Sustainable Water in the UK and its relevance for Siberia
The Abstract for the paper submitted to this conference begins...
A sustainable water strategy is a vital component of an environmental building brief. The following paper will explain the UK situation in relation to sustainable water. Some of the strategies used in the UK will be very relevant to the Siberian situation; some will be less relevant. It is important to stress that this presentation refers to domestic buildings only and that water use in commercial buildings must also be addressed to ensure a holistic approach to sustainable water. The UK needs to reduce its demand for potable water and control stormwater runoff and both of these issues are addressed under a sustainable water strategy. Any sustainable water strategy has the following as its core criteria:
- Conservation of water resources,
- Enhancement of water quality
- Minimisation of vulnerability to flooding
It can be regional or site specific and reduces water demand in existing buildings as well as new build. Experience in the UK has shown that voluntary measures to reduce water consumption in new buildings have not been particularly successful and so it is now recognised that Government legislation is required to effect real and lasting change. It is also important to realise that behavioural changes, in conjunction with technical innovations, are needed to overcome the problems of water shortages
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