Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors, LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.0, v2 - LEED 2.2, v2 - LEED 2.2, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - Schools 2007, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - LEED 2.0, v3 - LEED 2009, v2 - LEED 2.0, v3 - LEED 2009

Inquiry

Our project is the renovation of a large classroom building on a university campus and we would like to achieve credit SSc4.3 on a campus-wide basis. We are using LEED NC v.2.2 for this credit. We would like to reserve spaces for low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles on an on-demand basis, since all campus parking is permit-based (SSc4.4 Ruling 10/03/05). When a fuel efficient vehicle permit is obtained, we will consult with the permit holder and determine what constitutes "preferred" parking for that vehicle and reserve a space accordingly as not all commuters consider the same spaces preferable. We will actively promote the preferred parking program to faculty, staff and students. For the purpose of this credit, the USGBC has defined low-emitting/fuel-efficient vehicles as those that have a minimum score of 40 on the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) annual vehicle rating guide. While we appreciate the work done by ACEEE in compiling their lists, we feel this guide will not be able to meet the needs of our program. This is primarily because the ACEEE ratings are only released once a year in February, nearly a year after the first of the new model year vehicles are released. If we structure our policy around the ACEEE guide, no one buying the newest cars on the market will know if their vehicles qualify for preferential parking at the time of purchase. University commuters will have to purchase a vehicle and hope it makes the list. To address this problem, we would like to use EPA MPG ratings as the qualifier for preferential parking. EPA MPG ratings are constantly updated on their website (http://www.fueleconomy.gov/) and are required of all new vehicles. EPA MPG ratings have the added benefit of being well publicized when a consumer is purchasing a new vehicle, as opposed to ACEEE ratings, which are more obscure. For the 2006 model year, the average fuel efficiency for the 20 vehicles with an ACEEE rating of 40 is 24.4 MPG city (ranging from 22 to 28 with a median of 24) and 32.1 MPG highway. We suggest offering preferential parking to all vehicles with an EPA MPG rating of 25 MPG (city) or greater. Admittedly, the ACEEE rating has the added benefit of combining fuel efficiency data with emissions data, but in general the vehicles that are the most fuel efficient will emit the fewest pollutants. We believe that using EPA MPG ratings instead of ACEEE green scores increases the likelihood of long-term success for this program and helps achieve the goals of mitigating pollution from automobile use and encouraging the purchase of low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles. Having an up-to-date website is necessary for University commuters and the parking office to confirm preferred parking eligibility. We welcome any suggestions.