Recontextualizing water conservation in university residence hall populations in the context of semi-permanent residences

Showers are an important part of daily routines for many people, particularly in the United States, where two-thirds of residents report showering daily. However, showers also consume a significant amount of water, with the average shower using around 16 gallons of water. While the social and personal benefits are well documented, the environmental impacts of showering behavior are also important, particularly as global freshwater insecurity becomes increasingly pressing. Previous research has focused on the energy and water usage patterns of showers in single-family homes, but there is less information available about how shower behavior may differ among college-aged individuals living in residence halls. This study examines the shower habits of students living in approved on-campus residences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to determine if they have similar behavior patterns as single-family households and explores the potential relationship between shower event irregularities and high-stress periods of the academic semester. The study concludes that student shower time preferences greatly differ from those seen in residential households, with most of the events skewed towards the nighttime. Residential and student shower duration data followed different distribution fits, supporting this finding. It was also discovered that there is a preference within the sampled student population for major shower events ($>$ 30 gallons) to occur during the weekday, specifically Tuesday through Friday. Additionally, a major distinction was found between the average shower duration of University Housing and Private Certified Housing residents, with the former averaging twice the event span (10 minutes) of the latter (5 minutes). Based on the findings, a potential path for future work was proposed, arguing for studies with larger sample sizes and extended collection periods. By studying this college-aged demographic, the research aims to better understand tactics that might effectively promote conservation in residence halls and encourage sustainable shower habits. The results of this analysis have broader implications for water conservation efforts in similar semi-permanent residential settings and can provide insight into the factors that influence shower behavior in this demographic.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environ Engr in Civil Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Otrubina, Victoria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stillwell, Ashlynn S

• Water
• Water Conservation
• Water-energy Nexus

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2023 Victoria Otrubina

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/120331

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F120331