Australia’s water efficiency labelling and standards scheme: Summary of an environmental and economic evaluation

Fane, S; Grossman, C; Schlunke, A

Australia’s water efficiency labelling and standards scheme: Summary of an environmental and economic evaluation

Fane, S

Grossman, C Schlunke, A

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Publisher:: IWA PUBLISHING
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, 2020, 20, (1), pp. 1-12
Issue Date:: 2020-02-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fane, S https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2577-6089
dc.contributor.author	Grossman, C
dc.contributor.author	Schlunke, A
dc.date.accessioned	2021-03-28T21:08:08Z
dc.date.available	2021-03-28T21:08:08Z
dc.date.issued	2020-02-01
dc.identifier.citation	Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, 2020, 20, (1), pp. 1-12
dc.identifier.issn	1606-9749
dc.identifier.issn	1607-0798
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/147578
dc.description.abstract	© IWA Publishing 2020 This paper describes the outcomes of an evaluation of Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme. WELS is a national, government-run scheme that mandates water efficiency labelling for indoor water-using fixtures and appliances. The scheme also imposes a minimum standard for some products. The evaluation considered the environmental and economic impacts of improvements in the water efficiency of WELS-labelled products since the scheme’s inception in 2006 and forecast for 20 years. The study estimated water, energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) and utility bill savings as well as the costs associated with the scheme. The evaluation showed WELS to be an important component of urban water management in Australia, saving 112 GL in 2017–18, across the country, and 231 GL/year by 2036–37. The largest economic benefits of WELS came from the energy saving from reduced water heating. Over 30 years, these energy savings are also expected to reduce GHG emissions by a cumulative 53.5 Mt. On average, Australians saved $A42 (US$30) per person per year in 2017–18 due to the water efficiency driven by WELS. Overall, the evaluation shows the WELS scheme to be highly beneficial for Australia with significant net benefits to the present and projected into the future. Key words \| cost benefit analysis, energy and greenhouse, stock modelling, water end-use
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	IWA PUBLISHING
dc.relation.ispartof	Water Science and Technology: Water Supply
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.2166/ws.2019.137
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	0904 Chemical Engineering, 0905 Civil Engineering, 0907 Environmental Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Engineering
dc.title	Australia’s water efficiency labelling and standards scheme: Summary of an environmental and economic evaluation
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	20
utslib.for	0904 Chemical Engineering
utslib.for	0905 Civil Engineering
utslib.for	0907 Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)/Institute For Sustainable Futures
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ISF - Institute for Sustainable Futures
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2021-03-28T21:08:06Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	20
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

© IWA Publishing 2020 This paper describes the outcomes of an evaluation of Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme. WELS is a national, government-run scheme that mandates water efficiency labelling for indoor water-using fixtures and appliances. The scheme also imposes a minimum standard for some products. The evaluation considered the environmental and economic impacts of improvements in the water efficiency of WELS-labelled products since the scheme’s inception in 2006 and forecast for 20 years. The study estimated water, energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) and utility bill savings as well as the costs associated with the scheme. The evaluation showed WELS to be an important component of urban water management in Australia, saving 112 GL in 2017–18, across the country, and 231 GL/year by 2036–37. The largest economic benefits of WELS came from the energy saving from reduced water heating. Over 30 years, these energy savings are also expected to reduce GHG emissions by a cumulative 53.5 Mt. On average, Australians saved $A42 (US$30) per person per year in 2017–18 due to the water efficiency driven by WELS. Overall, the evaluation shows the WELS scheme to be highly beneficial for Australia with significant net benefits to the present and projected into the future. Key words | cost benefit analysis, energy and greenhouse, stock modelling, water end-use

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/147578