LEED v4
Existing Data Centers
Water Efficiency
Cooling tower water use

Data-Centers-EBOM-v4 WEc3: Cooling tower water use

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Credit language

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Establishment
For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a potable water analysis within five years of submission for certification, measuring at least the five control parameters listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Maximum concentrations for parameters in condenser water
Parameter Maximum level
Ca (as CaCO3) 1,000 ppm
Total alkalinity 1,000 ppm
SiO2 100 ppm
Cl- 250 ppm
Conductivity 2000 µS/cm
ppm = parts per million µS/cm = micro siemens per centimeter Calculate the number of cooling tower cycles by dividing the maximum allowed concentration level of each parameter by the actual concentration level of each parameter found in the potable makeup water. Limit cooling tower cycles to avoid exceeding maximum values for any of these parameters.
Table 2. Points for cooling tower cycles
Cooling tower cycles Points (except data centers) Points (data centers)
Maximum number of cycles achieved without exceeding any filtration levels or affecting operation of condenser water system (up to maximum of 10 cycles) 2 2
Achieve a minimum 10 cycles by increasing the level of treatment in condenser or make-up water
OR
Achieve the number of cycles for 1 point and use a minimum 20% recycled nonpotable water
3 4
Performance
None
Pilot Alternative Compliance Path available
A pilot alternative compliance path is available for this credit to certain project types without cooling towers. For more information, please visit the Pilot Credit Library Pilot ACPs: No Cooling Tower - alternative compliance path (BD+C) No Cooling Tower - alternative compliance path (O+M) No Cooling Tower - alternative compliance path (O+M: Data Centers)
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Addenda

01/07/2015– Updated: 01/07/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
100002015

Edit the guidance to read:
"Group Approach
All buildings in the group project may be documented as one as long as all buildings in the group are served by the same cooling tower(s). If different buildings in the group are served by different cooling towers, submit this credit separately for each building in the group.
Campus Approach
Eligible. All buildings must use the same cooling tower."

Inquiry:
Ruling:
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »
Guest expert

Ashwini Arun

WSP
Senior Sustainability Manager

LEEDuser overview

Frank advice from LEED experts

LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

Already a premium member? Log in now

Credit language

USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Establishment
For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a potable water analysis within five years of submission for certification, measuring at least the five control parameters listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Maximum concentrations for parameters in condenser water
Parameter Maximum level
Ca (as CaCO3) 1,000 ppm
Total alkalinity 1,000 ppm
SiO2 100 ppm
Cl- 250 ppm
Conductivity 2000 µS/cm
ppm = parts per million µS/cm = micro siemens per centimeter Calculate the number of cooling tower cycles by dividing the maximum allowed concentration level of each parameter by the actual concentration level of each parameter found in the potable makeup water. Limit cooling tower cycles to avoid exceeding maximum values for any of these parameters.
Table 2. Points for cooling tower cycles
Cooling tower cycles Points (except data centers) Points (data centers)
Maximum number of cycles achieved without exceeding any filtration levels or affecting operation of condenser water system (up to maximum of 10 cycles) 2 2
Achieve a minimum 10 cycles by increasing the level of treatment in condenser or make-up water
OR
Achieve the number of cycles for 1 point and use a minimum 20% recycled nonpotable water
3 4
Performance
None
Pilot Alternative Compliance Path available
A pilot alternative compliance path is available for this credit to certain project types without cooling towers. For more information, please visit the Pilot Credit Library Pilot ACPs: No Cooling Tower - alternative compliance path (BD+C) No Cooling Tower - alternative compliance path (O+M) No Cooling Tower - alternative compliance path (O+M: Data Centers)
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

The motherlode of cheat sheets

LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.

For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium

Already a premium member? Log in now


Addenda

01/07/2015– Updated: 01/07/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
100002015

Edit the guidance to read:
"Group Approach
All buildings in the group project may be documented as one as long as all buildings in the group are served by the same cooling tower(s). If different buildings in the group are served by different cooling towers, submit this credit separately for each building in the group.
Campus Approach
Eligible. All buildings must use the same cooling tower."

Inquiry:
Ruling:
Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »
Guest expert

Ashwini Arun

WSP
Senior Sustainability Manager