A Guide to the Key LEED BD&C v2009 Addenda - NC, CS, Schools

Updated! Our review now includes April 2013 addenda.

Here is a review of key LEED 2009 addenda to date. The following covers BD&C systems: NC, CS, and Schools. The addenda mix important changes in with some pretty irrelevant edits such as taking out an extra period—we all knew it was extra to begin with, right? Here’s a summary of those important adjustments. Our LEEDuser pages and guidance reflect these changes.

Is there an important addendum we didn't include in our summary? Please note it in the comments below.

Key April 2013 Addenda

There were no addenda release for January 2013, and this release was small. There are a couple noteworthy items, however.

• ITE option: The ITE study option was added for mixed-use projects in SSc4.4. Already in place for non-residential projects, this option allows projects that have no minimum local zoning requirements to meet the credit requirements by providing 25% fewer parking spaces than the applicable standard listed in the 2003 Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) “Parking Generation” study.

• Development footprintThe development footprint is the total area of the building footprint and area affected by development or by project site activity. Hardscape, access roads, parking lots, nonbuilding facilities, and the building itself are all included in the development footprint. redefined: The development footprint is the total area of the building footprintBuilding footprint is the area on a project site used by the building structure, defined by the perimeter of the building plan. Parking lots, parking garages, landscapes, and other nonbuilding facilities are not included in the building footprint. and area affected by development or by project site activity. HardscapeHardscape consists of the inanimate elements of the building landscaping. Examples include pavement, roadways, stone walls, concrete paths and sidewalks, and concrete, brick, and tile patios., access roads, parking lots, nonbuilding facilities, and the building itself are all included in the development footprint. It was previously defined as "The development footprint is the area affected by development or by project site activity. Hardscape, access roads, parking lots, nonbuilding facilities, and the building itself are all included in the development footprint." [emphasis added]

Key October 2012 Addenda

This addenda release has been very quiet, with LEED's technical staff and volunteers focused on the fifth draft of LEED v4.

• The LEED Reference Guide had been self-contradictory about whether it was required to install furniture and furnishings prior to IAQIndoor air quality: The quality and attributes of indoor air affecting the health and comfort building occupants. IAQ encompasses available fresh air, contaminant levels, acoustics and noise levels, lighting quality, and other factors. testing or flush-out for IEQc3.2. With the insertion of a single word ("optionally") USGBC has clarified that furniture and furnishing installation is optional in both cases. (Note, requirements for ID&C projects are different.)

• Several glossary definitions were updated. None of these appear especially meaningful as far as affecting LEED requirements—rather, they simply provide clearer, more technically rigorous definitions. The affected terms (roll over for definitions) are: attendance boundaryThe attendance boundary is the limit used by school districts to determine what school students attend based on where they live., brownfieldAbandoned, idled, or under used industrial and commercial facilities/sites who expansion, redevelopment, or reuse is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination (may include hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants). They can be in urban, suburban, or rural areas. EPA's Brownfields initiative helps communities mitigate potential health risks and restore the economic vitality of such areas or properties. (EPA) , blackwaterBlackwater is wastewater containing urine or fecal matter that should be discharged to the sanitary drainage system of the building or premises in accordance with the International Plumbing Code, baseline building performanceBaseline building performance is the annual energy cost for a building design, used as a baseline for comparison with above-standard design., chain-of-custodyChain-of-custody (COC) is he path taken by raw materials, processed materials, and products from the forest to the consumer, including all successive stages of processing, transformation, manufacturing and distribution. A chain-of-custody certificate number on invoices for nonlabeled products indicates that the certifier’s guidelines for product accounting have been followed. A chain-of-custody certification is not required by distributors of a product that is individually labeled with the Forest Stewardship Council logo and manufacturer’s chain-of-custody number. Chain of Custody (CoC) certification requirements are determined by Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody Standard 40-004 v2-1., CFCsChlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a compound of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine and fluorine, once commonly used in refrigeration, that depletes the stratospheric ozone layer., heat island effectHeat island effect refers to the absorption of heat by hardscapes, such as dark, nonreflective pavement and buildings, and its radiation to surrounding areas. Other sources may include vehicle exhaust, air-conditioners, and street equipment. Reduced airflow because of tall buildings and narrow streets exacerbate the effect., post-consumerWaste generated by end users (households or commercial, industrial and institutional facilities) of a product no longer able to be used for its intended purpose that is recycled into raw material for a new product. material, sealantsA sealant has adhesive properties and is formulated primarily to fill, seal, or waterproof gaps or joints between 2 surfaces. Sealants include sealant primers and caulks. (SCAQMD Rule 1168. )Sealants are used on wood, fabric, paper, corrugated paperboard, plastic foam and other materials with tiny openings, often microscopic, that may absorb or discharge gas or fluid., solar reflectanceAlso known as albedo: the fraction of solar energy that is reflected by a surface on a scale of 0 to 1. Black paint has a solar reflectance of 0; white paint (titanium dioxide) has a solar reflectance of 1. The standard technique for its determination uses spectrophotometric measurements, with an integrating sphere to determine the reflectance at each wavelength. The average reflectance is then determined by an averaging process, using a standard solar spectrum, as documented by ASTM Standards E903 and E892 (SR), U-valueU-value describes how well a building element conducts heat. It measures the rate of heat transfer through a building element over a given area, under standardized conditions. The greater the U-value, the less efficient the building element is as an insulator. The inverse of (1 divided by) the U-value is the R-value., urea formaldehydeUrea formaldehyde is a combination of urea and formaldehyde used in some glues and adhesives, particularly in composite wood products. At room temperature, ureaformaldehyde emits formaldehyde, a toxic and possibly carcinogenic gas., and volatile organic compounds (VOCsA volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a carbon compound that vaporizes (becomes a gas) at normal room temperatures. VOCs contribute to air pollution directly and through atmospheric photochemical reactions (excluding carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, metallic carbides and carbonates, and ammonium carbonate) to produce secondary air pollutants, principally ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate.).

Key July 2012 Addenda

The main feature of the July 2012 addenda release was the integration of International Alternative Compliance Paths into the LEED credit language. While most of the changes involve recognition of non-U.S. standards, there are some broader changes such as scrapping of a single 500-mile limit for MRc5.

• SSc1: Non-U.S. equivalents to definitions of flood plains, prime agricultural lands, etc, are now recognized in the Site Selection credit language. In another change to this credit, the definition of what buildings are exempt from the parkland prohibitition are broadened somewhat, in a common-sense manner.

• SSp2, SSc3: Non-U.S. equivalents to definitions of brownfields, and site assessments, are recognized.

• SSc4.1: Bus rapid transit stations and commuter ferry terminals are recognized under Option 1, which was previously reserved for rail. (This change affects all projects, not just non-U.S. ones.) In a new Option 3 available only to international projects, proximity to ride-share stations can contribute  to the credit.

• SSc6.1: Has been restructured with the previous language relabeled as Option 1: Design Storms, and a new Option 2: Percentile Rainfall Events being added. This new option doesn't appear to alter the intent or likely implenentation strategies for this credit—rather, it presents a new set of options for performing the necessary calculations and documentation.

• WEc1:  Option to base calculations on the "the month with the highest irrigation demand."

• EAp2/EAc1: Non-U.S. projects may use an alternative standard to ASHRAE Standard 90.1‐2007 if it is approved by USGBC as an equivalent standard using the process located at www.usgbc.org/leedisglobal

• EAc6: Green Power no longer has to be Green-eGreen-e is a program established by the Center for Resource Solutions to both promote green electricity products and provide consumers with a rigorous and nationally recognized method to identify those products. certified, but the project must demonstrate equivalence with Green-e on the basis of: 1) current green power performance standards, and 2) independent, third‐party verification that those standards are being met by the green power supplier over time.

• MRc5: The familiar 500-mile radius is now Option 1 of this credit. There is a new Option 2, borne out of the International ACPs but affecting all projects, in which miles that projects travel by sea, rail, or inland waterway count less than miles traveled over land. The 500 mile total travel distance can be calculated using a weighted average: (Distance by rail/3) + (Distance by inland waterway/2) + (Distance by sea/15) + (Distance by all other means) ≤ 500 miles.

• IEQp1, IEQp2, IEQc1, IEQc2, IEQc3.1, IEQc4.3, IEQc5, IEQc6.2, IEQc7.1, IEQc9: For these IEQ credits, allowance has been given to alternative standars for ventilation effectiveness, air filtration, product emissions, etc. The intent and key requirements of the credits are unchanged, but non-U.S. projects will have more latitude in using locally relevant standards.

Key April 2012 Addenda

USGBC introduced very few addenda in April 2012, and those are not especially noteworthy. But here are a couple interesting ones.

• Must use EAc1 modeling for EAc6: If an energy model was used to document compliance with EAc1, the data from the energy model must be used as the basis for determining the electricity consumption for EAc6.

• "Autocontrol faucetsAutocontrol faucets have automatic fixture sensors or metering controls." defined: Autocontrol faucets have automatic fixture sensorsAutomatic fixture sensors are motion detectors that automatically turn on and turn off lavatories, sinks, water closets, and urinals. Sensors can be hard wired or battery operated. or metering controls.

• Part-time students: Part-time students must be included in Schools SSc4.2 calculations.

Key November 2011 Addenda

This set of addenda is all about definitions.

• "Previously developedPreviously developed sites are those altered by paving, construction, and/or land use that would typically have required regulatory permitting to have been initiated (alterations may exist now or in the past). Previously developed land includes a platted lot on which a building was constructed if the lot is no more than 1 acre; previous development on lots larger than 1 acre is defined as the development footprint and land alterations associated with the footprint. Land that is not previously developed and altered landscapes resulting from current or historical clearing or filling, agricultural or forestry use, or preserved natural area use are considered undeveloped land. The date of previous development permit issuance constitutes the date of previous development, but permit issuance in itself does not constitute previous development."" defined: Of particular relevance to SSc1, SSc2, and SSc5.1, previously developed has been given a more specific definition. You can hold your mouse over the words in the last sentence to see the full definition, but the upshot is that simple grading of a site, or historical or agicultural uses, no longer constitute development. It was never clear that they did, but the previous definition left that open.

• Link to cleaner cars updated: This useful link has been updated for SSc4.3: California Air Resources Board, Cleaner Car Guide.

• Schools SSc9 clarified: In case you were wondering, projects where no future development is planned are not eligible for this master planning credit.

• WEp1/WEc3 calcs clarified: USGBC has offered additional guidance on key WEp1/WEc3 calcs, with special relevance to hospitality. "For the purposes of the credit calculations, assume that hotel guests use the fixtures and fittings in their room, employees use back of house and / or common areas, and transient guests use common area restrooms." And: "For hospitality projects, FTEFull-time equivalent (FTE) represents a regular building occupant who spends 8 hours a day (40 hours a week) in the project building. Part-time or overtime occupants have FTE values based on their hours per day divided by 8 (or hours per week divided by 40). Transient Occupants can be reported as either daily totals or as part of the FTE. Residential occupancy should be estimated based on the number and size of units. Core and Shell projects should refer to the default occupancy table in the Reference Guide appendix. All occupant assumptions must be consistent across all credits in all categories. and transient occupants are calculated per the typical methodology for the respective occupancy types. Hotel guests may be determined based on the number and size of units in the project. Generally, assume 1.5 occupants per guest room and multiply the resulting total by 60% (average hotel occupancy per AH&LA information) to determine the total number of hotel guests. Alternatively, occupants may be derived from actual historical occupancy numbers. Fixture use assumptions for hotel guests follow the fixture assumptions for residential occupants. Accordingly, lavatories located in guest rooms are considered to be private lavatories. Additionally, day use guests at the hotel should be included in the value for transient / visitor occupants. Per typical fixture use assumptions, this category of occupants assumes zero shower uses throughout the day. Example: 123-room hotelTotal Hotel Guests = 123*1.5 * 60%Total Hotel Guests = 111."

• "Occupied" and "Nonoccupied" defined: USGBC has defined occupied spacesOccupied Spaces are defined as enclosed spaces that can accommodate human activities. Occupied spaces are further classified as regularly occupied or non-regularly occupied spaces based on the duration of the occupancy, individual or multi-occupant based on the quantity of occupants, and densely or non-densely occupied spaces based upon the concentration of occupants in the space. and nonoccupied spacesNonoccupied spaces are defined as spaces designed for equipment and machinery or storage with no human occupancy except for maintenance, repairs, and equipment retrieval. formally (roll over the words for definitions), as relevant to IEQc1, IEQc7.1, and IEQc7.2. Occupied space is the general category into which other "occupied" space types fall—see below.

• "Densely occupied" definition reworded: The definition was changed from "Densely occupied space is an area" to ""Densely occupied spacesDensely occupied spaces are areas with a design occupant density of 25 people or more per 1,000 square feet (40 square feet or less per person). are areas..." Better wording, not a change in meaning.

• "Multi-occupant" redefined: In this case, USGBC has replaced a more detailed definition of multi-occupant spacesConference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations., as relevant to IEQc6.1, with something more vague. Here is the old definition: "Conference rooms, classrooms and other indoor spaces used as a place of congregation for presentations, trainings, etc. Individuals using these spaces share the lighting and temperature controls and they should have, at a minimum, a separate zone with accessible thermostat and an air-flow control. Group multi-occupant spaces do not include open office plans that contain individual workstations."

• "Individual occupant" redefined: With relevance to IEQc6.2, Individual occupant spacesIn individual occupant spaces, occupants perform distinct tasks from one another. Such spaces may be contained within multi-occupant spaces and should be treated separately where possible. Individual occupant spaces may be regularly or non-regularly occupied spaces. have been broadened. The old definition: "In individual occupant spaces, occupants perform distinct tasks from one another. Such spaces may be contained within multi-occupant spaces and should be treated separately where possible. Individual occupant spaces may be regularly or non-regularly occupied."

• "Nonregularly occupied" defined: As relevant to IEQc8.1 and IEQc8.2, previously nonregularly occupied spaceNon-regularly occupied spaces are spaces that occupants pass through, or spaces used in pursuit of focused activities for less than one hour per person per day (on average). has been redefined with a focus on the concept rather than a list of examples. The old version: "Corridors, hallways, lobbies, break rooms, copy rooms, office supply closets, kitchens, restrooms, and stairwells." Now, the definition reads, "Non-regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building. are spaces that occupants pass through, or spaces used in pursuit of focused activities for less than one hour per person per day (on average)."

• "Regularly occupied" defined: Similarly, regularly occupied spaces have been defined as a more general concept rather than the older, office-centric definition: "Regularly occupied spaces are areas where workers are seated or standing as they work inside a building. In residential applications, these areas are all spaces except bathrooms, utility areas, and closets or other storage rooms. In schools, they are areas where students, teachers, or administrators are seated or standing as they work or study inside a building.

• Learning spacesCore learning spaces are spaces for educational activities where the primary functions are teaching and learning and where good speech communication is critical to a student's academic achievement. These spaces include, but are not limited to, classrooms, enclosed or open plan), instructional pods or activity areas, group instruction rooms, conference rooms, libraries, offices, speech clinics, offices used for educational purposes and music rooms for instruction, practice and performance. redefined: Of relevance to Schools IEQp3, core learning spacesCore learning spaces are spaces for educational activities where the primary functions are teaching and learning and where good speech communication is critical to a student's academic achievement. These spaces include, but are not limited to, classrooms, enclosed or open plan), instructional pods or activity areas, group instruction rooms, conference rooms, libraries, offices, speech clinics, offices used for educational purposes and music rooms for instruction, practice and performance. and ancilliary learning spaces have been redefined. These definitions have been fleshed out a bit, so we have a better sense of the logic behind the definitions, and examples are given. For example, ancillary learning spacesAncillary learning spaces are spaces where good communication is important to a student's educational progress but for which the primary educational functions are informal learning, social interaction or similar activity other than formal instruction. These areas include, but are not limited to, corridors, cafeterias, gymnasia, and indoor swimming pools. were defined as "Spaces for informal learning. These spaces include, but are not limited to, corridors, cafeterias, gymnasia and indoor swimming pools." Now the definition (roll over the text) is more elaborate.

• On-site renewables clarified: Qualifications for onsite renewables under EAc2 have been clarified with this language added to the Reference Guide: "To qualify as an eligible on-site system, the fuel source must meet one of the following conditions: the fuel source must be wholly contained/produced on-site; the project team must demonstrate full ownership of the fuel source, including ownership of all its environmental attributes; or, if the fuel source is not owned, and in cases where use of a substitute, non-renewable fuel is possible, projects must enter into a 2-year contract for purchase of the renewable fuel source, with an ongoing commitment to renew for a period of 10 years total."

Key August 2011 Addenda

This set of addenda are the slimmest set yet, probably because LEED 2009 has been out for a while now, and USGBC is now putting more resources into developing LEED 2012. In case there is a very specific change that is relevant to your project, here's a direct link to the BD&C changes from August only. The ones I found most notable are as follows.

• Parking garages matter: The SSc5.1 site protection buffer zones have been clarified: "40 feet beyond the building perimeter and parking garages."

• New equations: SSc7.1 and SSc7.2 have new equations that don't change the requirements, but that clarify how to deal with multiple roofs. Also, skylights are explicitly considered an appurtenanceAn appurtenance is any built-in, nonstructural portion of a roof system, such as skylights, ventilators, mechanical equipment, partitions, and solar energy panels. in these credits with new language being added.

• (Don't) Leave the lights on: Requirements for automatic shutoffs of interior lights for SSc8 are clarified with the following language newly added: "Controls can be automatic sweep timers, occupancy sensors, or programmed master lighting control panels. The design can also include manual or occupancy based override capabilities that enable lights to be turned on after hours." The question of whether occupants can turn lights on after hours has come up before on the LEEDuser forum—this seems to answer definitively "yes."

Key May 2011 Addenda

• Easier time for additions: For additions to existing buildings, only the water fixtures within the project scope must be counted for WEp1.  To earn points under WEc3, all fixtures necessary to meet the needs of the addition occupants must be included, even if they are located within the  existing building.

• Relaxed EAc2/REC requirement: If you have onsite renewables and you are selling RECs from them, you couldn't get credit under EAc2 unless you bought twice that many RECs that met some other conditions as well. Now you only need to buy the same number of RECs (but they still have to meet a few conditions, basically making sure they are equivalent to what you're selling).

• MR credit scope: Were you wondering if the recycled metal in that baby grand should count for the MR credits? Question answered: "Exclude artwork, interior plants, and musical instruments," according to the new addenda.

• IEQc1 monitoring relaxed: The following footnote was removed from the IEQc1 credit language: "Monitoring CO2Carbon dioxide monitoring is required in densely occupied spaces, in addition to outdoor air intake flow measurement."

• Changes to IAQ testing under IEQc3.2: A few changes have been made here. One, testing must be done in accordance with one standard; project teams may not mix requirements from the EPA Compendium of Methods with ISO standards. Two, a formerly vague requirement on the number of sampling locations has now somewhat less vague: you must include the entire building and all representative situations. The calculation method for the number of sampling locations has also been modified slightly.

• For Schools IEQc4.4: Wood and agrifiber productsAgrifiber products are made from agricultural fiber. Examples include particleboard, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), plywood, oriented-strand board (OSB), wheatboard, and strawboard. shall be treated as walls within the classroom scenario when determining compliance. Anyone know what this means? Do these products fall under both IEQc4.4 and IEQc4.6, or are they saying that if they are part of walls they are only in the IEQc4.6 scope? Update: see the comment below on this.

• IEQc8.1 section replaced: USGBC made a full replacement of the IEQc8.1 credit language and Reference Guide information, leaving us to spot the differences. Partly, the information was just reorganized slightly, but there were some other differences. The minimum footcandle number for simulation or measurement is now 10, not 25. Also the instructions for Option 2, Prescriptive were revised a bit, but I didn't spot any key changes. Can you?

• Also relevant to IEQc8, movable furnitureMovable furniture and partitions are those that can be moved to provide access to the view by the user without the need for tools or assistance from special trades and facilities management. has been defined: "Movable furniture and partitions are those that can be moved to provide access to the view by the user without the need for tools or assistance from special trades and facilities management."

Key February 2011 Addenda

• New EP option for CS, SSc8. Under CS, SSc8: Light Pollution Reduction, projects can now earn Exemplary PerformanceIn LEED, certain credits have established thresholds beyond basic credit achievement. Meeting these thresholds can earn additional points through Innovation in Design (ID) or Innovation in Operations (IO) points. As a general rule of thumb, ID credits for exemplary performance are awarded for doubling the credit requirements and/or achieving the next incremental percentage threshold. However, this rule varies on a case by case basis, so check the credit requirements. by  require and enforce installing automatic lighting controls within 100% of the tenant spaceTenant space is the area within the LEED project boundary. For more information on what can and must be in the LEED project boundary see the Minimum Program Requirements (MPRs) and LEED 2009 MPR Supplemental Guidance. Note: tenant space is the same as project space..

• Detail on kitchen and lavatory sinks. Under WEp1, eligible fixtures have been further defined. "Kitchen sinks" includes all sinks in public or private buildings that are used with patterns and purposes similar to a sink in a residential kitchen; break room sinks would be included.
Commercial kitchen sinks are not included. Lavatory faucets refer to hand-washing sinks, regardless of location, but lab or healthcare sinks with regulated flow rates are excluded. Pot-filling sinks can be excluded.

• Detail on WEc1 water. The following language was added to implementation technologies under WEc1: Water Efficient Landscaping. We're not sure what it means in practice—please give your thoughts below. "Additionally the credit can be met when landscape irrigation is provided by raw water (excluding naturally occurring surface bodies of water, streams, or rivers, and ground water) that would otherwise be treated specifically for nonpotable uses. Only ponds designed solely for the purposes of stormwater retention or detention can be used for this credit.

• Limit on controller efficiency (CE). The measure used under WEc1 is vague and most people don't seem to use it, judging by our WEc1 forum, but it now has an outside limit. Gains from controller efficiency cannot exceed 30% in July.

• CPG now more strenuous for small projects. Under EAp2, projects under 100,000 ft2 using the prescriptive Core Performance Guide weren't held to certain requirements; that is no longer the case.

• Refrigerant management relaxed for small existing equipment. This piece has been added to EAp3, "Existing small HVAC units (defined as containing less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant) and other equipment, such as standard refrigerators, small water coolers and any other equipment that contains less than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant, are not considered part of the base building system and are not subject to the requirements of this prerequisite."

• Hybrid projects point scale specified. The Reference Guide already contained a note under EAc1 that existing buildings had a separate point scale. An addendum now clarifies the scale for buildings that combine new and old. (Detail under EAc1.)

• MPR#6 as EAc5 option. Projects meeting Minimum Program Requirement #6 through energy reporting via Portfolio Manager now earn a point under a new EAc5 option for NC and Schools, or EAc5.1 for CS.

• New EP option for CS under IEQc4. Core and Shell projects that require tenants to meet the IEQc4.1–4.4 requirements can now earn an Exemplary Performance point under IEQc4.

• Desk fans allowed! It is now official: desk fans and other plug-in thermal comfort devices are allowed under IEQc6.2, as long as they are included in the design but not the baseline energy model in EAp2 and EAc1.

Key Addenda Released in November 2010 and Earlier

• Units of measurement clarified. Units of measurement must be submitted in U.S. Standard units of measure to facilitate review by U.S. reviewers. Not every unit of measurement on every construction or facilities document must be translated, but all those relevant to LEED compliance must be converted.

• Asbestos remediation under SSc3. Projects where asbestos has been remediated based on an acceptable standard (such as RCRAThe Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) addresses active and future facilities and was enacted in 1976 to give EPA authority to control hazardous wastes from cradle to grave, including generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal. Some nonhazardous wastes are also covered under RCRA. or NESHAPs) can earn SSc3: Brownfield Redevelopment. This is not a new development, but credit language allowing it is new.

• New option under SSc4.4. SSc4.4: Alternative Transportation—Parking Capacity now has a 4th option for projects with no minimum local zoning requirements. They must provide 25% fewer parking spaces than the applicable standard listed in the 2003 Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) “Parking Generation” study. (See LEEDuser's guide to the ITE study.)

• Land donation under SSc5.1. Now projects with few landscaping opportunities seeking SSc5.1: Site Development—Protect or Restore Habitat can choose to “donate offsite land in perpetuity, equal to 60% of the previously developed area (including building footprint), to a land trust within the same EPA Level III Ecoregion identified for the project site. The land trust must adhere to the Land Trust Alliance ‘Land Trist Standards and Practices’ 2004 Revision."

• "Budget method" introduced under SSc5.1. A new "landscape budget method" (LEEDuser's term) has been added for this credit. This method could be very useful for teams that are close to meeting the buffer zone requirement, but having some difficulty. If a project is meeting 3 of 4 requirements but can't meet the fourth, it can do a calculation to demonstrate compliance.

• Light pollution and flagpoles. Flagpole lighting is not exempt from SSc8: Light Pollution Reduction shieldingShielding is a nontechnical term that describes devices or techniques that are used as part of a luminaire or lamp to limit glare, light trespass, or sky glow. requirements for exterior lighting. This was already understood by experienced project teams from CIRs, but now it's explicit.

• Janitor sinks out. Water Efficiency credits WEp1 and WEc1 no longer include janitor sinks.

• Showerheads standard raised. In the WEp1 table “UPC and IPCInternational Plumbing Code Standards for Plumbing Fixture Water Use” the EPA WaterSense Standard for showerheads has changed from 1.5-2.0b to 2.0b.

• Private facilities defined. “Private or private usePrivate use applies to plumbing fixtures in residences, apartments, and dormitories, to private (non-public) bathrooms in transient lodging facilities (hotels and motels), and to private bathrooms in hospitals and nursing facilities. applies to plumbing fixtures in residences, apartments, and dormitories, to private (non-public) bathrooms in transient lodgingLodging are facilities that provide overnight accommodations to customers or guests, including hotels, motels, inns and resorts. facilities (hotels and motels), and to private bathrooms in hospitals and nursing facilities.”

• Landscaping area clarified. Under calculations for WEc1: Water Efficient Landscaping, it has been clarified that any area being improved upon must be included in the landscaped area.

• Schools process waterProcess water is used for industrial processes and building systems such as cooling towers, boilers, and chillers. It can also refer to water used in operational processes, such as dishwashing, clothes washing, and ice making.. The requirements for the Schools credit WEc4: Process Water Use Reduction has been changed: “at least 4 process items” has been changed to “all appliances within at least 4 equipment types.”

• EP for Green Power. Exemplary performance is now available to projects that purchase just 70% of their electricity from renewable sources under EAc6: Green Power—the threshold had mistakenly been set at 100% in the first edition of the Reference Guide.

• Regional/recycled materials. For recycled materials qualifying under MRc4 also being applied to MRc5, it is “not necessary to track the origin of the raw material before it arrived at the point of extraction” which can include a “recycling facility, scrap yard, depository, stockpile,” etc. This addendum gives teams a fair amount of flexibility in setting the extraction location with recycled goods.

• CoC under MRc7. Some clarification about CoC certification requirements has been offered “Entities that install an FSCIndependent, third-party verification that forest products are produced and sold based on a set of criteria for forest management and chain-of-custody controls developed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an international nonprofit organization. FSC criteria for certifying forests around the world address forest management, legal issues, indigenous rights, labor rights, multiple benefits, and environmental impacts.-certified product on the project/building site” don’t require the certification so long as they “do not modify the product’s packaging or form except as is required for installation.” It is also noted that those who temporarily posses FSC-certified materials “should be careful not to mix or contaminate” them with non FSC-certified materials.

• MRc7 calculations caveat. Under MRc7: Certified Wood products that are FSC Pure, FSC Mixed Credit, and those not FSC certified are valued at 100% of the product cost “unless the product is an assembly in which case only the new wood portion of the product counts for credit.” The new guidance for assemblies states: “to determine the value of the wood component(s), calculate the amount of new wood as a percentage of the total weight or volume and the amount of FSC certified wood as a percentage of the total weight or volume.”

• Clarifications to IEQp1. For IEQp1 in NC, Schools, and CS you must meet the minimum requirements of Sections 4 through 7 of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007 and for mechanically ventilated spaces the systems must be designed using the ventilation rate procedure or the applicable local code, whichever is more stringent; for naturally ventilated spaces the buildings must comply with ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007, Paragraph 5.1. For only CS mechanical ventilation systems installed during core and shell construction must be capable of meeting projected ventilation levels based on anticipated future tenant requirements.

• Mineral-based flooring exempt. Under IEQc4.3: Low-Emitting Materials—Flooring Systems, mineral based finish flooring products such as tile, masonry, terrazzo, and cut stone qualify for the credit without IAQ testing, as long as they don't have integral organic-based coatings and sealants. This is good news for anyone who has been searching fruitlessly for good FloorScore-certified tile. However, associated site-applied adhesives, grouts, finishes and sealersSealers are coatings applied to either block materials from penetrating into or leaching out of a substrate, to prevent subsequent coatings from being absorbed by the substrate, or to prevent harm to subsequent coatings by materials in the substrate. must be compliant for a mineral-based or unfinished/untreated solid wood flooring system.

• IEQc5 requirements eased up. In IEQc5: Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control the MERVMinimum efficiency reporting value. 13 requirement has been removed for return air circulation—it remains only for outdoor air intakes. Also, the vague hazardous chemical containment requirement has been removed.

• Separate plumbing no longer waived. Under IEQc5 this vague sentence has been removed: “When local code does not require separate plumbing for the sink located within the segregated area for hazardous gasses or chemicals, the separate plumbing may be waived.”

• Residential projects ineligible. Residential projects are not eligible for IEQc7.2: Thermal Comfort—Verification since they house occupants with a typically high degree of control over building systems.

• Applicable spaces. Under the daylight requirements for IEQc8.1, the term "regularly occupied spaces" has been replaced by “applicable spaces.” We're not sure if this is significant—we have a question in to USGBC about it.

• Pilot credits. A third path has been added to IDc1: Innovation in Design. The pilot credit library now offers a path, in which project teams try out a new LEED credit and can earn up to five points under IDc1 for NC and CS, and four for Schools. LEEDuser has a dedicated section for the pilot credit library on its site.