Thursday, 12 August 2010 07:14

Green is not always all it seems!

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A recent study published by the Environment Agency has indicated that using water recycling technologies such as greywater harvesting systems can result in a carbon emission increase of up to 40%. Whilst these types of technologies save water they often use much more energy through treating and pumping, in comparison to the energy used to prepare and transport tap water.

To me, this illustrates a point that was succinctly summarised by a speaker at one of our Sustainable Business Breakfast (SBB) sessions last year. Neville Rye from WSP Group talked to the audience about the importance of assessing all of a products sustainability characteristics before choosing to adopt a technology – rather than jumping on the bandwagon simply to achieve BREEAM points or green kudos.

Whether for a domestic property, an industrial facility or a community scheme, a realistic and well thought through green tech strategy should always provide the most sustainable and cost realistic solution. If it means we all look under the surface of ‘green’ technologies to better understand their true environmental credentials, then this can only be a good thing.

To view the EA report, click here.

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