From water to energy: characterization, modeling and measures for the reduction of urban and rural domestic consumptions

Water and energy systems were largely treated independently. In recent years, however, with rapid population growth and increasing awareness of independent changes in climate and water cycle there has been a growing need for integrating the planning and design of energy and water systems.

It is well known that there are important differences between the water and energy consumption pattern in rural and urban areas, however these differences are not yet evaluated. This subject is being  increasingly highlighted  as an important issue for future planning and strategic policy considerations.

In this project it will be conceived a survey, which will be applied with the purpose of studying the factors that influence water consumption.

Considering  that the typical load curves for both water and energy consumption  reveal that the periods of highest consumption values for energy and water occur at approximately the same time, the analysis of the factors that influence this relationship should be carried out.

It is expected to identify the main differences between rural and urban areas and to provide the necessary data to perform the costs analysis.

Still within the scope of this project, it is pretended to measure in situ, the water and energy consumption, relating it with water supply  and it’s end  use in rural and urban households, this away validating the survey collected data.

As the ultimate goal for this  project, lays the dissemination of the results and the publication of a manual with best practices and policies, to enable  the reduction of water and energy waste.

This project has,  as an ultimate goal, the dissemination of the results and the publication of a manual with best practices and policies to enable the reduction of water and energy waste.