Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.2

Inquiry

Our project is a large 22,000 acre master plan located in Saudi Arabia. The entire master plan will not be seeking LEED Certification, however, the 4.5 million square foot University located within the master plan will be seeking LEED NC Multi-Building Certification. All condensate, gray water, black water and storm water from the entire Master Plan and the University is being collected and sent to a waste water treatment plant built for the Master Plan. The Waste Water Treatment Plant is designed to handle a daily flow of 9500 M^3/ day. The waste water is treated to tertiary standards. All the waste water from the plant is then used to provide irrigation for the Master Plan. The daily production of waste water is not large enough to handle all the irrigation needs of the master plan, however, through the reuse of this University waste water, the project is eliminating the use of potable water, or other natural surface or subsurface water resources, for specific portions of the master plan. We feel that this meets the intent of the Credit. The waste water plant output will provide all the irrigation needs for a nearby golf course, thereby eliminating the use of potable water for the golf course. This golf course uses the entire output from the waste water treatment plant. Implementing local water reuse treatment for each master plan building was a non-cost effective, non-efficient strategy. Waste Water reuse plants at a larger scale are more efficient for a development of this type. If the University landscaping consists of native plantings that allow for a 50% reduction in potable water use from the baseline, does this strategy allow for the University to achieve WE Credit 1.2: No potable water use?