Water Efficient Landscaping

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), outdoor water use makes up one-third of residential water use, or approximately 9 billion gallons of water per day. About 50% of this water is wasted because of inefficient watering methods and irrigation systems.

In a commercial setting, a building can use up to one third of its drinking (potable) water for irrigation. LEED rewards projects that reduce potable water use for irrigation through conservation or by using non-potable water.

Why this Credit is Important

The goal of the Water Efficient Landscaping Credit is not to reduce landscaped area, but rather to implement water efficient landscaping practices such as drought tolerant plant species and drip irrigation. As a part of our project team, you will calculate the reduction in water used for landscaping by following the calculations outlined in the Reference Guide summary provided. Using the information we provide you including species factor, density factor, microclimate factor, evapotranspiration rate and irrigation efficiency, you will ultimately calculate our Total Potable Water Applied and the corresponding reduction below the baseline – gaining an important skill that is in high demand.