Refer to LEED-NC WEc1 for detailed requirements and documentation guidance. 

Option 2, Path 8: Water-Efficient Landscaping—No Potable Water Use or No Irrigation

Locating in a building that uses less municipal water may result in lower lease rates for the tenants. 

If your building uses no potable water for irrigation, it also complies with Option 2, Path 8: Water-Efficient Landscaping—No Potable Water Use or No Irrigation.  

For zero-lot-line buildings, this path may be difficult to achieve. However, if your building has planters or garden spaces that cover 5% or more of the building site area (including building footprint, hardscape, and parking), your project may still be able to earn a point. Reducing the amount of water used to water a roof garden can also contribute to credit achievement.  

If your building’s landscaping makes up 5% or less of the site area, you cannot follow this path. 

Find out if your project building’s landscaping includes any permanent irrigation systems, which would be a red flag on your chances of following this path. The presence of native or adapted vegetation, rainwater or graywater collection and reuse would be positive indicators, on the other hand. 

Determine if your building uses 50% less potable water for irrigation than standard water usage by employing a highly efficient landscaping irrigation system or using harvested rainwater or recycled water from the site. To determine this, run a preliminary calculation based on the methodology found in the LEED Reference Guide to determine this. 

Refer to LEED-NC WEc1 for detailed requirements and documentation guidance. 

Option 2, Path 7: Water Efficient Landscaping—Reduce by 50%