Rating System

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

Rating System Version

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

Inquiry

This project meets the intent of this prerequisite, as it is a smoke-free base building and interior tenant space thereby preventing exposure of tenants to ETS. However, the tenant space is within a building owned by others and the exterior is beyond our scope of work. The tenant is a non-profit agency that provides shelter, counseling, and support for a significant number of runaway and homeless youth each year. Building reuse and walkable access for its clients to public services drove the tenant\'s choice of location. The building reuse included existing window and door locations. Tenant space is also defined by condominium ownership without ability to modify the building structure. The tenant\'s past experience with its clients has taught that tobacco-related smoking is a minor health risk relative to their other lifestyle circumstances. Further, if the clients are not provided a convenient smoking area, they will smoke in other non-smoking parts of the building or worse, will simply return to the streets. Within the limitations of the existing building and condo ownership, the tenant has located a smoker\'s terrace in the residential section of the tenant space. The residential section with the terrace furthers the tenant\'s mission by providing a safe, convenient and non-judgmental place for homeless youth to come off of the streets and access the help they need. Tenant measures to accomplish its mission and the intent of the prerequisite: - Location of terrace on side of building opposite other public entrances - Smoker\'s terrace sealed from the interior of the building - Access provided to the terrace from the residential section - Proposed installation of ceiling fan with motion sensor to actively and continuously dissipate ETS generated on the terrace effectively exhausting it outdoors. Building codes mandate that residential bedroom windows (2 within 25\' of terrace) and one door (within 25\' of terrace) remain operable as fire exits. The subject door is for access to the residential section of the building. The users of the terrace will also be the users of the subject door and bedrooms. The equidistant spacing of the existing window openings would make alternative terrace locations the same (less than 25\') distance from operable fire exits and potentially direct ETS to other non-smoking entrances to the building. All non-residential windows are inoperable. The tenant has made significant investments in other green building measures that would help it achieve certification and present a model environment for its Teen Green education program for youth ages 12-17. The project team seeks confirmation that its proposal to operate the smoker\'s terrace as described meets the intent of the requirement in light of the limitations of the building, circumstances of the resident tenants and minimization of ETS exposure to non-residential sections of the building.