Industry and Parliament Trust event: Optimising Water Usage in Future Homes

Description

Claire Hoolohan, Tyndall Manchester, was invited to present at an Industry and Parliament Trust event in the House of Commons: Optimising Water Usage in Future Homes, chaired by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (co-chair of the Water APPG).

Event abstract:
The Committee on Climate Change predicts that the demand for water in England will exceed supply by between 1.1 and 3.1 bn litres per day by the 2050s. New sustainable housing designs will need to incorporate water-saving measures such as low-flush plumbing and water recycling. Reuse of greywater and even the treatment of wastewater in reed beds or other natural filtration systems could also be recommended as a water saving measure. The Government commissioned a public consultation to make water efficiency labelling mandatory by 2025, with the aim to echo energy efficiency labels, with a category rating from A to F on household goods. The majority of respondents (74%) agreed that the proposal will help to reduce water consumption by 2038. However, there continues to be uncertainty around the accuracy of EPC ratings which could affect this proposal. As consumers and industry strive to increase the energy efficiency of their homes what can the Government do to support this transition?

Claire's contribution highlighted the connections between climate, energy, housing and water policy, calling for more ambitious and imaginative approaches to address not only water efficiency, but also water use in homes. She flagged gaps in the skills, values and business models as well regulatory changes needed to enable water reuse. And reminded attendees that the water sector has been successfully driving water efficiency for a long time, but the gains have slowed as societal trends like hyper-cleanliness, personal grooming and luxury bathrooms are driving demand up, even as the efficiency of fixtures and fittings efficiency improves. Achieving the pace and scale of change needed will require not only a pace change in the delivery of water efficiency, but also a vast extension of the scope of activity to reduce demand.

Period	22 Oct 2024
Held at	Industry and Parliament Trust, United Kingdom
Degree of Recognition	National