Rainwater Management: A Key to Achieving LEED EB-(O+M) Sustainable Site Credit
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification is an internationally recognized green building rating system. One of the LEED EBOM (Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance) credits that buildings can earn is the SUSTAINABLE SITE Credit: Rainwater Management. This credit is intended to reduce the volume of runoff and improve water quality by replicating the natural hydrology and water balance of the site based on historical conditions and undeveloped ecosystems in the region.
This credit applies to:
- O+M: Existing Buildings (1 point)
The credit requires the use of low-impact development (LID) practices to infiltrate, evapotranspiration, collect, and reuse water onsite from 25% of the impervious surfaces for the 95th percentile storm event. The goal is to replicate the natural water cycle that existed on the site before development. LID practices include permeable pavement, rain gardens, bioswales, green roofs, and other measures that mimic natural systems to manage rainwater.
| Requirements | Required Documentation |
|---|---|
| Use low-impact development (LID) practices to infiltrate, evapotranspirate, collect and reuse water onsite from 25% of the impervious surfaces for the 95th percentile storm event. | Calculations that demonstrate how the volume of runoff from 25% of impervious surfaces and the volume managed by green infrastructure measures were calculated. Description of proposed practices to be implemented on the project site and what qualifies these strategies as green infrastructure techniques that best replicate natural site hydrology processes. |
| Establish and implement an annual inspection and maintenance program of all rainwater management facilities to assure continued performance. | Document or narrative describing the annual inspection and maintenance program. |
| Perform necessary maintenance, repairs, or stabilization within 60 days of inspection. | – |
| Document the annual inspections, including identification of areas of erosion, maintenance needs, and repairs. | Documents that thoroughly depict the green infrastructure techniques used. Rainfall events calculator. |