The concept of circular water economy has emerged for the sustainable and resilient use of water and for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although macroscale circular water economy has been widely addressed, analysis of microscale household circular water economy has not been thoroughly documented. In this study, we quantified the contribution of household water and energy use to water consumption and GHG emissions. We calculated the net GHG emission and water consumption of household appliances for various supply- and demand-side scenarios by developing a comprehensive spreadsheet-based input−output model. We quantitatively evaluated the impact of temporally and spatially varying emission factors of energy production on the GHG emissions and water consumption for a model household that employs appliances with various efficiency levels. To advance the concept of a circular water economy, we developed a framework for considering water reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery, along with retrofitting/remanufacturing of water and energy appliances and fixtures. Finally, we illustrated the choices in household water and energy systems through a trade-off analysis based on the capital and annual costs of each appliance.

Water- and energy-efficient appliances for circular water economy: Conceptual framework development and analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption

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ACS Fall 2022

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