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LEED Pilot Credits
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Water-Related Pilot Credits
Integrated Project Water Reuse Strategy

LEED CREDIT

Pilot-Credits WEpc157: Integrated Project Water Reuse Strategy 1 point

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

Requirements

1. Project Feasibility Assessment
Identify the local, state, or county water, wastewater and public health authorities and other local code enforcement authorities that regulate, permit, or have oversight of water reuse and integrated water management projects in the community. Water authorities can include those responsible for drinking water, recycled water, purified water, wastewater and stormwater and may be regulated at the municipal, county or regional levels.

Identify the plumbing code and water quality requirements for the project.

Conduct a preliminary check on whether the locality or region has stated integrated water management planning objectives or goals, including any local laws, rules, environmental review requirements or management objectives.
2. Building Water Budget Analysis
Perform a preliminary water budget analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce potable water loads associated with the building structure and site to reduce the burden on municipal drinking water systems, wastewater treatment systems and stormwater conveyance systems.

Assess and estimate the project’s potential nonpotable water supply sources and water demand volumes as required for “Water-Related Systems” in the Integrative Process credit, and include the following in the analysis:
  • Wastewater flows. Analyze the project’s projected wastewater sources and streams and include a qualitative characterization of the expected waste flow breakdown
  • Stormwater discharges. Analyze project stormwater discharge volumes to separate municipal storm sewer systems or combined sewer overflow infrastructure.
  • Operations and Maintenance. Describe the water reuse system’s operation and maintenance plan.
Note: project teams may consider pursuing the Integrated Project Water Reuse Strategy pilot credit in conjunction with pilot alternative compliance path 115: Whole Project Water Use Reduction, which requires teams to create a water balance model for the entire project and demonstrate reductions in total building water usage.
3. Engage Local Water and Wastewater Authority(s)
Engage with the local water and wastewater authority(s) identified in Step 1 and request information on how the project’s water reuse strategy may affect the municipal drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater collection and treatment systems. Information provided by the water and wastewater authority(s) may include historical water usage and cost data from similar buildings as a point of reference.

Discuss and foster a mutual understanding of the impacts of the project’s wastewater generation and potential water reuse strategies on the centralized system with the local water and wastewater authority(s), and request a letter of support of the project pursing the credit and input on how the project’s wastewater management strategy could support site-specific conditions and community water management objectives.
4. Document Integrated Approach to Water Reuse
Document how the building water systems analysis and collaboration with local water and wastewater authority(s) informed the project’s approach to water reuse (on-site reuse or contribution to a centralized reuse system).

Provide a narrative describing how the project’s wastewater and stormwater management strategy is responsive to local site conditions and community priorities for water management, and how the project exceeds baseline project responsibilities to engage in integrated planning.
5. Meter Water Reuse and Submeter Energy Use of System
Meter volume of treated non-potable water used on-site produced by the on-site water reuse system or delivered from the centralized water reuse system, as appropriate to the project scope and objectives.

Submeter energy use of the building water reuse system.

Submittals

General
Register for the pilot credit Feedback Survey
Documentation/Compliance
  • Project water budget analysis depicting demand and supply sources of potable and non-potable water.
  • Documentation demonstrating engagement of local water and wastewater authority(s) early in the design process. Documentation may include: letter of support from the local water or wastewater authority; historical water usage data from similar buildings provided by the local water authority; copies of communications between the project team and local water and wastewater authority(s) such as meeting minutes; local water and wastewater authority(s)’ recommendations for project water reuse and/or permits for water reuse systems
  • Narrative that describes how the project’s water reuse strategy is responsive to local site conditions and community priorities for water management and reflects the outcomes of discussions with local authorities
  • Documentation of meters installed to monitor volume of treated non-potable water used onsite and meter(s) installed to monitor energy use of the building water reuse system
  • Documentation of contributions to expansion of centralized water reuse systems, if applicable to the project scope and objectives.
Changes
  • 4.23.21 - Original Publication
See all forum discussions about this credit »

What does it cost?

Cost estimates for this credit

On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.

Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.

This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.

Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »

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.

USGBC logo

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

Requirements

1. Project Feasibility Assessment
Identify the local, state, or county water, wastewater and public health authorities and other local code enforcement authorities that regulate, permit, or have oversight of water reuse and integrated water management projects in the community. Water authorities can include those responsible for drinking water, recycled water, purified water, wastewater and stormwater and may be regulated at the municipal, county or regional levels.

Identify the plumbing code and water quality requirements for the project.

Conduct a preliminary check on whether the locality or region has stated integrated water management planning objectives or goals, including any local laws, rules, environmental review requirements or management objectives.
2. Building Water Budget Analysis
Perform a preliminary water budget analysis before the completion of schematic design that explores how to reduce potable water loads associated with the building structure and site to reduce the burden on municipal drinking water systems, wastewater treatment systems and stormwater conveyance systems.

Assess and estimate the project’s potential nonpotable water supply sources and water demand volumes as required for “Water-Related Systems” in the Integrative Process credit, and include the following in the analysis:
  • Wastewater flows. Analyze the project’s projected wastewater sources and streams and include a qualitative characterization of the expected waste flow breakdown
  • Stormwater discharges. Analyze project stormwater discharge volumes to separate municipal storm sewer systems or combined sewer overflow infrastructure.
  • Operations and Maintenance. Describe the water reuse system’s operation and maintenance plan.
Note: project teams may consider pursuing the Integrated Project Water Reuse Strategy pilot credit in conjunction with pilot alternative compliance path 115: Whole Project Water Use Reduction, which requires teams to create a water balance model for the entire project and demonstrate reductions in total building water usage.
3. Engage Local Water and Wastewater Authority(s)
Engage with the local water and wastewater authority(s) identified in Step 1 and request information on how the project’s water reuse strategy may affect the municipal drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater collection and treatment systems. Information provided by the water and wastewater authority(s) may include historical water usage and cost data from similar buildings as a point of reference.

Discuss and foster a mutual understanding of the impacts of the project’s wastewater generation and potential water reuse strategies on the centralized system with the local water and wastewater authority(s), and request a letter of support of the project pursing the credit and input on how the project’s wastewater management strategy could support site-specific conditions and community water management objectives.
4. Document Integrated Approach to Water Reuse
Document how the building water systems analysis and collaboration with local water and wastewater authority(s) informed the project’s approach to water reuse (on-site reuse or contribution to a centralized reuse system).

Provide a narrative describing how the project’s wastewater and stormwater management strategy is responsive to local site conditions and community priorities for water management, and how the project exceeds baseline project responsibilities to engage in integrated planning.
5. Meter Water Reuse and Submeter Energy Use of System
Meter volume of treated non-potable water used on-site produced by the on-site water reuse system or delivered from the centralized water reuse system, as appropriate to the project scope and objectives.

Submeter energy use of the building water reuse system.

Submittals

General
Register for the pilot credit Feedback Survey
Documentation/Compliance
  • Project water budget analysis depicting demand and supply sources of potable and non-potable water.
  • Documentation demonstrating engagement of local water and wastewater authority(s) early in the design process. Documentation may include: letter of support from the local water or wastewater authority; historical water usage data from similar buildings provided by the local water authority; copies of communications between the project team and local water and wastewater authority(s) such as meeting minutes; local water and wastewater authority(s)’ recommendations for project water reuse and/or permits for water reuse systems
  • Narrative that describes how the project’s water reuse strategy is responsive to local site conditions and community priorities for water management and reflects the outcomes of discussions with local authorities
  • Documentation of meters installed to monitor volume of treated non-potable water used onsite and meter(s) installed to monitor energy use of the building water reuse system
  • Documentation of contributions to expansion of centralized water reuse systems, if applicable to the project scope and objectives.
Changes
  • 4.23.21 - Original Publication
See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about Pilot-Credits WEpc157