Related EU Projects

The CoSuDS project aimed at promoting the transition towards smart stormwater management from a collaborative perspective, bridging the gap between pilot implementation to long-term city strategy. The project co-developed a “CoSuDS Toolbox” used for defining transition pathways in cities, being applied at district level for a city in Spain and integrating multiple actors in the process through collaborative charrettes.

The CoSuDS project analysed alternatives at district scale in Castellón (approx. 170,000 inhabitants, medium-sized city in Eastern Spain) and provided local authorities with outcomes to make informed decisions in terms of energy efficiency, sustainability and risk mitigation, guiding their transition towards improved stormwater governance.

The CoSuDS project undertook collaborative charrettes involving all actors concerning urban development. (A charrette is an intensive planning session where local government, citizens, designers and other stakeholders collaborate for establishing solutions to a given challenge. It provides a forum for ideas, giving feedback to the designers.)

The CoSuDS project covered interactions among three subsystems: water (flood and pollution risks reduction and water efficiency), energy (reducing energy consumption in buildings and the urban water cycle) and built environment (providing additional social and environmental benefits).

https://www.iiama.upv.es/iiama/src/elementos/Proyectos/CKIC_COSUDS/CoSuDS_Final%20Report.pdf

The European Commission has identified labelling as a means of encouraging consumers to opt for water efficient products. A common water label at the European level would help countries achieve water efficiency in a cohesive way. This paper examines some of the water labelling schemes currently implemented in countries around the world in order to draw together a knowledge-base of water labelling best practice. Mandatory labels are shown to be most effective at encouraging consumer uptake, while additional supportive information (such as product performance data and potential financial savings) would help inform consumer purchase decisions. Consideration of national implications, economic impact, regulation and enforcement and establishing impact indicators, are all shown to be vital components of an effective water labelling scheme.

Practical application:

A Europe-wide water label would help promote the uptake of water-efficient products by providing consumers with information about the water consumption characteristics of products at the point of sale. It is intended that the water labelling best practice presented here is used by policy makers and regulators to help inform future initiatives in introducing a Europe-wide water label. Incorporating lessons from best practice will help ensure that such an initiative will achieve its full water saving potential by encouraging consumer purchasing, and pushing market development, towards highly water-efficient products and, ultimately, reducing household water consumption.

Kelly, D. (2015). Labelling and water conservation: A European perspective on a global challenge. Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, [online] 36(6), pp.643-657. Available at:

Link

[Accessed 29 Jan. 2018].

The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme (WELS), introduced in July 2006, is a key program in the suite of options recently implemented by government agencies and water utilities to address water scarcity. WELS primarily influences water consumption by providing consumers with information about the water efficiency of all washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, urinals, taps and showers sold in Australia – thus enabling consumers to consider water efficiency as a factor in their purchase decisions.

However, the WELS program is not without costs. Governments, suppliers, retailers and consumers of WELS‐products potentially incur costs due to WELS activities and requirements. The Department of the Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts, in its capacity as the WELS Regulator, commissioned the Institute of Sustainable Futures to analyse the cost‐effectiveness of WELS in contributing to the overarching objective of water security, compared to other urban water management options. Consistent with the regulatory impact statement conducted in 2003, this analysis uses a time horizon of 2005‐06 to 2020‐21.

The study found that WELS was significantly more cost-effective to achieve water security, when compared to the current or planned demand and supply options in Australia. In comparison to other water security options, WELS was found to have a relatively good cost-effectiveness. As a result, it is likely that WELS is part of a package of options to achieve water security in Australian jurisdictions. The study also suggests that at least theoretically, mandatory labelling can enable water users to respond to increases in water prices.   

Chong, J., Kazaglis A. and Giurco D. 2008, Cost effectiveness analysis of WELS – the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme. Prepared for the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts by the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology, Sydney.  

The purpose of this study, commissioned by Environment Australia, was to examine the potential for, and impacts of, introducing a national mandatory water efficiency labelling (WEL) scheme and minimum water efficiency standards (WES) for appliances, fixtures and fittings as a method of reducing urban water consumption. One example of such a scheme is the National Appliance and Equipment Energy Efficiency Program (NAEEEP) where labelling and water performance requirements are specified in relevant Australian Standards, given effect by regulation and managed by government agencies.

The regulatory framework for implementation was outside the scope of this study. However, the study’s conclusions are based on the assumption that whatever framework is adopted, it would be no less effective in enforcing minimum product performance standards and mandatory labelling at the point of sale, than is the current State-based framework for energy labelling and standards.

The study suggested that mandatory labelling for water efficient products should be applied to shower heads, toilet suites (i.e. cisterns) and washing machines as the potential water savings are high, therefore being the most cost-effective. It was noted that water efficiency labelling was the most cost-effective for shower heads and washing machines. The study also recommends that mandatory labelling will also be introduced for dishwashers as their water consumption is rising, even though the potential water savings are lower.

George Wilkenfeld and Associates Pty Ltd (2003). A Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme for Australia. [online] Available at:

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.472.1367&rep=rep1&type=pdf [Accessed 29 Jan. 2018].

This paper outlines some of the actions being pursued in Portugal with a view to improve water efficiency in buildings and products. One such action is the AveiroDOMUS House of the Future which will be used to study various efficiency solutions for resources’ use in buildings, and to assess their economic and environmental value. The house has an advanced design and its main objective is to be built in accordance with sustainable building standards, ensuring proper interaction with local ecosystems and a good interior environment (air quality, absence of noise, comfortable temperature and humidity). Moreover, the house also aims to reduce the consumption of essential resources by choosing the appropriate materials, use renewable energy sources and optimize the water cycle. The hydrological cycle was optimized by incorporating sustainability principles such as water recycling and reutilization, the installation of low-flow fixtures and the use of rainwater, groundwater and salt water, the latter being abundant in the area where the house is to be built – the Aveiro Salt Lagoon. The house is used as a permanent research and development laboratory, open to both industry and the public. It is divided in three parts, one part is open to visitors, another part is inhabited and another one is under study. It is projected that the latter will support the study and development of a possible model for the certification of water efficiency of buildings in Portugal. Another initiative is that taken by universities and firms in the sector. This has led to the formation of an association (ANQIP – National Association for Quality in Building Installations) to decide on the implementation of a voluntary water-efficiency certification and labelling system for products.

Silva-Afonso, A. and Rodrigues, C. (n.d.). Water efficiency of products and buildings: the implementation of certification and labelling measures in Portugal. [online] Available at:

https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB11855.pdf [Accessed 29 Jan. 2018].