We had a CI project returned without approval for SSc1 paths 7 and 8. It is a school project, an addition, and the owner did not install any irrigation systems. There are some rainwater collection and other features related to incidental watering needs, but installed no irrigation system using potable water. We have documented in LEED for homes projects the plant materials installed to validate their drought tolerance, etc. But going by the letter of the credit, path 8 says no irrigation system so as to avoid using potable water is the requirement to meet the credit. Any ideas why this would have been denied? Do we need to demonstrate plant species, or are there some additional documentation that we need to supply. It is a little confusing, because there isn't much guidance other than not providing irrigation...thanks!
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Keelan Kaiser
Architect and EducatorSerena Sturm Architects and Judson University
141 thumbs up
March 5, 2015 - 4:39 pm
Anyone have any ideas on this one? Thx!!
Kristina Bach
VP of InnovationSustainable Investment Group
151 thumbs up
March 5, 2015 - 4:49 pm
So it's really hard to guess without seeing the specific review comment in this instance. It's also a little confusing how you have rainwater and watering systems for incidental needs but then say you have no permanent irrigation system. Typically, if you have some sort of regular irrigation plan and want Path 8, you need to demonstrate that the non-potable water potential (i.e. what the region expects and your storage capacity) will be enough to cover all your anticipated demand (i.e. you'll always have enough in that storage to be able to water the plants). Perhaps that was the outstanding question in the reviewer's mind?
The other potential question is did you look at all of the existing irrigation on the property? SSc1 looks at the whole building and so you'd need to include everything already installed, not just whether this project added a system. If reviewers saw something that looked like an existing irrigation system, that'd be a reason to push back on the points without additional clarification.
It's really hard to speculate without the actual review language in this case. If you want to post the issues, we could look at it again.
Keelan Kaiser
Architect and EducatorSerena Sturm Architects and Judson University
141 thumbs up
March 5, 2015 - 5:27 pm
That's helpful, thanks! Yes, we basically documented that there is no installed irrigation system at the whole school, and that the only irrigation that does exist, exists in the form of some rain barrel student projects, etc. The site is covered in drought tolerant grass that is not watered with potable water. This is the first time I've done this credit, so apparently it isn't as simple as just documenting that there is not an irrigation system installed. Yet, there isn't really much in the manual for how to document the point, and the reviewer seems confused.