IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i8p2416-d225370.html

Water Efficiency and Management in Sustainable Building Rating Systems: Examining Variation in Criteria Usage

Author

Listed:
  • Jamal Al-Qawasmi

    (Architecture Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Muhammad Asif

    (Department of Architecture Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ahmed Abd El Fattah

    (Architecture Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mohammad O. Babsail

    (Architecture Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

The building sector, due to the significant energy and environmental footprints it creates, needs to adopt sustainable approaches to help prevent global warming and climate change. Sustainable Building (SB) rating systems have been developed around the world as a method to promote sustainability in this sector. Water is one of the most vital natural resources, and is extensively consumed in the building sector. This article examines the coverage of water-related aspects in 11 prominent SB rating systems under the three key sustainability dimensions: environmental, economic, and social, using a comprehensive coverage analysis approach. Findings highlight a wide range of variation between the examined SB rating systems in terms of water attributes being assessed, water assessment criteria used, the optimal number of these criteria, and the weight assigned to them. Results also show that in general, most of the examined systems exhibit low representativeness and comprehensive coverage of major water subcategories and themes related to sustainable buildings. However, some moderate to high comprehensive coverage was found in water attributes that focus on the environmental and social aspects. The results indicate that representative and comprehensive coverage of social-related water attributes are less than that of environment-related water attributes. The results also highlighted the effectiveness of using coverage analysis techniques as a systematic and efficient way to assess comprehensive coverage of water criteria in SB rating systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Jamal Al-Qawasmi & Muhammad Asif & Ahmed Abd El Fattah & Mohammad O. Babsail, 2019. "Water Efficiency and Management in Sustainable Building Rating Systems: Examining Variation in Criteria Usage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:8:p:2416-:d:225370
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/8/2416/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/8/2416/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qadir, M. & Sharma, B.R. & Bruggeman, A. & Choukr-Allah, R. & Karajeh, F., 2007. "Non-conventional water resources and opportunities for water augmentation to achieve food security in water scarce countries," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 2-22, January.
    2. Dehwah, Ammar H.A. & Asif, Muhammad, 2019. "Assessment of net energy contribution to buildings by rooftop photovoltaic systems in hot-humid climates," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 1288-1299.
    3. Muneer, T. & Asif, M. & Cizmecioglu, Z. & Ozturk, H.K., 2008. "Prospects for solar water heating within Turkish textile industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 807-823, April.
    4. Yu, Wei & Li, Baizhan & Yang, Xincheng & Wang, Qingqin, 2015. "A development of a rating method and weighting system for green store buildings in China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 123-129.
    5. Asif, M., 2016. "Growth and sustainability trends in the buildings sector in the GCC region with particular reference to the KSA and UAE," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 1267-1273.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ammar Hamoud Ahmad Dehwah & Muhammad Asif & Ismail Mohammad Budaiwi & Adel Alshibani, 2020. "Techno-Economic Assessment of Rooftop PV Systems in Residential Buildings in Hot–Humid Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Yousif Mohammed & Gasim Hayder & Sivadass Thiruchelvam & Hamidi Abdul Aziz, 2024. "Evaluating Building Sustainability Rating Systems: Standards and Methodologies for Energy-Water Based Assessment Criteria," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 38(12), pages 4823-4850, September.
    3. Hassan Satti, 2023. "Towards Inclusive Dialogue: Reshaping Development Communication for Holistic Societal Growth," Magna Carta: Contemporary Social Science, 50sea, vol. 2(3), pages 142-152, September.
    4. Eduardo Medeiros, 2021. "The Global Development Formula," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wahhaj Ahmed & Ayman Alazazmeh & Muhammad Asif, 2022. "Energy and Water Saving Potential in Commercial Buildings: A Retrofit Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Mohammed Albattah & Daniel Efurosibina Attoye, 2021. "A Quantitative Investigation on Awareness of Renewable Energy Building Technology in the United Arab Emirates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Ghaleb, Belal & Asif, Muhammad, 2022. "Assessment of solar PV potential in commercial buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 618-630.
    4. Salah Ud-Din Khan & Irfan Wazeer & Zeyad Almutairi, 2023. "Comparative Analysis of SAM and RETScreen Tools for the Case Study of 600 kW Solar PV System Installation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Yu Cao & Cong Xu & Syahrul Nizam Kamaruzzaman & Nur Mardhiyah Aziz, 2022. "A Systematic Review of Green Building Development in China: Advantages, Challenges and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-29, September.
    6. Liu, Xin & Zuo, Yuning & Yin, Zekai & Liang, Chuanzhi & Feng, Guohui & Yang, Xiaodan, 2023. "Research on an evaluation system of the application effect of ground source heat pump systems for green buildings in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    7. Mohammad S. M. Almulhim & Dexter V. L. Hunt & Chris D. F. Rogers, 2020. "A Resilience and Environmentally Sustainable Assessment Framework (RESAF) for Domestic Building Materials in Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-24, April.
    8. Zijie Sang & Ge Zhang & Haiqing Wang & Wangyang Zhang & Yuxiu Chen & Mingyang Han & Ke Yang, 2023. "Effective Solutions to Ecological and Water Environment Problems in the Sanjiang Plain: Utilization of Farmland Drainage Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-14, November.
    9. Luis Santos Pereira, 2017. "Water, Agriculture and Food: Challenges and Issues," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(10), pages 2985-2999, August.
    10. Moraetis, D. & Stamati, F.E. & Nikolaidis, N.P. & Kalogerakis, N., 2011. "Olive mill wastewater irrigation of maize: Impacts on soil and groundwater," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(7), pages 1125-1132, May.
    11. Palatnik, Ruslana & Shechter, Mordechai, 2008. "Can Climate Change Mitigation Policy be Beneficial for the Israeli Economy? A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis," Conference papers 331792, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    12. Marta Antonelli & Martina Sartori, 2014. "Unfolding the Potential of the Virtual Water Concept. What is still under debate?," IEFE Working Papers 74, IEFE, Center for Research on Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    13. Wang, Zhaohua & Liu, Qiang & Zhang, Bin, 2022. "What kinds of building energy-saving retrofit projects should be preferred? Efficiency evaluation with three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    14. Ahmed, Wahhaj & Asif, Muhammad, 2021. "A critical review of energy retrofitting trends in residential buildings with particular focus on the GCC countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    15. Chen, Liutao & Lin, Zinan & Zhou, Qi & Zhang, Shihong & Li, Mengying & Wang, Zhe, 2025. "Impacts of photovoltaics and integrated green roofs on urban climate: Experimental insights for urban land surface modelling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    16. Saskia Keesstra & Jeroen Veraart & Jan Verhagen & Saskia Visser & Marit Kragt & Vincent Linderhof & Wilfred Appelman & Jolanda van den Berg & Ayodeji Deolu-Ajayi & Annemarie Groot, 2023. "Nature-Based Solutions as Building Blocks for the Transition towards Sustainable Climate-Resilient Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, March.
    17. Bhutto, Abdul Waheed & Bazmi, Aqeel Ahmed & Zahedi, Gholamreza, 2012. "Greener energy: Issues and challenges for Pakistan—Solar energy prospective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 2762-2780.
    18. Quddus Tushar & Guomin Zhang & Satheeskumar Navaratnam & Muhammed A. Bhuiyan & Lei Hou & Filippo Giustozzi, 2023. "A Review of Evaluative Measures of Carbon-Neutral Buildings: The Bibliometric and Science Mapping Analysis towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-31, October.
    19. Houessionon, P. & Fonta, W. M. & Bossa, A. Y. & Sanfo, S. & Thiombiano, N. & Zahonogo, P. & Yameogo, T. B. & Balana, Bedru, "undated". "Economic valuation of ecosystem services from small-scale agricultural management interventions in Burkina Faso: a discrete choice experiment approach," Papers published in Journals (Open Access) H048370, International Water Management Institute.
    20. Glendenning, C.J. & van Ogtrop, F.F. & Mishra, A.K. & Vervoort, R.W., 2012. "Balancing watershed and local scale impacts of rain water harvesting in India—A review," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-13.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:8:p:2416-:d:225370. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.