Rating System

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.0

Inquiry

Our building is an office building in Washington DC with over 90% of the building\'s parking spaces located on 2 underground parking levels. We plan to capture this credit using Option C, which requires the building to provide preferred parking for hybrids or alternative fuel vehicles for at least 3% of the total vehicle capacity, increasing up to 10% or more to meet demand. Building management has opted to have the preferred parking in the form of designated parking spaces identified by signage. Preferred parking spaces would be located on Parking Level 1, and available to monthly pass holders only. Our questions: 1. The newer versions of LEED-EB (O+M and 2009) use the same language for this credit as LEED-NC 2.2, which is "low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles" in lieu of the LEED-EB 2.0 language of "hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles". To capture this credit for our LEED-EB 2.0 registered building, is it acceptable to use the newer LEED language on preferred parking signage and in the building occupant communication program? The communication program would explain the ZEV and ACEEE criteria for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles documented in the LEED rating system and Reference Guides for LEED-EB O+M and LEED-NC 2.2. The building occupant communication program would also mention other standards recognized in LEED CIRs, such as EPA Certified SmartWay Elite. 2. Building management intends to issue decals to monthly parkers whose vehicles are low-emitting and fuel-efficient. Building management has asked us to consider if vehicles whose emissions are offset through the purchase of carbon offsets should also be eligible for preferred parking spaces for low-emitting vehicles. Please confirm if - and under what conditions - a vehicle whose emissions are offset is equivalent to a low-emitting vehicle as defined by the LEED Rating systems. 3. We are hoping to win SSc3.4 Alternative Transportation - Carpooling and Telecommuting in addition to SSc3.3. We plan to capture SSc3.4 using Option A, which requires the building to provide preferred parking and implement / document programs and policies for car pools or van pools capable of serving 5% of the building occupants, and to add no new parking. SSc3.3 Option C would require the building to provide a minimum of 6 preferred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles. SSc3.4 Option A would require the building to provide 18 preferred parking spaces for car / van poolers. A total of 6 + 18 = 24 preferred parking spaces is required to cover the criteria for both credits. Is it possible to "combine" the 24 required spaces, providing identical signage for all spaces? The signage would indicate that the spaces are reserved for low-emitting / fuel-efficient vehicles and car / van poolers. We understand that unlike SSc3.3, SSc3.4 does not require that carpool spaces be increased to meet demand; however if the preferred parking spaces were combined, demand for all the parking spaces (by both low-emitting / fuel-efficient vehicles / car and van poolers) would be monitored throughout the performance period and increased to meet demand.