Buffer Utility managers like Eric Rosenblum and Ron Zegers are part of a small cadre of experienced leaders within the water utility who have been facilitating new water management approaches for decades. They have ensured that, with very few exceptions, there is a steady supply of healthy and safe drinking water. Like other water utility [...]
Archive | Trends
RSS feed for this section
Bringing Water Design Vision to the “Rest of the Mess” in Real Estate
Buffer The Shanghai Tower will serve as a mammoth 125-floor rainwater harvesting structure. The breathtaking outside shell borrows the best designs from nature, collecting rain to purify and replenish 675,000,000 liters of water each year. Combining stores, offices and apartments, the building will serve as an icon for water resource management in China, as the [...]
Utilities Seek New Technologies
Water treatment and delivery systems were built for steady, predictable operation. In the face of water scarcity and budget cuts, utility managers are challenged to squeeze more performance out of water infrastructure with advanced technologies.
Desalination Spending to Double
Worldwide desalting capacity is projected to increase by 50 million cubic meters per day over the next six years, according to a recent study by Pike Research.
Meanwhile, annual spending on desalination will double by 2016, from $8.3b to $16.6 billion. Spending will total $87.8 billion during that time period.
Water Prices to Increase by 8% in WA
With their vast coastlines and open spaces, Western Australia can mitigate the effects of drought by looking to the seas for partnerships between advanced, efficient water technology and sustainable energy like wind and solar.
Getting Out of Water's Way
Severe rain events have increased 16% in the Pacific Northwest and 20% nationwide in the past 100 years, and are projected to continue to increase. Overall nationwide precipitation has increased 5% in the past 50 years, stressing already crumbling storm water infrastructure.
The main culprit: impervious surfaces.
Solutions do exist, however, and the good news is they typically cost less than end-of-pipe storm water management.
BlueTech Innovation Forum Connects Industry
If the Blue Tech Innovation Forum is any sign, the BlueTech industry will soon see rapid growth fueled by an influx of capital.
It’s Time for the Smart Water Grid
It’s been a great year for the Smart Grid. Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, analysts, journalists, and regulators can’t stop talking about it. Experts are competing to project greater market potential. Zpryme puts the Smart Appliance market alone at $15.2bn by 2015, Lux Research talks about $15.8bn, Cisco estimates theoverall opportunity at $100bn and Pike research uses a whopping $200bn figure.
Giants like Cisco and IBM have set aside billions to fund Smart Grid activities. The US government has kept up, allocating hefty tax credits and incentives for Smart Grid development, with $3.4bn from the stimulus bill granted to 100 smart-grid initiatives last October. VCs are investing heavily, as these three lists show. But while we anticipate the first Smart Grid IPO (market-permitting) from Silver Spring Networks, we’ve got to wonder out loud: Why isn’t water being served at this party?
Poll: Is Water Technology Ready?
We at BlueTech think 2010 is the year water technology will come into mainstream consciousness, widespread demand and accelerated adoption. So tell us, what signs do you see that Blue Technology is about to bloom?
Resource Recovery Companies Find Sustainable Advantage
BufferEverywhere you look people are trying to do more with less. Reduce costs, increase efficiency, reduce energy use, recover resources. There are strong economic drivers to do all of these things, which also happen to be sustainable. On July 22nd, 2010 I moderated the first in the BlueTech Tracker(TM) Webinar series: Mineral & Resource Recovery [...]