PSI Credit 5: Water Use Efficiency
1
- 4 points
To reduce water quantity demand by
promoting water use
efficiency or water reuse.
Use existing and innovative
technologies to promote water
use efficiency or water reuse.
Indoor Use: (1
point)
For buildings, employ strategies that
in aggregate use less
water than the water use baseline calculated for buildings (not
including
irrigation in the calculation) using water efficient or low demand
fixtures or
through diverted non-potable water (stormwater, recycled greywater or
treated wastewater
effluent). Calculations
are based on
estimated occupant usage and shall include only the following fixtures:
water
closets, urinals, toilets, lavatory faucets, showers, and kitchen
faucets.
Landscape Use: (1
point)
For irrigation, use only captured
rainwater, recycled
wastewater or greywater, or water conveyed by a public agency or
irrigation
district/company specifically for non-potable uses.
Use to reduce irrigation needs by 50% based
upon mid-summer baseline calculations.
OR
Install landscaping that does not
require permanent
irrigation systems and is either native or adaptable to the regional
climate. Temporary
irrigation systems
used for plant establishment are allowed only if removed within one
year of
installation.
Stormwater Use: (1-2
points)
Implement a comprehensive stormwater
management plan for the
project that infiltrates, re-uses, or evapotranspirates runoff from 90%
of the
average annual rainfall or 1” of rainfall from a percentage
of the project’s
development footprint and other areas that have been graded so as to be
effectively impervious, as listed below:
Minimum % of the
development footprint
|
Points
|
|
30%
|
1 point
|
|
60%
|
2 points
|
Plan should identify practices to be
employed, such as
permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting systems or green roofs. Development footprint will
include typically
impervious surfaces included in the definition of
“development footprint,” such
as roofs and pavements, even though the surfaces may be made pervious
as part
of the stormwater management plan.
For
Local Governments: Incorporated Towns, Cities, and Counties:
Demonstrate
policies that encourage
water efficiency or minimizing water waste.
These policies should be established in ordinance. Policies could include a
demand side
management program (requiring low use fixtures), metering and water
charges
based upon metered use, and program to audit accounts with high water
use. Credit should
also be given for either
creative municipal re-use of treated wastewater effluent, grey water,
or storm
water by irrigating city grounds with such waters and/or that have an
established program that encourages development to reuse such waters in
their
development.
Existing
or proposed “Storm Water
Management Program” encouraging permeable surface use to
minimize runoff and
risk of contamination.
Implement
post construction phase “Best
Management Practices” (BMP); storm water management program
to treat storm
water runoff, and minimize impact to neighboring water bodies, and
minimize
erosion and sedimentation.
PSI
Table of Contents
|
About YBP 