Step-by-step procedure to comply with the GRIHA Criteria 15: Water use reduction in landscape areas

To comply with GRIHA Criteria 15, which is about reducing landscape water demand use, the following step-by-step procedure can be followed based on the provided case study:

1. Collect data: Collect data about the plant species, evapotranspiration rate, plant factor, canopy area, irrigation system efficiency, and water requirement (LPD) for the design and base cases for different months as provided in the case study.
2. Calculate the total monthly water requirement for both design and base cases for each month using the formula: Total monthly water requirement (l) = Total daily water requirement (l) x 30
3. Calculate the percentage reduction in water requirement: Calculate the percentage reduction in water requirement for the design case in comparison to the base case for each month using the formula: Percentage reduction in water requirement = ((Water requirement of base case – Water requirement of design case) / Water requirement of base case) x 100
4. Analyze the results: Analyze the percentage reduction in water requirement for different months and different plant species to identify which plant species and which months have the highest reduction in water requirement.
5. Take action: Take necessary actions to reduce the water requirement for the identified plant species and months. This can include measures such as selecting drought-resistant plant species, using efficient irrigation systems, providing shade to reduce evaporation, and reducing the area of lawns.
6. Monitor and evaluate: Monitor the water consumption for different plant species and months after taking necessary actions and evaluate the effectiveness of the measures taken. If necessary, adjust the measures accordingly.

For example, using the data provided in the case study, the total monthly water requirement for the design case in January is 2,059,008.82 LPD, and for the base case, it is 4,268,774.40 LPD. Therefore, the percentage reduction in water requirement for January is ((4,268,774.40 – 2,059,008.82) / 4,268,774.40) x 100 = 51.23%. This indicates that the measures taken in the design case have reduced the water requirement for January by more than 50% in comparison to the base case.