Relevant Mandates and Rating Systems
| Mandates / Standards | Rating Systems |
|---|
Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings
- Guiding Principle 3 addresses the need to "Protect and Conserve Water" in facilities indoors and outdoors as well as using alternative water sources.
- Guidance requires utilizing best practices for water efficient landscaping and water-efficient irrigation strategies to track and reduce outdoor potable water use. Outdoor water meters are also recommended when irrigation systems are greater than 25,000 square feet.
- Water meters are required inside the facility, as are the use of water-efficient products.
Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings
Guidance for Federal Agencies on Sustainable Practices for Designed Landscapes
Energy Independence and Security Act (2007)
The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) requires facility managers, as defined by the act, to complete comprehensive water evaluations through retro-commissioning of 25 percent of covered facilities each year, so that each facility is completed at least once every four years. Water efficiency measures were specified, with the promotion of bundling measures into combined projects as a cost-effective strategy to reduce overall energy consumption per square foot by thirty percent by FY2015. Measuring and verifying water savings through metering is also made explicit.
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-110publ140/html/PLAW-110publ140.htm
LEED O+M: Existing Buildings (v4)
Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) for Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) dedicates certification credits to reducing the burden on potable water supply and wastewater systems through implementation of water-conserving indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings that meet or exceed the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) or International Plumbing Code (IPC). Metering of irrigation, indoor plumbing fixtures, cooling towers, domestic hot water, reclaimed water, and other process water uses is emphasized. Reducing the water demand for irrigation and indoor plumbing fixtures through water-efficient landscaping and fittings respectfully, is also explicit in LEED O+M. In addition, credits are available for utilizing non potable water sources in cooling tower makeup water use.
| Credit ID | Credit Name |
|---|---|
| SSp1 | Site Management Policy |
| SSc2 | Rainwater Management |
| SSc5 | Site Management |
| SSc6 | Site Improvement Plan |
| WEp1 | Indoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEp2 | Building-Level Water Metering |
| WEc1 | Outdoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEc2 | Indoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEc3 | Cooling Tower Water Use |
| WEc4 | Water Metering |
| EAc1 | Existing Building Commissioning - Analysis |
| EAc2 | Existing Building Commissioning - Implementation |
| EAc3 | Ongoing Commissioning |
LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors (v4)
LEED for Interior Design & Construction (ID+C): Commercial Interiors employs a number of sustainable water system best practices in its certification process. A twenty percent reduction in overall building water use compared to the tenant space baseline is required, while reductions between twenty-five and fifty percent are rewarded with more credit points. LEED ID+C guidance recommends using WaterSense-certified fixtures coupled with using alternate on-site sources of water such as rainwater, stormwater, greywater, and air conditioner condensate. Commissioning the domestic hot water systems is made explicit as part of the whole building commissioning process.
| Credit ID | Credit Name |
|---|---|
| Integrative Process | |
| WEp1 | Indoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEc1 | Indoor Water Use Reduction |
| EAp1 | Fundamental Commissioning and Verification |
| EAc1 | Enhanced Commissioning |
LEED BD+C: New Construction (v4)
Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) addresses components of a sustainable water system in a number of ways. Projects are required to employ strategies that in aggregate use twenty percent less water than the building's plumbing fixture water use baseline. Integrating water-efficient landscaping that reduces potable water consumption by 50 to 100 percent is also identified. Additionally, reducing the quantity of potable water use for building sewage conveyance or treating wastewater on-site assists in achieving project certification.
| Credit ID | Credit Name |
|---|---|
| Integrative Process | |
| SSc4 | Rainwater Management |
| WEp1 | Outdoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEp2 | Indoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEp3 | Building-Level Water Metering |
| WEc1 | Outdoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEc2 | Indoor Water Use Reduction |
| WEc3 | Cooling Tower Water Use |
| WEc4 | Water Metering |
| EAp1 | Fundamental Commissioning and Verificatoin |
| EAc1 | Enhanced Commissioning |
Green Globes New Construction
A sustainable water system is directly addressed in Green Globes New Construction certification system in the categories of project management, site, and water. Water performance goals can be set between 10-35 gallons/ft2/year, with credit given to ongoing performance verification and documentation. Sub-metering is rewarded, as well a minimal use of water for cooling towers. Outdoor water use for irrigation is discouraged. Emphasis is further given to implementing on-site wastewater treatment systems where practical.
| Questions | |
|---|---|
| Is there a commitment to minimize the water consumption of the building and associated site activities, and to establish a water target? | |
| Is there a commitment to minimize the demand for potable water in the building and on-site? | |
| Is there a commitment to minimize the need for the off-site treatment of water? | |
| For each proposed site, has an investigation been done to determine whether the site and proposed development are appropriate for collecting rainwater? | |
| If local codes allow it, has each site been evaluated in terms of whether there is sufficient land area on the site to construct a wetland or greywater infiltration system integrated with the landscape design? | |
| If cooling towers are to be used, will they have water-conserving features? | |
| Will the principles of xeriscaping be applied? | |
| Is a separate system for the supply of greywater being considered? |
Green Globes for Existing Buildings
Green Globes for Existing Buildings encourages cognitive implementation and metering of water heating equipment for energy efficiency measures. With regards to water conservation, high-efficiency toilets and urinals that use less than 1.6 and 1.0 GPF respectfully are made explicit. Green Globes for Existing Buildings rewards thoughtful water management and written policies to discourage the use of once-through cooling units and landscaping necessitating a plentiful water supply while ensuring proper maintenance of the water system is upheld.
| Questions | |
|---|---|
| Does the building have high-efficiency water heating equipment? | |
| Is there a written policy intended to minimize water use, and encourage water conservation? | |
| Is water consumption being monitored? | |
| Are there the following water-conserving fixtures: low flow toilets that use less than 1.5 GPF? Ultra low flush urinals that use less than 1.0 GPF? Automatic valve controls and/or proximity detectors? Low flow or laminar flow faucets (2.2 GPM)? | |
| Does the landscaping minimize the need for irrigation? Are other sources of water used for irrigation such as: Rainwater? Graywater? | |
| Does the building use once-through water-cooled units? | |
| Are there regular procedures for checking and fixing leaks? |