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LEEDuser expert
Trista Brown
LEED AP O+M, BD+C, Fitwel Ambassador
WSP USA
Project Director
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1. whole building metering (1 point)
Have in place permanently installed water metering that measures the total potable water1 use for the entire building and associated grounds. Meter data must be recorded on a regular basis and compiled into monthly and annual summaries. Applicants are also encouraged to meter gray or reclaimed water supplied to the building.OR
Option 2. submetering (2 points)
Meet the requirements for Option 1 and have in place permanently installed metering for 1 or more of the following water subsystems:- Irrigation. Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the irrigated landscape area on the grounds. The percentage of irrigated landscape area served must be calculated as the total metered irrigated landscape area divided by the total irrigated landscape area. All landscaping areas fully covered with xeriscaping or native vegetation that requires no routine irrigation must be excluded from the calculation entirely.
- Indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings. Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings described in WE Prerequisite 1, either directly or by deducting all other measured water use from the measured total water consumption of the building and grounds.
- Cooling towers. Meter replacement water use of all cooling towers serving the facility.
- Domestic hot water. Meter water use of at least 80% of the installed domestic hot water heating capacity (including both tanks and on-demand heaters).
- Other process water. Meter at least 80% of expected daily water consumption for process- type end uses, such as humidification systems, dishwashers, clothes washers, pools and other systems using process water.
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.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
The water utility for the project building supplies electronic readings of whole building water consumption at least weekly that the project team can access. Will the electronic readings suffice for the required documentation for WEc1?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 own our water meters and the manufacturer of the submeter does not provide documentation recommending a calibration interval. How can we document that we’ve met the calibration requirements?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.) |
For meters not owned by a third-party, when should the meter calibration take place in order to comply with WEc1?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 can't get weekly readings from the main building water meter. However we can take daily readings from a water subsystem (e.g. irrigation or cooling tower makeup). Can we pursue Option 2 (water subsystem metering) without pursing Option 1 (whole building water metering)?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.) |
What kind of meter reading documentation is required to meet the items requested on the credit form? The LEED Online credit form requests both weekly readings, and then also monthly and annual summaries.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.) |
What is the best way to track the monthly and annual water consumption summaries for the whole-building and subsystem water meters?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.) |
If a building’s meter or submeter was installed less than a year ago, how can we provide monthly and annual summaries?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.) |
Documentation toolkit
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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Requirements
Option 1. whole building metering (1 point)
Have in place permanently installed water metering that measures the total potable water1 use for the entire building and associated grounds. Meter data must be recorded on a regular basis and compiled into monthly and annual summaries. Applicants are also encouraged to meter gray or reclaimed water supplied to the building.OR
Option 2. submetering (2 points)
Meet the requirements for Option 1 and have in place permanently installed metering for 1 or more of the following water subsystems:- Irrigation. Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the irrigated landscape area on the grounds. The percentage of irrigated landscape area served must be calculated as the total metered irrigated landscape area divided by the total irrigated landscape area. All landscaping areas fully covered with xeriscaping or native vegetation that requires no routine irrigation must be excluded from the calculation entirely.
- Indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings. Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings described in WE Prerequisite 1, either directly or by deducting all other measured water use from the measured total water consumption of the building and grounds.
- Cooling towers. Meter replacement water use of all cooling towers serving the facility.
- Domestic hot water. Meter water use of at least 80% of the installed domestic hot water heating capacity (including both tanks and on-demand heaters).
- Other process water. Meter at least 80% of expected daily water consumption for process- type end uses, such as humidification systems, dishwashers, clothes washers, pools and other systems using process water.
Credit substitution available
You may use the LEED v4 version of this credit on v2009 projects. For more information check out this article.XX%
Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »
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.
The water utility for the project building supplies electronic readings of whole building water consumption at least weekly that the project team can access. Will the electronic readings suffice for the required documentation for WEc1?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 own our water meters and the manufacturer of the submeter does not provide documentation recommending a calibration interval. How can we document that we’ve met the calibration requirements?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.) |
For meters not owned by a third-party, when should the meter calibration take place in order to comply with WEc1?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 can't get weekly readings from the main building water meter. However we can take daily readings from a water subsystem (e.g. irrigation or cooling tower makeup). Can we pursue Option 2 (water subsystem metering) without pursing Option 1 (whole building water metering)?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.) |
What kind of meter reading documentation is required to meet the items requested on the credit form? The LEED Online credit form requests both weekly readings, and then also monthly and annual summaries.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.) |
What is the best way to track the monthly and annual water consumption summaries for the whole-building and subsystem water meters?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.) |
If a building’s meter or submeter was installed less than a year ago, how can we provide monthly and annual summaries?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
Trista Brown
LEED AP O+M, BD+C, Fitwel Ambassador
WSP USA
Project Director
