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LEED v4
Neighborhood Development
Green infrastructure & buildings
Indoor water use reduction

LEED CREDIT

ND-v4 GIBc3: Indoor water use reduction 1 point

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SPECIAL REPORT

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

Requirements

Nonresidential buildings, mixed-use buildings, and multifamily residential buildings four stories or more
For new buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations as part of the project, reduce indoor water usage by an average of 40% from a baseline All newly installed toilets, urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads that are eligible for labeling must be WaterSense labeled (or local equivalent for projects outside the U.S.). For fixtures and fittings listed in Table 1, as applicable to the project scope, calculate the baseline water consumption using estimated occupant usage. The design case is calculated as a weighted average of water usage for the buildings constructed as part of the project, based on their floor area.
Table 1. Baseline water consumption of fixtures and fittings
Commercial Fixtures, Fittings, and Appliances Current Baseline (IP Units) Current Baseline (SI units)
Water closets (toilets)* 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) 6 liters per flush (lpf)
Urinal* 1.0 (gpf) 3.8 lpf
Public lavatory (restroom) faucet 0.5 gpm at 60 psi all others except private applications 1.9 lpm at 415 kPa, all others except private applications
Private lavatory faucet* 2.2 gpm at 60 psi 8.3 lpm at 415 kPa
Kitchen faucet (excluding faucets used exclusively for filling operations) 2.2 gpm at 60 psi 8.3 lpm at 415 kPa
Showerhead* 2.5 gpm at 80 psi per shower stall 9.5 lpm at 550 kPa per shower stall
* WaterSense label available for this product type gpf = gallons per flush gpm = gallons per minute psi = pounds per square inch lpf = liters per flush lpm = liters per minute kPa = kilopascals
New single-family residential buildings and new multiunit residential buildings three stories or fewer
90% of buildings must use a combination of fixtures and fittings that would earn 4 points under LEED for Homes v4 WE Credit Indoor Water Use. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Cost estimates for this credit

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Addenda

10/1/2014 – Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Fixed errors in previous version including uses per day calculation. Added override functions for special circumstances, modified built-in dual flush calculator, added custom naming of tabs and streamlined output fields

Added Neighborhood Development calculations
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
1/27/2017
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Can automated-maintenance urinals be considered "waterless" for the purposes of WE prerequisite and credit Indoor Water Use Reduction?

Ruling:

Yes, automated maintenance urinals with water use not to exceed 150 gallons (568 liters) annually can be considered as waterless urinals for the purposes of credit achievement calculations in LEED v4 WE prerequisite and credit Indoor Water Use Reduction. Do not include the volume of water used by these urinals in the LEED v4 Indoor Water Use Calculator (they can be excluded, or considered to have a water use of 0 gallons/liters). Projects must also submit manufacturer documentation showing the annual volume of water used by the urinals.

Campus Applicable
Yes
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Nonresidential buildings, mixed-use buildings, and multifamily residential buildings four stories or more
For new buildings and buildings undergoing major renovations as part of the project, reduce indoor water usage by an average of 40% from a baseline All newly installed toilets, urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads that are eligible for labeling must be WaterSense labeled (or local equivalent for projects outside the U.S.). For fixtures and fittings listed in Table 1, as applicable to the project scope, calculate the baseline water consumption using estimated occupant usage. The design case is calculated as a weighted average of water usage for the buildings constructed as part of the project, based on their floor area.
Table 1. Baseline water consumption of fixtures and fittings
Commercial Fixtures, Fittings, and Appliances Current Baseline (IP Units) Current Baseline (SI units)
Water closets (toilets)* 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) 6 liters per flush (lpf)
Urinal* 1.0 (gpf) 3.8 lpf
Public lavatory (restroom) faucet 0.5 gpm at 60 psi all others except private applications 1.9 lpm at 415 kPa, all others except private applications
Private lavatory faucet* 2.2 gpm at 60 psi 8.3 lpm at 415 kPa
Kitchen faucet (excluding faucets used exclusively for filling operations) 2.2 gpm at 60 psi 8.3 lpm at 415 kPa
Showerhead* 2.5 gpm at 80 psi per shower stall 9.5 lpm at 550 kPa per shower stall
* WaterSense label available for this product type gpf = gallons per flush gpm = gallons per minute psi = pounds per square inch lpf = liters per flush lpm = liters per minute kPa = kilopascals
New single-family residential buildings and new multiunit residential buildings three stories or fewer
90% of buildings must use a combination of fixtures and fittings that would earn 4 points under LEED for Homes v4 WE Credit Indoor Water Use.
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