Water Use Reduction: Base Building with existing fixtures

The prerequisite calculations must include all fixtures within the "tenant scope", meaning the LEED project boundary; all fixtures, appliances and process water (new and existing) within the LEED project boundary are considered to be within the project scope.

The credit calculations must include all fixtures necessary to meet the needs of the project occupants, including base building restrooms (and showers if pursuing LTc Bicycle Facilities).

If we have an existing ice machine in the project scope, do we need to replace that to earn the prerequisite? What about to earn points under the water credit?

Hi Carlie, 

Just to clarify, is "LEED project boundary" the construction scope of the tenant fit-out? For example, if a tenant space includes base building washrooms, but no alternations to the washrooms will be made, then would these washrooms will be excluded from the LEED project boundary? 

Scott - I believe your interpretation is correct.  If you want the points, you need to include the base building fixtures in your project scope.  If you just want to meet the prerequisite, you can mark the base building fixtures as exempt.

Hi all,

We have a similar question, and it looks like there is some conflicting ideas between Brian and Carlie's responses. Anyone have something conclusive they could point us to about whether or not we need to include the existing fixtures in the prerequisite? Same question for the credit? Our project does not plan to replace the existing fixtures, but we are replacing existing finishes in the restrooms. thank you!

Hi all,

Review comments from our recently certified v4 TI suggest the following for the Prereq: "all flush and flow fixtures in the tenant space (LEED boundary) including existing fixtures need to be included". For the Credit: "include all the fixtures inside and outside the tenant space - new and existing - that serve project occupants".

From the reference guide for the prerequisite:

"Calculations for the prerequisite are based only on the fixtures within the tenant space (note that this differs from WE Credit Indoor Water Use)."

From the credit language for the credit:

" Include fixtures and fittings necessary to meet the needs of the occupants. Some of these fittings and fixtures may be outside the tenant space (for Commercial Interiors)."

The language draws the distinction by whether fixtures are inside or outside the physical space the tenant occupies, not scope of work (as in your case of updating restroom finishes outside the tenant space). I tend to think of it as: you will not be penalized in the prereq for inefficient base building fixtures, but you can't exclude them if you want additional points - that helps keep it straight in my mind.

The only distinction between existing and newly installed fixtures is that existing fixtures don't need to be WaterSense labeled.

This thread is quite helpful. I received a review comment on recent LEED ID+C v4 project that corroborates statements above regarding scope, "WEp Indoor Water Use Reduction is limited to fixtures (existing and new) that are within the LEED project scope." This seems to suggest that GBCI is looking for two different calculations, one calculator for the WE prerequisite that does not include fixtures outside of the LEED ID+C project scope and one for the WE credit that includes all fixtures (inside and outside of the project scope) that are used by the ID+C project occupants (ex. core toilet room fixtures). Is this correct?

That's right, Summer -

Prereq calculation: show that a 20% reduction has been achieved within the CI space. So if the only fixture in the tenant space is a pantry sink, you'll upload a calculator with a single pantry sink on it.

Credit calculation: show that a XX% reduction has been achieved for all fixtures CI occupants will use. So this one would have your pantry sink plus the base building's restroom fixtures and showers.

What Emily wrote, but also, you may include ALL relevant fixtures used by the tenant under the prerequisite calculations for simplicity's sake.  So, if all of the fixtures used by the tenant, whether supplied by the landlord or not, comply with the 20%, then that will pass the prerequisite threshold.  Makes your documentation easier.  

If you are in a situation where the base building fixtures are old and won't help you reach any points, nor help you with the 20% prerequisite, then you may leave them out in order to move forward with certification.

Do you compare the base building fixture performance to the Table showing the performance requirements in WEp1?