Embodied Water Monitoring for Sustainable Construction: A Case of India

Growing concerns surrounding water scarcity have spiked an interest in Embodied Water (EW) studies globally. The EW of a building is the amount of water needed to manufacture all the materials that constitute the building (Indirect EW) plus the amount of water needed to construct that building (Direct EW). Regular monitoring of EW can help identify possibilities for water conservation and enhance water efficiency.

This paper will present an analysis of the application of Water Metering (WM) for EW monitoring in India along with analysing the benefits of upgrading it to Internet of Things (IoT) Smart WM. A qualitative approach is adopted in which semi-structured interviews with seven construction professionals and eight construction material manufacturers were conducted to determine the extent of WM on construction sites and manufacturing plants in India, along with the challenges faced, and the drivers for its adoption.

The interview analysis revealed that the large number of consumption points along the EW supply chain, makes it economically challenging to monitor water consumption at each point. As a result, using a single water meter at the point of water withdrawal is the most common methodology adopted for EW metering. WM is more prominent in material manufacturing plants as opposed to construction sites due to the presence of stringent regulations set up by governing bodies such as the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA). These governing bodies have set benchmarks to regulate the water footprint at manufacturing plants. The high cost of an IoT Smart WM and the lack of knowledge among people regarding its benefits limits its adoption for EW monitoring in India.