In LEEDv3.0 Reference Guide pg.182-183, it says:
"For buildings without vegetation on the grounds, teams can earn points by reducing the use of potable water for watering any roof and courtyard garden space or outdoor planters, provided the planters and garden space cover at least 5% of the building site area (including building footprint, hardscape area, parking footprint, etc.). If the planters and garden space cover less than 5% of the building site area, the project is ineligible for this credit."
So this applies only to projects which does not have any ground available (such as building basements extending to the plot limits etc.), or this requirement applies to even projects where ground space is available. Kindly clarify.
Thanking You.
Joshua Radoff
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Specialization Lead, MENVUniversity of Colorado Boulder
LEEDuser Expert
45 thumbs up
August 31, 2009 - 9:11 pm
This caveat applies to all project types, whether you've got a zero lot line site or a sprawling parking lot. The intent here, I believe, is to improve over the previous version of LEED, that didn't stipulate how much landscaping you needed to get the credit. So in theory, with the older system, you could have one planter, irrigate it efficiently, and get the credit. Now there is a minimum amount of site area that needs to be vegetated to qualify.
Sundararaj Subburaman
143 thumbs up
August 30, 2011 - 2:59 am
Irrigation Efficiency for manual irrigation:
Hi, i am working on a project that do not use any efficient irrigation system such as drip & sprinkler as the project falls in highly rainfall prone area. I am not sure what willl be the irrigation efficiency to be considered for manual irrigation as the Leed reference guide do not have these details. Can a assume an irrigation efficiency of 30 % for manual irrigation?
Susann Geithner
PrincipalEmerald Built Environments
1297 thumbs up
August 31, 2011 - 1:18 pm
I'm not sure I understand you situation correctly. So you have a building in an area with lots of natural rainfall and you only water it with a hose or a can on a as needed basis? Could you please describe your situation a little further?
Nelina Loiselle
Above Green239 thumbs up
February 15, 2012 - 4:27 pm
I understand minimum of 5% of the site area has to be landscaped. Does sod count as landscaping towards that 5%?
Susann Geithner
PrincipalEmerald Built Environments
1297 thumbs up
March 14, 2012 - 2:27 pm
If this is just the substance on which turf could grow and it''s not actually a living growing vegetation, than the answer is no. If you mean turf, grass, when yes, that is vegetation.