Using treated seawater for landscaping

Vincent, in my opinion, this could meet the definition of nonpotable water use. You are making use of a nonpotable water source, and treating it to the standards needed in the building. Other more common nonpotable sources, like graywater, would require similar treatment.The energy required to desalinate the water will count against you in the EA category, of course.

Just to follow Tristan's comment here - the credit language is more broad than just potable water. It includes " . . . other natural surface or subsurface resource consumption . . . " which would seem to encompass seawater or a beachwell. I'm actually struggling with how this relates to the fundamental intent of the credit - its a really interesting question ecologically, as using desalinated seawater could theoretically be better for 'the environment' than using potable water, even with the associated climate impacts. (It could just as easily be worse, of course.) But it gets very complicated very quickly, and if I were making a decision with LEED in mind, I think the much safer assumption is that the language around other natural surface water would apply and the desal approach would not be approved. And I agree with Tristan completely - even with wind turbines associated, that energy penalty is going to be an albatross . . . Dan