Stormwater features such as constructed wetlands, green roofs, and bioswales can be designed as a site asset (aesthetic, habitat, etc.) and provide valuable amenities. Including these features can also increase property value.
Stormwater systems can range from bioswales to cisterns to green roof systems, and range greatly in cost and effectiveness depending on the application. Certain on-site stormwater treatment technologies can be costly but serve additional environmental purposes and may contribute to various other LEED credits related to open space and heat island effect. See ‘Related Credits.’ These strategies should be considered and designed for multiple purposes.
Integrating the stormwater plan into the design at an early stage and calculating the pollution reduction percentages will decrease additional costs as the landscape and building infrastructure can be designed accordingly.
Some municipalities require documented stormwater management. The documentation for LEED requirements should not represent a significant soft cost premium.
In locations where local stormwater regulations are similar to or more stringent than LEED requirements, implementation of this credit will incur minimal additional cost for documentation purposes. In locations where it goes beyond standard practice, it may require additional design and documentation costs.
Indirect benefits of stormwater systems are just as real as direct costs to the project, but can be harder to quantify. These include issues like reducing the burden on the municipal system; reducing contaminants in waterways; reducing peak runoff, making stream habitats more consistent; reducing the temperature of runoff, which improves the conditions for aquatic life; and reducing erosion. If your municipal codes are more stringent and come with higher fees, there may be a more direct cost benefit to the project from stormwater mitigation.
Maximize the value of the CxA’s 10-month visit by having the facilities personnel thoroughly prepare a detailed agenda developed in collaboration with the CxA.
Enhanced commissioning extends into the system startup phase, bridging the gap between design into the operations hand-over. Design and installation is only the first part of running an energy-efficient building. The real benefits are realized during operation.
commissioning agent checks the meters installed on the building monitoring system.