Water Evaluation and Monitoring

The Water Evaluation and Monitoring (WEM) tool is a methodology and tool for monitoring and evaluating water use in buildings. Data from utility and/or council accounts or logged water consumption data are entered into the tool to generate water use reports that can be used to evaluate and monitor water consumption in buildings.

The WEM supports effective water use reporting and monitoring in relation to water use benchmarks, targets, and previous consumption levels. It can also be used to analyze water consumption patterns to identify areas for improvement and evaluate the effectiveness of measures taken to improve water performance. The download includes:

• Water Evaluation and Monitoring (WEM) Excel tool.
• Water Evaluation and Monitoring (WEM) Presentation on how to use the tool.
• Water Evaluation and Monitoring (WEM) Presentations on water use in buildings.

Water Assessment in Buildings (WAB)

The Water Assessment in Buildings (WAB) tool is a methodology and tool for assessing water equipment and systems in buildings. Design appraisals or walk-through assessments of buildings are used to evaluate proposed or existing water equipment and systems in relation to best practice water criteria within the WAB.

The WAB supports effective assessments of water equipment systems to provide a clear understanding of this in relation to best practice sustainable building water performance. It can also be used to identify areas where water equipment and systems can be improved in order to improve water performance. The download includes:

• Water Assessment in Buildings (WAB) Excel tool.
• Water Assessment In Buildings (WAB) Manual on how to use the tool.
• Water Assessment In Buildings (WAB) Presentation on how to use the tool.
• Water Assessment in Buildings (WAM) Presentations on water use in buildings.

Water Use Modelling

The Water Use Modelling (WUM) tool is a methodology and tool for modeling water use in buildings. Data on water equipment, systems, and usage patterns are entered into the tool to model water consumption patterns in buildings and present this in figures and graphs.

The WUM supports effective modeling of water systems to provide a clear understanding of water consumption implications related to particular water use practices and water equipment and systems. It can also be used to carry out ‘what-if’ scenarios which support effective decision making on water use practices and procedures as well as on the selection and installation of equipment and systems. The download includes:

• Water Use Modelling (WUM) Excel tool.
• Water Use Modelling (WUM) Presentation on how to use the tool.
• Water Assessment in Buildings (WUM) Presentations on water use in buildings.

Outdoor air pollution a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths

A recent report from a World Health Organisation agency, the International Agency for Cancer Research has found that sufficient exposure to outdoor air pollution causes lung cancer. It points to research that shows that in 2010, 223,000 deaths were attributable to lung cancer caused by air pollution. While air pollution has been linked for some time to respiratory and heart diseases, the link to cancer indicates increased levels of risk. The agency identifies primary sources of outdoor air pollution as being from transportation, stationary power generation, industrial and agricultural emissions and residential heating and cooling.

There are number of implications for buildings of this report. These include:

•  Heating and cooling of residential buildings: There should be a strong focus on passive design in residential environments. In particular, solutions should be found to ensure that the burning of coal and other fuels in and around houses for heating is avoided. Where fuel is burnt it should be burnt in a way that avoids risk of diseases. 
• Transportation: There should be stronger requirements to separate vehicular environments from environments where people live and work. In particular, workplaces and residential areas that are beside highways and roads with large volumes of traffic should be evaluated. Measures to reduce vehicular pollution should be taken such as reducing congestion, using more efficient vehicles with, for instance, start-stop technology and electric vehicles and improving provision for public transport, walking and cycling.
• Stationary power generation: There should be increased awareness about the risk associated with pollution from local petrol or diesel powered generators and stand-by generators. Where possible these should be avoided and renewable energy systems used.     
• Guidelines: These findings should be reflected in guidance documents including the WHO Guidelines on Indoor Air Quality shown above. In particular it needs to be translated into practical measures that can be taken by Planners and Designers in urban areas and Architects in buildings. 

Indoor Environment Quality Monitoring and Reporting

Managing indoor environmental quality in buildings requires effective monitoring and reporting processes. These should  have the following characteristics:

• Key aspects of indoor environmental quality should be tracked
• Indoor environmental quality  so that it can be compared with benchmarks and with other similar buildings.
• Indoor environmental quality figures should be tracked and presented for a full year
• Indoor environmental quality figures for the previous year, as well as the current year, should be presented in order to ascertain whether there are improvements. 
• Reports should be presented in a simple format so that senior managers and non-technical staff can easily understand these. 

Gauge has developed a system that achieves the above characteristics and is easy to use. The reporting system is available to subscribers and be accessed here. It also supports reporting on energy and water consumption and waste generation and recycling.

Transport Impact Monitoring and Reporting

Managing transport impacts related to buildings requires effective monitoring and reporting processes. This should  have the following characteristics:

• Transport impacts should be tracked
• Different forms of transport use should be tracked 
• Transport impacts should be normalised so that it can be compared with benchmarks and with other similar buildings.
• Transport impact figures should be tracked and presented for a full year
• Transport patterns for the previous year, as well as the current year, should be presented in order to ascertain whether there are improvements. 
• Reports should be presented in a simple format so that senior managers and non-technical staff can easily understand these. 

Gauge has developed a system that achieves the above characteristics and is easy to use. The reporting system is available to subscribers and be accessed here. It also supports reporting on energy and water consumption, waste generation and recycling and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). 

Energy Consumption and Demand Reporting

Managing energy in buildings requires effective monitoring and reporting processes. This should  have the following characteristics:

• Energy consumption should be tracked
• Maximum demand should be tracked
• Energy consumption should be normalised so that it can be compared with benchmarks such as those in SANS 204.
• Energy demand and consumption figures should be tracked and presented for a full year
• Energy demand and consumption patterns for the previous year, as well as the current year, should be presented in order to ascertain whether there are improvements. 
• Reports should be presented in a simple format so that senior managers and non-technical staff can easily understand these. 

Gauge has developed a system that achieves the above characteristics and is easy to use. The reporting system is available to subscribers and be accessed here. It also supports reporting on water consumption, waste generation and recycling, travel impacts and indoor environmental quality (IEQ).