Water Metering for LEED Group: Single Meter for 3 Buildings?

Mike Refsland

Sr. High Performance Designer

DLR Group

LEEDuser Premium Member

7 thumbs up

Project location :

U.S. and Canada

May 22, 2024

I'm working on a project pursuing LEED v4 Group, New Construction, with 3 separate buildings in the LEED Group. The design team would like to provide 1 potable water meter that serves all 3 buildings to meet the prerequisite. LEED Campus Guidance is vague and states "No" for the Group approach and describes requirements for irrigation, but not potable water. The only water source for all three buildings is potable water (no reclaimed/rainwater).

Can this prerequisite be achieved with a single water meter for all three buildings, and does anyone have precedent?

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Drew George

Drew George & Partners

LEEDuser Premium Member

4 thumbs up

Wed, 01/22/2025 - 19:40

Hi Mike, we're working on a project and have the same question so we're curious how you proceeded. Thanks!

Dave Hubka

Practice Leader - Sustainability

EUA

LEEDuser Expert

510 thumbs up

Wed, 01/22/2025 - 20:30

the Reference Guide provides guidance for Group projects: Submit separate documentation for each building. Potable water used for landscape irrigation must be tracked in any of three ways: by including it with a single building, by installing a dedicated meter, or by installing multiple meters. LEED interpretation 10475 provides additional guidance with respect to campus-wide irrigation system. Hope this helps!

Drew George

Drew George & Partners

LEEDuser Premium Member

4 thumbs up

Wed, 01/22/2025 - 20:40

Thanks for the reply Dave and we're clear regarding the metering options for irrigation water, and are planning to have one irrigation meter for the entire project site. Our question is regarding the potable water used in the buildings, does a single meter meet the prerequisite for a Group project with multiple buildings?

Dave Hubka

Practice Leader - Sustainability

EUA

LEEDuser Expert

510 thumbs up

Wed, 01/22/2025 - 20:54

https://build.usgbc.org/l/413862/2019-01-17/nf5p8m/413862/153042/LEED_Campus_Guidance.pdf looking at the current LEED Campus Guidance (link above) it looks like WEp Building Level Water Metering credit is not eligbible at the Campus or Group level. Which leads me to believe that GBCI will require each building within the group application to include a building-level water meter. I don't think a single meter for multiple buildings will be approved. Water meters have not been cost prohibitive on my campus/master site/group projects so the teams would install one at each building. if others find that one meter for multiple buildings will be approved, please post. Good Luck!