Dan Ackerstein
Ackerstein Sustainability, LLC
Principal
Warehouses-NC-v4 WEc1: Outdoor water use reduction 1-2 points
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Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce outdoor water consumption.Requirements
Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options. Nonvegetated surfaces, such as permeable or impermeable pavement, should be excluded from landscape area calculations. Athletic fields and playgrounds (if vegetated) and food gardens may be included or excluded at the project team’s discretion.Option 1. No irrigation required (2 points except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)
Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system beyond a maximum two-year establishment period.OR
Option 2. Reduced irrigation (1-2 points except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)
Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement (LWR) by at least 50% from the calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month. Reductions must first be achieved through plant species selection and irrigation system efficiency as calculated in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense Water Budget Tool. Additional reductions beyond 30% may be achieved using any combination of efficiency, alternative water sources, and smart scheduling technologies.Table 1. Points for reducing irrigation water
| Percentage reduction from baseline | Points (except Healthcare) | Points (Healthcare) |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | 1 | 1 |
| 100% | 2 | — |
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.
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LEEDuser overview
Frank advice from LEED experts
LEED is changing all the time, and every project is unique. Even seasoned professionals can miss a critical detail and lose a credit or even a prerequisite at the last minute. Our expert advice guides our LEEDuser Premium members and saves you valuable time.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Credit language
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce outdoor water consumption.Requirements
Reduce outdoor water use through one of the following options. Nonvegetated surfaces, such as permeable or impermeable pavement, should be excluded from landscape area calculations. Athletic fields and playgrounds (if vegetated) and food gardens may be included or excluded at the project team’s discretion.Option 1. No irrigation required (2 points except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)
Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system beyond a maximum two-year establishment period.OR
Option 2. Reduced irrigation (1-2 points except Healthcare, 1 point Healthcare)
Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement (LWR) by at least 50% from the calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month. Reductions must first be achieved through plant species selection and irrigation system efficiency as calculated in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense Water Budget Tool. Additional reductions beyond 30% may be achieved using any combination of efficiency, alternative water sources, and smart scheduling technologies.Table 1. Points for reducing irrigation water
| Percentage reduction from baseline | Points (except Healthcare) | Points (Healthcare) |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | 1 | 1 |
| 100% | 2 | — |
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.
Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
For full access, sign up now for LEEDuser Premium
Already a premium member? Log in now
Guest expert
Dan Ackerstein
Ackerstein Sustainability, LLC
Principal