Potable water saving in high-density housing

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the potential as well as the limitations of user behavioral and technical approaches in potable water savings in typical high-density urban housing estates in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach – The approach used was a review of the lessons learnt from the case study of two housing estates that had participated in the CIWEM HK Water Saving Competition 2009. The overall effectiveness of user behavioral and technical measures was reviewed by studying targeting, strategy setting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation mechanism.

Findings – The behavioral approach appears to be a promising one to achieve substantial water savings and has a potential for wide application in Hong Kong; detailed cost-benefit analysis should be carried out to assess the cost-effectiveness of water-efficient technologies and devices.

Research limitations/implications – The number of cases is limited, and is selected from a finite set of estates that had participated in the competition, which might limit the applicability of the findings to other regions.

Originality/value – The case study provides a useful source for housing estate facilities managers to determine suitable water saving approaches and strategies for housing estates typically found in Hong Kong.