WSI OC : The Water Sustainability Index for Office Complexes

Abstract

Water as a natural resource although covering almost two-third part of the universe, a fifth of the global population is facing acute water scarcity and unavailability of fresh drinking water due to the increasing anthropogenic pressure worldwide. In the Indian sub-continent ~23% of the total population is classified as under the class of absolute water scarcity, and ~54% people are facing high water stress condition. In spite of alluvial aquifers of the Indo-Gangetic plains water table has declined in the northern region of the country, which may lead to a disaster. Water sustainability so should be our priority. This study aims to assess the building water management systems with a relative importance of certain associated attributes. Thus, a water sustainability index (WSI _OC ) is developed for office complexes (e.g., 26 sampled buildings) of major cities of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) India, based on the framework of water sustainability attributes comprising water supply, consumption and financial aspects.

The framework attributes were determined using Delphi technique followed by AHP and linear regression method. The (WSI _OC ) _absolute value ranges from 31 to 74, which represents the building water management performance as moderate and high, respectively. In order to revive the menacing scenario related to the water efficiency in buildings, a need for priority action is evaluated accordingly. Certainly, the developed WSI _OC will act as a guiding tool for the water policy makers, consultants and architects to formulate their ideas for sustainable urban environment.