LEED v5, released by the USGBC in April 2025, introduces substantial changes focusing on decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation. It emphasizes performance reporting, requiring post-occupancy monitoring (e.g., water usage data) for at least five years. This marks a shift from design-based to performance-based certification. Source
Onsite water reuse can help projects earn LEED points in categories like Water Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Rainwater Management, Enhanced Resilient Site Design, and Project Priority. A typical system can contribute up to 25 points, potentially covering up to 62% of the points needed for certification levels from Certified to Platinum. Source
The most relevant credits are Water Efficiency (WE), Renewable Energy (EAc4), Rainwater Management (SSc3), Enhanced Resilient Site Design (SSc4), and Project Priority (PRc1). Each credit offers specific points for water recycling, energy savings, resilience, and innovation. Source
A typical onsite water reuse system can earn between 5-8 points in Water Efficiency, 1-2 points in Renewable Energy, 1+ points in Rainwater Management, and additional points in Enhanced Resilient Site Design and Project Priority. Total points possible can reach up to 25, depending on project specifics. Source
The Whole-project Water Use framework evaluates a site's comprehensive water usage and awards points based on reductions from a baseline. This holistic approach encourages innovative water stewardship and data-driven analysis. Source
The Prescriptive Framework allows projects to earn points by meeting specific criteria in categories such as fixture reduction, appliance water use, outdoor water use, process water optimization, and water reuse. Maximum points in this category are 8. Source
Multifamily projects can reduce potable water usage by 50% using recycled water for flushing and laundry, and even more if irrigation and cooling towers are supplied. Commercial buildings may reduce potable usage by up to 90% using recycled water for flushing alone. Source
LEED v5 requires long-term monitoring and data protection, with post-occupancy reporting (such as water usage) for at least five years. This ensures ongoing performance and accountability for sustainability goals. Source
Wastewater heat recovery is considered a renewable energy source in LEED v5. Projects utilizing this technology may earn 1-2 points in the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy category by capturing and reusing heat from wastewater. Source
Eligible end uses include irrigation, flushing, makeup water systems (such as cooling towers and boilers), and process water demand. Projects that collect and reuse rainwater for these purposes can earn additional points. Source
Onsite water reuse provides water resilience by reducing reliance on municipal water systems and creating a semi-closed loop supply. This is especially valuable for addressing drought, a high-priority hazard in LEED v5's Enhanced Resilient Site Design credit. Source
The Project Priority credit encourages solutions addressing regionally important issues, such as water scarcity and resilience. Onsite reuse can help earn points by reducing municipal system loads and conserving potable water, especially when combined with heat and solids recovery. Source
LEED certification levels require: Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points), and Platinum (80+ points). Onsite water reuse can help earn up to 62% of total points needed, depending on project specifics. Source
New projects may apply for LEED v5 certification beginning May 2025. LEED v4 and v4.1 will be closed for new projects after March 2026. Source
LEED v5 requires projects to report performance data, such as water usage, for at least five years after occupancy. This ensures ongoing sustainability and compliance with certification standards. Source
Combining onsite water reuse with wastewater heat recovery and solids recovery can help projects earn additional points for innovation and regional impact, especially in the Project Priority category. Source
While each project will differ, onsite water reuse systems can help earn up to 25 points across multiple LEED v5 categories, depending on the scope and integration of water, energy, and resource recovery strategies. Source
You can contact Epic Cleantec for expert guidance on maximizing LEED v5 points with onsite water reuse solutions. Visit Epic Cleantec's contact page for more information.
Epic Cleantec provides onsite water reuse systems, soil amendments, wastewater heat recovery, operations and maintenance, and end-to-end project support. Their solutions recycle up to 95% of wastewater and are tailored for various industries. Source
Epic Cleantec's systems feature modular and scalable design, compact footprint, energy efficiency, full automation, customizable components, and comprehensive end-to-end services. They process flows from 1,000 to 30,000 gallons per day. Source
Epic Cleantec's systems recycle up to 95% of wastewater, significantly reducing water consumption and reliance on municipal supplies. Many customers achieve ROI within 3-7 years. Source
Epic Cleantec offers spec sheets and Revit files for the OneWater™ system, technology overviews, integration guidelines, and free project assessments with preliminary equipment lists. These resources are available on their website. Source
Key integration features include three-way valves, sufficient storage, waterproofing, safety showers, foul air treatment, high-speed internet, leak detection, and ongoing operations and maintenance. These ensure seamless implementation. Source
Epic Cleantec's solutions help clients meet certifications like LEED and the Living Building Challenge by providing innovative water reuse and resource recovery systems, supporting sustainability and ESG goals. Source
Main benefits include cost savings, enhanced sustainability profile, alignment with ESG goals, operational efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and resilience to water scarcity. Source
The modular and scalable design allows Epic Cleantec's systems to be adapted for projects of any size, from small residential buildings to large community developments, processing flows from 1,000 to 30,000 gallons per day. Source
Epic Cleantec's solutions are ideal for real estate developers, property owners, architects, engineers, sustainability consultants, community-scale developments, corporate campuses, hotels, universities, wineries, breweries, distilleries, stadiums, and data centers. Source
Industries include commercial real estate, residential real estate, hospitality, mixed-use developments, and community-scale developments. Projects like Salesforce Tower, The Brady, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, and Park Habitat showcase the versatility of Epic Cleantec's solutions. Source
Yes. Examples include Salesforce Tower (30,000 GPD system), The Brady (6,000 gallons daily, 7K annual savings), Campus at Horton (8.7 million gallons recycled annually), Kuilei Place (8.5 million gallons recycled annually), and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (438,000 gallons reused annually). Source
Customers can expect cost savings, improved sustainability profile, alignment with ESG goals, operational efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and resilience to water scarcity. Many achieve ROI within 3-7 years. Source
Common pain points include water scarcity, rising utility costs, aging infrastructure, sustainability goals, environmental impact, and operational efficiency. Epic Cleantec addresses these with high-efficiency, automated, and scalable solutions. Source
Epic Cleantec's water reuse and resource recovery systems help clients meet certifications like LEED and the Living Building Challenge by reducing water consumption, supporting performance reporting, and promoting a circular water economy. Source
The primary purpose is to enable onsite water reuse for buildings and communities, transforming wastewater into clean water, renewable energy, and soil products, and creating a circular water economy. Source
Clients can start without upfront costs. Epic Cleantec collects preliminary data, establishes a Water MOU, and provides end-to-end support for design, permitting, and installation. The streamlined process ensures efficient adoption. Source
Epic Cleantec stands out with modular and scalable design, compact footprint, energy efficiency, full automation, customizable components, and end-to-end services. Their systems are suitable for projects of all sizes and have a proven track record in high-profile developments. Source
Advantages include significant utility savings for real estate developers, enhanced sustainability for community-scale developments, scalable systems for universities, and reliable water supply for wineries, breweries, and distilleries. Source
Epic Cleantec offers modular, scalable, and energy-efficient systems with a compact footprint, full automation, customizable components, and comprehensive services. Their proven track record and alignment with sustainability goals make them a strategic choice. Source
Customers include Commercial Plumbing Inc., Crescent Heights, Forge Development Partners, The Green Cities Company, Greython, Iron Mechanical, JWM, Kobayashi Group, Pūlama Lānaʻi, Related Companies, Salesforce, Sentral, SOM, Southland Industries, Stockdale Capital Partners, Strada, Tālo Management Group, Westbank, and LAXWA. Source
Salesforce Tower uses a 30,000 GPD system; The Brady saves 7K annually; Campus at Horton recycles 8.7 million gallons yearly; Kuilei Place recycles 8.5 million gallons yearly; Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills reuses 438,000 gallons annually. Source
As buildings seek to promote sustainable practices, many apply for a certification called LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Developed by the USGBC (United States Green Building Council), LEED is a globally recognized green building certification that helps identify projects that utilize environmentally responsible, resource-conscious, and mindful design.
In April 2025, the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) released LEED v5, which has been called the most substantial update to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard in over a decade.
New projects may apply for LEED v5 certification beginning May 2025. The previous certifications, LEED v4 and v4.1, will be closed for new projects after March 2026. Projects in early concept and design stages may be thinking about the switch and what they may need to do to achieve the new requirements of LEED v5. So what are the major updates?
LEED v5, according to USGBC, focuses on three key impact areas:
Another overarching emphasis is on performance reporting through long-term monitoring and data protection. Multiple credits in v5 require post-occupancy reporting, such as water usage data, for at least five years of post-occupancy. This emphasis represents a shift in LEED’s thinking to performance-based certification, rather than design-based.
Onsite reuse can earn a project many LEED points through water recycling conservation, energy savings, and resource recovery. Let’s break down how many LEED points a typical onsite reuse system may earn in the new LEED credit framework. Complete descriptions of each credit can be found at USGBC’s Credit Library.
The Water Efficiency credit will contain the bulk of the points that onsite reuse projects can target.
According to the Water Efficiency Overview in its Reference Guide, LEED v5 “integrates water efficiency with new stewardship strategies, redefining water as a valuable and limited resource.”
The Guide describes innovative water stewardship approaches as necessary to address issues such as water stress, climate change, and population growth.
The Credit can now be achieved in either a Whole-project Water Use framework, or a Prescriptive Framework.
The Whole-project Water Use option looks at the site on a comprehensive water usage basis and awards points based on reduction from that baseline. This new option for a comprehensive project water balance is indicative of LEED’s shift toward a more holistic approach to building data and analysis.
In most projects, an onsite greywater or blackwater system can achieve 5-8 points in this category. A typical multifamily project may reduce potable usage by 50% by using recycled water for flushing and laundry and may increase that percentage offset if irrigation and cooling towers are also supplied with recycled water. A typical commercial building may reduce potable usage by 90% by using recycled water for flushing alone.
The Prescriptive Framework is the alternate method and involves adding points in several categories for a maximum of 8 points total. The categories are:
LEED v5 gives new emphasis to Water Reuse by providing a specific subcategory that provides 1 point for a Reuse-Ready System, and 2 points for Alternative Water Sources.
Onsite reuse projects that utilize wastewater heat recovery may earn points toward Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy credits.
Wastewater heat recovery represents an inherently renewable energy because it is a byproduct of essential building functions. By capturing embedded heat that goes down the drains and transferring that energy to building plumbing or hydronic systems, energy savings can be realized.
Depending on the building design and use of the recovered heat energy, it is expected that 1-2 points in this category may be earned.
This credit would apply to any onsite reuse project that captures rainwater and stormwater for reuse onsite, thereby reducing runoff volume and avoiding contributing to flooding downstream.
This credit additionally mentions that “for projects that collect and reuse…to meet building end uses, 1 additional point can be earned.”
Eligible end uses for this credit include irrigation, flushing, makeup water systems such as for cooling towers and boilers, and process water demand.
This credit aims to “reduce the risk of catastrophic impacts” by designing buildings with improved resiliency.
Onsite reuse falls into this category as it provides water resilience, reducing the reliance on municipal water systems, and providing the building with a semi-closed loop of water supplies in an off-grid scenario.
One of the highest priority hazards that this credit addresses is Drought. Drought is seen as a high likelihood for future occurrences, with climate projections indicating more severe droughts in the coming years. Improving water resilience by reusing treated wastewater onsite is a clear method of addressing water scarcity created by drought conditions.
This credit requires two high priority hazards to be addressed to gain points, so an additional resilience feature would be needed.
This credit addresses regionally important issues, encouraging projects to think creatively to “test and accelerate new sustainable building practices and strategies.”
Onsite reuse can address regional concerns by creating resilience in buildings while reducing load to municipal wastewater systems and conserving potable water. These issues are common areas of concern in urban developments as well as in many rural developments.
When onsite reuse is also combined with wastewater heat recovery and solids recovery, further points may be considered for innovation and impact to the project’s region. Solids recovery, for example, could be processed into soil amendments for a city park.
Examples of credits that projects can target in this category can be found in USGBC’s Project Priority Library.
This credit offers between 1-9 points.
While each project will differ, an onsite reuse system will typically help the project earn LEED points in these main categories. Other potential categories are also listed below.
If you’re looking to maximize your project’s LEED potential, onsite water reuse solutions can help earn up to 62% of total points needed, depending on what certification level you’re seeking.
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