WC133 NovDec 2023 - Magazine - Page 35
Students at UCalgary benefit from
LEED-certified features that inspire and
encourage sustainable behaviours, from
water use to community engagement.
Chord Diagram Analysis to Visualize Connections
Between Social and Design Dimensions
Take a closer look at UCalgary's user preferences with this Chord
Diagram Analysis that provides insight into the connections
between the top reasons for enjoying water features, like action
accountability, and design favorites such as the EEEL building's
green roof.
Getty Images
UCalgary Interactive Map
Explore the interactive map
supporting study REB20-0815
from the University of Calgary.
Discover LEED-certified
buildings, water bottle
refilling stations, stormwater
infiltration sites, and more on
the UCalgary main campus.
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
questions investigated the social component to understand
what people think of existing water features, and how they
relate their behaviour towards these water features. The
descriptive responses received from the campus community
were used to identify the top five favourite water sustainable
features on campus (design dimension) and analyze the top
five reasons that are important for the UCalgary community (social dimension) when it comes to water use.
Five key behaviours emerged: action accountability, natural
feeling, individual concerns, mental clarity, and sense of place.
Correspondingly, the top LEED-induced features included:
automatic water taps, bottle refilling stations, the green roof at
the EEEL building, the water pond at the TFDL building, and
water collection areas around the Schulich Engineering building.
This analysis illuminated how people relate to water features and
provided insights into the interplay between individuals and
their environment.
Empowering the future of water sustainability
This idea of evaluating the connections between social dimensions and design dimensions is essential to effectively inform
water designers and empower water users to make better choices.
The first step in promoting water sustainability is understanding the factors that influence personal choices. Our research at
UCalgary demonstrates how the “uncharted waters” can enhance
water-related knowledge, attitude, and behaviours, and can serve
as a blueprint for other universities keen on incorporating similar water sustainability initiatives. Such innovations are needed
to promote UNSDG applications, especially when the cost of
water has escalated to being unaffordable for many.
WATER C AN ADA • NOV EMBER/ DECEMBER 2023
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