PMI Discusses Water Efficiency, Green Building At Fall Meeting
Water conservation efforts that focus only on the fixtures will not solve the problem. Future efforts must look beyond the fixtures to the system as a whole, according to Shawn Martin, director of the Applied Technology Division, National Association of Home Builders Research Center.
In terms of user behavior, more study is needed regarding how people interact with conserving devices vs. traditional fixtures, said Martin. If a person washes his hands X minutes when using a traditional faucet, will he wash longer if using a low-flow faucet? How will a person use a low-flow showerhead or a dual-flush toilet vs. traditional models?