LEED Categories

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Location and
Transportation

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Sustainable Sites Water Efficiency Energy and
Atmosphere

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Indoor Innovation Regional
Material and
Environmental Priority Credits
Resources
Quality
Shadi Abou Samra
Water types

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Potable water: Water that meets or exceeds EPA’s drinking water quality standard

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Stromwater: runoff water resulting from precipitation flowing over surfaces and usually to

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storm sewers or waterways.

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Graywater: Untreated household wastewater that has not come in contact with toilet waste (

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lavatories, bathtubs, showers, clothes washers and laundry sinks)

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Blackwater: wastewater from toilets and urinals

Shadi Abou Samra

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Indoor water: used inside the building for toilet flushing, drinking, handwashing

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Irrigation water: Used outside the building to maintain landscaping

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Process Water: water used in building systems for heating and cooling as well as water used

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for dishwashing and similar.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Water Efficiency

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Shadi Abou Samra
Outdoor Water Use Reduction
Prerequisite

Intent

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Reduce outdoor water consumption.

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Mainly landscaping, account for more than a quarter of all water

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Consumption.

Strategies:

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- Choose locally adapted plants (little maintenance)
- Select efficient irrigation technologies (drip irrigation)
- Use non potable water
- Xeriscaping (landscaping design that focuses on native plants,
mulching, efficient irrigation)

Shadi Abou Samra

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Requirement

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OPTION 1. NO IRRIGATION REQUIRED
•

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Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system beyond

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a maximum two-year establishment period.

OR

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OPTION 2. REDUCED IRRIGATION
• Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement by at least 30% from the
calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month through plant species
selection and irrigation system efficiency.
• Calculate baseline using EPA WaterSense budget tool
.
Shadi Abou Samra
Outdoor Water Use Reduction
Credit

Intent

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Reduce outdoor water consumption.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Outdoor Water Use Reduction

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Requirement

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OPTION 1. NO IRRIGATION REQUIRED

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Show that the landscape does not require a permanent irrigation system beyond a

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maximum two-year establishment period (=Prerequisite).

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OR

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OPTION 2. REDUCED IRRIGATION

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Reduce the project’s landscape water requirement by at least 50% from the

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calculated baseline for the site’s peak watering month. Additional reductions beyond

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30% (=Prerequisite) may be achieved using any combination of efficiency, alternative
water sources, and smart scheduling technologies

Shadi Abou Samra

Intent

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Reduce indoor water consumption.

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Plumbing fixtures are categorized as either flow or flush fixtures:

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- Flush fixtures : toilets and urinals (rated in gallons per flush gpf)

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- Flow fixtures: Lavatories, sinks and showerheads (rated in gallons per minute-gpm)

Shadi Abou Samra

Requirements

Building Water Use

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For the fixtures and fittings listed in Table 1, as applicable to

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the project scope, reduce aggregate water consumption by

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20% from the baseline.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Saving plumbing fixtures

- Ultra low faucets and showerheads

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- Dual flush toilets and flushometers

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- Waterless Urinals

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Shadi Abou Samra
Indoor Water Use Reduction
Credit

Intent

m r a
Reduce indoor water consumption.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Indoor Water Use Reduction
Credit

Requirement:

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Further reduce fixture and fitting water use from the calculated baseline in WE Prerequisite Indoor

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Water Use Reduction.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Building-Level Water Metering
Prerequisite

Intent

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Support water management and identify opportunities for

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additional water savings by tracking water consumption.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Building-Level Water Metering
Prerequisite

Requirement

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Building Water Use

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Install permanent water meters that measure the total potable water use for the building

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and associated grounds. Meter data must be compiled into monthly and annual summaries;

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meter readings can be manual or automated.

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Commit to sharing with USGBC the resulting whole-project water usage data for a five-year

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period beginning on the date the project accepts LEED certification or typical occupancy,

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whichever comes first. This commitment must carry forward for five years or until the building

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changes ownership.
.

Shadi Abou Samra

Intent

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Support water management and identify opportunities for

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additional water savings by tracking water consumption.

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a d i
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Shadi Abou Samra
Building-Level Water Metering
Credit

Requirement

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Install permanent water meters for two or more of the following water subsystems, as

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applicable to the project:

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• Irrigation: Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the irrigated landscaped area.

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• Indoor plumbing fixtures and fittings: Meter water systems serving at least 80% of the indoor

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fixtures and fitting described in WE Prerequisite Indoor Water Use Reduction

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• Domestic hot water: Meter water use of at least 80% of the installed domestic hot water

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heating capacity (including both tanks and on-demand heaters).
• Boiler: with aggregate projected annual water use of 100,000 gallons (378 500 liters) or
more, or boiler of more than 500,000 BtuH (150 kW).
• Reclaimed water: Meter reclaimed water, regardless of rate.
• Other process water: Meter at least 80% of expected daily water consumption for process
end uses
Shadi Abou Samra
Cooling Tower Water Use

Intent

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Conserve water used for cooling tower makeup while

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controlling microbes, corrosion, and scale in the condenser

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water system.
.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Cooling Tower Water Use

Requirement

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For cooling towers and evaporative condensers, conduct a one-time potable water

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analysis, measuring at least the five control parameters listed in Table 1.

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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

What is allowed to be used to reduce a project’s landscape water requirement for WE Prerequisite Outdoor

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Water Use Reduction? (Choose 2)

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A. Smart scheduling technologies

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B. Rainwater

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C. Plant species

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D. Irrigation system efficiency

h a d
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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

What is allowed to be used to reduce a project’s landscape water requirement for WE Prerequisite Outdoor

a
Water Use Reduction? (Choose 2)

m r
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A. Smart scheduling technologies

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B. Rainwater

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C. Plant species

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D. Irrigation system efficiency

h a d
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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

What are attributes of native plants? (Choose 2)

A. Require less pruning

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B. Require less pesticides

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C. Require less sunlight
D. Require less fertilizer

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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

What are attributes of native plants? (Choose 2)

A. Require less pruning

m r a
B. Require less pesticides

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C. Require less sunlight
D. Require less fertilizer

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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

Which type of water has the highest quality ?

A. Stormwater

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B. Graywater

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C. Non potable water
D. Well water

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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

Which type of water has the highest quality ?

A. Stormwater

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B. Graywater

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C. Non potable water
D. Well water

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Shadi Abou Samra
Practice Questions

Which of the following does NOT help achieve a water efficient landscape?

A. Planting with native plants

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B. Green Roof

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C. Micromisters

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D. Planting with adaptive plants

Shadi Abou Samra

Which of the following does NOT help achieve a water efficient landscape?

A. Planting with native plants

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B. Green Roof

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C. Micromisters

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D. Planting with adaptive plants

Shadi Abou Samra