Rating System

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

Rating System Version

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

Inquiry

This question is to clarify what qualifies for a roof. Our project is a 7-story residential building. Due to zoning requirements the building has setbacks at the mid level floors. This results in a smaller \'top floor\' roof footprint than the buidling foot print at the ground plane. We are proposing to use an Energy-Star roof with an emissivity of .9 for the top floor roof. We would like to exclude the \'roof\' areas created by the mid level setbacks for the following reasons: (1) These roof areas are usable space for the tenants. They are terraces with recycled wood deck which are either for private use by the tenant, or common use for the building. They are considered "usable open space" by the local zoning code and occupied space by the building code. (2) We do not believe that having a highly reflective roof coating on these areas would meet the intent of the credit. The light, and heat from the roof would be reflected into the residential apartments and create an unpleasant glare, and possibly unwanted heat gain. In addition, some of these roof areas are planted with gardens and the surrounding light areas would have an effect on the microclimate of these planted areas. Please advise if we can use the top floor "unoccupied roof" area to meet the intent of this credit.