Complying with the IGBC landscape credit Rain Water Harvesting can help enhance the groundwater table and reduce municipal water demand through effective rainwater management. The credit incentivizes the provision of a rainwater harvesting system to capture and recharge a percentage of runoff volumes from non-roof areas. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide to help you comply with the credit, along with a summary table for the required documentation.

Compliance Options:

To comply with the IGBC landscape credit Rain Water Harvesting, you need to provide a rainwater harvesting system to capture at least 20% of runoff volumes from non-roof areas. The harvesting system should be designed to cater to at least 1 day of normal rainfall occurred in the last 5 years.

Points are awarded as follows:

• ≥ 20% of runoff volumes from non-roof areas captured/recharged by rainwater harvesting system – 1 point

• ≥ 30% of runoff volumes from non-roof areas captured/recharged by rainwater harvesting system – 2 points

In areas where the central/state groundwater board does not recommend artificial rainwater recharge or if the groundwater table is less than 4m, projects can show nominal compliance by collecting and reusing rainwater, and points are awarded as follows:

• ≥ 10% of runoff volumes from roof and non-roof areas captured by rainwater harvesting system – 1 point

• ≥ 15% of runoff volumes from roof and non-roof areas captured by rainwater harvesting system – 2 points

Documentation Required:

To comply with the IGBC landscape credit Rain Water Harvesting, you need to provide the following documentation:

• Narrative describing strategies implemented to capture/harvest rainwater from non-roof areas.

• Details of the rainwater harvesting system specifying storage/harvesting capacity of water.

• Calculations demonstrating the percentage of runoff volumes from non-roof captured by rainwater harvesting system.

• External rainwater layout showing the rainwater harvesting systems.

Step-by-Step Guide:

To comply with the IGBC landscape credit Rain Water Harvesting, follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify the non-roof areas where runoff volumes can be captured and recharge. These areas can include open spaces, pavements, and roads, among others.

Step 2: Design a rainwater harvesting system to capture and recharge the identified runoff volumes. The system should be designed to cater to at least 1 day of normal rainfall occurred in the last 5 years.

Step 3: Determine the storage and harvesting capacity of the rainwater harvesting system. The capacity should be sufficient to store the captured rainwater and reuse it for various purposes, such as irrigation and landscaping.

Step 4: Calculate the percentage of runoff volumes from non-roof areas that can be captured and recharged by the rainwater harvesting system. The calculation should demonstrate compliance with the credit requirement.

Step 5: Prepare a narrative describing the strategies implemented to capture/harvest rainwater from non-roof areas. The narrative should provide a detailed description of the rainwater harvesting system and how it works.

Step 6: Provide details of the rainwater harvesting system, including the storage and harvesting capacity of water. The details should demonstrate compliance with the credit requirement.

Step 7: Prepare an external rainwater layout showing the rainwater harvesting systems. The layout should provide a visual representation of the system and how it integrates with the landscape.

Conclusion:

Complying with the IGBC landscape credit Rain Water Harvesting can help enhance the groundwater table and reduce municipal water demand through effective rainwater management. By following the step-by-step guide and providing the required documentation, you can easily comply with the credit and contribute to sustainable development.