pharos project : : framework : category description

Water has become an increasingly valuable commodity across the globe. Increased water demand from growing populations, skyrocketing consumption of food and goods and changing ecological factors such as global warming have exceeded the capacity of water systems to sustainably provide water and are damaging existing aquatic ecosystems.

Goal:

To minimize the use of water in the life cycle of the product.

Ideal:

Has no net usage of water in its life cycle. Extraction of materials, manufacture, installation, cleaning and maintenance require no net water use or use closed loop water recycling systems. Optimal products avoid use of delivered potable water or extraction of water from ground or surface sources. They may use reclaimed water supplies or collected rainwater.