A holistic approach to water resilience means ensuring the efficiency, durability, and safety of water supply, use, disposal, and infrastructure.
Across Europe, around 15% of the energy used in buildings is for heating water, making water resilience a critical part of the EU’s energy transition.
What is water resilience in buildings?
Water resilience goes beyond reducing consumption. It requires integrating water into every stage of the building lifecycle, from design and construction to renovation and operation. For example:
Efficient water use indoors
Adopting hot water efficiency technologies such as aerators, shower thermostats, sensor activated taps, flow restrictors, and wastewater heat recovery for shower drains. Combined with decentralised hot water heating, these measures can improve a building’s energy performance by up to 12%.
Harvesting and reuse systems
Incentivising rainwater and greywater harvesting to reduce dependence on water supply and to improve resilience to drought.
Nature-based solutions
Nature-based solutions for stormwater management. Solutions such as green infrastructure and bioclimatic designs increase the resilience of urban environments through better stormwater management and optimised water consumption.
Digital water management
Using smart meters, sensors, and building management systems to monitor water flows, detect leaks, and optimise usage in real time.
EPCs and water consumption
Considering hot water consumption in Energy Performance Certificates, and water efficiency measures in building codes and standards (including indoor and outdoor water use).
Resources
Our response to the call for evidence
European Water Resilience Strategy and water efficiency first
Water resilience is becoming one of Europe’s most urgent challenges. As climate change intensifies extreme weather events and puts pressure on resources, the EU is developing a Water Resilience Strategy to strengthen sustainability, competitiveness, and security of supply.
But to be effective, this strategy must fully recognise the water-energy nexus, especially in buildings, where reducing water use can directly cut energy demand and carbon emissions.
News
Link between water and energy efficiency in the EU’s new Water Resilience Strategy
The EU’s new Water Resilience Strategy is a timely reminder that resilience starts at home and in how we design our buildings, cities, and infrastructure.
Response to Call for Evidence
European climate resilience and risk management: EBE’s response to the call for evidence
Water-efficiency technologies in buildings, such as efficient taps and showers, rain and greywater harvesting, and nature-based solutions, alleviate system pressures in the case of droughts.
Response to Call for Evidence
Housing Simplification Package: EBE’s response to the call for evidence
Energy and water efficiency technologies are already available and can play a central role in lowering bills and increasing the supply of affordable housing.
Examples of relevant EU legislation, initiatives and projects on water resilience in buildings
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
Covers domestic hot water in the energy performance of buildings, and its technical building systems, building automation and control rules and Smart Readiness Indicator support smart water management.
European Water Resilience Strategy
Adopted in June 2025, it aims to improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030 and recognises the role of water-efficient buildings.
Guiding principles of water efficiency first
A Commission Recommendation asking Member States to put water efficiency first in planning, policy and investment decisions, in the same way as energy efficiency first.
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