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You can lead a horse to water…
…But you can’t make it drink. In other words, bike racks and showers will probably not be enough to encourage biking in an area that’s unfriendly to bicyclists. If you’re thinking of pursuing this credit, first consider the realities of the neighborhood around your project. Is it realistic that building occupants will ride bicycles and make use of the bike racks and storage or the shower facilities? It’s important to consider whether the intent of this credit will bear out in reality or if your resources might be better allocated elsewhere.
There are some additional costs
This credit entails the costs of purchasing and installing the bike racks, as well as showers and changing facilities if you decide to provide those onsite. For smaller projects, the additional...
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34 Comments
SSc4.2 / Sample Form Error / Bicycle Storage Number
Hi,
Do you have the same problem that for bicycle racks Sample Form (SSc4.2) is taking to account number of peak building users from PIF3 instead of average?
The bike racks are calculated based on peak number of users - see the last paragraph of the Bird's Eye view above.
Number of facilities for transportation center
We are renovating (to LEED CS V3) a train/bus station and cannot determine how to equate the number of bike racks for the project. It would appear that the shower/changing room numbers are to be based on the 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. occupants and not the mass fo people moving through to catch a train or bus transfer, but is there an expectation that the 1000+ commuters would need access to an equivilant amount of bike racks? I understand the need for some, but the path that most commuters will be taking is via a well integrated bus system for the city that will take them to the station.
Robert, the changing facilities are based on 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., but the bike racks are based on 3% average building occupants. I would interpret this in terms of how many passengers might be moving through the station on an average day (or perhaps a small chunk of time would make sense and could be justified).
You often see lots of bikes and bike racks at train and bus stations. Do you have reason to think that nearly all the commuters at this station will only be switching from trains to buses or vice versa?
First, I was incorrect in my numbers. based on the projections we are designing to, they expect 13,400 daily commuting trips out of the facility. Some of those are folks who are simply using the station as a bus transfer, so I can see them as not counting as occupants or visitors, but they also anticipate that the large majority of the train riders will be utilizing the very good bus system to get from their homes to the station. I agree that this may be an opportunity to change habits, but it is virtually a side walk to side walk project and so adding racks beyond minimum requirements to make a statement is out of the question.
Perhaps the GBCI will not let my assumptions fly, which will only result in us losing the potential point here, but confirmation would be nice before we move on to more practical goals of the project.
Robert, what would you propose as a reasonable way to comply with LEED requirements here? If we call each commuting trip a building user, we're talking 402 bike racks. That's a lot but it's not infinite. Seems like you could do some math on how many of those trips are the same person, and how many "shifts" those trips represent, and bring that number down to something doable.
Multiple Occupancy
I would assume that in a multiple occupancy CS building, the shower and changing room(s) would need to be in a location that is readily accessible to all, like common space. Just to say 200-yards from the building entrance does no good if the changing room is in a location that may be off-limits to another occupant.
Am I correct?
Robert, I would agree with you on this. The requirement is that the facility is sized for 0.5% of occupants, but the assumption would be that anyone can use it.
FTE for residential project Case 3 of LEED CS
I have a question to calculate the 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. for a residential project (2 towers in one condominium of one building). I checked the pages 60 and 61 and Appendix 1, together with errata sheet of the LEED Core and Shell V.2 Reference Guide.
I would like to know if there is a different way to specify the amount of occupation to be a residential building where it is possible to predict the occupation or is there a standard calculation default for this as usual in the LEED.
It's a bit surprising that there is a CS Option 3. for residential projects, as we've not seen any projects that were predominantly residential pursue Core and Shell. Typically LEED NC is pursued when there is a mixed use buildings with ground floor retail and residential towers above, or a lower commercial podium with residential above. Its common for that commercial space to be built only as core and shell construction, but since the residential units are usually fairly complete - walls, doors, finishes, bathrooms, etc - those usually push the project into NC. I can imagine an exception if the building is predominantly commercial with a small percentage of the building areas as residential. Is that your situation?
For residential units, the 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. is based on the number of bedrooms - typically 1.5 unit people per bedroom.
Distance between buildling entrance and bicycle storage
I read from Reference Guide that there is distance requirements (200 yards from building entrance) for location selection of bicycle storage for case 1 (commerical or institutional project 300,000 sq or less) but no such requirements mentioned for case 2 (commerical or institutional project larger than 300,000 sq ft). Would someone please clarify that there is no distance requirement between sited bicycling storage location and building entrance for case 2 scenarios?
Projects over 300,000 sf do list the requirement for shower and changing facilities to be within 200 yards of the entrance. As you point out, there's not the explicit requirement for the racks to be within 200 yards for CS Case 2.
Since the main difference in the credit requirements between the cases and project types are in the percentages racks per 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 all the others consistently list 200 yards for the maximum rack distance, I can see no good reason why CS Case 2 projects wouldn't also have to meet that requirement. I suspect this is a small omission that's not been picked up in the addenda yet, and if you go through the credit form I believe it will still follow the 200 yard minimum distance requirement between bike storage and building entrance.
Secure bicycle racks
What should be considered as a secure bicycle racks for Commercial Projects 300,000 s.f. or less (vs. non-secure)?
If provided racks are outside, do they have to be fully covered?
Thank you.
For non-residential projects, bike racks don't have to be covered.
Secure means that the bikes would be stored in a relatively safe location (away from obvious hazards), and that they can be locked, either in a room with restricted access, or using individual locks.
bike route map
We submitted a request to have this credit reviewed under the LEED Application Guide for Retail V3 guidelines, as there are no retail guidelines provided for C+S developments.
We would like to omit the showers and in place provide bike route assistance. This bike route information is to be posted in a conspicuous location in the center of the plaza near. The bike route assistance is a map containing all the bike routes in the city. The map also contains a scaled up window of the area focusing on the bike routes around the project area. This map will provide valuable information to employees and customers who commute to the shopping center. It also provides the community with information to help reduce vehicle congestion by encouraging residents to use bicycles.
My question is: what are the requirements for the bike route map - is there a specific dimension or appearance/ material?
I'm not familiar with any specific requirements for this. I would assume that it simply must be reasonably permanent, visible, and readable. I woudl be surprised if LEED required anything specific as far as material, etc.
Basements and occupancy
Hey Jana -
It makes sense in most cases to exclude parking square footage from occupancy calcs, or use a very low default occupancy count.
USGBC has not defined 'basement' - I'm not sure about ASHRAE. I know that for us, it's the fact that the basement is a built, enclosed space that matters - the use of the space is not important the way our policies are currently written.
Hopefully this gives you a level of understanding that you need.
Cara, does this mean that in case 1 above, we shuld exclude the parking from the calculations? Doing that we would have only 50,000 sqf office area, with a resulting 200 default occupancy.
That is how I would read the response from Cara Mae, yes.
hello
I have a problem about the number of the bicycle storage.
In our project, client give me the data of person number: 6m2/person(retail), I think it is the 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., if every one stay 2 hour everyday, so the all building users should be 4 times about the FTE, but as the index of 6m2/person, two person can not stay in the same time, that is to say, when one person levave, another person can reach. so I think the bicycle storage should also use the FTE. If use all building users for the bicycle storage, bicycle storage will be given more than the fact several times.
thanks
Is your project larger or smaller than 300,000 ft2? The credit requirements are a ittle different for each case.
The requirements are clear that you must use 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. for showers and changing rooms, but number of building occupants for bicycle storage.
I think you need to double-check your occupancy numbers. Those are very high compared to the default numbers given in the CS Appendix in the LEED Reference Guide. The Reference Guide also distinguishes between employees and transients.
"Projects which contain underground and/or structured parking, may exclude that area from the gross square footageSum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building including basements, mezzanine and intermediate-floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft or greater. It is measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating buildings, but excluding covered walkways, open roofed-over areas, porches and similar spaces, pipe trenches, exterior terraces or steps, chimneys, roof overhangs, and similar features. used for the calculation."
Eric, it would be very helpful if you say what is the origin of this quote?
Where to find this information?
I found it: in App 1 to LEED BD+C Ref.guide
re: Using default occupancy v/s estimated occupancy
On page 31 of the MPR Supplemental Guidance, it give the definition of gross floor areaGross floor area (based on ASHRAE definition) is the sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate‐floored tiers, and penthouses wi th headroom height of 7.5 ft (2.2 meters) or greater. Measurements m ust be taken from the exterior 39 faces of exterior walls OR from the centerline of walls separating buildings, OR (for LEED CI certifying spaces) from the centerline of walls separating spaces. Excludes non‐en closed (or non‐enclosable) roofed‐over areas such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhangs, and similar features. Excludes air shafts, pipe trenches, and chimneys. Excludes floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles. ( Note that while excluded features may not be part of the gross floor area, and therefore technically not a part of the LEED project building, they may still be required to be a part of the overall LEED project and subject to MPRs, prerequisites, and credits.) as : (based on ASHRAE definition) "Sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate‐floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft (2.2 meters) or greater. Measurements must be taken from the exterior faces of exterior walls OR from the centerline of walls separating buildings, OR (for LEED CI certifying spaces) from the centerline of walls separating spaces. Excludes non‐enclosed (or non‐enclosable) roofed‐over areas such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhangs, and similar features. Excrenches, and chimneys."
We don't have specific approved methodologies for using an alternative occupant density. If your building doesn't fit the defaults, we ask that you propose an alternative number, reasoning for that number, and evidence/documentation to back up that reasoning. It's easy and reliable to use comparable buildings, and so we suggest that route.
Hi Cara, thanks for your response. The use of "Basement" is unclear.
Thinking in two hipothetical cases:
Case 1: Core & Shell Building, 50,000 sqf office area. 50,000 sqf underground parking. If underground parking is considered as "basement", Gross Floor AreaGross floor area (based on ASHRAE definition) is the sum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building, including basements, mezzanine and intermediate‐floored tiers, and penthouses wi th headroom height of 7.5 ft (2.2 meters) or greater. Measurements m ust be taken from the exterior 39 faces of exterior walls OR from the centerline of walls separating buildings, OR (for LEED CI certifying spaces) from the centerline of walls separating spaces. Excludes non‐en closed (or non‐enclosable) roofed‐over areas such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhangs, and similar features. Excludes air shafts, pipe trenches, and chimneys. Excludes floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles. ( Note that while excluded features may not be part of the gross floor area, and therefore technically not a part of the LEED project building, they may still be required to be a part of the overall LEED project and subject to MPRs, prerequisites, and credits.) = 100,000 sqf. Default Occupancy = 400.
Case 2: Core & Shell Building, 50,000 sqf office area. 50,000 sqf surface parking, zero underground parking. Surface parking is non-enclosed thus, Gross Floor Area = 50,000 sqf. Default Occupancy = 200.
Obviously, one of the calculations above is wrong. Which one is it? and what is the correct way to understand it?. What uses are included in "basement" according to ASHRAE definition?
Basement parking is not to be included into the GSF and therefore you wouldn't apply any FTEs to it.Be sure to only exclude the parking area. Supporting areas like storage, mechanical rooms ect. have to be included into the GSF. See the note below the certification fee table. http://www.gbci.org/main-nav/building-certification/resources/fees/curre...
Since the GSF entered in the PI forms is what determines the fee, that would also be the basis of your FTE calculation.
If the USGBC reads this, please give us a more defined guideline on the definition of all the different areas in LEED Online and the exceptions. I work on about 10 LEED projects within a year this is always an issue for us and the reviewer causing more review comments than necessary and more paper work on both ends. I did mention it to the GBCI on the Green Build and hope there will be a comprehensive guideline in the near future.
To add also another layer to the discussion: Guys, what has been your experiance so far with atriums and empty spaces inside the building. We are working on a shopping mall with extensive "holes" in the floor plates that take up about 80,000 sf. Shall we include it in the gross buillding area or not, or we can just exculde it from the calcs for the occupancy? Thanks!
I just did a project with a huge atrium. The space is semi conditioned, not intended to be used as a regular occupied space. We have listed it as circulation space in the Project Information form. In our case the atrium has no FTEs. If I remember correctly this new space category has been added to the selection to address the issue of this type of space, which are used by occupants, but don't have any FTEs. As for the holes, the gross square footageSum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building including basements, mezzanine and intermediate-floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft or greater. It is measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating buildings, but excluding covered walkways, open roofed-over areas, porches and similar spaces, pipe trenches, exterior terraces or steps, chimneys, roof overhangs, and similar features. is excluding penetrations. So a two story space only counts once.
Do you know whether building terraces (partially open to sky, partially covered) are included in the gross square footageSum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building including basements, mezzanine and intermediate-floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft or greater. It is measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating buildings, but excluding covered walkways, open roofed-over areas, porches and similar spaces, pipe trenches, exterior terraces or steps, chimneys, roof overhangs, and similar features. for occupancy calculations?
No, those are excluded.
Using default occupancy v/s estimated occupancy
Appendix 1 of the BD+C Reference guide states that "if the buildings and circumstances are not covered in this appendix, provide documentation for comparable buildings demonstrating average gross square foot per occupant..."
Something similar appears on the PI Form 3: "Actual Building occupancy is unknown and the defaultoccupancy counts do not adress the LEED building type. The project team will base occupancy on an alternative methodology"
For a building in Mexico city, 250 gross sf per occupant seems to be a very low occupant density. Of course, this depends on (and here is my first question) what is the definition of gross area? Does it includes below grade parking and all other enclosed spaces? and, what alternative methodologies are acceptable for using a different occupant density?
The Square Footage
Under LEED-NC2.2 SS-C2.0 the square footage definition stated
"The square footage of a building is the total area in square feet of all rooms including corridors, elevators, stairwells and shaft spaces. Only 2 stories of a parking structure may be counted as part of building square footage. Surface parking (only 1 story of parking) cannot count as part of the building square footage; this is to ensure efficient use of land adjacent to the total 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.. Both structured and stacked parking are allowable in square footage calculations".
Now under LEED v2009 the same definition does not mention nothing about parking structures. The question is do we still consider for LEED v 2009 the same square foot definition as LEED v2.2
thanks.
Look at the BD+C CS Appendix 1:
"Gross square footageSum of the floor areas of the spaces within the building including basements, mezzanine and intermediate-floored tiers, and penthouses with headroom height of 7.5 ft or greater. It is measured from the exterior faces of exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating buildings, but excluding covered walkways, open roofed-over areas, porches and similar spaces, pipe trenches, exterior terraces or steps, chimneys, roof overhangs, and similar features. is defined as the sum of all areas on all floors of a building included within the outside faces of the exterior wall including all floor penetrations that connect one floor to another. This can be determined by taking the building foot print and multiplying it by the number of floors in the building. Projects which contain underground and/or structured parking, may exclude that area from the gross square footage used for the calculation. Other spaces such as common areas, mechanical spaces, and circulation should be included in the gross square footage of the building."
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