In BREEAM's water category, metered data earns the monitoring and consumption credits and evidences leak detection. It does not earn the larger group of credits that reward efficient fixtures. This post draws that line clearly, for BREEAM In-Use International Commercial Version 6 and New Construction Version 7.
This is a four-part series: Part 1: a practical guide, Part 2: energy credits, Part 3: water credits and Part 4: management credits.
Water credits: what data earns vs. what rewards fixtures
| Credit | Scheme | Does data earn or evidence it? |
|---|---|---|
| Wat 01 Water monitoring | In-Use V6 | Earns: mains and submetering |
| Wat 07 Leak detection system | In-Use V6 | Evidences: continuous flow monitoring and alerts |
| Wat 11 Water consumption | In-Use V6 | Earns: supplies annual consumption data |
| Wat 13 Water consumption reporting | In-Use V6 | Earns: automated reporting |
| Wat 02 Water monitoring | New Construction V7 | Earns: designed-in metering to BMS |
| Wat 03 Leak detection and prevention | New Construction V7 | Evidences detection; prevention is physical |
| Wat 05 Operational water prediction | New Construction V7 | Supports: monitoring against water targets |
| Wat 02 to 06 Efficient fixtures | In-Use V6 | No: rewards toilets, taps, urinals, white goods |
| Wat 01 and 04 Water consumption (fixtures) | New Construction V7 | No: rewards the water calculator and fixtures |
Note the code clash between schemes: in In-Use, Wat 02 is efficient toilets; in New Construction, Wat 02 is water monitoring. Always read the code with its scheme.
BREEAM In-Use V6: the water credits that run on data
Wat 01 Water monitoring
Wat 01 rewards metering and submetering the building's water so consumption is measured and managed, with a main meter and submeters on major uses, plus a routine to review the data and act on anomalies. This is the foundational water credit for a monitoring platform, and it sits in Part 1 (Asset Performance).
Wat 07 Leak detection system
Wat 07 rewards a system on the incoming supply that flags abnormal or continuous flow, for example water running overnight in an unoccupied building. Rhino's continuous flow monitoring and alerting covers the detection requirement directly, without a separate leak-detection box. Note that BREEAM also recognises leak prevention (flow control and isolation valves, In-Use Wat 08 and Wat 09), which are physical measures data does not earn.
Wat 11 Water consumption, and Wat 13 Water consumption reporting
These are Part 2 (Management Performance) credits and need real operational data. Wat 11 reports the asset's actual annual water use from metered supply. Wat 13 rewards reporting that consumption against targets. Both are earned by supplying and automating water data, the same discipline as the energy reporting credit in Part 2 of this series.
The In-Use pattern for water: meter it (Wat 01), catch leaks from the flow data (Wat 07), then report actual consumption against a target (Wat 11 and Wat 13).
See how Rhino monitors water flow and flags leaks automatically.
BREEAM New Construction V7: design the metering in
Wat 02 Water monitoring
Wat 02 rewards designing in a water meter on the mains supply and submeters on any use above roughly 10% of demand, with pulsed or open-protocol outputs to a BMS or monitoring platform. Specify meters a platform can read, and the building has usable water data from day one.
Wat 03 Water leak detection and prevention
Wat 03 combines an automatic leak-detection system on the mains (which continuous flow monitoring satisfies) with flow-control and shut-off measures for sanitary areas (physical prevention). Data covers the detection limb; the prevention hardware earns the rest.
Wat 05 Operational water prediction (new in V7)
V7 added Wat 05, which rewards predicting in-use water consumption from real occupancy patterns and, importantly, setting and monitoring against water performance targets once occupied. The monitoring-against-targets element is a genuine fit for a platform that already tracks the data. V7 also raised the minimum water standard and added a carbon factor to Wat 01.
The water credits utility data does not earn
Most of the water category, in fact. Efficient toilets, urinals, taps, showers and white goods (In-Use Wat 02 to 06), the New Construction water calculator and efficient fixtures (Wat 01 and 04), isolation valves (Wat 09), and rainwater or greywater recycling hardware (In-Use Wat 12). Data can verify the savings once these are in, and metering a recycling system lets you report its yield, but installing the equipment earns the credit.
Frequently asked questions
Which BREEAM water credit covers monitoring?
In BREEAM In-Use V6 it is Wat 01 (Water monitoring). In New Construction V7 it is Wat 02 (Water monitoring). The codes differ by scheme.
Does BREEAM give a credit for leak detection?
Yes. In-Use V6 has Wat 07 (Leak detection system); New Construction V7 combines detection and prevention in Wat 03. Continuous flow monitoring with alerts satisfies the detection requirement.
Can water monitoring earn the efficient-fixture credits?
No. Credits for efficient toilets, taps, urinals, showers and white goods are earned by specifying and installing those fixtures. Metered data can verify the resulting consumption but does not earn the fixture credit.
What changed for water in BREEAM New Construction V7?
V7 added Wat 05 (operational water prediction, including monitoring against targets), raised the Wat 01 minimum standard, and added a carbon factor to water consumption.
