Water management from the environmental certification perspective: a new proposal of criteria and weight rates for application in Brazilian regions

Gestão da água na perspectiva das certificações ambientais: uma nova proposta de critérios e ponderações para aplicação em regiões do Brasil

ABSTRACT

Several countries have developed tools with criteria and evaluations to grant, through the environmental certification, a more sustainable undertaking, with quality and productivity for its users. The tools were developed for different needs and objectives, which makes it difficult to make a direct comparison, in addition to having specific demands for each region. This study aims to make a comparative analysis between some tools of greater international knowledge and to propose new parameters for the water use and management category, taking into account the design and operational phase, the water distribution, and the demands for 2025. Consequently, this study proposed the creation of an exclusive environmental tool for the management and water use, providing a seal that may be applied to any project and adopted by water work systems as an incentive to reduce the consumption of drinking water, to use alternative sources, and to decrease liquid effluents.

Keywords:
environmental assessment tools; water efficiency; sustainability; green buildings; water reuse; alternative water source