Water smart buildings: the Government Buildings Water Conservation Program
Background The Department of Public Works is leading water smart buildings: the Government Buildings Water Conservation Program to deliver a strategy and associated policies to reduce water consumption in new and existing Government owned commercial buildings, as well as facilities and parks. |
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Program aims:
- reduce potable water consumption
- demonstrate Government leadership in water conservation through the adoption of best practice technologies and efficiencies, meeting triple bottom line requirements.
The targeted outcomes below are preliminary key milestones to be met in accordance with one to ten year strategic plans:
- reduce potable water usage by 25% below the original design specifications using available baseline data in existing targeted high water use Government owned commercial buildings; and
- reduce potable water usage by 25% below the original design specifications or current industry practice in all targeted new government buildings, facilities and parks.
Program strategy:
- monitor water usage in commercial office buildings
- evaluate emerging water saving technology
- develop and trial water auditing processes
- encourage other agencies to adopt the audit process
- implement a staged, prioritised program of retrofitting WELS approved water saving technology in Government owned buildings and facilities.
- develop and implement Water Efficiency Management Plans for high water use Government owned office buildings to reduce water consumption and to satisfy Level 4 water restrictions
- promote water efficient practices to other agencies, including awareness of best practice
- implement key demonstration projects using emerging technologies (eg best practice cooling tower maintenance and management); and
- develop strategies and trials for water recycling and alternative water use opportunities in new government buildings, facilities and parks.
Current initiatives:
- water consumption auditing processes have been developed for commercial buildings, schools and police stations
- water monitoring trials have commenced at 80 George Street and 111 George Street. Some bathrooms have been fitted with newly developed water-saving technologies and water usage is being monitored to compare with background data collected up to the end of June 2006
- a number of high water-use facilities in the Brisbane CBD, Rockhampton and Toowoomba areas are being targeted with a program of works to improve their water-efficiency
- a taskforce has been established and has commenced installing water efficient tapware, showerheads and flow restrictors. Major projects are also being undertaken to adjust urinal flow rates and replace inefficient single flush toilets
- medium- to long-term solutions such as investigation into waste water reuse for government owned buildings and facilities and opportunities to reduce water use in cooling towers
- financial models and other incentives to encourage departments to adopt water-saving practices are also being studied.
Important Links
- Fact Sheet: How Level 4 Restrictions Apply to Government Facilities (pdf, 450kb)
- Water Forever – The South-East Queensland Water Saving Initiative
- Waterwise Queensland – The Environmental Protection Agency’s guide to water conservation
- Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) – National labelling scheme for water-using products.
- Climate Action Network Australia's Water site (link) – information about Australia's water resources
Contact Us
water smart buildings: the Government Buildings Water Conservation Program
Phone: 07 3224 6381
Email: watersmartbuildings@publicworks.qld.gov.au