A Framework for Assessing the Economic Feasibility of LEED for Homes Guidelines for Water Efficiency

摘要

Sustainable practices have been on the rise during the last decade. From recycling to alternative energy sources, many studies have been conducted to incorporate green practices into people's daily lives. However, cost efficiency can be a significant deterrent to begin or continue these practices. Homes are responsible for the consumption of a large portion of water in the United States. As such there is a need for more studies directed toward the assessment of the practical implementation of water efficiency. This study follows LEED v4 for homes guidelines to examine the feasibility of adopting green practices for water reduction. The paper presents a framework for a feasibility study on the utilization of efficient water fixtures in homes. The results show that the utilization of efficient water fixtures as recommended by LEED v4 for homes can be the most economic alternative on the long run.