RE03 - Water Strategy – Above Green

(1 credit available)

Aim

To ensure that the development is designed to minimise water demand through efficiency and appropriate supply-side options, taking full account of current and predicted future availability of water in the area.

Assessment Criteria

The following is required to demonstrate compliance:

Mandatory requirements

The developer engages with water suppliers, the local authority and the appropriate regulatory body to develop overall water consumption targets for the development taking account of:
- the current availability of water and demands in the area
- the future predicted availability taking climate change into account
- the predicted water demand for the area resulting from growth and climate change.
A water strategy is prepared to manage water demand on the development site to meet the above consumption targets. The strategy includes:
- actions to minimise the predicted use on the development; and maintain this in the future
- ownership and maintenance of any shared facilities
- design options to reduce the water demand in landscaping, any other predicted water use and on-site collection/storage opportunities
- targets for water use in residential and non-domestic buildings in the development site.

One credit

Criteria 1 and 2 are achieved.
The developer commits to the water consumption targets set within the water strategy for all buildings on the site.
The developer commits to design and specify landscape, planting and hard surface areas in accordance with the water strategy.
Responsibilities for management and maintenance of water supply/collection facilities are established and commitments are in place.

Compliance Notes

Ref

Terms

Description

CN1

Allowance for climate change

See Criterion 1

The water strategy needs to take climate change into account. Allowance must be made for impacts on precipitation levels, increased evaporative losses and changing use patterns arising from climate change in accordance with current planning guidance.

CN2

Alignment with building level assessment

Where there is a commitment to assess sustainability of design, construction and refurbishment of the buildings on the site using HQM or BREEAM, the water consumption targets can be established based on the requirements of the water consumption and efficiency issues of BREEAM or HQM schemes. These issues should be addressed at a level that meets all the requirements of Criterion 1.

Evidence

Criteria No.	Interim Assessment	Final Assessment
1	Documentary evidence.	None.
2	A copy of the water strategy.	None.
4–6	None.	A written commitment from the developer.

Additional Information

Relevant definitions

Appropriate statutory bodyThis refers to the statutory or legal organisation or entity whose duty it is to carry out the planning approval function for the development area with regards to water use or consumption.