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When Apple Campus 2 is finished, 80 percent of the site will be green space

2. Renewables

the campus will run entirely on renewable energy. The plan calls for about 8 megawatts of solar panels to be installed on the roof of the main, spaceship-shaped building as well as the parking structures. An unspecified number of fuel cells also will be installed, with the rest of the electricity needed for operations sourced through grid-purchased renewable energy.

Primary opposition to the site has centered on its transportation plan. To combat those criticisms, Apple has expanded its Transportation Demand Management program, emphasizing the use of bicycles, shuttles and buses that will link employees with regional public transit networks.

3. Net-zero building design

the structure itself is being designed to create as much energy as it uses. There is a strong emphasis on energy-efficiency: the passive heating and cooling systems will use 30 percent less than a comparable campus. A central site will contain fuel cells, back-up generators, chillers, condenser water storage, hot water storage, an electrical substation and water and fire pumps.

4. Attention to water conservation

Attention has been paid to reducing the number of impermeable surfaces on the site. (Up to 9,240 of the parking spots, for example, will be underground so that Apple can invest in landscaping that absorbs water. A recycled water main is under consideration, and other steps have been taken to minimize water consumption by about 30 percent below a typical Silicon Valley development. Those measures include low-flow fixtures, the use of native plans and roof rainwater capture.

5. An expanded waste management program

Apple already diverts about 78 percent of the waste associated with its existing headquarters from landfills. The proposal calls for the company to recycle or reuse any construction waste; from an operations perspective, it will step up recycling from solid waste sources as well as the use of composting.

6. A sharpened focus on commuting alternatives

As part of its transportation program, the plan calls for buffered bike lanes on streets adjacent to the campus that are segregated from vehicular lanes and that also allow for bikes to pass each other. The focus will be on encouraging all employees that live within 15 minutes of the campus to use sustainable or public transportation alternatives. The site will start with 300 electric vehicle charging stations, with the built-in capacity to expand.

the process to retrieve usable metals is typically extremely toxic

is first looking to see if old equipment can be reused

reputable recyclers will use mechanical shredding and a high-tech

Basel Action Network

The bottom line is that water availability will be a major investment consideration in business expansion plans around the world.

Just one example from the United States: In Chandler, Ariz., Intel has negotiated a unique relationship with the city to clean and return water tainted by its wafer manufacturing operation back to the local aquifers. Chandler owns the technology to do this, but Intel has helped make that investment possible. Both sides benefit

2. Sanitation, irrigation needs transform wastewater treatment

most wastewater is still wasted: in high-income countries, the treatment rate is 70 percent, but it falls to just 28 percent for lower-middle-income nations and 8 percent in low-income economies.

3. Utility costs are rising quickly

4. Distribution networks are aging rapidly

Overall, the World Bank estimates the annual global value of water lost by utilities at $14 billion. The average U.S. utility pours up to 30 percent down the drain through leaks or un-billed usage.

5. Data centers guzzle more water