Rating System

LEED BD+C: New Construction

Rating System Version

v2 - LEED 2.2

Inquiry

The School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) Building at the Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA will be applying for a Gold Certification. Penn State has a well developed, campus-wide Carpool Program which encourages carpooling among all campus students, faculty, and staff. The RideShare Program is well advertised and the campus community can learn how to carpool and sign-up on a user-friendly website at http://www.transportation.psu.edu/parking/facultystaff/rideshare.shtml This program minimizes vehicles on central campus by providing pooling spaces in reduced rate commuter lots on the edge of campus coupled with regularly scheduled free shuttle bus loops that link the campus parking lots to all campus facilities and the town. Also, if one of the members of the carpool qualifies to park in a central campus lot, the carpool can use that parking space. The RideShare Program also includes a Guaranteed Ride Home by taxi if one of the carpool members has a family emergency or for any other reason cannot make the return trip home with the carpool. Additionally, there is a VanPool Program that provides leased vans with preferred parking. The local Mass Transit system, CATA, which has a fleet of 100% natural gas powered vehicles also promotes a "Ride-for-Five" program to provide the campus community with deep discounts on Mass Transit. \n\nPlease visit the following websites to review these programs in more detail: (RideShare) http://www.transportation.psu.edu/parking/facultystaff/rideshare.shtml \n(Free Shuttle) http://www.transportation.psu.edu/shuttle/shuttle.htm \n(Campus Map - SALA Bldg #165) http://www.campusmaps.psu.edu/print/pdf/extended2005.pdf \n(Faculty/Staff Parking) http://www.transportation.psu.edu/parking/facultystaff/FacStafParkMap.pdf \n(Student Parking) http://www.transportation.psu.edu/parking/student/StudentParkMap.pdf \n\nThe SALA Project Team believes that this campus wide approach to Carpooling exceeds the intent of SS Credit 4.4. Penn State University will set aside an unlimited number of carpool spaces, as outlined in SS Credit 4.4, in the already designated carpool area on campus, for the SALA Building occupants. This program is available to 100% of the SALA Building occupants, and serves 100% of the occupants of every other building on campus. Please advise if this approach is acceptable to achieve SS Credit 4.4. \n\nAdditionally, the SALA Project team believes that the Rideshare Program, which serves over 75,000 people, merits your consideration as an Innovation Credit, as it has shown to be an effective means to reducing the number of cars on the road each day. Please advise us if this program will merit an Innovation Credit.