STUDIES DETAIL THE COST SAVING POTENTIAL OF THE WATER DEMAND CALCULATOR
There is a tremendous need for practical, water-related demand-side water research that helps communities safely implement policies related to water and energy efficiency and meet the growing list of challenges threatening drinking water quality in the United States. Profound concerns about water safety and wasted water and energy resulting from oversized water supply pipes in home and buildings, motivated IAPMO to lead a research project along with the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF), and the University of Cincinnati, to develop a new statistically based pipe sizing method.
- This multi-year effort resulted in the development of the Water Demand Calculator (WDC) – the most important innovation in pipe sizing in almost a century.
- Along with addressing the primary concerns of water safety and efficiency, applying the WDC also provides significant cost reductions resulting from the use of smaller water pipes, fittings and related components and from lower utility connection and water use fees.
- This paper discusses the potential economic benefits of applying the WDC over traditional pipe sizing methods in the construction of residential buildings.