WATER SUSTAINABILITY IN EXISTING RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS

Abstract

Singapore’s water demand in 2015 has shaken the downward trend since 1995 and has increased to 151 litres per capita a day. Water independence has been a goal that Singapore has been trying to achieve. While there are several infrastructures such as the Four National Taps in place to manage, and increase our supply of water, much can still be done to reduce the water demand of Singaporeans. At 151 litres per capita a day, Singaporeans have a higher water demand than Denmark which boasts water consumption of 106 litres per capita a day. This dissertation evaluates the various water conservation technologies common in the residential industry. Through literature reviews and comparison of costs and ease of installation, a suitable water conservation concept is developed in the context of retrofitting into existing residential buildings in Singapore. The final analysis found that in terms of water savings and cost-effectiveness, green roofs and rainwater harvesting are the most suitable to be installed in existing buildings. However, other demand-side approaches such as pricing incentives and education must be used as a complement to the physical technologies.