(C08) Net-Zero Waste and Water Strategies in LEED for Communities

Circular economy and zero-waste as well as integrated water management and zero-water are central to LEED for Communities rating system.
Jerry Tinianow, an award-winning leader in urban sustainability and solid waste management will moderate this session. He recently served for seven years as the first Chief Sustainability Officer of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, when he led the efforts to certify the city to LEED for Cities at Platinum level in 2019.
Vatsal Bhatt who leads the LEED for Communities program at USGBC will present three projects, one each from China, Europe and US. It includes a mixed-use project in China that has adopted “5R” principles (Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink) for waste management of the assets and suppliers. Porta Nuova community in Milan, Italy is pursuing LEED for Communities, WELL Communities and Cradle-to-Cradle rating systems. This presentation will highlight the intersection between all three rating systems on water and waste/materials. The presentation will also showcase the circular economy work for moving towards net-zero waste deployed in the Heights community in St. Paul, Minneapolis, which is a mixed-use development including light industrial, residential, commercial and institutional buildings.
Edner Bellanger will discuss zero water priorities of Condado Naranjo, a large mixed-use development near Guatemala City. By utilizing efficient water use technologies and conservation, the average water consumption is 160 liters/person/day, compared to 220 liters/person/day in Guatemala City. With very active involvement of residents, more than 1 ton of solid waste is diverted from landfills every month.
Heidi Valdez will identify efforts of minimizing water use in Twin Dolphin, a master planned community located near Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. The project has a desalination plant and a wastewater treatment plant and minutely monitors and measures the consumption in an effort to optimize it towards net-zero goals.