RunBrook’s Role
Our Florida Water Star Independent Inspectors consult with builders and developers to help them achieve Water Star certification. They evaluate commercial properties and residential developments to see that relevant criteria are met, validating items required by Florida Water Star. There are only a few of these inspectors in Florida, and ours have extensive experience with multifamily and production home residential projects, as well as commercial and institutional projects. With their help during the design and construction process, a Water Star applicant can reduce costly mistakes and failure to meet compliance criteria.
About Florida Water Star
Florida Water Star is a water conservation certification program for new and existing homes, as well as commercial and institutional developments. It became a Florida-wide program in 2012. The program includes standards and guidelines for water efficiency related to indoor fixtures and appliances, landscape design, and irrigation systems. Using Water Star, a project can implement a suite of efficiency practices that focus on water use areas specific to Florida.
For residential projects, obtaining a Water Star certification can provide a competitive edge that distinguishes homes from those of competitors. Homes that achieve Florida Water Star certification can save home buyers an estimated $529.70 and 48,391 gallons of water annually, according to Water Star. That is more than $2,500 and 240,000 gallons of water over 5 years. What kind of home features does Water Star look for? Indoor water-saving features like high-energy toilets, shower heads and faucets, and outdoor water-saving landscape designs such as specific plants, reduced high-volume irrigation and micro-irrigation in plant beds. There is a Silver Certification level and a Gold Certification level for homes, each based on obtaining a certain number of points.
Florida Water Star Commercial/Institutional certifies water efficiency in new an existing Florida office buildings, retail and service establishments, and institutional and nonindustrial commercial buildings. While requirements must be met within certain categories, the Commercial/Institutional certification is not points-based. This allows for more flexibility in the certification process.
Of note, is that Florida Water Star is designed to integrate with other green building certification programs such as ENERGY STAR®, the Florida Green Building Coalition’s (FGBC) green standards, and the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED program.