Green Building and LEED Core Concepts Guide First Edition

THINK ABOUT IT
Green lawns and green buildings. Many commercial building landscapes
include some turf, yet most of these spaces are not intended for picnics or play.
Since turf tends to be water intensive, why is it the go-to choice for landscapes
Why has it become the "baseline" plant material Why does it cover so many
median strips Why should it not
PROCESS WATER
Process water is used for industrial processes and building systems, such
as cooling towers, boilers, and chillers. Thesc sysrems provideheat,coolairandwater
for building operations. Process water also includes the water used for certain business operations
(such as washing machines and dishwashers).
Commercial building projects can reduce process water use
by selecting efficient cooling towers, chillers, boilers, and
other equipment, and by integrating harvested rainwater and
non potable water to work in conjunction with the specified
equ ipment.
Since process water volumes can be significant, understanding how that water is being used is important.
Teams can install submeters on each of the major wat~r-using systems to find out where
the water is going and where they should focus their conservation efforts. Metering cooling tower
makeup water (water lost to evaporation during cooling tower operation) is particularly important
because facilities may be able to receive credit from the utility company for sewer charges, since the
water is not entering the sewer system.
Strategies for reducing process water use:
• Use nonpotable water. Use the right water for the right purpose. Investigate opportunities to
use captured ramwater, graywater, or mUnicipally reclaimed water in bu ildmg processes and
systems, such as cooling towers .
• Install submeters. Meter the process water systems and use the data to track consumption
and identify leaks.
Water Efficiency 41