ANALYSIS OF WATER LEAKS AND SAVINGS STRATEGIES IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND THE IMPACT OF LEED CERTIFICATION ON WATER SYSTEM OPERATING COST

<ns3:p>Given the rising operational costs and an escalating scarcity of water resources, efficient watermanagement in commercial buildings has become critical for sustainable development. This articleinvestigates water losses resulting from leaks and evaluates the effectiveness of selected technicalsolutions aimed at reducing consumption, including solenoid valves, water-saving fixtures, and leakdetection systems. In buildings pursuing LEED certification, average annual water losses areestimated at approximately PLN 14,000 (average PLN 0.7/m2), while in conventional buildings theymay be up to 50% higher. The economic analysis indicates a short payback period for investments intechnologies that minimise losses and confirms that LEED certification contributes to loweringoperational costs and enhancing environmental performance. It is important to emphasise thatLEED certification is not, in itself, the direct cause of reduced operational costs, but rather a formalconfirmation of the implementation of a range of design and technological solutions that contributeto such reductions.</ns3:p>