiatives focus on carbon emissions, they should also be focusing on their water consumption. Businesses waste tons of water per year. Conserving water is a great step toward corporate responsibility, as well as helping your bottom line. Whether you want to reduce the water bill for your commercial building, or want to improve water conservation for environmental reasons, there are options for you.

Here are a few changes for commercial buildings that will improve water conservation.

Switch to Plants the Require Less Water

One way you can improve your company’s water conservation is by switching up the landscaping. Switching to plants that are native to your region ensures that the plants are adapted to the seasons and rainfall that occur in your area. They require far less artificial watering if any at all. It may be a good idea to look at the plants inside the building as well. Potted tropical plants around the office may be pretty, but they also require a lot of water. For indoor plants that don’t naturally receive water, it is a good idea to buy types that are acclimated to dry environments that can go longer periods between watering.

Get Low Flow Toilets

As we had discussed in our Eco-Friendly Plumbing Tips post, standard and older models of toilets use more than a gallon of water per flush. In a commercial building with so many toilets and many people using those toilets, that water adds up. Low flow toilets can reduce the amount of water used per flush by 20% or more. There are more conservative options for urinals as well. New models can use as little as one pint of water per flush.

Switch to Faucets with Hand Sensors

Most businesses have adopted faucets with sensors as the more sanitary option already, but did you know they can also save you from wasting water. They may be more expensive than your standard faucet options, but they pay for themselves in water savings over time. They eliminate the possibility of the faucet being carelessly left running or running while the user is distracted.

Smarter Irrigation

If your commercial building has a lawn that needs watering, being smarter about your irrigation can save water. Adding a moisture sensor in addition to your timer is a great option. It is a waste of water and energy to water the lawn if it has rained. Modern smart irrigation controls are now able to sense moisture in the soil and stop the next irrigation cycle. It can work with your normal scheduled irrigation to eliminate any unnecessary water usage. Irrigating at the correct times of day can also help improve water conservation. It should be done in the early morning or late evening when it is cool outside to reduce evaporation. Collecting rainwater and using it in your irrigation system also has cost-effective and environmental benefits.

Monitor Cooling Tower Water

Adjusting the heating and cooling equipment in your building may also help water conservation. Commercial HVAC systems create a substantial amount of water condensation. With a few adjustments, HVAC systems can use recycled water from condensation recovery. Instead of collecting it and sending it to the sewer this water can be reused in evaporative cooling towers. It is already free of minerals from the condensation process and is ideal to be reused.

Fix Leaks Right Away

Making sure your buildings plumbing is well maintained is another great way to improve water conservation. Leaks can often go unnoticed for long periods and lead to more wasted water than you may realize. Pipes are often hidden and out of sight, and if you are not testing for deficiencies you may not find a leak until it causes water damage over time. Leak detection systems are essential for picking up leaks early. Once a leak is detected, get it fixed right away to ensure no further water damage or wasted water.

These are just a few ways that you can help improve your water conservation. We at Valley Fire Protection will be able to help you reach your businesses goals of being more eco-friendly. Contact Valley Fire Protection and Plumbing today if you are interested in discussing your options!

By: Tom Hartel
I acquired my expertise by directing day-to-day operations of the business for over 20 years. Continuous hard work helped me become a nationally recognized speaker and expert on fire protection, fire sprinklers, special hazards, and plumbing systems. In this blog, I share my knowledge that will hopefully help you make better decisions for your projects.

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