Critical Next Stage of Green Building Industry Will Focus on Water Efficiency, According...

Critical Next Stage of Green Building Industry Will Focus on Water Efficiency,
According to Report from McGraw-Hill Construction

NEW YORK, June 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the next five years, water efficiency
and conservation will become critical factors in green design, construction
and product selection, according to McGraw-Hill Construction's latest
SmartMarket Report, Water Use in Buildings, released today with support from
The Chicago Faucet Company and Sloan Valve Company. Architecture and
engineering (A/E) firms, contractors and owners report that water efficiency
is rapidly becoming a higher priority than other aspects of green building,
such as energy efficiency and waste reduction.

According to the United Nations Environmental Program, buildings consume 20%
of the world's available water, a resource that becomes scarcer each year.
Efficient practices and products, such as grey water treatment and low-flow
plumbing fixtures, provide significant opportunities for the A/E industry to
respond to this trend and build high-tech, low-water-demand projects that will
turn the tide on the water crisis and create the conscientious buildings of
tomorrow.

"This study sheds light on the shift in what will define a green building,"
said Harvey Bernstein, vice president of Industry Analytics, Alliances &
Strategic Initiatives, McGraw-Hill Construction. "The results are especially
telling--the increasing importance of water issues, the business benefits from
water-efficient products and processes, and building owner buy-in all point to
how critical it will be for the industry to address responsible water
practices in the future."

"We regard sustainability as an opportunity to travel down new roads with our
customers," said John Fitzgerald, Director of Marketing, The Chicago Faucet
Company. "Sustainability and social responsibility are closely interrelated
and are important subjects for Chicago Faucets in thinking and acting in
research and development and in production. Sustainability is the foundation
of why, ultimately, we sponsored this research."

"With water being a precious resource, Sloan understands the importance of
sustainability by offering water efficient products that serve the industry,"
said Tim Schiffbauer, Market Research Manager, Sloan Valve Company.

The report covers involvement levels and growth opportunities over the next
five years, as well business benefits, motives and obstacles encountered in
this advancing market. Highlights include:
-- Industry involvement and the perceived importance of water efficiency
are growing dramatically. By 2013, 85% of industry reports that water
efficiency will be an extremely important aspect of a green building,
up
from 69% this year.
-- Owners are especially committed to water-efficient practices, with 42%
reporting that more than three-quarters of current projects
incorporate
water-efficient designs; 50% expect to incorporate water-efficient
practices in at least half of their building portfolios by 2013.
-- Business benefits are the key growth drivers as companies focus on the
bottom-line. Primary motivators include reducing energy use (87%) and
reducing operating costs (84%). Respondents report that on average,
applying water-efficient designs and products lead to 15% less water
use, 10-11% less energy use, and an 11-12% reduction in operating
costs.
-- Increased government regulation and the desire to lower energy costs
are
also expected to trigger faster adoption of water-efficient products
and
methods. 73% of respondents are motivated by energy cost increases,
while more than two-thirds expect to respond to regulations on
wastewater runoff (69%) and water efficiency (68%).
-- A/E firms, contractors, owners, and product manufacturers can take
advantage of this market opportunity by quantifying and explaining to
customers how water-efficient practices and products can contribute to
improved building performance. Current brand awareness is strongest
for
high-efficiency toilets (identified by 48% of respondents),
water-saving
sinks (30%), and waterless urinals (23%).

Water Use in Buildings is the latest green building SmartMarket Report from
McGraw-Hill Construction Research & Analytics. More information can be found
at http://construction.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0249-307522_ITM_analytics, and
sponsor information is available at http://www.chicagofaucets.com/ and
http://www.sloanvalve.com/.

About McGraw-Hill Construction
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the
design and construction industry. For more than a century, the Company has
remained North America's leading provider of construction project information,
plans and specifications, product information, industry news, and industry
trends and forecasts. In print and online, the Company offers a variety of
tools, applications, and resources that easily integrate with its customers'
workflows. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record,
Engineering News-Record (ENR), GreenSource, HQ, SNAP and 11 regional
publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers
within the $5.6 trillion global construction community. To learn more, visit
www.construction.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global
information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial
services, education and business information markets through leading brands
such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power
and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries.
Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at
www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE McGraw-Hill Construction

Lisa Jaycox, Communications Specialist, of The McGraw-Hill Companies
Information & Media, +1-212-512-3272, lisa_jaycox@mcgraw-hill.com, or Kathy
Malangone, Senior Director, Marketing Communications, McGraw-Hill
Construction, +1-212-904-4376, kathy_malangone@mcgraw-hill.com