Research on a zero water consumption operation model and feasibility for office buildings

ABSTRACT According to Taiwan's government policy on net zero emissions by 2050, building designs are moving toward zero energy and zero water consumption to achieve these goals. Among these goals, establishing an independent water cycle within building systems is a primary objective. The present study examined office buildings as the research subject due to their crucial water usage characteristics, which can serve as a reference for other building types. We developed a water-use estimation model by conducting a literature review and data collection from existing green office building cases in Taiwan. The methods involved calculating the median annual water consumption per unit building area and discussing the current water-saving design status and water-saving rate. The findings indicate a median water-saving rate of 53%, which is far short of the goal of achieving a zero water building. This finding is primarily attributed to the infrequent use of water compensation in building designs. The feasibility of a zero water building is validated and determines its crucial operation. Consequently, design engineers can employ this methodology to compute water conservation rates for their designs, aiming for the construction of a zero water consumption building.