LEED v2009
Retail – Commercial Interiors
Water Efficiency
Water use reduction

Retail-CI-v2009 WEc1: Water use reduction

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Credit language

USGBC logo

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

Requirements

Employ strategies that in aggregate use less water than the water use baseline calculated for the tenant spaces (not including irrigation). The minimum water savings percentage for each point threshold is as follows:

Building Use Reduction

Process Use Reduction

Points

30%

AND

30%

6

35%

AND

35%

8

40%

AND

40%

11
Building water use
Calculate the baseline according to the commercial baselines outlined below. Calculations are based on estimated occupant usage. Include only the following fixtures and fixture fittings (as applicable): water closets, urinals, lavatory faucets, showers, kitchen sink faucets, and pre-rinse spray valves. [Europe ACP: Water Use Baseline]

Fixtures, Fittings, and Appliances

Current Baseline (Imperial Units)

Current Baseline (Metric Units)

Commercial Toilets

1.6 gallons per flush (gpf)*
Except blow-out fixtures: 3.5 (gpf)

6 liters per flush (lpf)
Except blow-out fixtures: 13.5 lpf

Commercial Urinals

1.0 (gpf)

4.0 lpf

Commercial Lavatory (restroom) Faucets

2.2 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 pounds per square inch (psi),private applications only (hotel or motel guest rooms, hospital patient rooms)
0.5 (gpm) at 60 (psi)**all others except private applications
0.25 gallons per cycle for metering faucets

8.5 liters per minute (lpm) at 4 bar (58 psi), private applications only (hotel or motel guest rooms, hospital patient rooms)
2.0 lpm at 4 bar (58 psi), all others except private applications
1 liter per cycle for metering faucets

Shower

2.5 (gpm) at 80 (psi) per shower stall

9.5 lpm  at 5.5 bar (80 psi) per shower stall

Kitchen Faucet

2.2 (gpm) at 60 (psi)

8.5 lpm at 4 bar (58 psi)

Commercial Pre-rinse Spray Valves
(for food service applications)

Flow rate ≤ 1.6 (gpm)
(no pressure specified; no performance requirement)

Flow rate ≤ 6 lpm (no pressure specified; no performance requirement)

*    EPAct 1992 standard for toilets applies to both commercial and residential models.
**  In addition to EPAct requirements, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers standard for public lavatory faucets is 0.5 gpm at 60 psi (2.0 lpm at 4 bar (58 psi)) (ASME A112.18.1–2005).
This maximum has been incorporated into the national Uniform Plumbing Code and the International Plumbing Code.
AND
Commercial process water use
Employ strategies that in aggregate use less water than the water use baseline calculated for commercial equipment performance requirements as listed in the following table. Base the calculations on estimated occupant usage. Include only the following fixtures (as applicable): clothes washers, dishwashers, ice machines, food steamers, and combination ovens. Exemptions from calculations:
  • Appliances and equipment that use water for human consumption may be excluded. Examples: bread misters, produce misters, soda machines, coffee-making machines, and fixtures used to fill sinks for washing produce.
  • Equipment, appliances, fixtures, and fittings that are not covered by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992), do not contribute toward the retail process, and are not commercially rated may be excluded. Example: a residential dishwasher in an employee break room.
  • Fixtures whose flow rates are regulated by health codes may be excluded. Example: fixtures used for filling dishwashing sinks in which water must be maintained at a certain temperature.

Commercial Equipment

Baseline (Imperial Units)

Baseline (Metric Units)

Commercial clothes washer, less than 80 lbs (36.3 kg)

9 gallons/cf/cycle

1,200 liters/m3/cycle

Commercial dishwasher

    Under counter, high temperature

1.98 gallons/rack

7.50  liters/rack

    Under counter, low temperature

1.95 gallons/rack

7.38 liters/rack

    Door type, high temperature

1.44 gallons/rack

5.45 liters/rack

    Door type, low temperature

1.85 gallons/rack

7.00 liters/rack

    Single tank rack conveyor, high temperature

1.13 gallons/rack

4.28 liters/rack

    Single tank rack conveyor, low temperature

1.23 gallons/rack

4.66 liters/rack

    Multi- tank rack conveyor, high temperature

1.1 gallons/rack

4.16 liters/rack

    Multi- tank rack conveyor, low temperature

0.99 gallon/rack

3.75 liters/rack

    Flight type

180 gph

681.37 lph

Commercial ice machines

    Ice machine, IMH (ice-making head) H

    Ice machine, IMH (ice-making head)  H > 450 lbs/day (>204.11 kg/day)

    Ice machine, RCU (no remote compressor) H

    Ice machine, RCU (no remote compressor)  H > 1,000 lbs/day (>453.59 kg/day)

    Ice machine, RCU (remote compressor)  H

    Ice machine, RCU (remote compressor)  H > 934 lbs/day (>423.66 kg/day)

    Ice machine, SCU (self-contained unit)

    Ice machine, water-cooled

Must be on chilled loop

Must be on chilled loop

    Ice machine, once-through water-cooled

Banned

Banned

Food steamer

    Steam cooker, batch cooking

8 gph/pan

3085.11 lph/pan

    Steam cooker, high production or cook to order

8 gph/pan

317.97 lph/pan

Combination oven

 

    Countertop or stand mounted

40 gph

151.42 lph

    Roll-in

60 gph

227.12 lph

Other equipment

Based on industry standards

Based on industry standards

Notes: gph = gallons per hour; cf = cubic feet; lph = liters per hour; H = ice production.
For equipment not listed in the above tables, the project team may propose performance baseline requirements, with documentation supporting the proposed benchmark.

Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs)

Europe ACP: Water Use Baseline
Projects in Europe may use the values defined by European Standards. [view:embed_resource=page_1=4887984] See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Addenda

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See all forum discussions about this credit »

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

Employ strategies that in aggregate use less water than the water use baseline calculated for the tenant spaces (not including irrigation). The minimum water savings percentage for each point threshold is as follows:

Building Use Reduction

Process Use Reduction

Points

30%

AND

30%

6

35%

AND

35%

8

40%

AND

40%

11
Building water use
Calculate the baseline according to the commercial baselines outlined below. Calculations are based on estimated occupant usage. Include only the following fixtures and fixture fittings (as applicable): water closets, urinals, lavatory faucets, showers, kitchen sink faucets, and pre-rinse spray valves. [Europe ACP: Water Use Baseline]

Fixtures, Fittings, and Appliances

Current Baseline (Imperial Units)

Current Baseline (Metric Units)

Commercial Toilets

1.6 gallons per flush (gpf)*
Except blow-out fixtures: 3.5 (gpf)

6 liters per flush (lpf)
Except blow-out fixtures: 13.5 lpf

Commercial Urinals

1.0 (gpf)

4.0 lpf

Commercial Lavatory (restroom) Faucets

2.2 gallons per minute (gpm) at 60 pounds per square inch (psi),private applications only (hotel or motel guest rooms, hospital patient rooms)
0.5 (gpm) at 60 (psi)**all others except private applications
0.25 gallons per cycle for metering faucets

8.5 liters per minute (lpm) at 4 bar (58 psi), private applications only (hotel or motel guest rooms, hospital patient rooms)
2.0 lpm at 4 bar (58 psi), all others except private applications
1 liter per cycle for metering faucets

Shower

2.5 (gpm) at 80 (psi) per shower stall

9.5 lpm  at 5.5 bar (80 psi) per shower stall

Kitchen Faucet

2.2 (gpm) at 60 (psi)

8.5 lpm at 4 bar (58 psi)

Commercial Pre-rinse Spray Valves
(for food service applications)

Flow rate ≤ 1.6 (gpm)
(no pressure specified; no performance requirement)

Flow rate ≤ 6 lpm (no pressure specified; no performance requirement)

*    EPAct 1992 standard for toilets applies to both commercial and residential models.
**  In addition to EPAct requirements, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers standard for public lavatory faucets is 0.5 gpm at 60 psi (2.0 lpm at 4 bar (58 psi)) (ASME A112.18.1–2005).
This maximum has been incorporated into the national Uniform Plumbing Code and the International Plumbing Code.
AND
Commercial process water use
Employ strategies that in aggregate use less water than the water use baseline calculated for commercial equipment performance requirements as listed in the following table. Base the calculations on estimated occupant usage. Include only the following fixtures (as applicable): clothes washers, dishwashers, ice machines, food steamers, and combination ovens. Exemptions from calculations:
  • Appliances and equipment that use water for human consumption may be excluded. Examples: bread misters, produce misters, soda machines, coffee-making machines, and fixtures used to fill sinks for washing produce.
  • Equipment, appliances, fixtures, and fittings that are not covered by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992), do not contribute toward the retail process, and are not commercially rated may be excluded. Example: a residential dishwasher in an employee break room.
  • Fixtures whose flow rates are regulated by health codes may be excluded. Example: fixtures used for filling dishwashing sinks in which water must be maintained at a certain temperature.

Commercial Equipment

Baseline (Imperial Units)

Baseline (Metric Units)

Commercial clothes washer, less than 80 lbs (36.3 kg)

9 gallons/cf/cycle

1,200 liters/m3/cycle

Commercial dishwasher

    Under counter, high temperature

1.98 gallons/rack

7.50  liters/rack

    Under counter, low temperature

1.95 gallons/rack

7.38 liters/rack

    Door type, high temperature

1.44 gallons/rack

5.45 liters/rack

    Door type, low temperature

1.85 gallons/rack

7.00 liters/rack

    Single tank rack conveyor, high temperature

1.13 gallons/rack

4.28 liters/rack

    Single tank rack conveyor, low temperature

1.23 gallons/rack

4.66 liters/rack

    Multi- tank rack conveyor, high temperature

1.1 gallons/rack

4.16 liters/rack

    Multi- tank rack conveyor, low temperature

0.99 gallon/rack

3.75 liters/rack

    Flight type

180 gph

681.37 lph

Commercial ice machines

    Ice machine, IMH (ice-making head) H

    Ice machine, IMH (ice-making head)  H > 450 lbs/day (>204.11 kg/day)

    Ice machine, RCU (no remote compressor) H

    Ice machine, RCU (no remote compressor)  H > 1,000 lbs/day (>453.59 kg/day)

    Ice machine, RCU (remote compressor)  H

    Ice machine, RCU (remote compressor)  H > 934 lbs/day (>423.66 kg/day)

    Ice machine, SCU (self-contained unit)

    Ice machine, water-cooled

Must be on chilled loop

Must be on chilled loop

    Ice machine, once-through water-cooled

Banned

Banned

Food steamer

    Steam cooker, batch cooking

8 gph/pan

3085.11 lph/pan

    Steam cooker, high production or cook to order

8 gph/pan

317.97 lph/pan

Combination oven

 

    Countertop or stand mounted

40 gph

151.42 lph

    Roll-in

60 gph

227.12 lph

Other equipment

Based on industry standards

Based on industry standards

Notes: gph = gallons per hour; cf = cubic feet; lph = liters per hour; H = ice production.
For equipment not listed in the above tables, the project team may propose performance baseline requirements, with documentation supporting the proposed benchmark.

Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs)

Europe ACP: Water Use Baseline
Projects in Europe may use the values defined by European Standards. [view:embed_resource=page_1=4887984] See all forum discussions about this credit »
See all forum discussions about this credit »