LEED Water Efficiency Concepts 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which LEED credit category specifically addresses outdoor water use reduction?
- Water Efficiency: Outdoor Water Use Reduction (Correct answer)
- Sustainable Sites: Rainwater Management
- Energy & Atmosphere: Demand Response
- Materials & Resources: Waste Reduction
Correct answer: Water Efficiency: Outdoor Water Use Reduction
The Water Efficiency credit category includes Outdoor Water Use Reduction, which targets landscape irrigation.
Question 2: What is the baseline irrigation requirement used to calculate outdoor water use reduction in LEED?
- A calculated mid-summer peak-week irrigation demand (Correct answer)
- Annual municipal water consumption averages
- EPA WaterSense fixture flow rates
- ASHRAE 90.1 outdoor water benchmarks
Correct answer: A calculated mid-summer peak-week irrigation demand
LEED uses a calculated mid-summer peak-week water demand baseline for the site's landscape to measure outdoor water savings.
Question 3: A building project installs a green roof with drought-tolerant sedums and no irrigation. How does this affect LEED Water Efficiency credits?
- It can earn points by reducing or eliminating outdoor potable water use (Correct answer)
- It earns points under Energy & Atmosphere for reduced heat island effect
- It only qualifies for Sustainable Sites credits, not Water Efficiency
- It has no impact because green roofs are excluded from WE calculations
Correct answer: It can earn points by reducing or eliminating outdoor potable water use
A non-irrigated green roof reduces outdoor potable water consumption, contributing to Outdoor Water Use Reduction credit.
Question 4: Which measurement unit does LEED use to express indoor water use reduction compared to a baseline?
- Percent reduction in annual gallons per occupant (Correct answer)
- Gallons per flush compared to code minimum
- Liters per day per fixture
- BTU per gallon saved
Correct answer: Percent reduction in annual gallons per occupant
LEED expresses indoor water savings as a percentage reduction in annual gallons per occupant versus the calculated baseline.
Question 5: Under LEED, which fixture type is NOT typically included in the indoor water use baseline calculation?
- Irrigation controllers (Correct answer)
- Lavatories
- Water closets
- Urinals
Correct answer: Irrigation controllers
Irrigation controllers manage outdoor water and are addressed under the outdoor water credit, not the indoor water baseline.
Question 6: What does the term 'process water' refer to in LEED Water Efficiency calculations?
- Water used for industrial or mechanical processes such as cooling towers and dishwashers (Correct answer)
- Water treated through reverse osmosis on-site
- Stormwater captured and reused for toilet flushing
- Water flowing through green infrastructure features
Correct answer: Water used for industrial or mechanical processes such as cooling towers and dishwashers
Process water includes water used in building operations like cooling towers, boilers, dishwashers, and laundry, distinct from regulated plumbing fixtures.
Question 7: A LEED project team wants to earn the Water Metering credit. What is the minimum requirement?
- Install permanent water meters on at least two water subsystems and share data with the building owner (Correct answer)
- Install a single master meter for whole-building consumption tracking
- Submit monthly utility bills to GBCI for three years post-occupancy
- Achieve at least 20% indoor water reduction before metering is required
Correct answer: Install permanent water meters on at least two water subsystems and share data with the building owner
The Water Metering credit requires permanent meters on at least two water subsystems (e.g., irrigation, indoor plumbing) with data shared with the owner.
LEED Water Efficiency Concepts 2
Which LEED credit category specifically addresses outdoor water use reduction?