Towards an integrated approach to measuring and monitoring water use in domestic buildings

Efficient water consumption has gained increasing priority in the move towards reducing the impact of human activity on the natural environment. A significant amount of the water abstracted from the natural environment is consumed directly in human activities such as washing and cleaning. Although, it is possible to estimate the amount of water supplied to fixtures such as taps and showers from manufacturer data, it is often difficult to monitor simply, cheaply and accurately, water use factors which can be used to inform customised water efficiency strategies in a building. The aim of this study is to provide a literature review that explores and critically appraises the currently available data collection/instrumentation tools and techniques as a start to find a simplified yet integrated solution for measuring and monitoring the various dimensions e.g. physical, social, that inform and influence water use in domestic buildings.