Opportunities to save water, energy, and money are right around the corner. Improve your building's performance using best management practices, by reviewing case studies, or with additional information identified in resources prepared by WaterSense partners.

On this page: 

• External Resources
• WaterSense Commercial Program Development
• ENERGY STAR Resources
• Water Efficiency Guidance for Federal Agencies

External ResourcesExit

• Alliance for Water Efficiency Resource Library
• Arizona Municipal Water Users Association and Black and Veatch, 2008. Facility Manager's Guide to Water Management
• East Bay Municipal Utility District, 2008. WaterSmart Guidebook: A Water-Use Efficiency Plan Review Guide for New Businesses
• Environmental Defense Fund Water Efficiency Toolkit
• North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2009. Water Efficiency Manual for Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Facilities
• South Florida Water Management District, 2011. Water Efficiency Improvement Self-Assessment Guide for Commercial and Institutional Building Facility Managers
• In addition to those highlighted below, Section 9: Resources of WaterSense at Work(308 pp, 6 MB, About PDF) offers a comprehensive list of resources on water efficiency and specific technologies.

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WaterSense Commercial Program Development

Since 2009, WaterSense has engaged in stakeholder efforts to evaluate the potential for a more formal commercial and institutional program.

• WaterSense 2012 CI Stakeholder Meeting  - One focus of the meeting was describing the approach used by ENERGY STAR to benchmarking energy and the implications for water benchmarking.
• WaterSense 2009 CI Stakeholder Meetings  - WaterSense held meetings to discuss a white paper that outlined the possibility of expanding the program to include opportunities for the CI sector.

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ENERGY STAR Resources

The BMPs in WaterSense at Work recommend the use of many types of ENERGY STAR products because they include water factors to ensure products are both water and energy efficient. ENERGY STAR's commercial building program has also developed many resources to assist commercial facilities reduce their energy use. Many of these resources are also beneficial to facilities interested in improving their water efficiency.

• Guidelines for Energy ManagementExit – While developed to help managers implement energy efficiency programs, the guidelines are equally relevant to facility managers looking to improve their water efficiency.
• Portfolio ManagerExit – Portfolio Manager is an interactive energy management tool that allows a user to track and assess energy and water consumption across their entire portfolio of buildings in a secure online environment.
  • Users have entered water data into Portfolio Manager for more than 50,000 buildings. In 2012, ENERGY STAR reviewed the data Exit to see how water use varied between and among different types of buildings.
• Building CompetitionsExit - ENERGY STAR hosts national competitions which also include water as a recognition category and has resources to help their partners develop their own competitions.

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Water Efficiency Guidance for Federal Agencies

A number of executive orders (E.O.) have been issued that require federal agencies to implement water efficiency measures. E.O. 13423 (2007) required the purchase, installation, and implementation of water-efficient products and practices. E.O. 13514 (2009) extended and expanded the requirements of the executive order to also include requirements related to industrial, landscape, and agricultural water use. E.O. 13693 (2015) extended reduction goals and added requirements for metering. E.O. 13834 (2018) superceded all previous Orders, but renewed a call to reduce potable and non-potable water consumtion and comply with stormwater management requirements.  

Agencies must reduce water consumption intensity by 20%, relative to their fiscal year 2007 baseline, and demonstrate annual progress for each fiscal year.

The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality has issued implementing instructions (43 pp, 818 K, About PDF)Exit for the 2018 executive order and the Office for Federal Sustainability Exitwill issue additional guidance to help carry out requirements. 

This page is designed to assist federal agencies in fulfilling these requirements. To comply, federal agencies can:

►Purchase WaterSense Labeled Products

On average, WaterSense labeled products are 20 percent more water-efficient than conventional models on the market, and provides equal or superior performance. All WaterSense labeled products are certified to meet EPA's efficiency and performance criteria by an independent, third-party laboratory. WaterSense currently labels a variety of both indoor and outdoor products that can be found in retail locations nationwide.

►Specify the Purchase of WaterSense Labeled Products

Incorporate the following procurement language into purchasing agreements:

• The vendor must, where applicable, provide WaterSense labeled products. The vendor is encouraged to check for updated lists of WaterSense labeled products.

►Use Contractors Certified by a WaterSense Labeled Program

• WaterSense labeled programs are available for irrigation system installation and maintenance professionals, irrigation system designers, and irrigation system auditors.
• Irrigation professionals certified by one or more of the above labeled programs have demonstrated their expertise in water-efficient irrigation technologies and techniques.
• Irrigation professionals certified by a WaterSense labeled program can help you design and install a new irrigation system or audit an existing one to minimize the amount of water you use, greening your facility in more ways than one.

►Incorporate Water Efficiency Best Management Practices Into Facility Operations

• The best management practices included in WaterSense at Work can help federal facilities reduce water use in their operations.
• To further help you identify water-efficient products and practices that will enable you to reduce your water consumption and comply with E.O. 13834, the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Water Efficiency in Federal Buildings and Campuses WebsiteExit provides a range of guidance of resources that  can be implemented and tailored to meet your agency and/or facility–specific water efficiency goals.

►Purchase FEMP-Designated Energy-Efficient Products

• FEMP provides purchasing specifications for many energy and water-efficient products not currently covered by WaterSense specifications. For more information, please visit the FEMP Energy–Efficient Products Website Exit.

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