Water

Due to climate change, increasingly severe droughts and the degradation of aquatic environments, the real estate sector is now facing structural water stress. As an essential yet increasingly scarce resource, water is becoming both a risk factor and a catalyst for transformation for all stakeholders in the value chain. Far from being a secondary issue, it is now at the heart of the sector’s ESG challenges.

In response to these challenges, the OID has set the objective of developing methods to measure and compare the water footprint of buildings, and promoting solutions for greater water efficiency and resilience.

Transforming practices across the lifecycle

Water scarcity, fluctuating availability and deteriorating water quality mean we must rethink our practices: reducing consumption, anticipating droughts and floods, minimising impact on aquatic environments, and integrating water considerations into climate and biodiversity strategies. Water is no longer a secondary issue: it must be a central ESG considerations.

Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach that takes into account the entire life cycle of buildings:

Design: incorporating energy-efficient solutions tailored to the local context
Construction: managing energy consumption and emissions
Operation: monitoring, managing and optimising usage
End of life: minimising impacts on the environment

The ultimate goal is to reduce the overall water footprint of real estate assets.