Everyone is preoccupied with oil shortages these days. But the building industry's eyes are already on the next scarce natural resource: water. While the U.S. population nearly doubled between 1950 and 2000, the demand for water more than tripled, putting pressure on both water supplies and an aging distribution system. That's true not just in arid regions, but across the map. A recent government survey showed that at least 36 states are expecting shortages by 2013. Water is intertwined with energy, too, since water supply and treatment plants consume about 56 billion kilowatt-hours per year--enough electricity to power more than 5 million homes for a year. More
Justin Wilson has been specifying ultra-low-flow showerheads for more than three years. But his biggest surprise when comparing water-efficient fixtures to typical builder-grade showerheads is that there is no surprise at all. More
The Destiny faucet, introduced under the company's ShowHouse brand, uses an infrared sensor to activate the flow of water. More
Baylis Architects: Hansgrohe's Axor plumbing line includes styles for the kitchen and bath and can be speced in chrome, brushed nickel, and satinox, as well as with PVD finishes. More
Merle Thorpe Architects: Jado's Colonial 850 cross-handle faucet is made from cast brass, uses ceramic disc valves and has three handle options. More
