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The bar has been raised
You will not earn this prerequisite using standard fixtures that only comply with the federal EPAct 1992. This prerequisite, first introduced in LEED 2009, raises the bar significantly. All projects must now reduce water use by at least 20% as a prerequisite, whereas earlier versions of LEED awarded a point for a 20% reduction. The baseline against which water savings are measured has also become more demanding. The LEED 2009 baseline for commercial lavatory faucets is 0.5 gallons per minute (gpm), whereas the previous baseline was 2.5 gpm. Note that this prerequisite addresses interior water use only, but can be coupled with other water credits addressing outdoor water use.
Plan on focusing on efficiency with ultra-low-flow or waterless fixtures, as well as overall conservation...
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13 Comments
Babies - Water Consumption
I'm working on a preschool project, which will have 30 babies between 4 months to 1 year-old; 30 babies between 1 to 2 years-old; 30 babies between 2 - 3 years-old; and 30 babies between 3 to 4 years-old. How should I develop the water calculation for these "students"? Should I include all babies as "students"?
I have not read specific guidance on this, however it would seem that any child (I'm not sure I'd label a 4 year old a baby) who can use the restroom and sink on their own or mostly on their own should be included.
Anyone have experience with this case?
Availability of 2/4 LPF WCs
Dear all,
A Contractor of a LEED project has been struggling to find dual flush 2/4 LPF WCs in Lebanon (the Middle East).
Can someone please provide me with a list of suppliers who readily have 2/4 LPF WCs?
N.B: Although the project is in Lebanon, the Contractor is willing to import from abroad (preferably the Middle East region).
Many thanks..
Adjustable valve for WC fixtures
Dear all,
The project has 2/4 LPF WC fixtures specified, and the water calculations done accordingly.
The Contractor is suggesting a WC fixture with a maximum flush rate of 3/6 LPF, but with a regulating valve that can decrease the flush rate down to zero. In other words, the WC fixture can be adjusted to provide 2/4 LPF, but can be easily adjusted later on to a higher non-compliant flow rate.
Has anyone had experience with the USGBC with such types of WC fixtures?
Thanks..
School Kitchen Pre-Rinse and Wash Sinks
I am working on a high school project that includes a kitchen with both a pre-rinse sink and a three-tub sink that will have two faucets. I see that both pre-rinse sinks and kitchen sinks are among the fixtures that must be included in my water savings calculations, however the template defaults do not seem to accurately describe the number of daily uses nor the duration of the average use of these types of flow fixtures. Has anyone had any experience that might inform my decision about these figures? Thanks in advance.
Art,
I don't know if you could still use the information, but the new Version 4.0 of the form does not require a duration or daily uses number for the pre-spray valves. It is just a check that you have less than or equal to 1.6 gpm and you don't have to worry about the duration, number of uses, etc.
However, if you were using an older template like I was and had the following footnote to Table Flow Fixture Data, "a reasonable estimate MUST be provided for pre-rinse spray valves when selected in the table above," you would have wanted to enter a value. I found a Lawrence Berkeley National Lab study that seems reasonable for the pre-rinse spray valve: http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/962727-n3Dp1W/962727.pdf. This suggests schools use the valve 2.2 - 4 hours per day.
On the kitchen sink, I was just using the default of one use per FTEFull-time equivalent (FTE) represents a regular building occupant who spends 8 hours a day (40 hours a week) in the project building. Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on their hours per day divided by 8 (or hours per week divided by 40). Transient Occupants can be reported as either daily totals or as part of the FTE. Residential occupancy should be estimated based on the number and size of units. Core and Shell projects should refer to the default occupancy table in the Reference Guide appendix. All occupant assumptions must be consistent across all credits in all categories. and 15 sec duration.
I really hope they will get these forms settled - just in time for 2012. :-/
Private vs. Public Lavatory Faucets
I am working on two elementary schools, and the lower grade levels have private restrooms intended for individual student use in each classroom. The baseline for private lavatory faucets is 2.2 gpm, so installing 0.5 gpm faucets in these areas will help us to achieve a greater water savings, as long as these faucets are actually considered private. Page. 174 of the LEED for Schools 2009 reference guide states, "restrooms in commercial establishments where the fixtures are intended for the use of a family or an indivducal are considered private or private-use facilities." However, it also says, "If the classification for public or private usePrivate use applies to plumbing fixtures in residences, apartments, and dormitories, to private (non-public) bathrooms in transient lodging facilities (hotels and motels), and to private bathrooms in hospitals and nursing facilities. is unclear, default to public-use flow rates in performing the calcualtions associated with this credit.
Has anyone else encountered a similar situation and if so, how did you handle it?
Since the lower grade bathrooms serve the same function as the upper grade bathrooms, and since they are not intended for the use of a family or an individual, I would guess that they should be characterized as public lavatories for the purposes of this prerequisite/credit.
Classroom Sinks
Do classroom sinks, and art room sinks fall under lavatory sinks or are they not included in the baseline caculation.
WEp1 is limited to savings generated by the following water using fixtures: water closets, urinals, showerheads, public lavatory/restroom faucets, private lavatory/restroom faucets, public metering lavatory/restroom faucets, kitchen and janitor sink faucets, and metering faucets. Classroom and art room sinks do not fall within the scope of WEp1.
I am working on a school project that has both a classroom and administration component. There is a small "First Aid" room (100 SF) that has a sink in it. There is no full-time school nurse; the room will used as needed and not on a regular basis. Do you think that this sink should be included in the water use calculations?
It sounds like a lavatory sink? It would have to be included, but chances are it will have a negligible impact on your credit compliance.
Karen: The LEED BD+C Addendum dated January 8, 2010 removes janitors sink faucets from plumbing fixture water use table 1.
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