Memorandum from Waterwise (BDH 05)
Waterwise is an independent, not for profit,
non-governmental organisation focused on decreasing water consumption
in the UK and building the evidence base for large scale water
efficiency. We are the leading authority on water efficiency in
the UK. We sat on the UK Environment Minister's Water Saving Group
alongside the water industry and regulators, for which we produced,
in October 2008, the Evidence Base for Large-scale Water Efficiency
in Homes.
Our aim is to reverse the upward trend in
how much water we all use at home and at work.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. We are already experiencing the impact
of climate change in the UK. In the last few years the UK has
seen widespread drought and devastating floods (and both of these
have led to water supply challenges to homes). We know that in
coming years there are going to be more people and less water
in the UK—so less water is going to need to go further (through
water efficiency). It is also generally accepted that the most
vulnerable communities tend to be the first to suffer from climate
change and its impacts.
2. In addition, water efficiency is also
essential to mitigating climate change—5% of the UK's total
greenhouse gas emissions result from heating water in homes for
cooking, cleaning and bathing (excluding space heating), so wasting
less hot water reduces emissions from homes—it also reduces
the emissions from the water industry in pumping and treating
water to and wastewater from homes.
3. Current Decent Homes Standards do not
require or encourage water efficiency and provide disincentives
to install showers.
4. In this context Waterwise believes that
in future the Decent Homes standard should include a requirement
for measures to make it easier for social housing residents and
vulnerable private sector tenants to waste less water.
5. Specifically, the Decent Homes standard,
or its replacement, should include criteria for water efficiency—these
could be readily incorporated into the existing Decent Homes refurbishment
programme. At present, for example, there is no requirement for
showers, and a large proportion of social housing units contain
baths only.
6. Including water efficiency requirements
in the Decent Homes standard would help ensure the resilience
to climate change of the homes of vulnerable private tenants and
those living in social housing. This would tie in clearly with
the existing government commitment that "In order to be decent
a home should be warm, weatherproof and have reasonably modern
facilities".
WATERWISE RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR WATER
EFFICIENCY IN
DECENT HOMES
7. Waterwise has undertaken research which
clearly shows that, in terms of the water-saving opportunities
in houses subject to the Decent Homes standard, the installation
of showers is of greatest value in terms of saving water, energy,
carbon dioxide, and utility charges to the property. Standards
should also be set for taps, toilets, showers and white goods
to reflect the 2009 introduction of water efficiency into Building
Regulations.
8. The majority of social housing was constructed
before showers were considered a standard fitting, and has not
been refurbished to include a shower since. Current standards
and the funding reflecting those standards allows for replacement
of fittings on a like-for-like basis. Under such a structure,
sustainability policies governing procurement could encourage
water efficient toilets, taps, and to some extent wet white goods,
but will not support the installation of showers. This has led
to perverse incentives such as the replacement of baths with baths.
Given the water-, energy- and carbon-saving potential of shower
installations, as well as evidence that showers are in demand
from tenants, there is a need to update Decent Homes standards
to include shower installations. And given that approximately
80% of homes in the UK have a shower installed, it can be classed
as a "reasonably modern facility" (see paragraph 6).
9. In 2008 Waterwise carried out a social
housing retrofitting project, in Surrey, with Raven Housing Trust
and other partners (Sutton and East Surrey Water, Reigate and
Banstead Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Surrey County
Council.) The project received 400K New Growth Points funding
from the Government Office South West, which was matched by Raven
Housing Trust. This project (the "Preston project"),
was a refurbishment and retrofitting project covering 400 homes,
and produced savings of up to 25% despite the lack of financial
incentive (the homes were not metered for water, which was paid
for through the rent). The project included the installation of
showers in homes which had only previously had baths—building
on a planned Raven Housing Trust bathroom refurbishment project
which would otherwise have only included the fitting of a standard
toilet, washbasin and bath. Residents were delighted with their
new showers, and there was clearly a social gain, in addition
to the water savings.
10. In May 2009, Waterwise undertook an
evaluation of the social housing stock in Greater London, and
its water-saving potential, for the Greater London Authority.
The study found that 80% of social housing stock had baths but
no showers, and concluded that the installation of showers was
of greatest value in terms of saving water, energy, carbon dioxide,
and utility charges to the property.
11. Beneath this, while water and energy
savings are relatively assured when installing showers (within
reasonable patterns of behaviour), the distinction between mixer
showers (typically using water heated by gas) and electric showers
becomes relevant when accounting for the carbon dioxide and utility
impacts of showering; due to electricity having approximately
three times the carbon dioxide weighting per unit energy than
gas, and on average being double the cost, electric showers should
be avoided where possible under the current carbon weighting of
electrical supply.
12. The Waterwise research for the Greater
London Authority concluded that efficient mixer showers out-performed
electric showers in terms of over-all resource efficiency. However,
the model did not account for heat losses due to hot water storage,
which will be present in some gas boiler systems, but not in electric
showers. Electric showers also have the advantage of providing
their own heat source and operating on low pressures, therefore
making them much more versatile and attractive as bulk purchases
to apply to all social housing stock. So electric showers should
be considered only when mixer showers are incompatible.
13. As the UK moves towards its emissions
reduction targets, the carbon content of electricity may reduce
to a level where this concern will become limited or invalid when
compared with a gas energy source. In the meantime, Waterwise
recommends that the type of shower installed under the Decent
Homes programme should also be specified, due to the disproportionate
weighting of electricity, in terms of cost and carbon dioxide,
in comparison to gas as a heat source.
14. In terms of delivery, water (and energy)
savings in toilets, taps, and baths would be possible through
simply integrating water efficiency standards into the current
procurement process for Decent Homes refurbishments. A number
of social housing authorities reported being considering or in
the process of developing environmental standards for procurement,
which could include water-using devices included in Decent Homes
visits (most often toilets, taps, and baths). There was support
for further guidance on retro-fit compatibility, products, and
installation. Such support could then help each authority to develop
its own water efficiency standards which could be integrated into
Decent Homes refurbishments already planned. So integrating water
efficiency into current basic fitting standards would be a low-cost
solution, and would meet the government's wider sustainability
goals.
CONCLUSION
15. In conclusion, Waterwise recommends
that, to meet the challenges of both adapting to and mitigating
climate change, including to minimise the expected impact of climate
change on some of the most vulnerable members of society, the
Decent Homes standard should include water efficiency measures.
16. The installation of showers through
the Decent Homes programme is currently blocked by a like-for-like
replacement policy.
17. Waterwise therefore recommends that
the Decent Homes standard be revised to include showers, and should
set consumption standards for bathroom fittings and white goods
which reflect those in the 2009 addition of water efficiency into
Building Regulations. The identified trade-off between mixer and
electric showers should be accounted for in new standards, which
should encourage mixers where plumbing allows. Shower installations
could accompany boiler upgrades which are likely to provide the
sufficient water pressure for mixer showers to be installed.
The report of the Preston project can be found
at http://www.waterwise.org.uk/images/site/Research/preston%20water%20efficiency%20initiative%20-%20final%20report%20-%20march%202009%20-%20waterwise%20with%20partners.pdf
September 2009
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