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LEED v2009
Healthcare
Water Efficiency
Water use reduction - cooling towers

LEED CREDIT

Healthcare-v2009 WEc4.2: Water use reduction - cooling towers 1 point

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Credit language

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

    ƒ
  • Cooling towers and evaporative condensers for air conditioning systems, such as chilled water systems, shall achieve a minimum of five cycles of concentration based on a ratio of the conductivity of the water being discharged (blowdown) divided by the conductivity of the feed (makeup) water(s), or four cycles of concentration, if the makeup water hardness exceeds 200 mg/l expressed as calcium carbonate, or shall achieve a minimum discharge (blowdown) concentration of 1500 mg/L (1500 ppm) expressed as calcium carbonate, or 175 mg/L (175 ppm) of silica measured as silicon dioxide, whichever is met first.
  • ƒCooling towers and evaporative condensers shall be equipped with makeup and blowdown meters, conductivity controllers and overflow alarms and efficient drift eliminators that reduce drift loss to less than, or equal to, 0.001% of recirculating water in a counter-flow tower or 0.005% in a cross-flow tower.
  • ƒƒUse no more potable water than 2.3 gallons per ton hour (2.5 liters per kilowatt hour) for cooling tower or evaporative condenser make-up.
  • Projects without cooling towers or evaporative condensers are ineligible for this credit
. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Addenda

10/1/2012Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Add "and evaporative condensers" after "Cooling towers" in the first bullet
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2012Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Add "and evaporative condensers" after "Cooling towers" in the second bullet
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
2/2/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Rating System Correction
Description of change:
Add the following bullet at the end of the page:
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2012Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Add "or evaporative condensers" after "cooling tower" in the third bullet
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
10/1/2012Updated: 2/14/2015
Global ACP
Description of change:
Add "or evaporative condensers" after "cooling towers" in the fourth bullet
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
See all forum discussions about this credit »

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USGBC logo

© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

    ƒ
  • Cooling towers and evaporative condensers for air conditioning systems, such as chilled water systems, shall achieve a minimum of five cycles of concentration based on a ratio of the conductivity of the water being discharged (blowdown) divided by the conductivity of the feed (makeup) water(s), or four cycles of concentration, if the makeup water hardness exceeds 200 mg/l expressed as calcium carbonate, or shall achieve a minimum discharge (blowdown) concentration of 1500 mg/L (1500 ppm) expressed as calcium carbonate, or 175 mg/L (175 ppm) of silica measured as silicon dioxide, whichever is met first.
  • ƒCooling towers and evaporative condensers shall be equipped with makeup and blowdown meters, conductivity controllers and overflow alarms and efficient drift eliminators that reduce drift loss to less than, or equal to, 0.001% of recirculating water in a counter-flow tower or 0.005% in a cross-flow tower.
  • ƒƒUse no more potable water than 2.3 gallons per ton hour (2.5 liters per kilowatt hour) for cooling tower or evaporative condenser make-up.
  • Projects without cooling towers or evaporative condensers are ineligible for this credit
.
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