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NC-2009 WEc1:Water Efficient Landscaping

Existing landscaping, including turf, and no irrigation

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Lew Bonadies
Marketing Consultant, LEED AP O+M
BtoB Projects, LLC
LEEDuser Basic Member
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We're renovating an Army barracks, with minimal changes to the existing landscaping, which includes turf. The landscaped area exceeds 5% of the site area. There is no permanent irrigation, nor will we add it. Can we retain the turf and still qualify for Option 2, Path 2? Or must we replace the turf with native/adapted plants? Or do we exclude all the existing landscaping from our 5% minimum area? Can we submit a narrative and site plan without the need for calculations? Thanks.

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Mon, 03/10/2014 - 20:37

I completed the WEc1 documentation for a project that was certified a few months ago under LEED-NC v2.2. Our project had a similar situation since it was located on an Army base, and the USACE's landscape plan included turf grass in addition to native/adapted vegetation. The USACE Project Manager confirmed in writing that permanent irrigation would not be installed within the LEED Project Boundary; I submitted this along with the landscape plan, information about the water use requirements and drought tolerance of each species of vegetation, and a narrative describing the landscape design (including a statement that there would be no permanent irrigation). The credit was earned, and irrigation demand calculations were not required. I would think that existing landscaping would be included if it is within the LEED Project Boundary, but I haven't encountered that particular situation previously.

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