Water Conservation andLEED® CreditsHOUSTON LAND/WATER SUSTAINABILITY FORUM

May 27, 2009

Mikel Wilkins, PE, LEED® AP

Water Consumption Facts• 43.3 billion gallons per day

• Buildings use 11% of total

• Reducing 10% of commercial usage would save more than 2 trillion gallons per year.

Water Consumption Facts• 14% of withdrawn water lost to evaporation,

transpiration, and production

• 86% used, treated, and discharged

• 1/3 of nation’s water bodies unsafe for fishing and swimming.

LEED® 2009 • Updated rating system

• Sustainable Sites

• Water Efficiency

• Materials and Resources

• Innovation in Design

• Regional Priority

Regional Priority Credits

• Earn up to 4 of 6 identified credits

• Location specific

• 77002– Brownfield Redevelopment

– Protect or Restore Habitat

– Storm Water Quantity Control

– Storm Water Quality Control

– On-site Renewable Energy

– Construction Waste Management

www.usgbc.org

Water Efficiency Goals• Monitor water consumption performance

• Reduce indoor potable water consumption

• Saving Energy and Improve Environmental Well Being

• Practice water-efficient landscaping

• Teach Water Efficient Practices

Monitoring Consumption• Establish a baseline

• Identify opportunities to save

• Measurable results

Reduce Indoor Consumption• Alternate sources for non-potable use

• Install efficient systems or retrofit existing

• Easy to calculate payback

Energy and Well Being• Energy savings by reduction in heating,

cooling, and distribution

• Hot water heating – 15% of building energy costs

• Reduce energy consumption in water supply and wastewater infrastructure

Water-efficient Landscaping• Outdoor irrigation – 30% of water

consumption

• Common sense and technology

Education

• Efficient systems provide educational opportunities

• Water conservation combined with other course work

• Make efficient designs visible on campus

• Environmental stewardship

Water Efficiency CreditsCREDIT TITLE NC SCHOOLS CS

WE Prerequisite 1

Water Use Reduction

Required Required Required

WE Credit 1 Water Efficient Landscaping

2 – 4 points 2-4 points 2-4 points

WE Credit 2 Innovative WastewaterTechnologies

2 points 2 points 2 points

WE Credit 3 Water Use Reduction

2 – 4 points 2 – 4 points 2 – 4 points

WE Credit 4 Process Water Use Reduction

NA 1 point NA

WE Prerequisite 1Water Use Reduction

• Increase water efficiency within buildings

• Reduce water use by 20%

• Provides baseline calculation guidance for specific fixtures

• www.epa.gov/watersense

WE Credit 1Water Efficient Landscaping

• Limit or eliminate potable, natural, sub-surface water use for irrigation– Option 1 - Reduce by 50% (2 points)

– Option 2 – No Potable Use or Irrigation (4 points)• Only rainwater, recycled wastewater, recycled graywater, non-

potable source

• No permanent irrigation system, temporary for 1 year

WE Credit 2Innovative Wastewater Technologies

• Reduce wastewater generation and potable demand, increase aquifer recharge– Option 1 – Reduce building sewage

conveyance by 50% (2 points)

– Option 2 – Treat 50% of wastewater on-site to tertiary standards (2 points)

• Treated water infiltrated or used on-site

Constructed WetlandSource: NRCS

WE Credit 2Innovative Wastewater Technologies

http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/625r00008/html/625R00008.htm

WE Credit 3Water Use Reduction

• Further increase water efficiency within buildings

Percentage Reduction Points

30% 2

35% 3

40% 4

WE Credit 4Process Water Use Reduction

Equipment Type Maximum Water Use Other Requirements

Clothes washers 7.5 gallons/ft3/cycle

Dishwashers with racks 1.0 gallons/rack

Ice Machines

Lbs/day>17520 gallons/100lbs

No water-cooled machines

Lbs/day<17530 gallons/100lbs

No water-cooled machines

Food Steamers 2 gallons/hour Boilerless steamers only

Pre-rinse spray valves 1.4 gallons per minute

Related CreditsCredit

SS 5.1 – Site Development – Protect or Restore Habitat

Native or adaptive vegetation

SS 5.2 – Maximize Open Space Native or adaptive vegetation

SS 7.2 – Heat Island Effect – Roof Native or adaptive vegetation

SS 6.1 – Storm Water Design – Quantity Control

Rainwater capture systems

SS 6.2 – Storm Water Design Rainwater capture systems

SS 7.1 – Heat Island Effect – Nonroof Reduce energy consumption

EA Prerequisite 2: Minimum EnergyPerformance

Reduce energy consumption

EA Credit 1: Optimize Energy Performance Reduce energy consumption

ID Credit 3: The School as a Teaching Tool Diverse habitats

Materials and Resources Regional and Recycled Material

Water Conservation andLEED® CreditsHOUSTON LAND/WATER SUSTAINABILITY FORUM

May 27, 2009

Mikel Wilkins, PE, LEED® AP