Hi All,
Noted in the Step-by-Step Guidance, Step 2. Option 1. saying that:
A landscaping plan showing native plants may be provided to confirm that irrigation will not be required, based on local rainfall and plants’ water demands.
So, does it mean GBCI would accept a landscaping plan having all plants native require no irrigation after establisment period? Under the premise that the landscaping area is "rain reachable". And no calculation is needed?
Thanks a lot!
Maiz Rech
Vivá ConsultoriaSeptember 12, 2023 - 9:41 am
Hello Yoyo,
Did you have any conclusion on this topic? I've been wondering the same for my project.
Afogreen Build
www.afogreenbuild.comGreen Building Consultant
219 thumbs up
April 22, 2024 - 8:58 pm
Hi all,
According to LEED BD+C v4 guide, native plant is considered as plant with no irrigation required.
To pursue Option 1, a landscape water budget calculation is not required.
However, you need to provide documentation showing that the vegetation is drought tolerant and no irrigation required after establishment.
Best regards – Afogreen Build Team
emily reese moody
Sustainability Director, Certifications & ComplianceJacobs
LEEDuser Expert
454 thumbs up
April 22, 2024 - 9:42 pm
One clarification: All plants that can live without irrigation are not automatically considered to be native or adapted. The species will be checked with the project location to confirm it has been properly selected. On the flip side, there are also native/adapted plants that do need irrigation past the establishment period allowed, depending on their application and species.
But for the point of the original question, correct that you do not need to provide calcs if no irrigation is required. If you select that option in the Prereq form, it asks for the following:
"List the plant species and water needs for the landscape area. If applicable, include irrigation establishment plan information."
Then there is no additional info needed for the Credit, itself.
Hope that helps!