Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction, LEED BD+C: Schools, LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors, LEED BD+C: Core and Shell, LEED O+M: Existing Buildings

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.2, v2 - Schools 2007, v2 - LEED 2.0, v2 - LEED 2.0, v3 - LEED 2008

Inquiry

According to the LEED CS 2.0 Reference Guide, "the intent of this credit.is to provide building HVAC systems that can be expanded to allow for a high degree of occupant control". It also says "buildings that use an overhead VAV system will have to demonstrate that it is possible for the system to provide enough control points for 50% of the occupants". We have designed a 4-story speculative office building with operable windows around the perimeter. The operable windows comply with the required ASHRAE standard for free opening area. Since the building was not designed for a specific tenant, we have calculated the occupancy of the building based on the default occupancy numbers in Appendix 1 (250 gsf/ occupant). We have calculated the number of occupants on each floor that will be served by the operable windows in lieu of individual controls. We then determined the occupants on each floor that will require individual control points to meet the credit requirement. We have installed central air handling units on each floor with a VAV control system that has the capacity to provide these individual control points. We are not able to confirm whether or not the future tenants will agree to install that number of controls. Our question is: If we have installed a system of central air handling units, expandable VAV box controls, and operable windows throughout the building that we can show has the capacity to provide the individual thermal comfort controls required by the credit - but are not able to insure that these controls will be installed by the tenants - do we successfully meet the credit requirements? And also, since we do not have a specific tenant for the space, how can we estimate the number of individual workstations and the number of shared multi-occupant spaces as required on the LEED Online submittal template for this credit?