Environmental Performance Criteria 2.2
Water Efficiency

Sustainable Sites

Water Efficiency

Energy & Atmosphere

Materials & Resources

Indoor Environmental Quality

Innovation & Design Process

Credit 4: Process Water Efficiency

Intent

Reduce process water use and process wastewater generation.

Requirements

Credit 4.1 (1 point)
Calculate and document baseline of annual process water use and process wastewater generation. Install water meters to measure process water use.

Credit 4.2 (1 point)
Adopt technologies and strategies to reduce process water use and process wastewater generation by 20%. Document the reductions from baseline.

Definitions

Process water is defined as any water that is used in the laboratory.

Technologies & Strategies

Credit 4.2

Employ technologies/methodologies based on Pollution Prevention hierarchy – reduce, reuse, recycle.

Treat process wastewater so that is can be downcycled for use in cooling towers, etc.

Apply segregation – especially in baths – so that materials are separated from process water. This also recovers materials and thereby reduces overall material use (applicable to credit 8 of Materials & Resources).

Reduce water use for wash-up by using efficient floor wash machines instead of hosing.

Work with scientists and researchers to modify process to reduce water use (if feasible and does not interfere with science).

 

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