How tech can help your company save more water

If you recently stayed at a Marriot hotel, the linens in your room were likely cleaned with significantly less water than ever before. That’s because the hotel chain, in alignment with its 2025 sustainability goals, is on track to reduce its water intensity by 15 percent at all 6,500 properties worldwide.

Time is of the essence for all organizations to get smarter about how they use water. By 2025, it’s estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. This is deeply problematic as water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, could hinder economic growth, spur migration, and spark conflict, according to a recent report from The World Bank. There’s also the carbon impact of water to consider, specifically how much energy is expended to supply, treat, and use water.

But here’s the good news. The World Bank report also found that most countries can neutralize the adverse impacts of water scarcity by taking action to allocate and use water resources more efficiently. I believe multinational enterprises have an oversized role to play here, too.

Technology can help make that happen. Marriot and Microsoft recently teamed up to use IoT and data to measure and manage their water usage. Specifically, they worked with Microsoft partner Ecolab to adopt the Aquonomic Low-Temp Laundry Program and the?Azure-based 3D TRASAR Technology for Cooling Water, which enables on-demand control and optimization of cooling systems.

As a result, Marriot saves 3.34 billion liters of water — equivalent to the annual drinking needs of more than 3 million people. The hotel chain is also saving on energy — specifically, 114 million kilowatt-hours of energy; 21,500 metric tons of CO2e, and 2 million pounds of waste.

When it comes to conserving water at organizations, IoT and data can help organizations in many ways. That includes:

• Improving how water usage is remotely monitored across multiple locations
• Controlling water flow and pressure automatically in response to predetermined thresholds??
• Identifying leaks and cracks in pipes more quickly, helping organizations save precious resources — and money — through early detection
• Improving water quality, creating a positive impact on both the environment and human health

If your organization has water intensity targets, you should be using tech to address them. Kin + Carta was recently named the Microsoft US Sustainability Changemaker of the Year and we're prepared to help; message me to set up a conversation.?

Have a different sustainability goal you’d like help tackling? I’d be happy to talk with you as well. Topics we can address include management and reduction of scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions; supply chain optimization and intelligence; sustainability data harmonization; sustainability strategy; and more.