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.
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
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.
