Project Duration: 
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Project Status: 
Project Summary: 

This paper outlines some of the actions being pursued in Portugal with a view to improve water efficiency in buildings and products. One such action is the AveiroDOMUS House of the Future which will be used to study various efficiency solutions for resources’ use in buildings, and to assess their economic and environmental value. The house has an advanced design and its main objective is to be built in accordance with sustainable building standards, ensuring proper interaction with local ecosystems and a good interior environment (air quality, absence of noise, comfortable temperature and humidity). Moreover, the house also aims to reduce the consumption of essential resources by choosing the appropriate materials, use renewable energy sources and optimize the water cycle. The hydrological cycle was optimized by incorporating sustainability principles such as water recycling and reutilization, the installation of low-flow fixtures and the use of rainwater, groundwater and salt water, the latter being abundant in the area where the house is to be built – the Aveiro Salt Lagoon. The house is used as a permanent research and development laboratory, open to both industry and the public. It is divided in three parts, one part is open to visitors, another part is inhabited and another one is under study. It is projected that the latter will support the study and development of a possible model for the certification of water efficiency of buildings in Portugal. Another initiative is that taken by universities and firms in the sector. This has led to the formation of an association (ANQIP – National Association for Quality in Building Installations) to decide on the implementation of a voluntary water-efficiency certification and labelling system for products.

Project Website: 
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Project: 
Eco-label scheme
Key Contacts : 

Contact Person 1:

Name: A. Silva-Afonso   |   Email: silva.afonso@ua.pt   |   Institution: University of Aveiro

Contact Person 2:

Name: C. Rodrigues   |   Email: anqip@civil.ua.pt   |    Institution: Associação Nacional para a Qualidade nas Instalações Prediais (ANQIP)

Deliverables Text: 

Silva-Afonso, A. and Rodrigues, C. (n.d.). Water efficiency of products and buildings: the implementation of certification and labelling measures in Portugal. [online] Available at:

https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB11855.pdf [Accessed 29 Jan. 2018].

Funding Programme Text: 
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