Rating System

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

Rating System Version

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

Inquiry

Our LEED-NC v2.1 registered project is an office/laboratory building located on a 738 acre university campus. To meet the requirements of SSc4.3, the Reference Guide indicates that the university must ".provide alternative fuel vehicles for 3% of building occupants AND provide preferred parking for these vehicles." 220 total FTE occupants are assigned to this building, so 7 alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are required per this calculation. The LEED-NC Application Guide for Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects (AGMBC - October 2005) indicates that it is possible to meet the requirements for SSc4.3 by providing ".low-emission and/or fuel efficient vehicles* for 3% of the full time employees (FTE)", and that these vehicles must be classified as Zero Emission Vehicles by CARB or have achieved a minimum green score of 40 on the ACEEE annual vehicle rating guide. A 9/6/2005 CIR Ruling for SSc4.3 states that ".implementing car-share programs with alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs), such as Zipcars or Flexcars. Is applicable to a campus situation, and it is therefore reasonable to assume that (a).car-share strategy would meet the intent of the credit." The Ruling further indicates ".that it is reasonable that 8 building FTE occupants are served per shared-use alternative fuel vehicle." Therefore, for our project, 1 car-share AFV would be required to meet the requirements of this credit per this calculation. The university proposes to purchase one low-emission/fuel-efficient vehicle that meets CARB or ACEEE requirements stipulated in the AGMBC. This car-share vehicle will be reserved for use only by the 220 FTE occupants of our LEED registered building. It will be parked in a preferred and marked parking space near the building. A car-share program will be created to promote and manage the use of this vehicle for all FTE occupants. This university program will provide more benefit than those created by a third-party car-share program because: - The individual FTE occupants will not be required to rent the vehicle and so will be more apt to use it, and - The AFV will be available to building occupants for many years beyond the minimum two-year contract period that is recommended in the 9/6/2005 CIR Ruling. We propose to submit proof that the vehicle meets low-emission/fuel-efficient vehicle requirements, proof of purchase, a copy of the car-share plan, and a map showing the location of the preferred parking space and proximity to the building. We are seeking LEED Platinum certification and, consequently, each point is critical. We want to be sure that we execute this properly. Therefore, will this credit strategy be sufficient to earn the SSc4.3 point?