Water Sense Labeling

If helpful, note that the WaterSense label requirement does not apply to existing fixtures, fixtures outside the LEED project boundary (i.e. base building restrooms and/or off-site showers), or flushometer water closets.

Hi Carlie, have you seen it documented somewhere that WaterSense requirements do not apply to flushometer toilets? We've been assuming these must be labeled because it appears to be an eligible product category (https://www.epa.gov/watersense/commercial-toilets)

We're actually having difficulty with this issue because it appears there are currently no WaterSense AUTOMATIC flush valves on the market. If we use a flush valve that meets WaterSense criteria (max 1.28 gpf, min 1.0 gpf) do you think GBCI would accept anyway even without an official label?

Thanks!

Hi Craig,

The BD+C Reference Guide section "Step-By-Step Guidance, Step 2" outlines the WaterSense label found for eligible fixtures and only tank-type water closets are listed.

Subsequent to the official release of LEED v4, WaterSense flushometer toilets became available; therefore, projects are encouraged, but not required, to use these.

Projects can still use flushometer toilets, they are just not required to have the WaterSense label.

Hope this helps clarify!

Thanks very much Carlie!

For shower heads: we specified a 1.5 gpm shower head, which does not bear the watersense label, but complies with the intent. (Similar to being "Energy Star Compliant" vs "Energy Star Labeled". Would this fixture be allowable?

Can anyone please confirm if it is still the case that WCs with flushometer do not need to be WaterSense labeled?  Thank you!

Stacey, I'm afraid the showerhead is an eligible fixture type, and WaterSense would therefore be required.

Megan, this is the current text in the digital version of the Reference Guide, which is the most up-to-date. To me, this indicates that a regular commercial toilet with a flushometer (probably what most of our projects have) is required to comply with the percentage reduction criteria only.

Select WaterSense-labeled products for all newly installed fixtures that are eligible for labeling by verifying that the manufacturer and model are listed on the WaterSense website. The WaterSense label can be found for fixtures in the following product categories:

• Tank-type toilet (water closet)
• Water-using urinals
• Private lavatory faucets
• Showerheads

The following fixture types are not labeled by WaterSense and must comply with the percentage reduction criteria:

• Tankless toilets
• Composting toilets and waterless toilets
• Waterless urinals
• Public lavatory faucets

Using aerators is an acceptable water savings strategy.

• Newly installed aerators or flow restrictors added to private lavatories or showers must be WaterSense labeled.
• For private lavatories, WaterSense requires a maximum flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute at 60 pounds per square inch and a minimum flow rate of 0.8 gallons per minute at 20 pounds per square inch. The installed fixtures in the design case must use the rated flow rate from the manufacturer, and the underlying assumptions must remain consistent between the baseline and design cases.

FYI - I just found further confirmation here, from a post in December 2016:

https://leeduser.buildinggreen.com/forum/flush-valve-toilet-bowl-require...

"...I received this confirmation from GBCI the other day which provides clarification on the v4 required Water Sense labeled fixtures:

"Thanks for contacting us, regarding Water Sense labeled products. Neither flush valves or water closet bowls are required to be WaterSense labeled. The WaterSense label requirement applies only to the fixtures labeled by WaterSense when the LEED v4 rating system was published (tank-type toilets, water-using urinals, private lavatory faucets, and showerheads).

The WaterSense label requirement does not apply to fixtures unlabeled by WaterSense when the LEED v4 rating system was published, including flushometer toilets (separate flush valve and bowl).

Only tank-type toilets must be WaterSense labeled. Projects can still use flushometer toilets, they just do not have a WaterSense label.

A WaterSense specification for flushometer toilets was released in December 2015; LEED projects are encouraged, but not required, to use WaterSense labeled flushometer toilets as they become more available in the market. The water closet bowl is not required to be labeled. It is recommended that the bowl should be compatible with the flush valve (i.e. the bowl flush rating should not be less than the flush valve rating)." "

can anyone direct me to the lcoation of the "Reference Guide".  I have found several but non referance the infomation discussed.  

The "reference guide" is available online via the LEED Credit Library. Better to open with a Chrome browser vs internet explorer. https://www.usgbc.org/credits

Hi all, I found this document from USBCI website GBC_016 WaterSense Rd3-1.pdf (usgbc.org), do you think for project in outside Germany would be not mandatory to use a product with WaterSense label, at leas meet the requirement of 20% reduction?

Hi Melvina,

Yes, if your project location is not specifically listed in the international guidance document from USGBC (https://www.usgbc.org/resources/international-water-labeling-programs) then it must adhere to the statement at the bottom of that guidance: 
"Note: countries without a listed labeling program must meet the flush and flow requirements of “Table 6. Maximum installed flush or flow rates for prescriptive path” listed in the Step-by-Step Guidance section of the LEED Reference Guide."