Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/752472
the new water efficiency requirement of the state's popular Sustainable Building Tax Credit. The WERS program has joined Build Green New Mexico and LEED for Homes as compliance paths for water. The GreenHome Institute (GHI) after months of discus- sion, scrutiny, and testing began the process of implementing the WERS program as the water criteria for GreenStar, its residential green building program available nationwide. Projects achieving certain WERS levels will obtain a majority of their water points for various certification levels. "Home energy scores and models are now becoming the norm. Why not water next?" asks Brett Little, GHI's execu- tive director. "It just makes sense. You can't manage what you don't measure and you easily weed out most waste through informed design." Growing Support In addition to the entities mentioned above, the WERS pro- gram has received promotional support from the National Ground Water Association and the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association. Meanwhile, the WERS–Manufacturer Program currently has two members, Evolve Technologies and EcoVie Environ- mental. Both manufacturers are offering discounts on specific products deployed on projects pursuing WERS certification. By the end of 2016, the number of manufacturers is expected to double. The WERS program will have been a part of 15 educa- tional sessions at national or regional conferences, including NGWA Groundwater Week 2016, since the beginning of 2015. Speaking of educational events, Santa Fe will host the inaugural Next Generation Water Summit on June 4-6, 2017. This first-of-its-kind national event will feature three educa- tional tracks, two keynote speakers, and an expo. The event's tracks will focus on emerging policy development, building design and construction, and water conservation tools and technologies. For information, visit www.NextGeneration WaterSummit.com. WWJ Learn About WERS at Groundwater Week 2016 Attendees wanting to learn more about the Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS) program can do so at Groundwater Week 2016. Doug Pushard of Harvest H2O will lead a session titled "Water Rating Systems: How They Can Further Responsible Groundwater Practices" from 4:15–5:15 p.m. on December 6. To learn more, visit www.GroundwaterWeek.com. Mike Collignon is the executive director and co-founder of the Green Builder Coalition. He can be reached at info@greenbuildercoalition.org. Twitter @WaterWellJournl WWJ December 2016 27