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Encouraging regional priorities
To encourage projects to pursue credits with regional environmental significance, LEED offers up to four bonus Regional Priority (RP) points for each project.
RP credits are identified by USGBC Regional Councils for each zipcode within their region, with input from USGBC Chapters. These bonus points are granted for meeting requirements that have been designated as particularly important for your project's specific geographical area.
Automatic achievement
The RP points are for normal LEED credits, not new ones written for your region. You don’t have to do anything to attempt them, other than what you are already doing.
Based on your registered project’s zipcode, regional priorities are assigned based on what is deemed really important for that...
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30 Comments
WEc2 Regional Priority Credit
I have a EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. project where we have provided documentation for WEc2 and have exceeded the threshold for the RPC. In fact we have qualified for and recieved the automatic acknowledgement of the exemplory credit for this item as well. For some reason our template form has not automatically added the RPC to our scorecard as it has for the other RPC points we have qualified for with our docuemntation. Any insight on why this may be occuring?
I've assumed you've done the save, exit and reenter thing a few times. Have you tried clicking all the buttons on, save, exit, reenter? Sometimes this process pops up a screen you actually need. Otherwise, hit the feedback button in LEED Online and report a bug in their form and request your RP credit then. If you are pressed to submit, try using a blank EP credit form and a least get the problem in front of the reviewer. If you aren't pressed for time, I would wait for the LEED Online folks to fix the form for you.
RP Credit Without a Threshold/Path
The list of RP Credits for our project (zip code 80202) includes SSc6. The "Threshold/Path" column is left blank for this credit opportunity.
We are not planning on pursuing SSc6 due to local water laws the prohibit the collection and reuse of runoff from the project site. This credit would be challenging if not impossible for a project to earn in our zip code.
Is including this credit as a Regional Priorty credit opportunity without a "Threshold/Path" a way for LEED/USGBC to "re-pay" our project for a credit that is impossible to achieve in our area? Have you ever seen other RP credits with a blank "Threshold/Path" field?
When I added the credit to our scorecard on LEED Online, the "Attempt Regionial credit" is checked and has the text "This credit has not threshold". When I click "Complete" for this credit, it gives me two points on our scorecard, futher confusing things.
Phillip,
If you do not earn SSc6 you will not be awarded the RP credit. The no threshold/path just means there's only one path to earn SSc6. The threshold/path is for credits like WEc3 or EAc1 where multiple points are awarded in a credit (example: must reach 40% water savings to earn the RP point).
If you aren't going for SSc6 you should remove it from your scorecard in LEED Online.
Regional Priority Credits - Outside US Projects
My project is located in 411045 in Pune, India. It is not listed in the EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. spreadsheet tab and does not appear using the "Find" function. Has USGBC started the regional priority benefits for international countries (Outside US)?
Yes, it has. Search this website for global priority credits and you will find the information you need.
Missing zip codes
My project is located in 23707 in Hampton Roads Virginia. It is not listed in the EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. spreadsheet tab and does not appear using the "Find" function. However, there appear to be a number of missing rows where the zip codes jump from 23696 to 23808. Under the Commercial Interiors tab, 23707 appears at row 487. Does anyone have an unlocked version of this spreadsheet or a suggestion on how to obtain this information? I already emailed the USGBC but need a response quickly. Thanks.
Contacting GBCI via LEED Online is the right move. There is no unlocked version of the spreadsheet that I know of. I assume you're looking at the most recent edition?
As you have probably noticed, the credits are similar or the same for many zipcodes that are bordering each other, so if you are familiar with the state and can pick out some similar zipcodes I'll bet you can guess at least 4 out of 6.
Where are RPs in LEED Online?
I'm having trouble finding Regional Priority credits within LEED Online. I'm expecting them to be listed within the Add/Remove Credits screen, but not the case...
Any guidance out there?
They are indicated on the Scorecard on LEED Online. The Scorecard, however, does not indiate threshold requirements. Google "LEED v3 Regional Priority Credits." for the zipcode list. If there is discrepancy - as was the case on my recent project - call USGBC for clarification.
What are my RP Credits?
Our zip code, 64153, is not listed. Remarkably, most of Kansas City, MO is 641xx! I know KC has been omitted from the RP list since the RP list was published ~ 2 years! USGBC's advice is to inquire through LEED Online feedback and to assume RPs from adjacent zip codes. Our project has 6 adjacent zip codes. Only 3 of those are on the list - each with differing RP credits. The project scorecard indicates yet another set of RP credits.
Does LEED Online Feedback tend to be responsive? Should I explain to my client that USGBC is really sloppy and he will have to pay for a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide?
I asked Brad Nies of BNIM about this, since he's in the area. The following was his response. That explains why Kansas City shows up on LEEDuser's reference tool (above) but not in the Mizzou spreadsheet.
Here's Brad:
Wow I thought the USGBC fixed that. We've told them several times about this.
The issue stems from the fact that the USGBC has a hard time understanding that the USGBC Greater Kansas City Chapter (now Central Plains Chapter) has the Western side of the state of Missouri as part of their territory.
They lumped all of our regional priority credits into the state of Kansas. Last I dealt with this (over a year ago) we found that if the person searched Kansas they would find the zip codes for Western Missouri.
Having St Louis oversee the green things in Western Missouri would be like having New York City controlling green things in Boston.
Thanks to my friend Brad! I should have started there. I'll follow up with him.
USGBC called me today - less than a 24 hour turn around. Evidently they have trouble updating their posted list. I was told that the RP credits indicated on the LEED Online Scorecard are correct. She will confirm in an email along with the threshold requirements.
Regional Priority- Outside US Project
Has USGBC started the regional priority benefits for international countries (Outside US)?
No, this has not yet been established.
I downloaded Doc 8156 several months ago, which says that they are now available. For EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems., the credits no matter where your project is outside the US,PR, US Virgin Islands or Guam, they are: WEc1, WEc2, WEc3 and EAc1. Apparently the list will become more detailed in a long process whereby regional priorities are established that reflect real conditions. Having received this, I still dont' see the RP coming up in my Scorecard, but I am assuming the points will be automatically added when we are successful. There are only 4 such regional priority points available for NC or for EBOM. NC's points are slightly different but similarly weighted.
Melissa, here's a full tipsheet on our site about RPc1 for international projects. There are six credits available for RPc1 treatment, in addition to the ones you named, EAc3.1 and EAc3.2. You can only earn a maximum of four of these credits on a project, however.
I have heard about some inconsistencies with these being applied in LEED Online, but I would look for them to come up when you earn the credit. If not, you can always send GBCI a feedback note.
Tristan,
Thanks, thats great. I probably downloaded the very first advice about this, I didn't realize it had been updated.
RP Credits Listed Twice
For some zipcodes, the list of regional priority credits lists the same credit twice (eg SS6 in the EB system). I assume this means if I achieve the requirements, I get three times the credit (once for the credit itself, and twice for the regional priority). Is this accurate?
There have been a few errors in the RPc1 spreadsheets, and this sounds like it may be one, though I haven't heard of this particular example. Can you give an example of a zipcode where you see this?
23337. Thanks!
I've been told that this is a mistake that will be corrected. No word on how or when it will be fixed, though.
Scorecard on LEED online has 7 available RP credits
On the LEED scorecard it has seven credits that are available for Regional Priority. I thought there were only 6 credits that you could attempt for regional priority. The extra credit with the rp symbol next to it is WEc2, which is not listed as rp in the regional priority look-up but shows up on the scorecard. I can't find anythng in the addenda that says there are now 7 credits available instead of 6, does anyone have any information on this?
Seven RP credits is certainly not official policy but I think I recall hearing cases of there being a "twofer," e.g. SSc7 is the RP credit which emcompasses SSc7.1 and SSc7.2. Keep in mind you can only earn 4 RP points, either way.
To check your particular situation I would need your project zipcode—if you don't want to post it here please send it via the contact form.
Our zip code is 95965
Very interesting. My best guess is that this is a glitch in LEED Online, and not intentional. I would send GBCI an email to inquire about it, and I would assume that WEc2 is not actually available for the RP point.
Ok, will do. Thanks Tristan.
LEED user's regional priority look-up
LEED user's regional priority look-up gives different results than the spreadsheet USGBC provides for the same zip code. The six regional credits are not the same. Can someone address this? Thanks.
Rachael, it's very common to mis-read the USGBC spreadsheet (this is one reason we are providing this reference tool).
Be sure to select your rating sytem correctly using the five tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet. Please double-check this and get back to me if it's still not matching up for you. If that's the case, I would also need the project zipcode in order to double-check.
I forgot to select the correct tab for my rating system at the bottom. Thanks for pointing that out, the credits are consistent now.
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