A Digital Integrated Methodology for Semi-Automated Analysis of Water Efficiency in Buildings

Abstract

Recent developments in the field of digital technologies in construction have led to a renewed interest in the use of building information modeling (BIM) for water efficiency analysis (WEA). BIM has emerged as a powerful platform for performance analysis towards sustainable design. However, there is little available in the literature on WEA using BIM. Extensive research has shown that WEA in buildings focuses on rating systems, 3D modeling, clash detection, and rainwater harvesting analysis. This paper presents a digital integrated methodology with in-depth analysis of three domains: (1) analysis of water usage according to plumbing fixtures and inhabitant demand per day, (2) sizing analysis of hydraulic-plumbing systems using the flowrate calculation method, and (3) analysis of alternative systems using harvested rainwater and treated water. The proposed methodology was applied to a multi-family building in Nuevo León, Mexico. The authors conclude that this methodology can easily be implemented in the short term, and that it may provide a significant improvement in WEA.