Assessment of leed requirements for water efficiency in developing country-specific certification

Abstract

Pollution and consumption of water are important during construction activities and the life cycle of buildings. Promoting water efficiency in buildings supports the sustainable use of water. Green building certification systems award credits to these efforts. The LEED certification system is generally based on rules, codes and regulations that are in effect in the US. However, its credibility and popularity encourages professionals in other countries to use LEED too. For global consistency, United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is supporting regional approaches. Practitioners in some countries apply LEED as is and some have adapted it by considering regional differences caused by geographical location and local conditions. The "water efficiency" category accounts for approximately 10% of the points that a building can receive in the LEED system. In this study, the "water efficiency" category of LEED is reviewed with respect to its adaptation in developing countries. The ways water efficiency are achieved under different conditions than those in the US are explored. A review of water efficiency practices in India, Abu Dhabi, and Turkey is presented. Practitioners in developing countries are expected to benefit from these observations. Copyright © 2013 by Research Publishing Services.