List some examples of efficient irrigation practices.
- Water early or late in the day to minimize evaporation.
- Develop and follow a seasonal maintenance schedule for a healthy and maintained landscape.
- Commission irrigation systems and controllers.
List the two primary sources of potable water.
- Municipal water systems
- A private or public well
List some options for achieving the Water Efficient Landscaping credit.
- capture rainwater, graywater, or public non-potable water.
- use no potable water for irrigation.
_____ are subsets of washroom facilities used by different types of occupants.
Fixture usage groups
What type of plant reduces irrigation water demand?
Native species
Outdoor uses, primarily landscaping, account for __% of the 26 billion gallons of water consumed daily in the United States.
30
List the two most appropriate uses for graywater.
- Toilet flushing
- Drip irrigation
_____ is the type of water that is not allowed to be used for irrigation purposes.
Blackwater
What does a water analysis compare?
Water analyses compare the cost of adding rainwater cisterns, other storage for reclaimed water, or advanced irrigation technologies with the cost savings from reducing potable water use.
Describe xeriscaping as it applies to water efficiency.
A landscaping method that makes routine irrigation unnecessary. It uses drought-adaptable and low-water plants as well as soil amendments such as compost and mulches to reduce evaporation.
_____ plants can survive on natural rainfall quantities after initial planting.
climate-tolerant
List two benefits of using graywater for landscape irrigation.
- Reduces stormwater runoff onsite
- Reduces soil erosion from vegetation areas
_____ is necessary for projects using automatic sensors or flow valves.
Calibration
Describe hypertrophication as it applies to Water Efficiency.
Hypertrophication causes a reduction in overall water quality due to an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients.
The standard LEED uses to establish baseline water use rates for plumbing fixtures is the _____.
Energy Policy Act
What should be performed to determine which plants will adapt best to the site and specify the most suitable plants?
Soil and climate analysis
What is the unit with which toilet and urinal water usage is measured?
gallons per flush (GPF)
Full Time Employees + Transients = _____
Peak building users
Which kind of roofing materials are ideal for rainwater harvest?
Metal, clay, or concrete-based roofing materials.
Which kind of roofing materials are NOT good for rainwater harvest?
Asphalt or lead-containing materials
Why are asphalt or lead-containing materials not recommendable for rainwater harvest?
Asphalt or lead-containing materials contaminate the harvested water.
Define Tertiary Treatment.
Tertiary treatment is the highest form of wastewater treatment. It includes removal of organics, solids, and nutrients, with biological or chemical polishing to effluent limits of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids (TSS).
What is described below?
- Addresses energy & water use in commercial, institutional, and recreational facilities
- Sets baseline for building water fixtures
- Doesn’t cover process water
Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992
Project-specific evapotranspiration rate =
_____ + transpiration from plant surfaces
evaporation from soil
Define density factor as it applies to water efficiency.
The density factor accounts for the number of plants and the total leaf area of a landscape.
Define scheduling as it relates to efficient irrigation practices.
Scheduling is watering the landscape during cooler, less windy parts of the day.
These are examples of what?
- Water used in mechanical systems
- Water used in building systems: cooling towers, boilers & chillers
- Car wash water
Process water
Define evapotranspiration rate.
The evapotranspiration rate is a measurement of the total amount of water needed to grow a reference plant (such as grass or alfalfa), expressed in millimeters or inches.
_____ _____ remove heat from machinery via water circulation & evaporative cooling.
Cooling towers
How is the design case annual water use determined?
It is determined by totaling the annual volume of each fixture type and subtracting any nonpotable water supply.
Define landscape coefficient.
The landscape coefficient indicates the volume of water lost via evapotranspiration and varies with plant species, microclimate, and planting density.
Define drip irrigation.
Drip irrigation delivers water at low pressure through buried mains and submains. From the submains, water is distributed to the soil from a network of perforated tubes or emitters.
Define baseline irrigation water use.
Baseline irrigation water use is the amount of water used by conventional irrigation in the region.
_____ are motion detectors that automatically turn lavatories, sinks, water closets, and urinals on and turn off.
Automatic fixture sensors
Define nonwater toilet systems.
Nonwater (or composting) toilet systems are dry plumbing fixtures and fittings that contain and treat human waste via a microbiological process.
In general, what are ecologically appropriate features?
Ecologically appropriate features are natural, inanimate elements of the landscape.
What is the intent of water use reduction?
To increase water efficiency within buildings, and to reduce the burden on municipal water supply and wastewater systems.
_____ transforms waste into resources that can be used on the building site.
On-site biological treatment
A _____ must be developed for the cooling tower that addresses chemical treatment, bleed-off, biological control, and staff training.
water management plan
A _____ enables comparison of trade-offs for water conservation strategies and evaluation of the impact of water infrastructure on other systems.
Water budget
List some examples of effective methods for reducing potable water use for sewage conveyance.
- install high-efficiency and nonwater flush fixtures
- collect rainwater
- reuse graywater
The _____ defines maximum flow rates and consumption for plumbing fixtures and fittings, including public and private lavatories, showerheads, sink faucets, urinals, and water closets.
International Plumbing Code
List some advantages of collecting rainwater.
- reduces the need for runoff devices
- minimizes the need for municipal water
- decreases operating costs
List some examples of high-efficiency irrigation.
- use of microirrigation systems
- moisture sensors
- rain shut-offs
- weather-based evapotranspiration controllers
What is WaterSense?
WaterSense is a product label that certifies that a product performs efficiently and helps save money.
The total allowable flow rate from all flowing showerheads at any given time must be limited to _____ gpm per shower compartment
2.5 gpm
These are examples of what?
- Water early or late in the day to minimize evaporation.
- Develop and follow a seasonal maintenance schedule for a healthy and maintained landscape.
- Commission irrigation systems and controllers.
Efficient Irrigation Practices
How do native species affect water efficient irrigation?
Native species may reduce irrigation water demand.
_____ is a system by which water falls drop by drop at the position of the plants’ roots.
Drip Irrigation
_____ is a reduction in overall water quality due to an increase in the concentration of chemical nutrients.
Hypertrophication
_____ is the highest form of wastewater treatment. It includes removal of organics, solids, and nutrients, with biological or chemical polishing to effluent limits of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids (TSS).
Tertiary treatment
The _____ is determined by totaling the annual volume of each fixture type and subtracting any nonpotable water supply.
Design case annual water use
The _____ indicates the volume of water lost via evapotranspiration and varies with plant species, microclimate, and planting density.
Landscape coefficient
_____ delivers water at low pressure through buried mains and submains. From the submains, water is distributed to the soil from a network of perforated tubes or emitters.
Drip irrigation
Define automatic fixture sensors as they apply to water efficiency.
Automatic fixture sensors are motion detectors that automatically turn lavatories, sinks, water closets, and urinals on and turn off.
These all help reduce what?
- installing high-efficiency and nonwater flush fixtures
- collecting rainwater
- reusing graywater
The use of potable water for sewage conveyance
What does the International Plumbing Code define?
The maximum flow rates and consumption for plumbing fixtures and fittings, including public and private lavatories, showerheads, sink faucets, urinals, and water closets.
These are examples of what?
- use of microirrigation systems
- moisture sensors
- rain shut-offs
- weather-based evapotranspiration controllers
High-efficiency irrigation
_____ is a product label that certifies that a water product performs efficienctly and helps save money.
WaterSense
Why should soil and climate analysis be performed?
To determine which plants will adapt best to the site and specify the most suitable plants.
The _____ accounts for the number of plants and the total leaf area of a landscape.
density factor
The _____ is a measurement of the total amount of water needed to grow a reference plant (such as grass or alfalfa), expressed in millimeters or inches.
evapotranspiration rate
_____ is the amount of water used by conventional irrigation in the region.
Baseline irrigation water use
_____ are natural, inanimate elements of the landscape.
Ecologically appropriate features
The water management plan that has to be developed for the cooling tower must address what issues?
- chemical treatment
- bleed-off
- biological control
- staff training
