Credit achievement rate
XX%
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LEEDuser expert
Susann Geithner
Dipl. Ing (FH), MSc., LEED AP BD+C, O+M, ID+C, WELL AP
Emerald Built Environments
Principal
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Credit language
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Requirements
OPTION 1: Reduce by 50% (2 points)
Reduce potable water consumption for irrigation by 50% from a calculated midsummer baseline case or using the month with the highest irrigation demand. Reductions must be attributed to any combination of the following items:- Plant species, density and microclimate factor
- Irrigation efficiency
- Use of captured rainwater
- Use of recycled wastewater
- Use of water treated and conveyed by a public agency specifically for nonpotable uses
OR
Option 2: No potable water use or irrigation1 (4 points)
Meet the requirements for Option 1.AND
PATH 1
Use only captured rainwater, recycled wastewater, recycled graywater or water treated and conveyed by a public agency specifically for nonpotable uses for irrigation.OR
PATH 2
Install landscaping that does not require permanent irrigation systems. Temporary irrigation systems used for plant establishment are allowed only if removed within a period not to exceed 18 months of installation.SITES-LEED Equivalency
This LEED credit (or a component of this credit) has been established as equivalent to a SITES v2 credit or component. For more information on using the equivalency as a substitution in your LEED or SITES project, see this article and guidance document.What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
Can non-potable well water that is used for irrigation contribute to potable water reduction?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Can surface water, such as water from an irrigation ditch or a local creek, be used as nonpotable water?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Do interior planters count in the calculation?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
We are using non-potable water for irrigation. For drought conditions, can we hook up to a potable water source for backup and still earn this credit?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Checklists
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LEEDuser’s checklists walk you through the key action steps you need to earn a credit, including how to avoid common pitfalls and save money.
Documentation toolkit
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
OPTION 1: Reduce by 50% (2 points)
Reduce potable water consumption for irrigation by 50% from a calculated midsummer baseline case or using the month with the highest irrigation demand. Reductions must be attributed to any combination of the following items:- Plant species, density and microclimate factor
- Irrigation efficiency
- Use of captured rainwater
- Use of recycled wastewater
- Use of water treated and conveyed by a public agency specifically for nonpotable uses
OR
Option 2: No potable water use or irrigation1 (4 points)
Meet the requirements for Option 1.AND
PATH 1
Use only captured rainwater, recycled wastewater, recycled graywater or water treated and conveyed by a public agency specifically for nonpotable uses for irrigation.OR
PATH 2
Install landscaping that does not require permanent irrigation systems. Temporary irrigation systems used for plant establishment are allowed only if removed within a period not to exceed 18 months of installation.SITES-LEED Equivalency
This LEED credit (or a component of this credit) has been established as equivalent to a SITES v2 credit or component. For more information on using the equivalency as a substitution in your LEED or SITES project, see this article and guidance document.XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
Got the gist of WEc1 but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Premium members get:
- Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
- Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
- Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
- Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
- All checklists organized by project phase.
- On-the-fly suggestions of useful items from the Documentation Toolkit and Credit Language.
In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:
- Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
- Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
- Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
- Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
- Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
- Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.
Can non-potable well water that is used for irrigation contribute to potable water reduction?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Can surface water, such as water from an irrigation ditch or a local creek, be used as nonpotable water?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
Do interior planters count in the calculation?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
We are using non-potable water for irrigation. For drought conditions, can we hook up to a potable water source for backup and still earn this credit?The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial » (If you're already a premium member, log in here.) |
LEEDuser expert
Susann Geithner
Dipl. Ing (FH), MSc., LEED AP BD+C, O+M, ID+C, WELL AP
Emerald Built Environments
Principal
